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  1. #1
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    May 2016
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    Default Wadkin Bursgreen BRA350

    I was lucky enough to pick up this radial arm saw on the weekend. I'd been keeping my eye out for one for a while so snaffled this when it popped up on Gumtree about a week ago. I bought it from a guy who was winding up his furniture/cabinet business. He said he never used it much but that it came with a set of machines he purchased from a recently deceased cabinet maker's estate. He made the wife some furniture and she gave him all the old blokes tools / machines. Well within 24 hours of owning it I have broken a part. I brought the saw home with me on the back of the ute and didn't quite realise how high the height adjustment handle was sticking up above the top of the ute. So this just clipped the top of the garage door when I was bringing it through to my shed and the casting that holds the handle broke. It's a clean break fortunately and I remain confident of being able to effect a fix. I've put some photos below. I was hearing up for a big resto but I don't think it's needed. Just a clean and put it into place. Oh and a bit of wood to denail and move before it can be moved to it's final place in the shed.

    One last thing - I've put up a photo of the serial number. Any way of finding out when the machine was made?

    Cheers,
    Zac

    Sent from my Nokia 4.2 using Tapatalk

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  3. #2
    Join Date
    Nov 2004
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    Millmerran,QLD
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    Default

    Fergiz

    That looks like a good solid saw. It is a Wadkin, so what else would we expect.

    At first I thought it was framing saw, but looking at your pix It does seem that the head can be swivelled through 90° to perform ripping.

    Regards
    Paul
    Bushmiller;

    "Power tends to corrupt. Absolute power corrupts, absolutely!"

  4. #3
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
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    Sydney
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    2,205

    Default

    With Bursgreen the first two numbers are the year made.
    So 1968.
    My understanding is that unless you’re careful and know what your doing ripping on a radial arm saw can be interesting.
    H.
    Jimcracks for the rich and/or wealthy. (aka GKB '88)

  5. #4
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    Apr 2013
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    Brisbane
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    Default

    Nice find - a couple of these have popped up here in Brisbane at good prices in the last 12 months. I would be keen one day to replace my Bosch Glide Compound Saw with one of these or a Dewalt one day.

  6. #5
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    Sep 2008
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    Petone, NZ
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    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by clear out View Post
    With Bursgreen the first two numbers are the year made.
    So 1968...
    That's my understanding too. But we'll never know for sure as most of the Wadkin-Bursgreen records went missing when the former Bursgreen factory in Durham closed. Luckily the Wadkin (Green Lane, Leicester) records were saved.

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

  7. #6
    Join Date
    May 2016
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    Perth
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    407

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by clear out View Post
    With Bursgreen the first two numbers are the year made.
    So 1968.
    My understanding is that unless you’re careful and know what your doing ripping on a radial arm saw can be interesting.
    H.
    1968. Wonderful thank you.

    I have a table saw for rip cuts. This will be set to 90 for cross cuts only. The former owner had it set up for mitres.

    Sent from my Nokia 4.2 using Tapatalk

  8. #7
    Join Date
    Jul 2011
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    In between houses
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    1,784

    Default

    In the commercial woodworking field, these saws have been banned and their use abolished for quite some time.

  9. #8
    Join Date
    May 2007
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    Sth Gippsland Vic
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    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by riverbuilder View Post
    In the commercial woodworking field, these saws have been banned and their use abolished for quite some time.
    That sounds like rubbish to me . Where did you hear that ? Nothing is Banned . Specially a good useful machine like the radial arm saw.

  10. #9
    Join Date
    May 2007
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    Sth Gippsland Vic
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    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Fergiz01 View Post
    I was lucky enough to pick up this radial arm saw on the weekend. I'd been keeping my eye out for one for a while so snaffled this when it popped up on Gumtree about a week ago.
    Nice saw . I have a few of these . They came out with different lengths of travel arms and motor sizes. A good thing about the Bursgreen BRA is that the hardened Rod tracks are replaceable if worn . Their just screwed in . Unlike the Dewalt saws I have seen . Ive only inspected a late model and one early model dewalt though so assume they are all like that . Bad luck about the break . I had the same thing on one of my ones , It came that way . I welded it up and made a wood handle for the top . Stained it black like the plastic original and I cant tell the difference .

