Far as I can tell, the vaunted Oliver was bought by Sunhill around
2000. The Oliver website
(http://www.olivermachinery.net/info.asp?content=faq) says their
"older" stuff is serviced by an Eagle Machinery, which is located in
Grand Rapids, MI (the original home of Oliver).

Thing is, the "new" stuff looks exactly like the old stuff. So who is
making it now? And I guess more's the point, where? Sunhill claims to
be a designer/distributor, and specifically disclaims any manufacturing
capabilities whatsoever.

They've got a 10" jointer that, in my lifetime, I will never deserve.
It weighs in at 900 lbs, and I think even the power cord is made of
cast iron. Hell, I couldn't even get it into my basement anyway.

But, ummmmm.....it's just $600 more than a DJ20, and
aaaahhhhhh.....damn she sure is purty, 'bout large enough to joint a
damn phone pole...I could always just buy a new house...

I cannot answer as to the quality or where they're made, I think up in Wa state.
I get to use the old machines, a 12" jointer, 14"/16" table saw and 20" surfacer
and they are incredible to use. This is in adult ed. that I attend, though I am
working more toward hand skills..."neander" more than "Normite".

Do you think this is a good price?
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...tem=7539403014

--
Alex - "newbie_neander" woodworker
cravdraa_at-yahoo_dot-com
not my site: http://www.e-sword.net/

wrote in message
ups.com...
Far as I can tell, the vaunted Oliver was bought by Sunhill around
2000. The Oliver website
(http://www.olivermachinery.net/info.asp?content=faq) says their
"older" stuff is serviced by an Eagle Machinery, which is located in
Grand Rapids, MI (the original home of Oliver).

Thing is, the "new" stuff looks exactly like the old stuff. So who is
making it now? And I guess more's the point, where? Sunhill claims to
be a designer/distributor, and specifically disclaims any manufacturing
capabilities whatsoever.

Sounds like the molds and dies might have been shipped to the Pacific. Not
uncommon. Nobody here wants a factory in their back yard, just the money
that having one there would provide.

Mike M wrote:

I did some wiring in their Tukwila location in Wa. They don't
manufacture at this location, just recieve, assemble, and ship. I
believe it was all coming from overseas. I know the Sunhill side is
imported, I believe the Oliver is now imported, but the literature I
took home doesn't specify where it is manufactured.

Mike M

I called Sunhill on Friday...not only is it all made over seas now
(Taiwan I think), but their Oliver jointers are no longer even the old
Oliver castings/molds. Pretty much all new. Made to look very
similar, but much of it was redesigned.

I don't mean to indict the quality of the new stuff at all, mind you,
it may be very good for all I know. But I guess that was the answer I
was wondering about..."Oliver" is just a name now, and the relationship
to Oliver Machinery is pretty much just the naming rights.