Wadkin RD 16" Planer

[auscab]

This one turned up on a Machines 4U here with a big price on it of $3500 !! and its got plenty missing . I rang the seller after watching it for a few weeks, I asked about the machine , the parts , the distance , there was no way I was driving that far, probably around 15 hours non stop, each way. And then I got to the price. I reeled off a number of machines and what the prices were for them , and he asked what was I was prepared to pay?
Well, I think I offered more than most would, but I am a Wadkin tragichttps://forum.canadianwoodworking.com/images/smilies/smile1.gif
( thanks Henry , Good name ) And I did get something I have wanted since missing the last one I saw in Sydney and Missed at $1000 about two years ago.
So I offered $1500. And he accepted the offer because he's smart enough to know he's probably not going to get such an offer, ever again!https://forum.canadianwoodworking.com/images/smilies/smile1.gif Idiots just don't ring at all and offer probably two or three times what it may bring on ebay , if it sold at all .

But I am happy https://forum.canadianwoodworking.com/images/smilies/1biggrin.gif I do have a plan .
If it arrives safely after being handled by forklifts and truck drivers , fingers crossed with that one !
Cartage was $257 on top .

The seller and myself had plenty of good chats over the phone and he told me he is a beekeeper as is / was ? his Dad , and his Dad was the guy who converted it to a single phase motor , took off the cover plate, all the switch gear under it , the switch, and all the wiring by the looks . The bridge guard and bracket is gone as well , and the belt guard at the back . after asking a few times about any of the parts I learned that the original motor and mount were still there.
His Dad built Bee boxes using the RD and used to rave about what a great machine it was , it was one of two machines he kept after selling others off .

So , this is what I'm thinking of doing with the machine , a bit of a conversion / restoration . I want to get a cover plate copied at a foundry , it's the same size as the DR band saw one I have , I'm pretty sure , so I should be able get the foundry to use that . Its such a basic shape , I hope that they can use it .

I hope to be able to get some bracket dimensions off any one here who has such a bracket and make a pattern and have that done as well . Then I'll fit a bar and , what I'd like to do is adapt that to take a pork chop guard , Ive been playing with some ideas and think Ive got it worked out.

I have a spare original Wadkin switch , its a vertical one which looks the same but the tags, and raised parts are the wrong way around for a horizontal mount , but it will look as close as I can get , and its just for looks .

I want to have the motor wired to a modern switch which I will mount off the machine , on the wall and a safety stop button on the floor probably as well .
And Ill have to make a belt guard .

And Id like a shelix head , or a shelix type head. I'm looking forward to some peace and quite.

Quite a bit to do !
With the good weather back , my DR band saw is coming inside finally. Ive had that running as of yesterday and it sounds good.

The white package is 28KG of Beeswax .

Extra fingers crossed that the Truckies don't Break the thing XX

Ill have to cross my fingers and cross my legs and hop around the workshop making wishes to the Truckie fairies:p

Rob

[clear out]

Congratulations Rob,
If you have probs re the cover plate I may be able to borrow one in Sydney and get it cast for you.
Thinking about it you should get it cast in Al especially if you are painting it.
Non ferrous foundries are more common than ferrous and quite often backyard businesses than make a lot cheaper product than a large iron foundry.
I mean cheap both ways but this is a non structural part.
H.

[DSEL74]

Congratulations Rob. Fingers crossed for a safe delivery as well.

[auscab]

Congratulations Rob,
If you have probs re the cover plate I may be able to borrow one in Sydney and get it cast for you.
Thinking about it you should get it cast in Al especially if you are painting it.
Non ferrous foundries are more common than ferrous and quite often backyard businesses than make a lot cheaper product than a large iron foundry.
I mean cheap both ways but this is a non structural part.
H.

Thanks for the offer Henry , I'll see how it works out , and ask you later if I need to .
Out of interest , what is the shrinkage rate of Al ?
I spoke to a foundry down here that Matt put me onto, and asked about cast iron and I think they said the shrinkage rate for that was 1%
I'd have to go check what I wrote to be sure .

