Wadkin ME restoration

[ab1]

While I'm waiting for my right arm to start working again following a waterski accident as Christmas, I've decided to do a full restoration of my old Wadkin chain and chisel mortiser to get it going. I've pulled it down to clean and re-paint all the painted surfaces and clean/polish all shiny the parts. There are so many parts!!

I would like to keep it original as possible so following reading many posts here, I am convinced Wadkin grey is the color.

My question is, does anyone know the "code" for Wadkin grey? The original paint is in poor condition so i don't think using it as a sample will work. I plan on using a spray gun.

What type of paint is best suited, enamel, 2 pack, hamertone??

Also, would you try and fix the damaged Wadkin logo on the side? It's a pitty but looks like a huge amount of work to fashion some steel and secure to the machine to repair the W. It was a nice find as it was hidden under the old on/off switch.

Cheers,

Andrew

[Vann]

Hi Andrew. Welcome to the Wonderful World of Waddy Wallies.


I would like to keep it original as possible so following reading many posts here, I am convinced Wadkin grey is the color.

My question is, does anyone know the "code" for Wadkin grey? The original paint is in poor condition so i don't think using it as a sample will work. I plan on using a spray gun.

What type of paint is best suited, enamel, 2 pack, hamertone??Mark ("wallace" on Canadian and British forums) reckons the best match is RAL 7011. I took this code down to our local paint manufacturer and they mixed me up a tin of grey that looks about right. I think grey's almost certainly correct for your pre-1937 Wadkin - so don't let Alli talk you into any shade of green :; (especially without a RAL code).

I might be a peasant, because I bought an oil-based enamel, and I brush paint it (over primer on bare steel). Others, with more time, skill (and patience), grind, fill, and spray their machines with two-pot paints.


Also, would you try and fix the damaged Wadkin logo on the side? It's a pitty but looks like a huge amount of work to fashion some steel and secure to the machine to repair the W. I'm probably not the right guy to answer (see above), but others have built up missing or badly cast lettering with metal, bog (bondi) and no doubt other materials.

I look forward to following your rebuild/repaint.

Cheers, Vann.

[jgforsberg]

As Vann said an epoxyBlondo filler to build up mission portions of the letters . I use a product called JB weld . And then work it was a die grinder to shape . I spend an abnormal amounts of time perfecting the wadkin cast logo letters that of course without exception should be picked out in red . Wadkin did use lead fillers to perfect casting imperfections but i'm suspicious that very early machines World War I era this casting filler was omitted . It's probably the best filler you could ever buy if you could buy it now but of course it contains massive amounts of lead . Care should be taken to collect and dispose of the residue properly and also the use of pressure washer is probably the safest . For paints I used oil enamel although this is getting very hard to come by. I'm currently using a polyurethane modified direct to metal paint which is of a high solids and so makes for good feeling of minor casting imperfections if you're going for the shocker restoration .

[auscab]

I took a piece of a friends PK down to Paint spot in Moorabbin and they mixed me up a 4 litre can of fast dry enamel matched to that . They don't need to see much to be able to do that , 1 cm 2 is enough. Is there not enough to get a sample off your machine ? What I matched it to was a PK of similar date to my one which has the same colour, but my one is under a layer of green .
I have another Wadkin PK miter fence which has its original paint and this is a different grey to the lighter grey of my 1950s PK, this miter fence (with pattern makers mark of PJ I think ??) is early, more like late 1930s to 1940s with a guess . This darker Grey ,which looks like it has a bit more blue in it , is a nice colour. It looks similar to Jacks PK colour to my eye I think. That early grey may be the right one for that sweet ME of yours rather than the later light one . I am considering doing some of my restos if I repaint , that colour.
I can be of help matching to my fence if you need to go that way . Or I have a 4 litre can of the other later stuff mixed and matched if you want to go that way with the fast dry enamel. The mixing code may be on the can , I forget but will look .
Rob

[L.S.Barker1970]

I was powder coating a wadkin LP machine last year and found that "colour bond"
"Ironstone"was also a close match.

Melbourne Matty.

[ab1]

Hi Van,

RAL 7011 is a great start. The casting looks reasonably good.

Rob, I think your suggestion of taking a sample down with me is a good idea too. Might see if I can lift a small square to take with me. I was thinking enamel as it is much cheaper than 2 pack.

I do like the darker color similar to the colorbond ironstone. I like the dark grey with the touch of blue with red lettering and the black on the hand wheels similar to a saw in another thread.

I've got the main section pulled apart and have applied some epoxy resin and Q-cell filler. I was going to use car bog but realised I had the resin. There are a bunch of small tapped holes around the Wadkin lettering that are not required. It's sanded using an orbital sander with 180 grit disc for large flat areas and a 3m scotch bright pad for the rest. The scotch pad worked well, especially on the curved surfaces. I'm currently applying marking tape to the areas I do not want paint ready for the primer.

