Wadkin Planer/Jointer restoration project

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It looks like a Wadkin RA (or RAA) 6in overhand planer (as opposed to a panel planer, aka a thicknesser), but it almost looks as though somebody has been messing about with it. The factory normally supplied these machines with the motor mounted onto a frame at the front/rear of the main base casting (see below) or sometimes on a cradle inside the main base. Yours appears to have the motor mounted directly to the end of the cutterblock, which on an induction motor on standard mains power (50Hz) would give at best only 3000 rpm (as opposed to the 4500 to 6000 rpm afforded by a 4-pole motor 3:1 or 4:1 pulley ratio). It may be, however, that the factory did supply this machine with a 3-cutter block (most were 2-cutter blocks) to compensate for the low block speed, but I can't see the smoothness of cut being any better trhan a standard machine (in fact it's possibly a lot worse). Another possibility is that the motor is a DC motor, or possibly one designed to run on what would nowadays be a non-standard frequency (quite common before the National Grid of the 1930s) on which it might well run at the correct speed of 5000 rpm. There's even the possibility that the machine has a slip ring motor capable of running at 5000 rpm on standard 50Hz power. wadkin did fit these onto a number of machines in the late 1920s although it was mainly spindle moulders. The machine is very old because its' plate states the manufacturer name "Wadkin & Co". Wadkin became a limited company in 1931 so your machine is at least 77 years old as it pre-dates the formation of the limited company.

As to what needs looking at I'd suggest starting be removing the rear fence, then both of the tables to allow you to examine the gibs and ways (what the table slides on) before looking at the state of the ball bearings on the ends of the cutter blocks. the main things wrong with the machine appear to be that it has no crown guard (although it does still have the bracket) and it is missing a DoL starter. As to converting the machine to single phase I'd consider taking the motor off and replacing it with a pulley. The whole affair can then be powered with an off-the shelf single-phase motor mounted underneath on the floor and driving via a v-belt with a ratio of 1:3.33 if you want to reproduce the stated 5000 rpm from a 4-pole (1500 rpm) motor, o 1:1.66 for a 2-pole (2#3000 rpm) motor. Do remember to guard the belt.

To give you an idea of what the machine looked like when newer, here's a 1949 Wadkin catalogue page:

WadkinRA1949.jpg


Before you ask the machine would originally have been painted daek grey or black - but be careful of the original paint as it is a lead-based finish

Scrit
 
:D

Thanks Scrit - lots of food for thought there.

The model number (according to the front plate) is RAA188, 3 phase, 50 Cycles.

I believe the motor was factory mounted in its current position. The castings of the motor casing and the main body are a perfect fit and were obviously made to fit together (the motor housing fits into a rebate on the main frame), and the fence assebmley again attaches directly to the motor casing.

I will spend some time disassembling the parts you suggest, and perhaps investigate further the question of what to do with the motor.

Final point - do you know of anywhere I can get spare parts??? As you say, the cutter guard is missing, and the wheel to adjust the outfeed table is also missing.

Thanks again.

Karl
 
Karl,

Brian says he's sure he's got the guard somewhere and it will turn up as he sorts his garage out. He's going to drop it in with me when he finds it.

I'll ask him about the outfeed table knob.

Looks like its a bit older than we thought, then! What amazes me is how little the basic design of a planer has changed in all that time.


Cheers
Dan
 
Nice one Dan.

And in case you inferred from my OP that I wasn't grateful to receive this machine, I am. Cheers.

Karl
 
Anybody who has taken the time to read any of my posts will know that I have a passion for history, including machines, and wood planers have a long development history Dan.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portsmouth_Block_Mills

Having read Dan's posts Karl I don't believe he thought that for one moment, note the smiley. I confess I would have said the same thing and added the smiley as well.
It's nice to see an old timer being brought back into use, and I had to pay for mine!

Roy.
 
Hmm - I wonder what the "Portable machines - both the 6" and 9" machines are available" means on the ad Scrit posted?
 
Jake":mirn19mk said:
Hmm - I wonder what the "Portable machines - both the 6" and 9" machines are available" means on the ad Scrit posted?