Rob

[Vann]

I spoke to a foundry down here that Matt put me onto, and asked about cast iron and I think they said the shrinkage rate for that was 1%.From what I've read (theory only) I believe the rule-of-the-thumb for cast iron, is 1/8" to the foot, which is a knat's over 1%.

Cheers, Vann.

[auscab]

Congratulations Rob. Fingers crossed for a safe delivery as well.

Thanks Dale, I know you know how it feels :). I did ask the seller to take the fence and its bracket mount off and tie it down to the pallet somehow , but it did not happen . He told me it didn't project out past the pallet and would be OK . Oh I hope so !!
Anyway,, I can fix it if it goes wrong at least , and something does get snapped off . Just as long as I get the parts.

Rob

[camoz]

Rob,

Well done, I'm sure that machine will pay it's way, so, I wouldn't be running yourself down about the price.


Ill have to cross my fingers and cross my legs and hop around the workshop making wishes to the Truckie fairies:p

Rob

this technique works best if you wear a pink tutu, film it and post a video on the forum:U

[auscab]

Rob,

Well done, I'm sure that machine will pay it's way, so, I wouldn't be running yourself down about the price.


I'm happy Cam! it is the end of a sort of a quest of mine, in that the two machines I never owned that are a part of my workshop, the large band saw and the Buzzer are now both bought , Ive still got to get them in , but the buzzer purchase finishes that off .




this technique works best if you wear a pink tutu, film it and post a video on the forum:U

:U Thanks for the advice. It sounds like you have experience here Cam , can you lend me one of your pink tutu's and Ill see if it fits first.

Rob

[Allison74]

I'm happy Cam! it is the end of a sort of a quest of mine, in that the two machines I never owned that are a part of my workshop, the large band saw and the Buzzer are now both bought , Ive still got to get them in , but the buzzer purchase finishes that off .




:U Thanks for the advice. It sounds like you have experience here Cam , can you lend me one of your pink tutu's and Ill see if it fits first.

Rob


The jointer looks great, you did well on that and I agree with Cam, after a few months of work you won't even remember the price.
As far as the truckies go, I've never had a problem, they actually seem to take care.

I'm not going to hold my breath for the tutu pics. Something tells me that would be an exercise in futility!!

Secret Men's business and all that.

Have fun,
Alli

PS
Be careful dancing around the workshop with your legs all crossed in knots. I can't imagine the fun trying to explain a pink tutu to the ambos if you fall over and break a leg!

[auscab]

Hi Alli ,
Yeah , when I think about it , the accidents Ive seen are when its a single guy paid to do it or the inexperienced.

I am paying big guys with big trucks and forklifts at both ends , and the seller fixed it to the pallet some how , hopefully with decent bolts .
An extra safety wire around the fence would have been nice . Its going to be ok .

Rob

[Vann]

Hi Alli ,
Yeah , when I think about it , the accidents Ive seen are when its a single guy paid to do it or the inexperienced.Are we still talking about the pink tutu here? :D

Cheers, Vann.

[auscab]

No Vann , don't mention it !!

:D

[Allison74]

Are we still talking about the pink tutu here? :D

Cheers, Vann.

I was asked to be fashion consultant and I agreed after swearing an oath not to post the audition pics that Rob sent, I'm not sure if they were of him or Cam.
The doctor told me the damage to my retinas would only be temporary, I should be able to ditch the white cane and get back to work in a few weeks, but that there was a risk of Post Traumatic Stress episodes!

Have fun,
Alli

[auscab]

Picked the RD up from the Depot yesterday.

The first picture is the first view I had of her coming my way on a fork lift :fingerscrossed:Note there is no dress on this dude! :)

All was good , it had a close shave somewhere along the way, it looks like it was clipped by a forklift which bent a bolt ! lucky nothing was cracked for me!!
This old stuff is like transporting something made of chocolate that big, as you all know, very brittle.
Its the bolt that held the bracket which held the bar for the bridge guard.

Its funny how the bracket is gone but the bolts have been put back in, and the same on the other side where the belt guard is gone but the nuts that held it on have all been screwed back on ," hmmm ?? wonder where those parts are sitting now ?"

I took it apart to unload it , I left the pictures at work though .

