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  1. #1
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    Default Wadkin RB Bench Type Buzzer - RB 116.

    I've been doing a bit of research into the Pattern Shop at the Hutt Railway Workshops near Wellington, which was closed in 1987. New Zealand Railways had one other pattern shop - at the Hillside Railway Workshops in Dunedin. The Hillside Railway Workshops closed in 2013, but the Foundry and Pattern Shop was sold to an Australian firm as a going concern.

    I guess I'm just a bit cheeky. While in Dunedin last month I called in and asked if I could have a look through the pattern shop - mostly to compare with what little I knew about the Hutt Pattern Shop. Both pattern shops date to the same era - late 1920s. But of course I was also keen to see what old English machines might still be present. And I was especially keen to see if they still had the second Wadkin RM mentioned in the War, Workshop & Wadkin thread (they did). I was not permitted to take photos, but I got into conversation with the supervisor, and he sent me some photos of machines that became surplus at the change of ownership.

    Included was this photo of a forlorn Wadkin RB which, having failed to sell, was moved outside several months ago.

    RB 121.jpg Wadkin RB 116 - 10th May, 2017.

    RB 200.jpg Three Wadkins: left - PK 1891; right - RMA 842; behind - RB 116 - late 2012?.

    PK 1891 of 1956, was sold in 2013. RMA 842 of 1943, is still in use in the pattern shop; RB 116, a pre-1937 machine, surplus since 2013, sold this month.

    Quote Originally Posted by Vann View Post
    ...I've been keen to get an RB for a while, and missed out on RB 117 by a whisker. So when I heard about this one last week, I expressed an interest...
    I paid for it on the 15th May. It left Dunedin on the 17th May and arrived in Wellington on the 19th May (a Friday). I collected it on 22nd May, dismantled it and tucked it away in my rathole.

    Quote Originally Posted by Vann View Post
    ...
    RB 116a.jpg On the trailer at Toll's Wellington depot.
    ...took it home, sliced away the packaging and removed the fence and both tables before remembering to get a photograph .

    RB 116b.jpg At home half an hour later...
    Quote Originally Posted by bueller View Post
    Beautiful looking machine, can't wait to see what you do with it...
    I can't wait to tell you .

    Cheers, Vann.
    Gatherer of rusty planes tools...
    Proud member of the Wadkin Blockhead Club .

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  3. #2
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    Default A Stand.

    Probably the first thing I’ll need to do is to provide a stand – as Wadkin didn’t .

    When this photo was taken on 10th of May this year it was located on a wooden bench 45” wide by 30” deep. It’s most likely the stand made for it when installed in the Hillside Railway Workshops ~1929.

    RB 201.jpg

    The bench wasn’t part of the sale (I didn’t want to pay for the additional shipping charges), but when it came to finding a pallet I guess they couldn’t find one the right size, so they knocked the legs off the bench and attached the whole shebang to a slightly smaller pallet.

    At 30” deep, the bench is about 1” deeper than the buzzer, so I’m not going to gain anything significant by making a smaller bench. Therefore I’ve decided I’ll remake the bench using as much of the existing bench as I can. After all, the buzzer and the bench have been together for 88 years – no point in ending that relationship now if I don’t have to.

    RB 202.jpg RB 203.jpg

    One of the side frame members is damaged, but the two long frame members and the deck look to be salvagable. There are about eight 4” nails through each half-lap join in the frame timbers – I don’t think the half laps will survive the rebuild. So either I’ll cut off the half laps, shortening the bench by 5-6”, or I’ll use those pieces along the sides and make new long members. Or maybe I can just repair the side without dismantling it.

    I’ll have to make new legs and braces. They’ll be to the same pattern as the originals, but probably a bit taller (I don’t know the original height). I’m looking at up to 3' 4” as that's hip height (I have long legs). Other table heights for comparison:

    Sagar Bursgreen FS (6”) 2’ 9”
    Wadkin RB 2’ 9”
    Wadkin RV 2’ 9”
    Wadkin Bursgreen BFT (6”) 2’ 10 ½”
    Wadkin RM 2’ 10”
    Wadkin PK saw 2' 10"
    Preston bandsaw 3' 5"

    The buzzer tables are ~10" off the base, so whatever table height I settle for, the bench will be 10" lower.

    One or both ends of the bench will be open and underneath I’ll allow for two bins on wheels. The idea will be to shift the bins left or right depending on whether I’m catching treated or untreated shavings. There being no chute on this model, I should be able to fit relatively tall bins with good capacity. I don’t have dust extraction.

    Cheers, Vann.
    Gatherer of rusty planes tools...
    Proud member of the Wadkin Blockhead Club .

  4. #3
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    Default Electrical.

    Other than the motor, the machine came with an isolating switch (MEM) and an Auto-Memota starter (MEM). These had been removed from the sides of the bench.

    By some fluke, in a corner of two photos of another OWWM, I’ve picked out the RB bench and switches. This buzzer has been surplus for some time! At least it was stored indoors at that time.