We proved the portability of this, the 6" machine.

We got it in the back of Karl's VW, and he drove it from Stockport to Winsford.

Never again, though! It must have weighed 3 cwt.

Portable my ****!

Dan
 
Ha ha, I bet. Everything is relative - it is a Wadkin, after all. It looks a little more portable than the one with the socking great big motor and belt cover.
 
Managed to squeeze an hour in the 'shop tonight, and did a bit of dismantling work....

DSCF1117.jpg


DSCF1123.jpg


So it is now broken down into its constituent parts.

Motor

DSCF1118.jpg


Tables

DSCF1119.jpg


Cutter block & assembly

DSCF1120.jpg


and the fence

DSCF1121.jpg


It came apart surprisingly easily. I was just glad I had an Imperial socket set :lol:

Everything looks great, apart from the motor.

DSCF1124.jpg


Now, I don't know the first thing about motors. But I was surprised at how this looked when I opened it up. There were even a few shavings in there! I think this project is going to revolve around what to do with this motor or, more the point, whether to replace it.

Everything else looks in really good nick - the fence assembly works great, the tables are lovely and flat, and will slide on their runners really nicely when they've been cleaned up and a bit of fresh grease is applied.

So - any views on the motor?

Scrit - you mentioned checking the bearings on the cutter block - I have loosened the access panel to check them over. Now, what am I looking for?

All input greatly appreciated.

Cheers

Karl
 
I think the 'phase converter' looks to bit of a problem, I don't think there are enough connections to the motor for it to work correctly, but the rest of the machine looks great, but then I am biased having a Wadkin AGS in pride of place in my shop.
 
I wonder how many axministers will still be around in 80 odd years.

Fantastic post and keep up the progress reports.
 
Been doing a fair bit of cleaning up this week, primarily on the base unit. Pics to follow (once all other parts are cleaned up).

I'm going shopping tomorrow, so which paint - 3 options:

1) Black Hammerite smooth finish.
2) Black Hammerite hammered finish.
3) A completely non-standard colour (silver, red, Clifton Green), either smooth or hammered.

I can't decide, so opinions please. I am erring towards a non-standard colour, in a smooth finish.

And does anybody have any idea on which areas are actually painted (I know the tables and fence aren't.........). It is really hard to establish which parts were originally painted. May have to wing it if there isn't an example out there.

Cheers

Karl
 
Hammerite paints came up in discussion on a lathe group where I lurk recently.
The conclusion was that the pseudo hammer finish looked awful and that compared to proper machinery paint, the hammerite smooth was a poor substitute too.
Trimite make excellent enamels for machinery which seem very resistance to chipping but I doubt you will find them in the high street and possibly not in places that open on a Saturday!


hth

Bob
 
Might sound daft but a friend is restoring an old motorbike and took the frame off to be shotblasted and powder coated. There were a few other bits as well and all in he was charged £100 cash. This would obviously be more expensive than painting it yourself but concidering the cost of the machine its still cheap. He went for black but I guess they would do it in any colour for the same price and I doubt you would get a more durable finish. Would save a mountain of time in prepwork as well.
 
That would get my vote too.

You could even get them just to do in an agreeable run out colour of a production run they are doing. Getting it shot blasted will get a great finish, you will have a real gem on your hands then.
 
Presuming this is going to be a 'user' and not a show piece, aren't we going just a tad OTT? Good stiff wire brushing and paint the bu**er, that should do it.

I use car Engine brush on enamel, easier to apply than hammerite and gives just as good a result.
 
I had considered having the machine professionally sprayed, but ruled it out on a cost issue. There are quite a few little bits (handles etc) and I didn't think it'd cost anything less than £150/£200 to get it all sprayed up. That's just not worthwhile, when you allow for the fact that the motor needs to be sorted and could cost a few quid.

For now (ie until i've decided on what colour to go for) I am going to clean all the parts up and give it a coat or two of primer. The base is done - starting on the rest this week.

Need to deal with the motor/converter soon.

Cheers

Karl
 
You can buy coloured enamel on ebay ,the type for machines like myford lathes.
 

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