Walker Turner Belt Sander...what have I got myself into!?

[9fingers]

Glad you are having fun Jim.
Bit concerned that you are online at 3am though. What part of taking things easy do you not quite understand??

Bob

 

[jimi43]

Eric...I am so very pleased that you mentioned maroon...

I have decided that it will have to be two-tone and maroon and cream it will be! It simply typifies the 30s and 40s....

Ah...you see Bob...her indoors is asleep then...you can get away with murder after dark don'tcha know! :twisted:

Jim

 

[jimi43]

Eric...you were spot on with that colour idea. Isn't it funny that certain colour combinations recall memories of bygone eras....and to me...the old rural coaches in their maroon and cream livery says what I want of this era....

The motor is the one from the little jeweller's drill as it is virtually the same HP...has the same shaft diameter and fits slightly better. AND...I don't have to strip all that horrible red paint from it...I wasn't going to do that unless I had to!

I have tried to be as meticulous as possible with the masking...

...some touch up needed afterwards but we are getting there. I have found a nice little trolley as I fully intend to mount the motor back where it would have been originally...below...it helps protect the motor from tons of fine dust...stupid idea putting it right at the end of the belt! (homer)

I know the original belt size and I am pretty sure you can get most belts sizes either stock or made up fairly cheaply these days...something which probably wasn't an option when the original modifications were done. I really don't need nearly 30" of flying belt when the only bit I will use is the surface plate (currently being flattened)....

This will entail a bit of metalwork and some lateral thinking...but I will sort it out...

The original mountings are there...it's just a case of making/sourcing the original bits...fun!

Next comes the drive...

The motor pulley is 4.25" and the existing drive pulley is 4.5" and with motor rpm at 1425 this gives about 1350rpm at the belt. The original drive pulley train was a compound one...but I don't yet see the need of variable speed....another thing to think about.

So...the dirty bits now...all remaining castings will be cream...to give the contrast scheme...and I think that the trolley that I have will be ideal to mount it all on...I just have to sell a few more things to make space! :wink:

More WIP later....

Jim

 

[kirkpoore1]

Jim

I agree that cream & maroon are a good look. I used it on two machines last year:

I think you're right about not needing different speeds. I haven't seen any need to change the speed on my belt/disk sander.

Do your sanding belt pulleys have a crown in them? If they're worn, they might have a flat or even W-shaped profile, and the belt won't track well. Also, you might want to get some graphite cloth to cover your platen. That way the cloth will take the wear, instead of your platen.

Kirk

 

[Blister]

Nice project Jim

Looking good :wink:

 

[jimi43]

Do your sanding belt pulleys have a crown in them? If they're worn, they might have a flat or even W-shaped profile, and the belt won't track well. Also, you might want to get some graphite cloth to cover your platen. That way the cloth will take the wear, instead of your platen.

Kirk

Nice machines Kirk....excellent job on the restoration...do you have any close-ups?

I haven't quite got to the drums yet...although I can put a crown on them on the lathe if necessary. On the original...the drive drum has a rubber "sock" to aid grip...and I shall be putting something similar on mine.

The platten is in the shop being flattened...great tip on the graphite carpet...I would want it very thin though to maintain the flatness when doing plane soles etc...

Thanks Blister...you are most kind.

Jim

 

[Noel]

Good job so far Jim.

Looks good in grey too:

More: http://vintagemachinery.org/photoindex/ ... x?id=10169

 

[jimi43]

Hi Noel

I have been analysing the Vintage Machinery website examples and it is amazing what a wealth of information can be found there. Mine has quite a few serious modifications so I think there will be a bit of head scratching ahead.

The most critical thing is the plate that holds the idler drum has been deliberately bent...heaven knows why....and it looks like it is cast...so I can't figure out how they did that...(the red bracket on the left in this shot...)

Will have to chat to the village blacksmith tomorrow...

Kirk...i read up on crowning and the idler drum is the one to do. On the link that Noel posted...the guy mentions doing the job using the "on machine technique". I need to find out exactly what that entails!

