Oliver Benchtop Planer - Recommendations?

[Paul F Spiegel]

I’ve been looking to purchase a DW735 w/ a Shelix head (that I would install) but started to see a couple references to the Oliver benchtop planer (10044) that comes with the Shelix already installed. While I’ve seen minor references on Sawmill, I haven’t seen any dedicated reviews or recommendations or warnings. Anyone have first-hand experience with thoughts to share? (I have no affiliation with either company - just want this to be the last planer I buy.) Thanks in advance for any words of wisdom…….

[Jim Becker]

I have only seen commentary on the heavier current generation Oliver machines...'didn't even know they had a benchtop. The bigger gear seems to be "worthy" so hopefully that benchtop is similar, especially wih a helical type upgrade like that.

[Andrew Hughes]

I would buy a planer that has a insert head already installed.
I would hope the manufacturer or designers account for the Xtra power needed to take a decent cut.
Good luck

[Richard Coers]

For me, it's a personal preference to not do business with a company that buys the name of an age old USA manufacturer of woodworking machinery, and use that long history connection to market cheap import machinery. That Oliver building in Grand Rapids that they use to describe their business history on the web site, that has burnt to the ground, has absolutely nothing to do with the machinery they have sold since 2000.

[Keegan Shields]

Yeah using the Oliver name always seemed a bit bait-and-switchy to me.

The DW735 seems to be the standard for bench top planers. The Oliver model looks similar to the DW734 and other bench top planer models. At $1k + tax, that’s getting real close to a decent used 15” planer.

All of my large stationary tools are used. If you have (or wire up) 240v, it opens up many options in the used market. Most WW hobbyists hardly use their tools.

[Randy Heinemann]

I bought one about a month ago and, other than testing it on a board and to setup the digital gauge, I really haven't used to plane a lot of boards. However, the test I did showed me great results and, as long as the infeed and outfeed tables are set correctly (which they were from the factory) there is no snipe I can detect. Great dust collection and a great finish on the wood. I owned a Dewalt 735 for 10+ years and loved it. I even was able to find a jig to hone the Dewalt knives once time giving me longer knife life. I would never say anything bad about the Dewalt, but I do believe that, for the money, the Oliver benchtop is a good choice. It is the only benchtop I've found with a true Byrd head installed. All the other bench tops have their own staggered knife heads; some with somewhat of a spiral and some which don't seem to be real spiral placement of the knives.

[Michael Burnside]

I’ve read a few good reviews and the dust extraction setup makes a lot more sense. I broke the attachment once on my 735 before I sold it. If I were in the market for a benchtop, this would be at the top of my list.

[Curt Harms]

I've always felt that when buying new, buy a machine that has what you want 'out of the box' rather than buying then replace parts on a new machine. Grizzly's Oliver brand is supposed to be an upscale line but I have no experience.

[Mark Salomon]

I bought one about a month ago and, other than testing it on a board and to setup the digital gauge, I really haven't used to plane a lot of boards. However, the test I did showed me great results and, as long as the infeed and outfeed tables are set correctly (which they were from the factory) there is no snipe I can detect. Great dust collection and a great finish on the wood. I owned a Dewalt 735 for 10+ years and loved it. I even was able to find a jig to hone the Dewalt knives once time giving me longer knife life. I would never say anything bad about the Dewalt, but I do believe that, for the money, the Oliver benchtop is a good choice. It is the only benchtop I've found with a true Byrd head installed. All the other bench tops have their own staggered knife heads; some with somewhat of a spiral and some which don't seem to be real spiral placement of the knives.

How does the sound level of the Oliver when cutting wood compareto the DeWalt?

