Thread: Vintage Woodworking Machinery Questions: Help Please.

G'day Siggy. I'm one who prefers the older machines, especially when it comes to buzzers and thicknessers. Where I did my apprenticeship had a buzzer made by the Bendigo Ordinance Factory, I've no idea the age but it was a beaut to use. It needed a bit of fine tuning but the boss wasn't into doing that.

As for serious restoration work, I don't know of any clubs but there are people out there who do it. I haven't done any myself due to space and financial constraints, but if the stars ever align, I'd like to get a few old machines and get them going again.

Hey mate,

Oh wow...the ordinance factory....thats a while ago. I've actually done some work for the mob that currently occupy that place.

I grew up helping my father who has a 1990s Felder combination machine, which was cutting edge in 1996, but is folded sheet metal and extruded alloy and has plastic knobs (despite the "made in Austria" it is a heck of a lot flimsier than cast machines). He did his apprenticeship in Germany in the 60s and was fortunate enough to use Bauerle and Kolle machines that were built like absolute tanks with German ingenuity.

I am really hoping to get a 3 phase saw that I can spend a good deal of time doing up and machining new parts for and then using it for decades to come. I find it all a part of the experience.

Cheers,
Siggy

Originally Posted by PJM16

G'day Siggy. I'm one who prefers the older machines, especially when it comes to buzzers and thicknessers. Where I did my apprenticeship had a buzzer made by the Bendigo Ordinance Factory, I've no idea the age but it was a beaut to use. It needed a bit of fine tuning but the boss wasn't into doing that.

As for serious restoration work, I don't know of any clubs but there are people out there who do it. I haven't done any myself due to space and financial constraints, but if the stars ever align, I'd like to get a few old machines and get them going again.

Hey Siggy,

Have you been on Old Wood Working Machines (OWWM)? Its a forum dedicated to that exact thing. A wealth of knowledge on there and a very active user base. It is mostly American's but still super useful. There a really well developed wiki with all things machine restoration, right down to how to pour new babbit bearings.

Regards,
Tom

Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk

Send Matty a message, he's right into that stuff as well https://www.woodworkforums.com/membe...l-s-barker1970

Lot of stuff happening here in Oz.
Most in Melbourne and the rest of Victoria.
A few in Brisbane.
Morisett.
Adelaide
Sydney.
ACT.
NZ
Theres been a few Wadkin RS lathes sold recently.
I know of at least one on the market currently.
Dont forget the Oz stuff built after the war, equal or better than the Pom stuff.
Barker and Wolfenden were the best.
Barker 30” double disc available in Sydney currently.
There is still a bit of Wadkin out there in commercial usage or universities.
Have a couple myself.
We had Wadkin where I served my time about 55 years ago.
It was the best available for a complete range of gear then.
With the new Italian and German machinery they lost the market.
The Asian junk buried them.
You could buy mint ex government machinery for peanuts.
Thanks to Jack Fosberg “The High Priest of the Wadkin Temple” the value of these old hunks of arn has increased.
Hope you have 3 phase ? VFDs are nice but there’s nothing like a bit of Vass bar to power them up where ever you want them.
Look at the old posts in the Antique and vintage machinery area of this forum.
H.

Another question for those keen vintage equipment guys out there.

Has anyone had any experience importing a heavy cast machine over from the United States, Europe or overseas in general?
How smoothly did it go, and what are ballpark figures (i know there is a large variation across volume and weight depending on the machine).?

Thanks in advance!

You need to post in Antique and Vintage machinery area for this sort of detail.
I know Raymond from Brisbane has got stuff over from NZ.
We looked at stuff back in the 80s when our dollar was killing the pound but never pulled the trigger.
If you keep your eyes open stuff comes up, I’ve had nearly 40 Wadkin and/or Bursgreen machines over a similar timespan.Plus at least a hundred others, mostly Oz.
I must admit that I’m very out of touch with the current approach to selling stuff.
Being a Luddite I don’t do Faecebook etc.
H.

There’s a couple of guys done it I know of . From UK . I was very surprised at how cheap it was for a big Wadkin 24” RM . I asked the seller in the UK and was told boxing and shipping was $1000 to Melbourne . What I didn’t learn was what happened when it arrived here . Import duties . A customs agent would sort that out . Just sort it with one before you buy . They , Customs , have you by the short and curly’s until they get what ever they want .

