# Old iron...



## TimR (Sep 10, 2014)

Greg asked to see the Walker Turner Drill Press I mentioned in another thread, so here it is.
I was mistaken on age, it's from Korean War era, not WWII. From SN lookup, it should have been made 1st qtr of 1951.
I got it for free from company I worked for when I first moved here in 1996. They were getting rid of them to upgrade equipment. 
Missing the belt guard ( almost all do) and orig motor. Steady as a rock and surprisingly no drill marks on table. Model WT900

Reactions: Like 5 | EyeCandy! 1 | Way Cool 3


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## woodtickgreg (Sep 10, 2014)

That's a beaut!

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## The PenSmith (Oct 30, 2014)

Its a testament to the quality of the older machines and it still works! Today drill presses are good but not at the level of the one you have.

Reactions: Agree 1


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## Mike1950 (Apr 25, 2015)

I love these old machines- 18" Oliver table saw with sliding table. WOW -probably so heavy it would sink through my concrete slab. Would love to see it run but would be scared to use it. 18" blade would probably cut through 6-7"

Oliver 88' 18 inch sliding table saw. Has an enormous work surface, perfect for working with beams, etc. you name it. 

Stock Code: Oliver88 
Manufacturer: Oliver 
Model: 88 
Condition: Used but in excellent condition

Would like to see @woodtickgreg get this one in his basement.......  I bet he would find a way!!

Reactions: Funny 1 | Way Cool 1


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## Kevin (Apr 25, 2015)

I have a 1947 Oliver 270D 16" saw with a 5HP 3 Phase motor that I used for about 5 years until one day I just lost my nerve. Actually I guess I used it for closer to 7 years come to think of it. The people at Eagle machinery told me the 5HP rating given the motor in 1947 is equivalent to 7.5HP by today's standards. I had an automatic feeder for it and when it burned up I used it freehand for several years but one day, and I don't know why because I never had a close call with, I was ripping some thick hardwood and I just suddenly got chills down my spine and became afraid to keep pushing wood through it. I fought the feeling for a while before deciding I was too scared of it anymore to keep using it. I took it out of service a couple years ago and replaced it with my PM66. Now it serves the same purpose as Mike's lathe.

I bought my Oliver from the Tennessee Technological University. They used to be the Tennessee Polytechnic University when they ordered the saw new in 1946. They were the only owner of the saw until I bought it from them in 2006. Several decades ago one of the Oliver office buildings burned down and thousands of other birth certificates as they are referred to were lost. Mine was in one of buildings that didn't burn and I was able to buy a copy. Notice in the upper right hand column - one of the options ordered by the university is a "1-#270-8A Splitter Bracket".









You are looking at a slice of woodworking history when you look at that BC. There's no brake on the saw and the motor takes over 2 minutes to spool down with a 16" blade on it. I generally ran a 14" blade. The saw is a tank.

Reactions: Way Cool 3


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## Mike1950 (Apr 25, 2015)

Kevin said:


> I have a 1947 Oliver 270D 16" saw with a 5HP 3 Phase motor that I used for about 5 years until one day I just lost my nerve. Actually I guess I used it for closer to 7 years come to think of it. The people at Eagle machinery told me the 5HP rating given the motor in 1947 is equivalent to 7.5HP by today's standards. I had an automatic feeder for it and when it burned up I used it freehand for several years but one day, and I don't know why because I never had a close call with, I was ripping some thick hardwood and I just suddenly got chills down my spine and became afraid to keep pushing wood through it. I fought the feeling for a while before deciding I was too scared of it anymore to keep using it. I took it out of service a couple years ago and replaced it with my PM66. Now it serves the same purpose as Mike's lathe.
> 
> I bought my Oliver from the Tennessee Technological University. They used to be the Tennessee Polytechnic University when they ordered the saw new in 1946. They were the only owner of the saw until I bought it from them in 2006. Several decades ago one of the Oliver office buildings burned down and thousands of other birth certificates as they are referred to were lost. Mine was in one of buildings that didn't burn and I was able to buy a copy. Notice in the upper right hand column - one of the options ordered by the university is a "1-#270-8A Splitter Bracket".
> 
> ...



I knew you had one and thought you would appreciate this one! Does yours look like it. The sliding table option is something I did not know was available back then. I could have bought a big Moak last year $450. but had no idea what to do with it. Helluva lot bigger then my lathe and it takes up enough space as it is. Do you know how much it was new. They want $1750. for this one.


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## Kevin (Apr 25, 2015)

I don't know what it cost new I will look at the BC when I get back but I don't remember there being a price on it. I paid $625 for mine I believe. I was alerted to the auction by a friend of the shop instructor at the school. They were replacing all of their shop equipment and auctioned off everything. But the school did not advertise the auction at all and I was the only bidder on the saw except for the shop teacher, and he only bid on it because he couldn't stand to see the saw go fo the initial $350 I bid. Sort of peeved me off that he did that I mean what's it to him. Oh well $625 was a fair price lol. 

I wouldn't pay $1750 for the 88 simply because you can find way better deals. This is what my saw looks like (mine is covered up right now literally).



 



However the 88 is an incredibly beautiful saw when restored . . . .

Reactions: Like 1 | Way Cool 1


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## Mike1950 (Apr 25, 2015)

@Kevin Those are both beautiful saws. Thanks for the info. I am not interested in saw- just like to look at them. Now a 25" planer-I am looking for!!!!!!!!!

Reactions: Like 1


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## Gdurfey (Apr 25, 2015)

I didn't get a good picture, but a guy in the neighborhood restores windmills and has a metal lathe that appears to be WW I era......really cool, really BIG! Just love the looks of it.

Reactions: Like 1


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## Kevin (Apr 25, 2015)

I can't read very well. When I bought the saw the college instructor told me it was ordered in 46 and delivered in 47. But as you can see it was ordered and delivered in 1948. So this is actually a 48 model not a 47. I had taken note of that once I ordered the birth certificate a couple of years after I bought the saw but evidently slept since then lol. Here's a better picture of it.






Did you notice the crate weight? 1330 pounds. They don't make them like that anymore.

Reactions: Way Cool 1


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