[Andrew Hughes]

I used to own one of Oliver's blue 8 inch jointer when inserts when they first cane out. Made by geetech. The fence that was shipped with the machine was warped and twisted.
They sent another that was better or as geetech put within specs.
The table flatness was also " within specs". +/_ .007
I sold it after two sets of inserts that cost nearly 300$. I paid just under 2k and sold it for 500$

Too me they aren't a serious woodworking machinery company anymore.
They came out with this silly jointer planer contraption. Over complicated mess.
https://youtu.be/-tmtlZhthsI?si=rEcn88xTeOLueWPe

[Pat Germain]

I have seen a few review videos on YouTube for the benchtop Oliver planer and they were all very positive. Worth a look if you're considering adding one to your shop.

[Cameron Wood]

I used to own one of Oliver's blue 8 inch jointer when inserts when they first cane out. Made by geetech. The fence that was shipped with the machine was warped and twisted.
They sent another that was better or as geetech put within specs.
The table flatness was also " within specs". +/_ .007
I sold it after two sets of inserts that cost nearly 300$. I paid just under 2k and sold it for 500$

Too me they aren't a serious woodworking machinery company anymore.
They came out with this silly jointer planer contraption. Over complicated mess.
https://youtu.be/-tmtlZhthsI?si=rEcn88xTeOLueWPe

I wonder how one would edge joint boards with that machine...

[Andrew Hughes]

I wonder how one would edge joint boards with that machine...
Good point I hadn't thought of that 🤔

[Gordon Dale]

I bought one about a month ago and, other than testing it on a board and to setup the digital gauge, I really haven't used to plane a lot of boards. However, the test I did showed me great results and, as long as the infeed and outfeed tables are set correctly (which they were from the factory) there is no snipe I can detect. Great dust collection and a great finish on the wood. I owned a Dewalt 735 for 10+ years and loved it. I even was able to find a jig to hone the Dewalt knives once time giving me longer knife life. I would never say anything bad about the Dewalt, but I do believe that, for the money, the Oliver benchtop is a good choice. It is the only benchtop I've found with a true Byrd head installed. All the other bench tops have their own staggered knife heads; some with somewhat of a spiral and some which don't seem to be real spiral placement of the knives.

Thanks Randy for posting this. I am also considering the Oliver over the DeWalt and would appreciate hearing from others who actually own and use this machine.

[Richard Coers]

I've always felt that when buying new, buy a machine that has what you want 'out of the box' rather than buying then replace parts on a new machine. Grizzly's Oliver brand is supposed to be an upscale line but I have no experience.
You sure Grizzly owns Oliver? I thought it was South Bend or something like that. That's the kind of confusion they get for buying up old American machinery names.

[Izzy Camire]

I bought their 15" planer in the spring and have found it to be a very good planer. If you need to call the company they answer by the 3rd ring and your are speaking to someone here in the USA.

[Randy Heinemann]

The sound level is lower than the Dewalt but you'd never want to use it without hearing protection. I haven't measured decibel level but I'm very protective of my hearing and planers, like jointers, bandsaws, tablesaws, routers, produce more noise than is safe.

[Richard Coers]

I bought their 15" planer in the spring and have found it to be a very good planer. If you need to call the company they answer by the 3rd ring and your are speaking to someone here in the USA.
What machine have you bought that doesn't have someone in the USA for you to talk to?

[Paul F Spiegel]

Thanks to everyone that offered advice, some pro-DW and some pro-Oliver. I don’t see a clear winner, but at least I have some better questions to research and consider.
Happy New Year to all !!

[Curt Harms]

You sure Grizzly owns Oliver? I thought it was South Bend or something like that. That's the kind of confusion they get for buying up old American machinery names.

Hmm, it looks like you're right. I may have confused Oliver with South Bend. According to the blurb on their web site the company moved from Michigan to Seattle in 2000 which is where Grizzly is headquartered but it appears Grizzly doesn't own Oliver. Here is a snip from lumberjock's web site:

Comments:
- One of Oliver investors that saved the company from extinction was Chiu Ting Machinery, or Geetech in Taiwan. IMHO they are one of better machinery mfg in Taiwan. They make much more than wood working machinery. Have visited Geetech in long past and saw 20" run of planers in process one time. There were 4 different colors for OEM we know and love running in same plant. They did have separate final assembly and customer inspection areas for each OEM and color, that were secured behind doors to keep competition away. OEM on-site representatives knew each other, and several of them go to lunch together (at least they did with me?).

