Wadkin RU

[burnsyslad]

Hello All,

hopefully someone out there can help. I have acquired a Wadkin RU in pretty reasonable condition and have just about completed installing it (I had to have it craned in and built a workshop around it !!). I have a few questions and wondered if anyone out there has another RU and could shine any light on things:

1. Shaft/thread information. I have measured mine and it comes out to 1 6/8" diameter with a thread of 4 1/2 UN.
I have been told that they were all custom made with a variety of thread/shaft sizes as specified by the customer but this could be just a myth.

2. Does anyone have any other information or a manual, again I am not sure if they even existed.

3. Any other owners out there willing to send photos of the toolpost/holder and traversing mechanism as mine has at some point in time been separated from it and I would like to reconstruct something of the sort.

3. If there is anyone else out there mad enough to own one of these things please get in touch as it would be useful to compare notes!! Heck we could even start an RU owners club....its guaranteed to be a pretty small club.

Cheers

 

[nev]

hi, welcome.
http://www.lathes.co.uk/wadkin/ has some basic info
hth

 

[Richard Findley]

Hi

I have a Wadkin RS8 which is quite a beast but the RU makes it look like a hobby lathe!!

Take a look here:

http://www.lathes.co.uk/wadkin/

Which I think I about the only source of info on the RU that I've seen.

Pictures would be nice please!!

Cheers

Richard

 

[wallace]

Hi I too have a RS the 10" version. I very nearly bought an RU alittle while ago but got outbid. The only other person I know who has one is a chap called Arthur who I think is from canada heres a link to his site. http://www.owwm.net/wordpress/?p=354
He is very knowledgeable and is happy to help with stuff. I dont suppose you got the RUH did you, they are very very rare. I would love to see some pics of the monster. I have just noticed that your in the north east, where about. I dont suppose its anywhere near durham I would love to have a look at it.
Mark

 

[burnsyslad]

Hello All,

Thanks for the replies, I almost bought an RS 8 but saw the RU and just could not help myself.
I have been to the site listed and taken copies of all of the information they have on the site, sadly they don't have a manual on the RU.
I will try to upload some pics of the lathe as soon as I can, I just have to get them off my phone and onto the PC.
In answer to your question the lathe and I are based in the North East, not too far from Durham

Cheers

 

[Bodrighy]

There is one in the workshop next to me with all the bits and pieces for it. I can see if I can get some photos for you if you wish?

Pete

 

[burnsyslad]

There is one in the workshop next to me with all the bits and pieces for it. I can see if I can get some photos for you if you wish?

Pete

That would be great thanks!!

 

[burnsyslad]

Hello All,

sorry it has taken me a while to update this one but here are some pics as requested:

The lathe itself prior to delivery:

Its concrete plinth in preparation:

The "wee house" growing up around it:

Next up is insulation and boarding followed by wiring....then the real fun starts.

BL

 

[jurriaan]

Aren't you worried that the lathe is going to stand too close to the wall to use it's full capacity?

Also, the toolrests/banjos don't look original to me, the banjos actually look flimsy compared to all that cast iron.

Lovely lathe!

 

[Dangermouse]

Are you going to turn 12 foot table tops then ????

 

[burnsyslad]

Hi Charley,

I did measure up and even with the largest diameter work which would not foul the foot of the headstock it will work, though I think the likelihood of getting a bowl blank that size is pretty slim....not to mention having the nerve to spin it up to speed.

As to the tool rests its difficult to know about their provenance as I have not really got too much to compare them with, the images available on lathes.co.uk are not really clear enough and as yet I have do not know of anyone in the UK who has been daft enough to buy one. I am however sure that I am missing the traversing carriage and the likelihood of me finding a one lying around is slim, still if anyone happens to have one I would be interested.

I did get in touch with someone at the current owners of the Wadkin brand and he promptly informed me that Wadkin had never made anything called an RU .... so obviously the 2 tons of cast iron I have outside is a figment of my imagination.

I wondered about setting up an online register for owners of RU lathes as it would be nice to know how many have survived the scrap man and where they are, the last one sold on ebay was shipped off to Holland (or so I was told by the seller).

I will try to add some more pics later when I have completed the interior and added the speed control to it.

