Thread: Wadkin EKA

Originally Posted by amh_joinery

Yes both had the same size motors but the eka is a much larger footprint and capable of much larger tenons. It would have appealed to larger workshops with more floor space and needed the extra capacity. The eca is really a very compact machine for its versatility and much more desirable in the uk. Eka machines go for scrap money here still

I guess it's the same story with the CC in that large footprint equals cheap, however I must say I do like the shape of the EKA, the swan neck just looks more Wadkin

Hi Vann,

Still collecting info to try and date my machine and came across a Brass Tag on a 1941 EKA, I checked your register and it's not there, but I noticed for 1941 nearly every Wadkin on your list says Tin Tag, so why are only a few in Brass or for that matter any at all.

Brass Tag.JPG

Originally Posted by Camelot

...I noticed for 1941 nearly every Wadkin on your list says Tin Tag, so why are only a few in Brass or for that matter any at all.

I can only say that the term "tin tag" pre-dates my interest in Wadkins. It was not termed by me. It refers to the etched brass sheet (as opposed to cast) tags, usually nickel or chrome plated. I don't know that any are actually tin.

I started noting the tag type ("tin" or "cast") at a time when I was trying to establish the changes from cast, to sheet, to cast, to plastic. There is scope to go into greater detail within each of those types, but I'm not sufficiently anal .

Thank you for the tag photo, I shall add it to the list (in due course).

Regards, Vann.

Originally Posted by Vann

I can only say that the term "tin tag" pre-dates my interest in Wadkins. It was not termed by me. It refers to the etched brass sheet (as opposed to cast) tags, usually nickel or chrome plated. I don't know that any are actually tin.

I started noting the tag type ("tin" or "cast") at a time when I was trying to establish the changes from cast, to sheet, to cast, to plastic. There is scope to go into greater detail within each of those types, but I'm not sufficiently anal .

Thank you for the tag photo, I shall add it to the list (in due course).

Regards, Vann.

Or I see so you are saying a Tin tag can actually be made out of brass, it's only real difference is that it's no longer cast brass, I am sure my Tag is not brass, but just plain old Tin

Originally Posted by Camelot

...I am sure my Tag is not brass...

I may be wrong, but I think your tag is tinned brass, nickelled brass or chromed brass.


I'm seldom wrong. I thought I was wrong once, but I was wrong...

Cheers, Vann.

I’ve had a look in my cattle dogs and the big prewar one lists an EK complete with countershaft.
Seems like the JTA story and the establishment of AC over Edison’s DC.
It also lists the EKA and the earlier EJ.
My 1945 small cattle dog only lists the EKA and ECA
My big postwar one which has a collection of dated pamphlets only has the EKA in a 1947 pamphlet. It has a 1960 photocopy of the ECA.
All these show the EKA with the hollow arms.
Whereas my latest cattle dog has a pamphlet dated 1962 which shows the solid arms.
It also has the ECA in a pamphlet dated 1963 identical to the previous photocopied 1960.
Dunno if this is any help in dating, I’ve not bought into this discussion as I’m not particularly interested in and have never owned on of these machines.
I can take some photos of pages with my phone if you like but the pc is playing up so I’m not up for good copies.
H.

Originally Posted by clear out

I’ve had a look in my cattle dogs...

Thanks Clear Out.

I had a look at the 1957 catalogue available online. I decided catalogues probably aren't very helpful when I noticed some of the machines had pre-1951 "tin tags". These included CD, CJ, PZ, PK RJ, RM, JV, JW, JTA, RS and NQ.

The artwork for the PK dimension saw was so out of date that it shows a Gen 2 machine (1936-1938) with the tilt handwheel on the side, and knurled steel knobs instead of cast iron 'star' knobs - items that had been changed 20 years earlier.

PK.png Wadkin PK - from page 26 of 1957 catalogue.

And the artwork for the RJ thinknesser clearly shows a "Wadkin & Co." tag.

RJ.png Wadkin RJ - from page 38 of 1957 catalogue.

Wadkin & Co. became Wadkin Ltd. in 1936.
So don't trust the artwork for dating machines .

Cheers, Vann.

