Thread: Wadkin MF number 2

I thought the casting had been repaired so removed some paint, but it's just a bad mould, the inside of the machines casting is smooth, it's just the outside, I would look at filling it and feathering it out, but its right next to the cast Wadkin name, so might look at grinding off the extra steel.
Paint removed to show casting 1.jpgPaint removed to show casting 2.jpgPaint removed to show casting 3.jpgPaint removed to show casting 4.jpgNot rust bad casting.jpg

Looking at the Chain Guard it's been repaired, which is a shame because I wanted to polish this up
Chain Guard been repaired.jpg

Attached pic's of back of both machines, have noticed my old 1938 MF does not have the separate electric housing, not sure if this helps date the machine.
1938 MF back view.jpgBack left.jpg

Hi Wallace1973,

I have released the tension from the spring although when it seemed quite slack I heard it uncoil quite quickly (like the sound you hear when your tape measure spring snaps) so I am hoping that I have not damaged it.

If you look at the pics you can see I have taken out the tapered pin thinking I could then take that spring tensioning nut off, but it isn't moving, so do I need to take the collet off the end of the shaft from inside the machine and then slide off the spring housing (once I remove the chain from it) or do I just keep trying to remove the spring tensioning nut?
Tappered Spring removed.jpgInside view of chisel chain.jpg

I thought I would post this pic it shows how much the casting is stepped they only just had enough space to tap in the thread for the vertical square head grub screw.
Casting Stepped.jpg

Originally Posted by Camelot

...The Wadkin Tags are missing (Sorry Vann)...

I know little about MFs particularly, but there are some general things that will help establish a date range.

The handwheels: are they cast iron or aluminium? The change from cast iron to aluminium occurred ~1949-50;
The tag on the motor and the tag on the electrical switchgear door - do they say "Wadkin & Co." or "Wadkin Ltd."? The change from the former to the latter occurred 1935-36.

Cheers, Vann.

Originally Posted by Vann

I know little about MFs particularly, but there are some general things that will help establish a date range.

The handwheels: are they cast iron or aluminium? The change from cast iron to aluminium occurred ~1949-50;
The tag on the motor and the tag on the electrical switchgear door - do they say "Wadkin & Co." or "Wadkin Ltd."? The change from the former to the latter occurred 1935-36.

Cheers, Vann.

Hi Vann, You are normally pretty good at spotting things, the electric switchgear door is sitting on the ground in my first post pics and it says Wadkin Ltd, but the Wadkin name is cast into the MF's casting and not a screwed on name plate, I think the one Wallace1973 restored had cast aluminium handwheels with a screwed on name plate and his MF was 1959, so maybe the name plate & aluminium handwheels were part of the same change, making mine pre 1949

Originally Posted by Camelot

Hi Vann, You are normally pretty good at spotting things...

Yes I spotted a tag on the chisel motor - but can't read it. I did spot the electrical switchgear door and blew up the photo to reveal the "Wadkin Ltd." tag (after I posted).

Although Wadkin changed their name in 1935, the "Wadkin Ltd." tags didn't start appearing until the second half of 1936. I suspect there are machines out there with "Wadkin Ltd" tags, but "Wadkin & Co." motor tags - at least for a year or two in the second half of the 1930s.

Originally Posted by Camelot

Attached pic's of back of both machines, have noticed my old 1938 MF does not have the separate electric housing, not sure if this helps date the machine.

I don't know when they changed the MF main casting to incorporated the electrical switchgear compartment. But for the RB buzzer and the PK dimension saw that change occurred in 1938. So your 1938 MF was possibly from one of the last batches without that compartment.

That reduces the range for this (your 2nd) MF down to 1938 to 1949.

Do you have the hinges for that electrical door?

Cheers, Vann.

There was only one hinge screwed in and I took it out thinking it might get damaged during transport, but now can't put my hands on it, however it was just a bent 90 degree piece of steel with a thread on one end, so not sure it was original.

Also noticed in Wallace1973 restoration thread that his switchgear door has cast wording (mine just as a name plate screwed to the door) so maybe Wallace door is also cast aluminium and not steel like mine

Originally Posted by Camelot

There was only one hinge screwed in and I took it out thinking it might get damaged during transport, but now can't put my hands on it, however it was just a bent 90 degree piece of steel with a thread on one end, so not sure it was original...

The hinge looks like this.

Hinge.jpg

Although for some later ones the cast bit was round.

I'm not sure what this opening is for.

Opening.jpg

But I suspect it's for a "Brookhirst" fused isolating switch like this.

Brookhirst Switch.jpg

Or maybe a blanking plate like this.

Mains.jpg

I'll measure up the blanking plate I have tomorrow, to see if it's the same size as the opening.

Originally Posted by Camelot

...Also noticed in Wallace1973 restoration thread that his switchgear door has cast wording (mine just as a name plate screwed to the door) so maybe Wallace door is also cast aluminium and not steel like mine

There were a few versions of those electrical doors. I tried working them out for dating purposes once, but didn't have enough info. Yours looks considerably wider than the standard door anyway. Again, I'll measure one of mine tomorrow to see. A closer picture of the door would be appreciated.

Cheers, Vann.

Yes I would say those hinges are correct and looking at this pic from Wallace thread then the fused isolating switch would also be correct.
Switched isolating fuse.JPG

I will take a pic of the door tomorrow and give dimensions

Hi Vann,

Gave the electric control door a bit of a clean up before posting and noticed a couple of welding repairs, I will have a go at filing off the excess weld before painting and also whoever did the repair never redrilled the holes.

The size is 300mm H x 390mm W. I think the Number says 2932E1
Electric Control Door.jpg Electric Door Back.jpg

You knock the shaft through from the outside, Make sure there are no burs on the square section, it goes through the sprocket type thing. The spring assembly is quite heavy as well.

Originally Posted by Vann

...Or maybe a blanking plate like this.

Mains.jpg

I'll measure up the blanking plate I have tomorrow, to see if it's the same size as the opening...

Now that you've identified that the opening is for the "Brookhisrt" switch, I guess this info is obsolete, but anyway... the blanking plate is 6" square. But more importantly, the holes are at 4 7/8" centres.

According to the few Wadkin wiring diagrams I've seen the isolating switch was not standard, but an optional extra. So I'd be interested to know if that blanking plate fits.

Cheers, Vann.