    The silly thing about these radial arm saws if the stupid suggestions of what could be done with them by the makers back in the day.
    Their fantastic at docking things to length , trenching across the grain and cutting angles . All the other suggestions of Rip or moulding and other crazy stuff Ive seen pictures of are asking for trouble .

    I use a taller fence on mine . Just noticed how small yours is . Your blade doesnt look to be a negative rake type either . There are good cross cut blades to use that lower the rate of grabbing . They can still grab but nothing like a wrong blade type does. If you have the wrong blade type and it grabs with a low fence as well your in for trouble!!

    I used a normal combination blade on mine for years and it grabbed just about every time we cut anything over 50mm thick . We were used to it and got by ok . Thing got much better with the right blade though . I got not only the correct blade style but the right size for the saw . The wrong one I had fitted was also a bit smaller . I got the blade through Carbitool .


    Ill add some pictures later today .

    Rob

  11. #10
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    Nov 2004
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    Quote Originally Posted by clear out View Post
    With Bursgreen the first two numbers are the year made.
    So 1968.
    My understanding is that unless you’re careful and know what your doing ripping on a radial arm saw can be interesting.
    H.
    My understanding too. Very careful, with the correct hook angle for this purpose. Best to use the table saw for ripping as Fergiz has stated.

    Regards
    Paul
    Bushmiller;

    "Power tends to corrupt. Absolute power corrupts, absolutely!"

  12. #11
    Join Date
    May 2016
    Location
    Perth
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    407

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by auscab View Post
    Their fantastic at docking things to length , trenching across the grain and cutting angles .

    Your blade doesnt look to be a negative rake type either .

    Rob
    That's the plan! I'll upload a close up of the blade for a better look at it.

    Cheers, Zac

    Sent from my Nokia 4.2 using Tapatalk

  13. #12
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    May 2016
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    Perth
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    Default

    Here's a close up of the blade. Yes the rake angle looks positive to me.

    Sent from my Nokia 4.2 using Tapatalk

  14. #13
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    Sep 2008
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    Quote Originally Posted by auscab View Post
    Nice saw . I have a few of these...
    He does .

    Quote Originally Posted by auscab View Post
    ...A good thing about the Bursgreen BRA is that the hardened Rod tracks are replaceable if worn . They're just screwed in...
    Same with the Wadkin CC and CK. The hardened rods are jig drilled so they can be swapped side for side, turned end for end, or rotated 180 degrees - to even up wear.

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

  15. #14
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    May 2007
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    Sth Gippsland Vic
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    Yeah looks like a better blade would be good. Makes a big difference . Looks like it could go larger as well . Is that one on it 14" ?
    When I had the wrong blade on the saw years ago , every time it jammed it threw all settings out of whack . Drove me nuts .

    You can just see the rake of my teeth in the first two pics .

    Some more pics of My set up if your interested.

    I did a fence 100mm high . The top part is separate and I routed it to take an old tape measure blade that's zero at the cut and goes 3M to the right and 1500 left from the left saw. The other saws are for trenching and routing . Haven't had a need for the routing (right saw / A $150 purchase) yet and its not finished.

    I don't like adjusting them from 90 degree cuts if possible , Ever . What I like doing for angles is making a board like this 45 degree one If I can get away with it . Much faster than adjusting the saw. For clean perfect angles and finer work I go to my Makita drop saw usually . A saw I keep closer to the work bench .

    Rob
    Attached Images Attached Images

  16. #15
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    Default

    Current blade is 300mm and positive rake. Those carbitool 36 tooth 350mm blades look to the way to go.

    Sent from my Nokia 4.2 using Tapatalk

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