[Jim Becker]

I've always felt that when buying new, buy a machine that has what you want 'out of the box' rather than buying then replace parts on a new machine. Grizzly's Oliver brand is supposed to be an upscale line but I have no experience.
Grizzly's upscale brand is Southbend, not Oliver.

[Brian Gumpper]

Saw a blog post once comparing the two as well as a Craftsman. Search for a comparison it's probably still out there. Onlything I remember is the DW735 is a more robust machine but that would have been my assumption. They all work though

[lou Brava]

I bought and returned a 13 inch Oliver planer to Wqodcraft, for whatever reason it would not plane an even thickness. I'm pretty sure it was a one off problem machine and I would have settled for an Oliver replacement. But Woodcraft told me deal with Oliver & that went no where so I sent it back to WC received a full refund & bought a Cutech with there spiral CH. It works great, is it as good as a 735 probably not but by the time you get a 735 & put a bryd head I'd go with a 15" planer. What I found out it seems all these bench tops (except the 735) is there basically all the same in terms of build quality, Jet, Grizzly, Wen, Cutech, Shopfox, ect are all made with the same parts and probably same factory. I've had the Cutech for about 2 years & have no complaints it leaves a very nice surface. I just ran some 8/4 QS Oak yesterday and I was surprised it really didn't bog down that little planer ! Money was the reason I went Cutech it seemed a lot of bang for the buck. If I was going to ever replace a lunch box planer I'd find the money for a 15 inch planer.

[glenn bradley]

From a Woodworker's Journal article:

In 1999, a group of investors purchased Oliver. In order to remain competitive, the Grand Rapids plant was shuttered and manufacturing was directed offshore. The company’s U.S. headquarters were moved to Kent, Washington. But curiously, one important link to Oliver’s Michigan heritage remained.

“Our last Grand Rapids plant manager, Rich Fink, bought Oliver’s remaining parts inventory plus the sales records and the old blueprints. He uses this information today to help owners of Oliver machinery made prior to 1999 restore and service their machines through his business, Eagle Machinery and Repair Company (http://www.eaglemachinery-repair.com/).

[Richard Coers]

Hmm, it looks like you're right. I may have confused Oliver with South Bend. According to the blurb on their web site the company moved from Michigan to Seattle in 2000 which is where Grizzly is headquartered but it appears Grizzly doesn't own Oliver. Here is a snip from lumberjock's web site:
The company was already extinct with regards to woodworking machinery when the Washington State investors purchased the name. The company in Grand Rapids filed for bankruptcy in 1986. "For a variety of reasons, the company filed for bankruptcy in 1986" From the same article in Woodworker's Journal. https://www.woodworkersjournal.com/oliver-machinery-continuing-legacy-despite-change/

[Andrew Hughes]

In my town there a bakery that had a Oliver bread slicer. It looks to be a hundred years old I cannot even imagine how many loaves it’s cut. I’ve seen it working a handful of times and I don’t go the bakery very often.

[Randy Heinemann]

It's really about choices in my opinion. The price for a new Oliver benchtop is $1,000. The price to buy a new 15" with a Byrd helical head is $3,200. The price to upgrade an existing old Dewalt 735 to a Byrd head is probably about $500 if you do it yourself. Or, buying a new 735 and upgrading the head to the Byrd head would cost in the range of $1,200-$1,300 doing it yourself. I wouldn't attempt it. Since I really don't generally need the additional width capacity that a 15" would give me, it seems like kind of a waste to spend $2,200 more for something I don't need. So I consider the Oliver benchtop a true upgrade at a reasonable price given my needs.

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