Straitoplane is the source for old Oliver parts

Shops with woodworking machinery from Oliver Machinery, produced in the 20th century, should be aware of Straitoplane Machine Inc. in Hughesville, Pa.

Straitoplane Machine is a newer entity, formed after RT Machine Co. and RT Machine Service purchased Eagle Machinery & Repair Inc. and Straitoplane Inc., two parts distribution companies previously based in Michigan, in March 2022 to become the world’s sole distributor of pre-1999 Oliver woodworking machinery replacement parts.

“We have all the parts inventoried, old blueprints to manufacture parts off of them, and all the documentation which shows original buyer and seller of almost all machines from Oliver that were made from around 1906 to 1999,” says Jon Bradford, the parts and service coordinator at Straitoplane Machine.

Replacement parts can be purchased from the company’s website at straitoplane.com.

Straitoplane Machine also provides service for older Oliver machines including its namesake, the Straitoplane, a combination planer/jointer introduced in 1923. Bradford describes the Straitoplane as a double-sided planer, 18” to 36” wide, with two cutterheads, and one of the machines Oliver was best known for.

Oliver Machinery continues to make new machinery, such as sanders, table saws, drill presses, jointers, planers, and dust collection systems, with more information available at olivermachinery.net.  

This article was originally published in the February 2023 issue.