The first thing I noticed was how nice and solid and easy to operate the fence tilt was, the locking lever and the handle up on top of the fence make quick easy work of it compared to what I now use, and have to go find a pair of vice grips to operate.

The head with the skewed blades is 5" diameter , nice and BIG! And 4 HP to drive it .

The second thing I noticed when I got to bits was how this thing is made , the base with a machined top , and how the two tables and the castings that hold the head sit on that to line every thing up. Ill put up pictures of it .

When buying this sort of thing , you cant go out and try before you buy and then decide sometimes , its an eBay purchase or like how I got this.
The thing about this big old Wadkin stuff that I have felt a few times and been so surprised at is, Man!! its well thought out solid gear when it comes to adjusting it . I'll put some other pics up asap .

Rob

[Vann]

Woohoo. Keep the pictures coming.

And could you kindly check the Test No. against Wallace's list to find it's age?

Cheers, Vann.

[auscab]

Test no is 15111 Vann , that's 1940 by Marks list. A similar age to your PK , is that right ?

Rob

[Vann]

Test no is 15111 Vann , that's 1940 by Marks list. A similar age to your PK , is that right ?My PK is 1945. So yours was made during the war using quality pre-war parts. Mine was made after the war using dodgy wartime parts :oo:.

Cheers, Vann :)

[DSEL74]

Good to see it has arrived safely. Now all you have to do is knock down a wall, remove a bench and find a home for the existing jointer, set up the RD and get her clean and going…..You should be done by lunch time!

[auscab]

Some more pictures .

Rob

[woodlogic]

Nice pictures, Rob. I'm glad it all arrived in good order!

Are you planning on giving it a service or an overhaul (strip and paint)?

[auscab]

Hi Raymond ,
I like the idea of a service and a good buffing , keeping its original finish. And matching new bits to that . It looks good and is a time saver .
If it doesn't come up good enough I can always spend the time and re paint to make it look new.

Rob

[Charlie_6ft]

Did you ever run this off the single phase motor? If so how did it go?

Cheers
Charl

[auscab]

No Charlie I haven't ran it at all yet . Id forgotten that came with the single phase as well as its original three phase. The single phase has been forgotten .
Its sitting on blocks and I'm walking around the three phase motor most days .
Ive got a Buzzerwolf 12 " to work with. The thought of putting a Shelix head on the Wadkin has passed as well .

It wasn't to long after that purchase that the decision to move house and workshop happened so any machine work stopped and I'm still trying to putt things back together with the workshop. 5 years later.

All excess unrestored machines are about to be put back in the Hay shed and they will only come back in one at a time If I need them . So its going back out for a while. Which allows me to do the dust extraction .

Rob

[Charlie_6ft]

Ha ha ... that old chestnut! It's not a bad problem to have, depending on who you talk to ;)

I guess you would be stretching it running it off a 3HP single phase motor - just spit balling ideas. I have a shelix head on the machine I have which works amazing but have two grumbles with the machine itself:
1) The in-feed and out-feed is waaay tooo short
2) Its and under over and the thicknesser capabilities is average at best. The roller to feed the timber doesn't work that well.

You can't go past the shelix heads - well worth it in my opinion. I've owned a Jet planner and a couple of thicknessers and the noise reduction alone is worth it for me not to mention the super smooth finish you get that doesn't even need sanding!

[auscab]

Ha ha ... that old chestnut! It's not a bad problem to have, depending on who you talk to ;)

Yeah anyone, except My wife :)



You can't go past the shelix heads - well worth it in my opinion. I've owned a Jet planner and a couple of thicknessers and the noise reduction alone is worth it for me not to mention the super smooth finish you get that doesn't even need sanding!

Yes . They are very nice but this machine has the sloped shear blade . I forget what its called ? Thought Id stick with original and give it a good run. Noise is no longer a problem like I had in the city as well .

And If I ever have the need and funds I might fit the wolfenden with shelix .

The one thing Ive heard about Shelix heads that is a problem for one of My friends is that the extra amount of fluffed shavings produced doesn't pack down as well and quickly fills the dust extraction bag compared to old style blades . He's got a 600 wide very nice head on a Robinson and that's his only complaint I think .

Id have to see a polished piece of wood before I believed it doesn't need sanding Charlie . Have you seen that done ?
Polished straight off the shelix finish ?