377659377660

Parts everywhere!! It's a big job but it's worth it.

377661

Cheers,

Andrew.

[ab1]

First cote of primer added today with my trusty new $35 gravity feed spray gun from the local cheap tool shop. I'm very surprised at how well it went. I called past the paint shop and also picked up the color. I ended up going with Enamel RAL 7021. I took a part in with some paint left on it for a match as Rob suggested. It is a dark grey with a hint of blue very similar to the saw posted in the Extreme Wadkinitus forum. I do agree, green is not a consideration!! RAL 7011 is a lighter shade grey than I was looking for. Maybe more suited to newer machines?

377713

It's coming up so well that I have been inspired to spend some more time and fill some of the casting imperfections for a better finish.

Being that I prefer to work with timber, and also being limited with only 1 arm, I have cut the missing W piece in Wadkin out of a bit of scrap redgum and epoxied it to the machine. With a bit more filler, I think it will come up well. While not as strong as steel, it's faster, easier and should not be too susceptible to mechanical damage that high up. As it's glued to the primer, I think it will stick. I'll post more photo's once the filler is applied.

I'm looking for some info on the arm that the chain and chisel levers return to. The one on the machine appears to be not original. I would like to try and make a copy of the original as the existing consists of a bit of 25mm angle and 20mm pipe.

Also, if anyone has a spare chain grinder just laying around :U, I could be in the market.

[woodlogic]

Hi Andrew, congratulations on the effort so far. I have the smaller Wadkin MF version which I'll be stripping and restoring. What's been the most challenging part of the disassembly so far?

In regards to the return arm, I'll be back home in Brisbane Friday, which I'll be sure to get some measurements done for you, should the MF have a similar profile. Also to note, I believe Advanced Machinery in the UK sell that spare part, along with the collets and bushes, in case you decide to go down that path instead. And speaking of parts, I know a bloke in Brisbane that has a spare grinder attachment he was previously keen to sell. Freight may be a little costly, but if you're interested PM me and I can pay him a visit.

Regards,
Raymond.

[ab1]

Hi Raymond,

I've sent you a pm. Thanks for giving me the heads up on the grinder. It would be nice to have a complete machine. Your MF will be great and well worth putting the time and effort in. Look forward to seeing it.

The hardest thing so far has been pulling the clutch system and bevel gears apart for the chisel. Keep in mind that I've not yet started to dismantle the chain clutch system.

I'm trying to restore it on a minimal budget, such as re-using all bearings that are in good condition. The machine would have close to a dozen imperial self aligning bearings. Best price I can get is around $80 for non Chinese or $40 for Chinese. I was quoted up to $220 per bearing from other places!! Luckly, it appears I only need to replace 1. I'm keen to try and replicate the return arm. While I'm very much a novice, I have an old steel Macson lathe if anything needs turning up.

I also have to replace the motor. It appears the machine was once fed via a belt from an overhead line shaft. The motor mounting added to the back is not of Wadkin build quality. The plate on the side says it requires a drive shaft speed of 950rpm. The existing motor appears to be a 1440rpm. Although it does not have a name plate, the chain burnt the wood when used (even pine) and a horrendous noise came from the chisel drive, even without a chisel mounted. At 1440 rpm I calculate it is going 50% faster than it should which makes sense with the burning. After considering a VSD, I managed to score for $125 delivered at WEG 6 pole 940rpm 3 phase flange mount motor which will be perfect. I will have to make a new mount but it will fit into the back machine much better than the last.

Andrew.

[ab1]

Have done a bit more work over the weekend.

Added another cote of undercoat to the top. Photos show how rough the casting is.

378223378224

I've decided as I've come this far, I would add some filler and try and make it better.

While waiting for paint and then filler to dry, I've turned rusty things into shiny things.

378225378226378227378228

[Vann]

I'm enjoying reading your posts - keep them coming. I particular I'm following your thoughts on repainting and filling, or not filling, as I often struggle with that.


I called past the paint shop and also picked up the color. I ended up going with Enamel RAL 7021. I took a part in with some paint left on it for a match as Rob suggested. It is a dark grey with a hint of blue very similar to the saw posted in the Extreme Wadkinitus forum. I do agree, green is not a consideration!! RAL 7011 is a lighter shade grey than I was looking for. Maybe more suited to newer machines?

It's coming up so well that I have been inspired to spend some more time and fill some of the casting imperfections for a better finish.I read somewhere, where someone else opted for a darker grey than RAL 7011. Maybe I'm jumping the gun in pushing RAL 7011. I bought a can for touch-ups on my 1945 Wadkin PK, and was surprised how light it was (at first I wondered if they hadn't quite got the tint quantities right in the small [1 litre] tin). I've since used it on my 1951 RTA (lathe) where it looks just fine - but then the lathe has been completely repainted at some time, so there's nothing to compare it with. Maybe I'm getting used to the colour :?.