    RB 204.jpg RB 205.jpg That's the PK to the left in both photos - probably later in 2013.

    The isolating switch is a “modern” replacement – this design was manufactured from the early 1960s. My intention is to find an older isolating switch (I have one in storage). I’d like to use some of the ceramic components in this one for my Preston bandsaw, which has the same model of isolator.

    RB 206.jpg MEM isolating switch.

    The starter is a much older cast-iron clad switch. This I’ll be keeping – assuming the few minor repairs that look necessary can be made. This design was around by 1936 (according to Grace’s Guide) and may well be original to this machine.

    RB 207.jpg Auto-Memota starter.

    I intend to run the wiring in steel conduit - if I've got enough fittings.

    Cheers, Vann.
    Gatherer of rusty planes tools...
    Proud member of the Wadkin Blockhead Club .

  5. #4
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    uk
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    Default

    I love them gears on the drive. Its pretty cool you got the bench. I once went to pick up a disc sander from a foundry pattern shop that was closing. Another buyer had won 10 old vices which were attached to nice old benches. He only wanted the vices and I wished I got some of the benches.
    I've got one of those Auto memota switches in my stash

  6. #5
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    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by wallace1973 View Post
    ...I've got one of those Auto memota switches in my stash
    I thought I had a spare in my stash, but it's a different model. The one that came with the machine has a mount broken on the "On/Off" switch, but I think I can epi-glue that back together.

    Cheers, Vann.
    Gatherer of rusty planes tools...
    Proud member of the Wadkin Blockhead Club .

  7. #6
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    Default Storage and Colours.

    I swore I wouldn’t start on the buzzer yet, but – I kept knocking the fence of the RB whenever I moved anything in my rat hole. It’s a long slim fence, made of cast iron, and therefore a little fragile. So I decided to make a box to store it safely.

    It needed disassembly to reduce the size of the box. At that point I started removing rust from mild steel parts so I could rust-proof them. One thing led to another and now I’ve stripped and de-rusted the fence itself.

    RB 213.jpg Fence drying on the woodfire after washing off the paint stripper.

    The other thing I was scared of damaging is that fancy herringbone gear (or bending the shaft it’s mounted on). So another box was in order. This box is a little more fancy, as it will be needed for longer (it’ll store the spare motor off RB 117 after RB 116 is reassembled).

    RB 216.jpg RB 215.jpg Motor in box and closed box in rathole.

    I managed to restrain myself and didn’t derust/repaint the motor. I did however, clean up the English Electric tag.

    RB 113 EEtag.jpg RB 116 EEtag.jpg Tags 113 & 116.

    Note that these are off RB 113 and RB 116 (3 numbers apart) while the motors are X11330B (RB 113) and X11328B (RB 116) – (2 numbers apart).

    I also knocked up a box for the motor mount – but made it too small . This will also be needed for longer - to store the spare motor mount.

    Quote Originally Posted by hiroller View Post
    Very nice. That little air pocket should give you an accurate original colour!
    So I tried the can of Wadkin Grey (RAL 7011) and it's much too light. I took the casting down to the local paint shop and they played around looking for a colour match.

    RB 210.jpg RAL 7011 to the left of my finger, Resene "Shark" to the right.

    RB 211.jpg RB 212.jpg In sunshine (left) and by camera flash (right).

    It's not a perfect match. I can bring it in for adjustment if I want - a little more black was suggested. I had read that early grey Wadkins seemed to be a bit darker than later grey Wadkins. Any opinions or thoughts please?

    And of course, I couldn't take the casting into the shop without cleaning it up first - and that was easiest done by paint-stripping it too .

    RB 214.jpg It's flippen' heavy!

    It's now in primer. I won't be repainting the air-pocket cavity - that's staying as is for historical record.

    Cheers, Vann.
    Gatherer of rusty planes tools...
    Proud member of the Wadkin Blockhead Club .

  8. #7
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    Default

    I do believe really early wadkins were painted black. When I did this early RS it was clear when taking to bits it was black originally.

  9. #8
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    Default Motor Serial Numbers

    Quote Originally Posted by Vann View Post
    ...I did however, clean up the English Electric tag.

    RB 113 EEtag.jpg RB 116 EEtag.jpg Tags 113 & 116.

    Note that these are off RB 113 and RB 116 (3 numbers apart) while the motors are X11330B (RB 113) and X11328B (RB 116) – (2 numbers apart)...
    Looking through some notes this arvo, I found the motor number for RB 109 (now deceased) from the Machinery Register at the Hutt workshops.

    Updated motor serial numbers:
    X11325B - RB 109;
    X11328B - RB 116;
    X11330B - RB 113.

    It looks like the motors weren't attached the the buzzers in any particular order.

    Cheers, Vann.
    Gatherer of rusty planes tools...
    Proud member of the Wadkin Blockhead Club .