Rob

edit . I Just spoke with a Freind who has done a lot from OS UK and he said around $3500 all up for something like a RM 24 inch .

Thanks for that Robert,

I really appreciate your insight, especially with the customs thing. Am I correct to say, that somewhere on these forums i saw a pic of a Wadkins PK that is yours? I could be wrong.

From one Melbournian to another, I hope all is well and that you're able to keep the planes gliding atop that magnificent Jarrah bench of yours.

I have actually started making inquiries with industrial machine sellers in the USA and UK. There seems to be a whole world/cult like following of old machinery out there. Which from a preservist's standpoint is fantastic. They were built to outlast centuries, so why not let them life to their full potential!


Cheers,
Siggy

Originally Posted by auscab

There’s a couple of guys done it I know of . From UK . I was very surprised at how cheap it was for a big Wadkin 24” RM . I asked the seller in the UK and was told boxing and shipping was $1000 to Melbourne . What I didn’t learn was what happened when it arrived here . Import duties . A customs agent would sort that out . Just sort it with one before you buy . They , Customs , have you by the short and curly’s until they get what ever they want .

Rob

edit . I Just spoke with a Freind who has done a lot from OS UK and he said around $3500 all up for something like a RM 24 inch .

Originally Posted by Siggykc

Thanks for that Robert,

I really appreciate your insight, especially with the customs thing. Am I correct to say, that somewhere on these forums i saw a pic of a Wadkins PK that is yours? I could be wrong.

Yeah Siggy . One of the PK posts is mine . Great machine . I'm very lucky to have it .It does some amazing time saving tricks for me . Suits my work . I'm glad I kept my smaller Bursgreen TS as well though . The PK is to big for some work. It'll do small stuff, but some things are more comfy on a smaller saw.

Originally Posted by Siggykc

From one Melbournian to another, I hope all is well and that you're able to keep the planes gliding atop that magnificent Jarrah bench of yours.

I shifted from Melbourne . My website still says Im there on some pages. I still have an outlet there that takes my furniture. Moved to the country and built a big shed and stopped employing people . That = Bliss

Originally Posted by Siggykc

I have actually started making inquiries with industrial machine sellers in the USA and UK. There seems to be a whole world/cult like following of old machinery out there. Which from a preservist's standpoint is fantastic. They were built to outlast centuries, so why not let them life to their full potential!


Cheers,
Siggy

Yeah, there is a worldwide community online and in contact with each other through forums , Instagram and FB to do with machinery . Its pretty good . All you have to do to be a part of it is keep popping up and talking about the stuff and your in . Friendships develop from that and next minute your swapping emails and calling each other. Instagram is particularly good .

Within this forum, the machinery talk used to happen in the Hand Tool & Machinery Section
here
https://www.woodworkforums.com/f163

But somewhere around page 9 or 10 now I think , it moves with more threads added , Another Page was opened just below the first for just machinery to be discussed .


That is here
https://www.woodworkforums.com/f299 . And this section is only about 12 pages long now .

The subject is split and sometimes after that would happen in either section.
So if you search page by page through these two sections you will find lot of good stuff.

I remember one day just browsing along and I came across this thread in the first section .

A truly beautiful table saw

Unfortunately its lost most of its good pictures . Some are there . Many people now think back to the day they first saw The Jack Forsberg resto job on his $100 PK saw as the start of a love for something new, or the start of an addiction hard to shake maybe

Rob

Hey Siggy, looks like your in the same boat as I am

I am looking for a Wadkin PK (or a Wadkin BGS 12 Sliding Table Bandsaw - which is probably going to be more suitable and not overkill) myself.

I've recently bought some old bandsaws and have been getting stuck into pulling apart a Wadkin DN Bandsaw (can read about it here: Wadkin DN Bandsaw Restore - Early 1900s)

Originally Posted by clear out

Lot of stuff happening here in Oz.

Theres been a few Wadkin RS lathes sold recently.
I know of at least one on the market currently.

H.

Hey clear out, I've tried to message you but have been unable to due to messaging rules on here (I think). I may be interested on the RS lathe you mention on the market. Would be keen to understand more details, message me if you can - Thanks Charl