Thread: Wadkin CK Radial Arm Saw

Originally Posted by Vann

• How accurate a cut does the CK cut?

My Wadkin CK is quite old and the stops are worn, so setting it at 90 degrees to the fence takes some trial and error. I have never adjuster the rollers properly so there is some play in the carriage. I use it mostly for rough cutting - such as rough cutting to length - or for cutting scraps and small branches for firewood .

I have just had some newly acquired blades sharpened, so that might be the incentive I need to work on its accuracy.

I recall Wallace saying his was also hard to set at exactly 90 degrees.

However I believe that they can be set up to cut accurately, just don't adjust the angle once you have set them up.

• How well do the trenching heads work? As in does it give a nice clean cut with minimal tear out?

I don't know. I haven't yet sharpened the knickers on the borrowed pair - and haven't used them yet.

I believe they are quite a coarse tool, possibly not suitable for exposed joints - but I don't know for sure.

Jack English did a series of YouTube videos on setting them up and using them. I must watch these again as I have a project coming up in several months time where these might be very useful.

Cheers, Vann.

Thanks Vann, not that CK (although BRAs do) come up too often but really don't like my very modern compound mitre saw and just want something that leaves a good finish and is accurate. I'll have a bit of a play with my Bosch saw and see what the issues are and why it's out!

It's time for an update. Unfortunately the software says I can't post this post because it exceeds 10,000 characters - so I'll split this into two posts.

Here are a further 14 CK saws, 11 of which are in New Zealand - bringing the total to 66.

CK 317 (test 4549 of 1935) - United Kingdom - Wadkin & Co. cast tag;​​
CK 324 (test 4843 of 1936) - United Kingdom - Wadkin & Co. cast tag;
CK 349 (test 5637 of 1936) - New Zealand - Wadkin & Co. tin tag;
CK 387 (test 6682 of 1937) - New Zealand - Wadkin Ltd. tin tag;
CK 514 (test 920x of 1938) - New Zealand - Wadkin Ltd. tin tag (last digit of Test No. obscured);
CK 575 (test 10701 of 1939) - New Zealand - Wadkin Ltd. tin tag;
CK 778 (test 16792 of 1941) - New Zealand - Wadkin Ltd. tin tag;
CK 817 (test 19865 of 1943) - New Zealand - Wadkin Ltd. tin tag;
CK 826 (test 21316 of 1943) - New Zealand - Wadkin Ltd. tin tag;
CK 834 (test 21323 of 19437) - New Zealand - Wadkin Ltd. tin tag
CK 862 (test 22326 of 1944) - New Zealand - Wadkin Ltd. tin tag;
CK 868 (test 22274 of 1944) - New Zealand;
CK 880 (test 22554 of 1944) - New Zealand - Wadkin Ltd. tin tag;
CK 906 (test 23628 of 1945) - New Zealand - Wadkin Ltd. tin tag;
CK 910 (test 23632 of 1945) - New Zealand - Wadkin Ltd. tin tag;
CK 949 (test 24568 of 1945) - New Zealand - Wadkin Ltd. tin tag;
CK 959 (test 24801 of 1945) - United Kingdom - Wadkin Ltd. tin tag;
CK 968 (test 24953 of 1945) - New Zealand - Wadkin Ltd. tin tag;
CK 977 (test 25398 of 1945) - New Zealand - Wadkin Ltd. tin tag;
CK 1011 (test 26563 of 1946) - New Zealand - Wadkin Ltd. tin tag;
CK 1035 (test 27145 of 1946) - New Zealand - Wadkin Ltd. tin tag;
CK 1040 (test 27187 of 1946) - Australia - Wadkin Ltd. tin tag;
CK 1086 (test 28338 of 1947) - United Kingdom - Wadkin Ltd. tin tag;
CK 1118 (test 28895 of 1947) - New Zealand - Wadkin Ltd. tin tag;
CK 1149 (test 29897 of 1948) – New Zealand;
CK 1152 (test 30100 of 1948) - New Zealand - Wadkin Ltd. tin tag;
CK 1170 (test 30196 of 1948) - New Zealand - Wadkin Ltd. tin tag;
CK 1181 (test 30310 of 1948) - New Zealand - Wadkin Ltd. tin tag;
CK 1185 (test 30314 of 1948) - New Zealand - Wadkin Ltd. tin tag;
CK 1268 (test 32264 of 1949) - New Zealand- Wadkin Ltd. tin tag;
CK 1293 (test 33562 of 1949)​ - New Zealand - Wadkin Ltd. tin tag;
CK 1301 (test 33676 of 1949) - United Kingdom - Wadkin Ltd. tin tag;
CK 1360 (test 35029 of 1949) - New Zealand - Wadkin Ltd. tin tag;
CK 1371 (test 35269 of 1949) - New Zealand- Wadkin Ltd. tin tag;
CK 1384 (test 35634 of 1950) - Australia- Wadkin Ltd. tin tag;
CK 1417 (test 36260 of 1950) - New Zealand - Wadkin Ltd. tin tag;
CK 1460 (test 37501 of 1950) - New Zealand - Wadkin Ltd. tin tag;
CK 1476 (test 38385 of 1950) - New Zealand;