Originally Posted by clear out

I’ve had a look in my cattle dogs and the big prewar one lists an EK complete with countershaft.
Seems like the JTA story and the establishment of AC over Edison’s DC.
It also lists the EKA and the earlier EJ.
My 1945 small cattle dog only lists the EKA and ECA
My big postwar one which has a collection of dated pamphlets only has the EKA in a 1947 pamphlet. It has a 1960 photocopy of the ECA.
All these show the EKA with the hollow arms.
Whereas my latest cattle dog has a pamphlet dated 1962 which shows the solid arms.
It also has the ECA in a pamphlet dated 1963 identical to the previous photocopied 1960.
Dunno if this is any help in dating, I’ve not bought into this discussion as I’m not particularly interested in and have never owned on of these machines.
I can take some photos of pages with my phone if you like but the pc is playing up so I’m not up for good copies.
H.

Hi H,

Thanks for posting, with mine having metal wheels it seems to be a safe bet that it is 1949 or earlier, it's in the Tin Tag era, I thought I was narrowing it down when I found the 1941 Brass Tag one until Vann pointed out Tin Tag just means thin gauge metal of any type, rather than the earlier Cast Brass Tag's

Originally Posted by Camelot

...rather than the earlier Cast Brass Tag's

...rather than the earlier "Wadkin & Co." cast brass tags (up to 1936), or the later "Wadkin Ltd." cast brass tags (from 1951).

Looking further into catalogues: I see the 1958 online catalogue has the PK artwork fudged so that the tilt handwheel now appears on the front, but the slider lock (circled in red) and the knobs (circled in purple) are still Gen 2 (1936-38).

PK2.jpg Wadkin PK - from 1958 catalogue.

The EKA, missing from the 1957 catalogue (pages 69-72 are missing ), is in the 1958 catalogue. The artwork shows 3-spoke cast aluminium handwheels (circled in green) which replaced 5-spoke cast iron handwheels in 1949, and a cast "Wadkin Ltd" tag (circled in red) introduced in 1951. It doesn't have the openings in the arms.


EKA.jpg Wadkin EKA - from 1958 catalogue.

Cheers, Vann.

I noticed another broken casting, which has been previously repaired but failed, it's the casting to adjust the movement of the bottom tenon.

Bottom Tenon adjustment casting 1.jpg Bottom Tenon adjustment casting 2.jpg
Bottom Tenon adjustment Casting 3.jpg Bottom Tenon adjustment Casting 4.jpg

I think it's seized and someone snapped it while turning the wheel to adjust the in/out travel, any thoughts on a better way to repair it?

Originally Posted by Camelot

I noticed another broken casting...

And a broken oiler.

Originally Posted by Camelot

...any thoughts on a better way to repair it?

I see it has another crack as well. I wonder if you might be better having a new bracket fabricated, or cast. Once you get the casting off we may be able to better see the extent of work necessary.

Probably you should check out as many steel parts as you can. Steel corrodes more than cast iron. That threaded piece looks quite corroded (but may surprise us and clean up nicely). If there are too many badly corroded steel parts you may be better to cut your losses and part the machine out.
But we're not at that stage yet .

Cheers, Vann.

I am trying to workout how to lock the Bottom Scribe head to change cutter blocks, with Top Scribe Head the spindle shaft goes all the way through the motor and you lock it with a Tommy Bar on the FB Wadkin Group a member posted that on his EKA the Bottom Scribe is the same as the Top one with a Tommy Bar to lock the spindle but looking under my machine I have a grease nipple in that location. Also on the FB Wadkin Group another member suggested the motor is the same as his EC (I haven't looked at mine EC yet) and there isn't a spindle lock, but I didn't really understand how he suggested you remove the nut from the spindle.

So if anyone knows how this is done please let me know, here are some pics

Scribe motor pic 3.jpg Scribe motor pic 4.jpg

Bottom scribe Tommy Bar.JPG

Pic from another EKA showing Tommy Bar hole in spindle shaft to lock the spindle while undoing the nut

Depending on how far back and if it’s a flat section I’d suggest fabricating one from steel.
It looks to be about 1” thick, you could get that waterjet cut out and even cut off and reuse the threaded nut part by welding it onto the new piece.
I had the guys at the Uni I retired from waterjet me out a few right angle toolrests for my RS for a slab.
I did have a chunk of suitable steel in the stash.
H.

Originally Posted by Camelot

...So if anyone knows how this is done please let me know...

Well that eliminates me. I don't have an EKA, nor do I know anyone who has .

I suggest you remove the end cover to see what lurks inside.

Just a thought. This is the end cover on my Wadkin RT wood lathe. The hole is to insert the spindle lock.

aRTA48.jpg aRTA49.jpg

The spindle locking pin is also the speed selector handle, so I can't start the lathe without first removing the pin from the lock. A nice feature.

Cheers, Vann.