 

[Bodrighy]

My apologies, I was going to get some photos of the one next door for you. I'll see if I can get some tomorrow. There is an electric motor for the bed which can be moved away from the headstock to allow you to turn larger diameter. Max. diameter on the outside is eight foot apparently and fifteen foot max. length along the bed. The banjo is also electric and can be moved along the bed using the motor. Crazy piece of kit overall.


pete

 

[burnsyslad]

Hi,

the pics would be much appreciated. Mine has a bed which rolls out but it does not have a motor to do this, you just crank a blinking big handle and off it goes, it seems to give a maximum of about 15' 6" between centres. I figure this would be big enough for pens, lace bobbins and such like.

The moving tool post/tool rest sounds interesting, the images I have show the lathes were shipped with a tool holder and carriage similar to a metal working lathe, if mine had one then its no longer around.

Please ask the owner if they would like to help start up a register of these dinosaurs, I am happy to build a site and put up the machine registration details and maybe even some photos of it/them. It might be interesting to see how many could be found and what state they are in.

Cheers

 

[Richard Findley]

Looks like a real beauty!! What is the serial number? Sometimes you can tell the year of manufacture from this.

I think a website for RUs would be a bit sparse, if you include RSs it may have rather more content, even more if you include BZLs and some of the others. Stick on Graduates and you'll have a hell of a site, real lathe porn!! :lol:

Keep us informed!!

Richard

 

[Cbromber]

Hello burnsyslad,

I own a Wadkin RU, too (lovely beasts, aren't they?) and I'm enchanted by your idea of an old-iron owners' club.

How to get into contact? Forum-ping-pong is a bit annoying...

BR,

Christoph

 

[Richard Findley]

Hi Christoph

Now that is a lathe!!!! :shock: :shock: What a beauty!!!

Can you tell me more about the base? it looks to be on some sort of special feet mounted into the floor?

Thanks

Richard

 

[boysie39]

Wow , that is a serious piece of machinery . Christoph you say you are not fond of flitting back and forth on forums , so could you show or tell me what type of work you do on your lathe please . Maybe a little history of your lathe as it looks to be almost new to me . I didn't think they made lathes that size anymore .

 

[burnsyslad]

Hi Christoph,

I have sent you my email address via the pm system of the forums.

B

 

[burnsyslad]

oh and just to be a real anorak.

The machine itself bears two brass plates with information on them, the first is on the lathe itself and carries this detail along with the Wadkin name:

RU: 161
Test: 11454
Voltage: 440
Phase: 3
Cycles: 50
Motor Number: 5K27011
Starter Number: 161821
Speed: 1410
HP: 3
Amps: 48
Volts: 400/440
Phase: 3
Cycles: 50

The second plate is on the motor and reads as follows:

The English Electric Motor Company Ltd Induction Motor

Serial: 5K2701/1
Size: Alk1
HP: 3
Volts: 400/440
Amps: 48
RPM: 1410
Phase: 3
Cycles: 50
Rating: Cont

Best

B

 

[Cbromber]

@ Richard,

she's lovely, isn't she?

The base was, so to speak, on an experimental footing: 'Maschinenschuhe' those things are called in German, manners to finely adjust they height of each support individually (double-U double-U double-U (I do not have permission to post links. See, do you know why I love forum small-talk?) fixatorenbau <dot> de <slash> 2-engl-fixatoren <dot-h-t-m-l>). Beneath, I did use some kind of foam to damp bed oscillations (manufacturer webpage: double-U double-U double-U getzner <dot> com <slash> en <slash> solutions <slash> materials <slash> sylomer; an excellent supply in even the tiniest quantities isd ouble-U double-U double-U gummitechnik-klein <dot> at <slash> index.php?id=27). The foam I used first was too soft. Next, it did turn out that with the foam, the 'Maschinenschuhe' cannot accomodate the horizontal force applied when shifting the bed. Since I do not often shift, I left it as it was.

And, my workshop was a former meeting room of a christian congregation, so there is an isolated screed floor. I had to cut the screed open and put the 'Maschinenschuhe' directly on the concrete - this also makes the height perfect for me!

@ Eugene:

New? - no, it's an honest piece of old iron, just mocked up a bit with paint. The machine as-is seems to be rather indestructible, but there are a lot of details I'll have to look for: It is a geared machine, like they use for metal, and splash-lubricated. Some joints are loosing oil. Maybe I'll scratch the machine bed some day, or re-do the motor-winding: I have to use it without earth-leakage trip, and so on.

@ burnsyslad:

Great idea to set up a RS and RU machine directory! I'll send you details on my lathes off-line

C.