Here's a pikkie of some PK crown guard components. From hi-viz (as repainted by PO); original Wadkin grey; and RAL 7011 (as repainted by me).

378236 378237 378238 RAL 7011 - upper; Wadkin grey - lower.

I'll stop rambling now :B.

Cheers, Vann.

[jgforsberg]

This is the paint i use . Its a DTM high solids. If you have a Sherwin Williams paint store get it

DTM Alkyd Enamel - Protective & Marine (http://protective.sherwin-williams.com/detail.jsp?A=sku-26031%3Aproduct-6796)

there stock color is called Graffiti and i would call it Wadkin and Co:U and was a perfect match to the Wadkin Gray. cost about $34 a gallon. I spray it with a cheap electric sprayer from the box store.

http://i927.photobucket.com/albums/ad111/tool613/013-6.jpg (http://s927.photobucket.com/user/tool613/media/013-6.jpg.html)

http://i927.photobucket.com/albums/ad111/tool613/005-4.jpg (http://s927.photobucket.com/user/tool613/media/005-4.jpg.html)

[Vann]

This is the paint i use . Its a DTM high solids. If you have a Sherwin Williams paint store get it

DTM Alkyd Enamel - Protective & Marine (http://protective.sherwin-williams.com/detail.jsp?A=sku-26031%3Aproduct-6796)

there stock color is called Graffiti and i would call it Wadkin and Co:U and was a perfect match to the Wadkin Gray. cost about $34 a gallon.US gallon or imperial gallon? http://d1r5wj36adg1sk.cloudfront.net/images/smilies/standard/biggrin.gif What's a gallon anyway? (that's one measurement I'm happy to have converted to metric).

A quick google suggests Sherwin Williams paint stores haven't made it to this part of the world - although there are limited outlets for their paints in both New Zealand and Australia (I could only find one in NZ).

Cheers, Vann.

[jgforsberg]

Ya still call the 4 liters a gallon. :B surly you guys have similar paint from your vendors. Ask about DTM

[bueller]

Damn that bandsaw is beautiful jgforsberg. What's model is that?

Keep the updates coming ab1, loving your progress so far!

Sent from my Nexus 5X using Tapatalk

[ab1]

jgforsberg, your bandsaw looks amazing!!!

Following a week of chicken pox, I've now managed to get some more done.

380674380675

I spent some time filling many imperfections. The casting is average. I think I could have spent the rest of my life filling and sanding. The paint is enamel RAL7021. I'm happy with the color. Some parts are a bit rough but where do you draw the line??

380677380678380679

I added a scrap of redgum, followed by some bog and plenty of sanding. Not perfect, but much better. Still have to add the red paint to the lettering.

380680

I have this chain which is used for connecting the counter balance weight for the chisel. There is also another 1 for the chain part. This 1 has broken and the other is in average condition. I'm looking to replace them. Does anybody know where I might get something like this in Melbourne? I could possibly re-use the end loop and just get new chain.

I've also cleaned all the bearings. Most can be re-used, mainly because they are too expensive to replace, and a couple will be new. I soaked the bearings in degreaser and heated it up to about 80 degrees. The bearing came out like new. Self aligning imperial bearings made in the UK are not cheap.

I'm keen if anyone can post a picture of the part (bar) that holds the chain and chisel lever arms.

Thanks for looking.

Cheers,

Andrew.

[Vann]

...I called past the paint shop and also picked up the color. I ended up going with Enamel RAL 7021. I took a part in with some paint left on it for a match as Rob suggested. It is a dark grey with a hint of blue very similar to the saw posted in the Extreme Wadkinitus forum. I do agree, green is not a consideration!! RAL 7011 is a lighter shade grey than I was looking for. Maybe more suited to newer machines?...Well it's four years later and I now own 3 pre-1937 Wadkins (1925, 1926 & 1936) and they were all painted in a darker grey than RAL 7011 - and two are repainted in the same darker grey (or as close as I could get to it - I used Resene 'Shark', as I'd forgotten about this thread :B).

477534 LP 410 of 1925.

477533 RB 116 of 1926.

But the reason I've posted is a friend and fellow Waddie has recently bought an ME and is hoping to find a manual or anything similar on the Wadkin ME. If you managed to find anything, would you be willing to share?

Cheers, Vann.

[ab1]

Sorry but no manual. Matty would be you're best bet I would say. If your friend has any questions is be happy to try and answer. I don't know a lot but having completely stripped and rebuilt the machine has caused me to know a bit about it. I'm on instagram at andyloveswoodwork