Even fancy big modern Belt sanders leave a tracking pattern that needs fine tuning by random orbital or stroke sander I thought ?
Last big new one I saw ten years back was like that . Maybe they have solved that with the sanders ?

Id not get a Shelix just for its finishing smooth flat capabilities . Id be getting one for Noise reduction and its ability to get cranky wood flat . like if I was using lots of fiddle back Blackwood . Hard figured stuff . like if I had gone down the path of more guitar making then Id have to have it . I was dreaming of that for a while but came to my senses :U. Its staying a hobby . A dear teacher of woodwork once told me . " Stick to what you know ." He was right . Thanks Don .

Rob

[Charlie_6ft]

OK you got me there - probably not polish. I have just been using BLO straight off the planner/thicknesser that said I've been making mobile bases for my machines to sit on wheels so not fine furniture. Pictured is one of the stretchers I did before work this morning which will make up the base for my newly acquired Wadkin BGY sander - thanks Henry!

486243

[auscab]

Nice looking bit of hard wearing Aussie wood . What is it ?

Yeah well your right in a way . Under an oil finish like BLO you will get away with a lot more = good results .
I'm thinking if it was put under a high shine fine furniture look .

Rob

[Charlie_6ft]

No idea what it is - I salvaged it from my sisters place it was joists for a pergola. They also used other timber, the lighter stuff in the pic below which seems to have rotted in some places hence why she ripped it down. The lighter stuff stinks when you cut it. It's all fairly heavy hard as nails wood so should take the 350kg I'll be putting on it. I've just 4 biscuits per join so should hold fine. My jointer/thicknesser which is 250kg is on a similar frame with no issues.

486315

I ran this sleeper bench over my jointer with a shelix head. Finished with BLO.

486314

[clear out]

Scored one of these recently.
Don’t need it, hoping to do some trading with Camoz but can’t contact him.
Has a few sets of spare blades, a dust outlet and a partially made surly/ideal style guard.
600 kg sitting under the ‘I’ beam where I unloaded it.:oo:
If you need it pm me.
H.

[auscab]

I’m interested . PM sent .

[clear out]

The 16” RD has the original switchgear and guard.
It is fully operational.
The Surty guard is an American design of self adjusting guard.
These were made here in Oz by J T Peat.
The DLI even had them on their safety sheets.
A photo of the bits for the RD and another of the yellow one I’ve made on my 9” Bursgreen jointer.
H.

[Vann]

...The Surty guard is an American design of self adjusting guard.
These were made here in Oz by J T Peat...Hi Henry.

Is the Surty guard the same as JT Peat's "Ideal" guard, or are there differences?

I'm familiar with the "Ideal" guard as New Zealand Railways had them fitted to all their buzzers and planer/thicknessers - and I have one on my little ex-railway Wadkin RB.

The "Ideal" guard fitted to my RB looks the same as in the diagram - but without the locking handle.

Cheers, Vann.

[clear out]

You can see for yourself the two pics of the Surty I took in the Cochrane AB stash, it has a cast Al blade cover.
The J T Peat is on a Melbourne forum member’s machine in Camoz’s Oz machinery post, they all had fabricated steel blade covers.
Mine has the yellow arms and fabricated Al blade cover.
The design sure looks the same to me, the method and detail of manufacture may differ.
They are easy enought to make, Ive done about 3 to date.
Copied the one on the 12” Barker at Civil Eng at USYD.
Bit fussy re jointer guards since 1997 for some reason.:o
H.486640

[Vann]

...The design sure looks the same to me, the method and detail of manufacture may differ...Yeah sorry, I meant the design. I wasn't sure if the "Ideal" had more springs than the "Surty" and other minor design differences. I guess not.

If they're both the same design I wonder if JT Peat had the Australasian rights to manufacture the "Surty" - or if it was a wartime copy (I know NZ Railways had a full set of patterns for Westinghouse steam locomotive air pumps - which I believe were manufactured during WW2 - and I doubt they had permission from the Westinghouse Brake Co.). As they named it "Ideal" and not "Surty" I suspect they didn't have the rights.

Cheers, Vann.