Thread: A truly beautiful table saw

Beautiful work Jack. I have a small collection of working Wadkin machines myself and they are brilliant. Even have a Jack Russel dog named Wadkin .He got his name from curling up on the foot of the DR36 bandsaw to sleep as a puppy.His favourite spot.
I just have one request and that is to adjust the thrust bearing back off the blade. The crown in the wheel can't do its job if the blade is in constant contact with the thrust bearing.It will be a lot quieter as well.The thrust bearing is there to stop you pushing too hard and pushing the blade off the crown not to hold the blade on the crown.
Please don't take this as a personal attack it is just meant as constructive criticism.

Grandad thanks firstly to you for bring these to our attention

Jack many thanks for locating the thread and chimming in with yet more of wonderful machines well restored.

It amazes me why we are not recycling our machines in this manner more, although we see many of them on this forum being restored mainly in the metalworking section.

Kudos goes to such there as RayG, Woodlee, Steamwhisper and may others.

It goes to show that it is just chasing new shinny modern machines often less quailty thn even 20 years ago.

We only have ourselves to blame.

Originally Posted by localele

I just have one request and that is to adjust the thrust bearing back off the blade. The crown in the wheel can't do its job if the blade is in constant contact with the thrust bearing.It will be a lot quieter as well.The thrust bearing is there to stop you pushing too hard and pushing the blade off the crown not to hold the blade on the crown.
Please don't take this as a personal attack it is just meant as constructive criticism.

don't know where you got the idea that the trust bearing was in play? i set them 2 to 4 mm off the back. I only heard it once in the video when I cut through the 4" and pushed hard. if you listen to the video you can hear that distinct sound that they make when in play. the sound in the video of the saw is not really what it sounds like in real life and that is not what you were hearing if that what you thought. A cheep camera with real bad sound that recorded it is to blame. like i said it had a real bad blade in it too that was way past sharp. I would call it dull.


good advise for a bad saw though.
jack
English machines

I just watched it again Jack and you are right I heard the thrust bearing at about 3min as you pushed the firewood through.It sounds like a bearing noise on the video though.
Have a look at this link to one I bought early this week.I had told a friend about it for his shed and he decided he would go to $500 on it. I did say if it went over I would bid as they are worth far more than that.I put his bid in for him and it went so cheap it is his lucky day.I should have kept my mouth shut.

Wadkin Machine bandsaw. Auction (0009-7002318) | GraysOnline Australia

that a smoking deal on a DR. The bearings have not been changed out in the upper wheel(easy change 200$ bearings tho). there not bad but not new no vibration some sound but still got service. were 60 hrzs here so DRs runs faster than your down there on 50hrzs 1/6 faster.
faster than England too. Its not my only Band saw and not my daily user but I do like it for big stuff.

jack
English machines

I do use mine a lot and it has a big reputation for accurate work.When I got it the table was gone so I fabricated one and had it turned flat in a big lathe.Put polyurethane tires on which is nice as they could turn them circular in the lathe after casting the urethane on.All new bearings and built a set of bottom guides for it.The table doesn't tilt but that has never been an issue for me.Built the micrometer fence for it which is possibly the best feature for fine re-sawing and cutting joinery like tenon cheeks.One full turn of the hand wheel moves the fence 1mm (0.040") so it is easy to get the right size.I usually run a Lennox carbide tipped blade with a triple chip grind and staggered pitch of 3TPI and 4TPI .Cuts very smooth for joinery and instrument timber.
They are the Rolls Royce of bandsaws and I love it.Wish I was getting it's little brother but it is going to a good home.

Ohhh to have a shed like that!! Beautiful machines, thanks for sharing.

Why is it, that no matter where I go looking for information on the Wadkin PK, I always end up reading another thread about Jack's....lol.

Jack, I think you may just have the most famous tablesaw on the internet.

..................

Originally Posted by Grandad-5

I was born and lived for several years of my life in Barrie, Ontario. About an hours drive north of Toronto up Hwy 400. Not that far from Ottawa.

Cheers
Jim

Hi Jim. I still live in Barrie. Been in the area for 30+yrs. Where abouts did you hang your hat...?

It's a small world.
PM sent

Jim

Got to help my mate Rob instal his new saw yesterday (was actually his birthday) and it has the same bearing noise as yours Jack. Both front bearings are noisy.So it does need a little work but to be expected for the price.It should get plenty of work from now on.
He builds traditional wooden buildings and extensions and I got to help build this one a few years ago. Reminds me of inside your shed Jack.

Your mates does great work. Is that reclaimed the wood?


here are the shops I built for my tools, the one the band saw is in will be the mill.











and a shop tour
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nT1V1UnHVIs&feature=plcp]002.AVIgreat white north shop tour - YouTube[/ame]

jack
English machines

Jack, were are the internal tours?

Talk about trolling for bites

Jack, I'd like to go way off topic here if others don't mind.
When we first arrived in Australia in 1960, one of the most obvious differences in housing was the absense of any basements. I asked my Dad as a 10 yr old why this was and he told me it was because the ground doesn't freeze here.
The reason for basements was because you had to get the footings down below approx 6' to be below the frost line. And, it just made more sense to dig a big hole rather than strip footing so you had a useable space.
Now that I'm older I can see the holes in his argument.
Summer cottages had no basements. Many are now used for four season living.
A house with a walkout basement at the rear may have had its footing 6' down at the front but at ground level at the rear.
Your shop obviously has no basement yet is a substantial building you use all year round.

So my questions are, how far down does the ground freeze in Ottawa? What considerations do Canadian builders have in regards to footings? And lastly, why is it important to vent the roof area as you mention in your video.
Cheers
Jim

The full shed is sawn timber for the job (Western White Cypress). It has hardwood cladding in board and batten style. Lined inside with Hoop Pine sawn boards.Windows are all timber with the doors made from hardwood.
The truss in my last post is recycled bridge beams and part of a set made to go across the kitchen area of a new house.
Thanks for the building tour it was great.