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.

[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.

[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

[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.

[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?

[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.

[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.

[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.

[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.

[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?).

[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/o...espite-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.