Wadkin RS restoration

[wallace]

Its been a whole year since I started a machine so I thought its about time, This one dates from 1936 and is in rough but very complete condition. It has its original compound slide/carriage and even a nice 4 jaw chuck

One must remember check height restrictions and fluorescent tubes when entering the workshop, they don't half make a pop when hit

 

[Geoff_S]

Er ... what is it?

 

[Random Orbital Bob]

It's a lathe dear boy....were the apples extra Wallace?

It's like a new BBC drama....I'll strap in and look forward to the next episode

 

[wallace]

Its been sat under a big ol apple tree for a year, There are piles of windfalls for the birds over the winter, their starting to get mushy and ferment. Have you ever seen a drunk blackbird

 

[wallace]

Let the fun begin

All of the cloth wiring is rotten but the starter looks to be in great condition.

Never come across this on an RS before, brass hinges

There is normally a tapered pin locating the lever but this one had a straight pin which would not budge so I had to drill it out.

Funny little marks

I'm always impressed when taking a wadkin to bits, Bolts are just the right torque and come out like this after 82 years

Never seen 3 grease rings on the spindle before

This is my tool for getting the nut off the spindle, Its not pretty but works

 

[Woodmonkey]

Yay, I love these threads.... Has this one already got a home to go to wallace? Would love to own one of these one day

 

[wallace]

No home for this one yet mate.

Original colour under the tags

That wasn't too difficult, I was expecting a fight

I think this bit might put up a bit resistance

 

[Rhyolith]

What does “RS” stand for? and what does it do? I don’t recognise this sort of lathe.

I will be paying close attention to this as just got my first large industrial machine restoration to do in the form of a milling machine.

 

[Farmer Giles]

I love restoring old machines, that is lovely, I'm looking forward to the rest of the resto.

 

[wallace]

What does “RS” stand for? and what does it do? I don’t recognise this sort of lathe.

I will be paying close attention to this as just got my first large industrial machine restoration to do in the form of a milling machine.

The RS doesn't stand for anything its just the way wadkin named their machines, The RS is a pattern makers wood lathe, just like any other wood lathe just a bit bigger. This one weighs around 700kg. It has a carriage and cross slide like a metal lathe. I have done some metal turning on mine with no problem.

 

[TFrench]

What does “RS” stand for? and what does it do? I don’t recognise this sort of lathe.

I will be paying close attention to this as just got my first large industrial machine restoration to do in the form of a milling machine.

The RS was the baby of the group - they did an "RU" and then an "RUH" which were even more monstrous!
http://www.lathes.co.uk/wadkin/

 

[wallace]

I very nearly bought an RU for peanuts a couple of years ago, been kicking myself ever since.

Their are some pretty rusty bits so I got some phosphoric acid.

This is the tail stock, note the differences to a later one.

The carriage is in good nick just rusty, funnily the cutter in the holder is a carbide tipped parting tool.

To get the machine pins out I put a slit with the dremmel and twist with a screwdriver

The motor put a decent fight up, the end bells are aluminium and the main body cast iron. There was a bit sticking due to dissimilar metals.

I've never come across a motor in this good a nick inside, it still had chalk writing on the stator. Normally they are crammed with grease.

 

[Vann]

...The RS was the baby of the group - they did an "RU" and then an "RUH" which were even more monstrous...

Nah, the RS is the middle size (actually 3 middle sizes: 6" 8" & 10").

The RT is the baby of the group.

And I think one of the later Wadkin-Bursgreen woodlathes might be slightly smaller again.

Cheers, Vann.

 

[NazNomad]

Just one question...

Why is there not a film crew making a full series of this?

 

[Geoff_S]

Just one question...

Why is there not a film crew making a full series of this?

My wife locked them away

 

[wallace]

I have found that using phosphoric acid before cleaning up works really well, I intend to cold blacken some parts after cleaned. It smells horrible, almost like a stink bomb

Wadkin must of had a good few motors still with Wadkin & Co when they became a limited company.

Mmm Hofman bearings

It must of been in the same company whenit got its coat of green paint, I found the same asset number underneath

I got back together and wired up and it works lovely, a quick lick of zinc primer

Just realised it might have to come to bits again because I will be fitting a VFD and this motor is not dual voltage, My motor man might be able to fiddle with the leads

 

[Phil Pascoe]

A little drop of phosphoric is handy stuff if you want to set Cascamite lightning quick.

 

[Rhyolith]

The name plate looks lovely!

So phosphoric acid dissolves rust? Would it work on brass too?

 

[Phil Pascoe]

I just had a look for acids on Amazon ........ how about this for an advert -
Get Nitric Acid - Buy - You're worth it. :? :shock:

 

[wallace]

Yeah phosphoric acid works pretty well, just mix with water and let it soak, I believe it is used for etching so probably keep an eye of steel parts,
You wouldn't need it for brass, it doesn't rust and is really easy to clean up with scotchbright.

This is the support for the motor pulleys, as you'd expect Hofman double row self aligning bearings.

The pulley spent the night in a bucket of solution and came out rust free

This is it after a while in the cold blackening solution, just spray with wd40 and then boeshield

The head spindle all cleaned up

The speed change handle is a week point on the RS, they usually get broken.

The carriage and compound tool holder is a tad rusty

But came to bits pretty easily