  10. #9
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    Default Storage & Colours - 2

    Quote Originally Posted by Vann View Post
    ...I also knocked up a box for the motor mount – but made it too small ...
    I knocked off one side of the box before the glue had dried, and glued in a packer – to give this box the same footprint as the motor box (all strictly for the purpose of neat stacking – not because I’m anal…). Then I routed and chiselled a 1” x ¼” rebate along the top of both sides, and bored a semi-circle at one end 1¼” deep before gluing the side back on. A spacer across the bottom and it was ready for a quick paint job (no finesse here, this is a crate after all).

    RB 221.jpg

    Quote Originally Posted by wallace1973
    I do believe really early wadkins were painted black...
    I couldn’t go with black. Even this grey is too dark (but I’d already bought the tin of paint when you posted that). For anyone else who's too scared to use black ('though I believe the dark grey to be authentic for the period), the colour I've used is Resene Paints "Shark". I don't know an RAL code for it, but it comes with a colour code: N34-007-264 If that means anything to anyone) and an RGB code of 52 54 58.

    RB 222.jpg RB 223.jpg

    The box colour is not an attempt at Wadkin green – it’s an attempt to use up a number of paint test-pots I’ve accumulated . These boxes are made from surplus pallets (pinus radiata).

    RB 224.jpg

    The box for the fence is less elaborate (unglued and unpainted), as it’s function will cease when the buzzer is re-assembled (2018?). It will return to its originally intended purpose – kindling.

    Rb 225.jpg RB 226.jpg

    I intend to make another temporary storage box – I want to remove the cutterblock soon, to check out any significant work that might need doing, such as replacing the bearings, or the knife clamping bolts. And I’d like to go back to using slotted knives, which might entail having some adjuster components made.

    Finally, I guess I should make another longer term storage box for the spare gear case.

    Cheers, Vann.
    Gatherer of rusty planes tools...
    Proud member of the Wadkin Blockhead Club .

  11. #10
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    Default Bearings

    I pulled the main casting out of the rat hole to measure up the cutter-block - in order to knock up a box for it. While I had it out I removed the bearing end cap, to have a look at the bearing. This is what I found...

    RB 227.jpg
    RB 228.jpg RB 229.jpg

    I'm assuming the "ground" grease indicates serious problems with the bearing?

    From Andy RV's thread (on CWW) I believe the bearings are SKF 2306 Double-Row Self-Aligning bearings at each end. Looking on a certain auction site, I find various versions of the 2306 bearing:
    - 2306 M (these seem to have a machined brass/bronze cage);
    - NUP 2306 ECP;
    - 2306 E-2RS1TN9;
    - 2306 K
    etc.
    So now I'm confused

    How do I tell what ABEC these are (and what ABEC standard should I be looking for anyway)?

    Cheers, Vann.
    Gatherer of rusty planes tools...
    Proud member of the Wadkin Blockhead Club .

  12. #11
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    Default

    They do look a bit dirty! Is the cap meant to seal them?

  13. #12
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    Default

    That looks like water has got into the grease. See that appearance on boat trailer bearings with worn seals.

  14. #13
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    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by hiroller View Post
    ...Is the cap meant to seal them?
    There's no gasket in there. I think they rely on grease to seal the machined faces against wood dust.

    Quote Originally Posted by Lappa
    That looks like water has got into the grease...
    Okay, thanks. I guess that means water has got into the bearings too. I can't wait to get the cutterblock out and clean out those bearings - to see if they're salvageable.

    Cheers, Vann.
    Gatherer of rusty planes tools...
    Proud member of the Wadkin Blockhead Club .

  15. #14
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    Default Cutterblock and Knives

    Quote Originally Posted by Vann View Post
    … I want to remove the cutterblock soon, to check out any significant work that might need doing, such as replacing the bearings, or the knife clamping bolts...
    The box is coming along.

    Quote Originally Posted by Vann View Post
    … And I’d like to go back to using slotted knives, which might entail having some adjuster components made.
    Well that’s embarrassing, and a bit disappointing – the cutterblock never had provision for micrometre knife adjustment.

    RB 235.jpg RB 234.jpg
    RB 236.jpg


    I’ll have to learn some new skills to set up the knives correctly – and safely. I’ve never done this before (except on my Makita thicknesser’s buzzer attachment – and that’s just slide-in replacement carbide inserts).

    On the bright side – it means the three sets of sharp spare knives won’t be wasted.

    RB 230.jpg Top pair marked "Spear & Jackson"; middle pair unmarked; bottom pair marked "Green Line".


    Later models of the RB have a cutterblock with micrometre knife adjustment (requiring slotted knives), and provision to fit moulding knives, without upsetting the straight knives – as shown in these pictures of RB 183's cutterblock (stolen from CWW).

    RB 232.jpg RB 231.jpg

    But this early model has none of that. At least it does have the knives mounted skewed.

    Cheers, Vann.
    Gatherer of rusty planes tools...
    Proud member of the Wadkin Blockhead Club .

  16. #15
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    Default

    That looks like the same head as was in my little RA, which was the first wadkin I restored. Does it have two square holes at the rear of the knives, I used these to insert something to adjust the knives

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