Thread: Wadkin EX

I think it's just unfair that you folks in Oz have more Wadkins than we do here in the American colonies - we're closer to the factory, after all!

Bill, who occasionally dreams of finding a Wadkin MZF bandsaw at some estate sale, at a steal-me price because the family thinks "Wadkin" is a strange name, probably some off-brand machine, may not use American electrons, etc.

Just found another 2 number EX on Vintage Machinery, looks like they are from the same woodworking company based on the colour they've been painted, so maybe I need to search for Shaper

Photo Index - Wadkin Ltd. - Wadkin EX Double Spindle Shaper | VintageMachinery.org

Photo Index - Wadkin Ltd. - Wadkin EX Shaper | VintageMachinery.org

Oh wow - what a find! Absolute dream boat!

A couple of puzzling details on your EX, pertaining to dating it:
- The two larger handwheels are aluminium. Handwheels changed from cast iron to cast aluminium about 1949. This is consistent with the 1954 test date.
- The four fence adjuster knobs appear to be knurled knobs. Those knobs changed from knurled steel knobs to cast iron ‘star’ knobs in 1939/1940.

I have two theories on this: either the fences have been changed (there do appear to be two differing styles of fence on your machine) - but that would mean both fences have been changed, at different times. Or your machine was built many years earlier and sat in storage until 1954, when it was retrieved, tested, and handwheels changed (due to damage or being ratted for parts).

I think the first theory is more likely (though my theories have often been wrong).

Could you kindly put up some more photos with some emphasis on the fences?

The Serial No. 113 suggests this EX is just the 9th made (as most Wadkin models started with Serial No. 105), but the EX is listed in the 1936 catalogue (18 years earlier). Something doesn't add up .

Cheers, Vann.

Hi Vann,

Looking at the fences I am not sure either are original, the right side fence looks like it could be of Wadkin vintage, but it needs a slotted lug fabricated and welded to it (the right side in the pic) on the other side of the same fence the lug must have broken off at some point because you can see some braze welding.

I think the Electric motors will help more in dating the machine, they do not have the outer cooling fins like we have today and the links above for the 2 EX's I found online both have more modern motors, they have provided Serial Numbers 176 (the motor hoods on this machine are of a more square design which I have seem on later EQ's) Serial Number 192 (the hoods on this machine don't look like Wadkin and the motors are different to that of 176)

BTW my machine number is 112 making it number 8 to be made based on 105 being the starting number.

Left Fence.jpg Agent.jpg

Right Fence Pic 1.jpg Right Fence Pic 2.jpg

Motor 1.jpg Motor 2.jpg Motor Tag.jpg

Cheers

Nigel

Originally Posted by Camelot

This is the rarest Wadkin to join my Wadkin family and it was only 4.3 Klms from where I live, when I say rare I have not found another searching the internet.

The tag shows the Test Number 49660 dating it to be 1954 and it is the only EX on the register of nearly 1600 machines worldwide.

Nice machine Nigel .
It'd be great to use such a thing if you had the need for a couple of set ups running at the same time wouldn't it?
I was using one of my spindle moulders a few months ago and had 4 or 5 different things to run for the one cabinet . All My own ground blades in held in slotted pinned collars . Gee it does mouldings so much better compared to an inverted router and router bits. And so cheaply as well. But I had to swap out blade sets back and forth. Something like the EX would be handy except for the space it takes up I suppose.

When you say rare and the EX on the register . What Register? And Out of 1600 machines ? Is that 1 in 1600 out of EX and EQ 's combined ?

Over the years since looking at Wadkin cast iron for sale Ive seen probably three of these for sale in Australia with a guess before I saw yours here.
I remember one in Oakleigh Vic where the guy had painted it some ugly gloss different colour. A different green I think it was, to clean it up for the sale . And It was re listed many times . Not sure if it sold . Now I'm wishing I had saved pictures to check out the fences .

Ive seen plenty more PKs for sale in that same time in AU. Ones either I have seen or been pointed out to me many times by others .

I just looked up the specs out of interest on the weight of an EX .

Wadkin EQ EX.png
Looking at this I see the EX came in two table sizes . I never knew that. The EX 1 or EX 2 and that gave two two different distances between spindles .
What is yours ? The EX 1 ?
Weight . The EX 1 is 1168 to EX 2 at 1320 KG .
Some weight!