to be continued....

continued...

CK 1604 (test 41502 of 1951) - New Zealand - Wadkin Ltd. cast tag;
CK 1606 (test 41504 of 1951) - New Zealand;
CK 1614 (test 41512 of 1951)​ - New Zealand - Wadkin Ltd. cast​ tag;​​​
CK 1634 (test 42522 of 1952) - New Zealand - Wadkin Ltd. cast tag;
CK 1646 (test 42687 of 1952) - New Zealand - Wadkin Ltd. cast tag;
CK 1648 (test 42680 of 1952) - New Zealand - Wadkin Ltd. cast tag;
CK 1719 (test 44795 of 1953) - New Zealand - Wadkin Ltd. cast tag;
CK 1725 (test 45009 of 1953) - New Zealand - Wadkin Ltd. cast tag;
CK 1740 (test 45277 of 1953) - New Zealand - Wadkin Ltd. cast tag;
CK 1778 (test 46032 of 1953) - New Zealand - Wadkin Ltd. cast tag;
CK 1895 (test 48426 of 1954) - New Zealand - Wadkin Ltd. cast tag;
CK 1913 (test 48716 of 1954) - United Kingdom - Wadkin Ltd. cast tag;
CK 2000 (test 50260 of 1954) - Australia - Wadkin Ltd. cast tag;
CK 2015 (test 50416 of 1954) - New Zealand - Wadkin Ltd. cast tag;​
CK 2026 (test 50541 of 1955) - New Zealand - Wadkin Ltd. cast tag;
CK 2054 (test 50863 of 1955) - United Kingdom - Wadkin Ltd. cast tag;
CK 2083 (test 51268 of 1955) - New Zealand - Wadkin Ltd. cast tag;
CK 2095 (test 51427 of 1955) - New Zealand - Wadkin Ltd. cast tag;
CK 2110 (test 51928 of 1955);
CK 2114 (test 51932 of 1955) - New Zealand>England - Wadkin Ltd. cast tag;
CK 2160 (test 52843 of 1955)​ - New Zealand - Wadkin Ltd. cast​ tag;
CK 2161 (test 52844 of 1955) - New Zealand - Wadkin Ltd. cast tag;
CK 2190 (test 53492 of 29th December, 1955) - New Zealand;
CK 2191 (test 53493​ of 2nd January, 1956) - New Zealand.
CK 2223 (test 53887 of 1956) - United Kingdom - Wadkin Ltd. cast tag;
BCK 57160 (probably of 1957) - New Zealand - Wadkin-Bursgreen aluminium sheet tag;
BCK 57315 (test 57992 of ~1958) - New Zealand (RIP 2015);
BCK 58432 (test 59927 of 1958).



United Kingdom - 8 machines;
Australia - 3 machines;
New Zealand - 53 machines.

Cheers, Vann.