wadkin PK restoration

[wallace]

Its been a whole 5 minutes since I finished the morticer but I am determined to finish all my project machines. I wasn't going to do a wip but thought everyone likes a machine brought back from the dead. I bought this PK about 3 years ago, it was missing some major items like its fence and crown guard arm.
The first problem was getting into the workshop, the pallet it was on was rotten so I had to drag it onto my pump truck.

At least I had the good sense to smear the top in waxoyle and cover it with a plastic sheet. It looks rough but it should come good

The top was rusty when I got it and I think the rust and the waxoyle has protected the top. When I gave it a shave it was really nice underneath.

Surprisingly the tilt still worked well

I've done a few PK's and never come across this which limits the travel of the blade height

This is the casting that holds the motor, This pic is straight off the machine and has not been touched. Its been sat under an apple tree for over 3 years with just a sheet over the table.

A bit of a clean

No wonder their was a bit slop I'm sure thats supposed to be a tapered pin, funnily I've had 3 pk's with this pin broken.

I've been using liquid metal for filling but found this at my paint dealer for £14

 

[MikeG.]

Nah..........you'll never make anything of that. And no-one will follow the thread either. :wink: :lol:

 

[fiveeyes]

Watching with great interest.
I must say,Wallace, that is one LARGE lump of iron! Do be careful of your toes.

 

[wallace]

Watching with great interest.
I must say,Wallace, that is one LARGE lump of iron! Do be careful of your toes.

You mean like this.

This is what happens when a courier driver doesnt look at what hes moving and my fault for not taking charge.

I much prefer moving heavy stuff by myself, the only time something has gone pear shaped is when some one is 'helping'

 

[Trevanion]

You mean like this.

I hope that isn't the Wadkin MA you just restored!

 

[heimlaga]

I applaude you for giving yet another machine a new life......... I wish I could find an affordable PK or an equivalent Jonsered or Waco or Robinson.........

 

[wallace]

Trevanion, unfortunately it was the newly finished MA. The driver wanted to try and upright it by dragging it with his wagon. I got him to use his tail lift to upright it. quite a bit of cosmetic damage but I don't think any broken castings. The new owner is going to give it a good look over.
Heimlaga I was at a dealers recently and found a nice Robinson ETE, it was an older version

 

[Vann]

:shock: :shock:

I didn't realise this was a recent photo. I vaguely recall you had a machine tipped and damaged when delivered to you a few years back.

I've twice used a commercial shipper (not including a friend who's used his lorry to do local machine deliveries) and twice had damage - fortunately minor damage in both cases. It almost makes you want to buy your own lorry :roll:

Cheers, Vann.

 

[wallace]

I think I have used pallet couriers 35 times and had 4 incidents so not too bad, But 2 of them were on restored machines. A lathe I did earlier in the year got to its destination all scratched up and looked like it had been left out side in the rain. The problem is even if I had a trailer it wouldn't be cost affective to say travel 350 miles to collect/drop off a machine when a courier could do it for £60

 

[wallace]

More done, to remove he handle from the handwheel is pretty easy, just drill the peened over end a bit and knock it out.

The handles look a bit rough but since they are made from horn they clean up really easy. Stick the stub in a drill, hold some sandpaper and spin it in your hand, go through the grits and finish with t-cut

The handwheels are in great shape and just needed putting in the lathe and used grey then red scotchbrite before polishing.

This machine looked in bad order but the more I dig into its obvious it was well cared for.

I tried gun bluing for blackening some bolt heads

And just a little bling

 

[wallace]

Rusty bits wire wheeled and blackened

Now onto the slider, one of those hammer screwdrivers is invaluble for stuff like this.

Easier to clean stuff in situ

The slider has hardened steel inserts for where the bearings run

Anoher indication that this machine has had an easy life is hole in the centre, this is where the table release locks the slider. generally the run up to the hole has a groove worn into it.

 

[wallace]

Just a tad more, the screws that hold the filler strip for the protractor groove were missing so it had lifted a bit with rust. After initial cleaning of the sliding table there are a few stains but no pits.

The carriage the sliding table runs on is in good shape but is missing some hard to find bits ie the eccentrics that hold the bearings that the table runs on.

Someone has changed the bearings at some point originally it would have had open bearings

I got a big surprize when I went in the house, a parcel from over the pond. Even the dog was excited, well not really, I was stood near the treat drawer.

There are some very nice people around, I've been searching for the back half of the pk's double mitre for 6 years. I just need to find someone to do the machining.

 

[Rhyolith]

Nice, always enjoy these wallace

 

[wallace]

more done, I'm pleased the motor was ok after spending 4 years outside. Bearings in good shape so just flushed and repacked.

After much filling and sanding a few coats of primer

Followed by the usual RAL 7011 enamel

Theres no reason to paint inside other than it looks good

This saw was missing its fence, its original fence ended up in canada. I've been looking for a fence for years so in the end I got the fence off a EQ spindle moulder which has the same fine adjuster but it doesnt tilt. I think it should work well and I think the provision to use the EQ's hold downs which go into the top of the fence will be quite usefull.

 

[wallace]

Time for a bit assembly.

I thought I'd better put it on a pallet before it gets too heavy for my block and tackle

I dont know why but I had two tins of black enamel with just a bit in so I thought I'd pore one into the other. It had some kind of reaction and coagulated into a horrible mess.
Luckily paint supplier close by

 

[memzey]

Great stuff as always. Can’t wait to see this one finished.

 

[wallace]

Bit more done, the table is in pretty good condition with no pitting just staining. the infill strip which is steel has some decent pits in it. My method for cleaning is Stanley blade, wire wheel, scotchbrite on the ROS.

Found these stamps on a corner, does the arrow denote military?

Guess who forgot to feed the wires from the switch and motor before putting the table on. Took 45 mins of contorsionist work to get them in,

The slider release was missing so I had a go at making a new one in the style of the early pk machines.

 

[wallace]

I don't suppose there is anyone out their who has a pk and has both parts of the double mitre. I have a bare casting of the back half that needs machining up.

 

[Vann]

I don't suppose there is anyone out their who has a pk and has both parts of the double mitre...

I've got a fairly beaten up pair with my PK (but as I'm in New Zealand you can't borrow either of them :wink: ). Can I help with measurements? Details?

Cheers, Vann.

 

[Westwood]

Very impressive restoration so far. looking forward to seeing the finished article and a good mug shot.