Rob .

Hi Rob,

Thanks for your post, by register I am referring to this one Wadkin by Test Number -

Canadian Woodworking and Home Improvement Forum
it's the one that Vann collects tag pic's for and he updates from time to time. So my reference to 1600 machines is the total number of Wadkin's of all types that have been recorded by Vann (and anyone else that helps him)

I have some pic's from a Wadkin catalogue which I think was printed in 1957 (note the square cutter blocks) but they only show the front of the machines, so can't get a look at the motors. The pic of the EX shows the fence from the back which is completely different from mine, they are independent of each other (no connecting circular piece tying them together). Within the second catalogue pic there is reference to the 2 EX sizes, but I have not checked the length of mine yet (I will do when I next go down to the land where it is stored) I can say I only had my JCB 3CX to unload it from the trailer and the backhoe wouldn't lift it so I had to use the front bucket which also struggled and I thought t bucket was good for 1,500Kg.
EX black and white pic.JPG EX black and white pic 2.JPG

I was also thinking of some sanding attachments for profile sanding and also changing the spindle size to 30mm at one end, this would allow me to use the tooling that I already have and would give the EX another use for the size of it's footprint.

Cheers Nigel

Originally Posted by Camelot

Hi Rob,

Thanks for your post, by register I am referring to this one Wadkin by Test Number -

Canadian Woodworking and Home Improvement Forum
it's the one that Vann collects tag pic's for and he updates from time to time.

Ahh that register. Ive not heard it referred to that way .

Yes I'm well aware of Vann's great work . Its incredible and very interesting to follow .

This thread as well on the Canadian Forum. Started By Mark Wallace and with a lot of input from Vann is another that is great. PK Generations .

Wadkin PK Generations -

Canadian Woodworking and Home Improvement Forum

Originally Posted by Camelot

...to 1600 machines is the total number of Wadkin's of all types that have been recorded by Vann (and anyone else that helps him)...

Total of 1592 machines as of last night's update (1931 added, which is the year Wadkin's 1st test sequence finished and the 3rd test sequence started). I'm sure I must have another eight I could add, but have to find the time.

Cheers, Vann.

Hi Rob,

I measured the bed length and the distance between spindle centres today and mine is the E.X. and not the E.X.2, I wonder if the E.X.2 would have this stamped on the Tag.

Length of bed.jpg Distance between spindle centres.jpg

Hi Vann,

I got some more fence pics today.

The round fence seems to have had that lug (and the other which is missing) welded on as a repair, when you look at the pics the fence had 2 more positions (on the radios part) where the original fence took support from what is now a missing part of the casting and I think this would have been a elongated slop in the opposite direction to the slot in the lug repair, making it look more like a Wadkin type fence but earlier than 1954.

Round Fence showing welded lug.jpg Round fence showing broken weld.jpg

The square fence as a part number (4034A) and is quite a nice design, but I have not seen it on any other Wadkin

Square Fence with part number.jpg Back View Square Fence.jpg

Thanks for adding my EX to the updated register.

Wadkin say the spindle is lubricated by a patented oil mist system.

Does anyone know how the mist system works, does the spindle produce mist while spinning?

What a beast.
It looks like that the semi-circular base had lugs at 45 deg also but they've been cut off.

Originally Posted by Vann

...The Serial No. 113 suggests this EX is just the 9th made (as most Wadkin models started with Serial No. 105), but the EX is listed in the 1936 catalogue (18 years earlier). Something doesn't add up .

Correction: serial number 112 suggests this is just the 8th made.

Anyway, I approached my contact in the UK and he sent me a copy of Wadkin's batch list for the EX double spindle moulders.

Batch List EX.jpg

As you can see, Wadkin management put the first order, for six EX moulders, on the Green Lane works in August, 1952.

Camelot's EX is from the second batch, also of six machines, placed on 8th December, 1953. His machine was tested at the works on 26th August the following year. It is indeed the 8th EX produced. It appears that a total of 93 were made.

How the EX ended up in the 1936 catalogue, but didn't go into production until 1952, I guess we'll never know. Maybe the war got in the way?

In addition, Wadkin produced a single batch of four EXZ double spindle moulders. The high speed version of the EX.

Batch list EXZ.jpg

The batch lists give no indication of which machines had the narrower table, and which had the wider table. We'll have to keep guessing .

Cheers, Vann.