Jim

 

[kirkpoore1]

Jim:

Here's a thread with some really good pictures on owwm.org:
http://www.owwm.org/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=41918&start=0

Since you've got a metal lathe, you ought to use that to crown the drums. I got lucky when I did mine, and my drums were still crowned.

The graphite cloth is fairly thin, but you'll probably need to adjust the height on the platen a little anyway.

Oh, here's a couple of closer shots on the shaper and lathe:

Not the brightest light, I'm afraid.

Kirk

 

[jimi43]

Jim:

Here's a thread with some really good pictures on owwm.org:
http://www.owwm.org/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=41918&start=0

Since you've got a metal lathe, you ought to use that to crown the drums. I got lucky when I did mine, and my drums were still crowned.

The graphite cloth is fairly thin, but you'll probably need to adjust the height on the platen a little anyway.

Kirk

Thanks Kirk...I will check that out tomorrow...

Jim

 

[jimi43]

You know you're near to completion when yer nuts get hung out to dry!

I have some hard black paint that will be on all of the smaller bits...

New front bearings have arrived...would you believe..they were a different size!

...and Bob...you were right...I was surprised that the bearings were metric and the reason behind this...once I got it all cleaned up...was sleeves have been inserted into the original castings to adapt from the original American size!

I am going to refurbish the metalwork (grinder has been out) and reassemble and see what it comes out like before I start a possible restoration to normal. I still have to see if I can get 4" belts at the original size...or thereabouts...anyone know the best place to get belts?

Jim

 

[kirkpoore1]

Jim:

Walker-Turner machines are notorious for having oddball sized bearings. I won't touch a W-T machine for exactly that reason. It sounds like somebody already adapted your sander though, so you're good to go.

Kirk

 

[jimi43]

Hi Kirk

Yes...I bet that was a nightmare for people buying those tools back in the day...and I see now there are companies that specifically make the bearings for their drills which are a completely custom size! What amazes me is that this is the "economy" range! I hate to think what the build quality of their "professional range" is like!

SO....I bet you lot thought I had given up on this old beauty...and it did nearly kill me a few times with lifting bits and bobs...but thanks to my ever-suffering wife who now has a few more muscles..it's finished! So without any more waffling....

First...I had to get the belt sanding bed back to flat...very important for me to take stock off the bottom of things in a flatish fashion....

This may take quite a while but is something I can do a bit at a time....but for now..it has been fitted to the machine to test...

I decided two things....

1) I wouldn't try to restore it back to original...there were simply too many modifications and missing original parts to source...it was just not economically viable...

2) I would mount the motor on the top versus underneath...as I would be using it on a bench and this made much more sense in terms of utility....

I need to make a NVR/emergency stop switch but I have the bits for that...and wire the motor up to it...

I also managed to find a suitable adjuster tensioning spring at the bootfair on Sunday..it was masquerading as a gate closer!

The broken adjuster plate has been fixed with slow-set Araldite and seems to be perfect...

...and I found some better black dome nuts for the top rather than the rubbish ones that were on there...

I ran out of red primer and used white for the "modified" adjuster steady so that is a tad lighter than the rest of the paintwork...

I can always whip that bit off and give it a few more coats later to darken it up a bit.

So the monster has been reborn...

....all I need now is to get it to run straight...

...make a bed fence...and possibly think about restoring the disc sander part...if I can find the Picador disc that I have...it could be modified....possibly!

So...a bit more tidy than when she arrived...and a great addition to my armoury of vintage workhorses!!


BEFORE

AFTER

Cheers guys and gals...off to find something else to keep me occupied! Only 6 more weeks to get through!!! :mrgreen: 8)

Jim

 

[Pvt_Ryan]

I think the before pic is better.... :roll:

Nice job though.

 

[9fingers]

Nice Job indeed Jim!!

You have PM

Bob

 

[goldeneyedmonkey]

Well played Jim, looks top mate.

_Dan.

 

[Richard T]

That's stunning matey . =D>

I'm still holding out to make a three wheeled one ... started collecting bits for it about four years ago.

 

[kirkpoore1]

You've done a great job, Jim.

Kirk

 

[Noel]

Well done Jim, looks fantastic.