Oliver 166

by Ralph Kennedy
(Mt. Carroll, Illinois)

We have had this machine since 1972 or 73. It came from a LaGanga Il. high school. It has a Westinghouse 1/2 horse electric 3ph motor. The speed changer is a calibrated wheel on the headstock leg. It is equipped with both inboard and outboard face plates, and we use both. We have never had any problems with the motor. The newest patent date seen is 1919. I do not have an ID plate. I see where it was but has been removed. I have been searching for a dust (hood) to use that is easily moved for long turnings. In doing so I was checking the back side of the frame rail and noticed that it has two cast L, gusseted brackets bolted on the rail. The bracket on the tailstock end is broken with the bolted piece still in place. The intact bracket has holes in the horizontal leg for attachment of ???????. Did Oliver make a chip and dust collector for these lathes. So far, my searches for information have not been successful. If not for a traveling dust hood, what would have been the purpose for those brackets. They do seem to have the same paint as the lathe.