Wadkin RD 16" Planer

**auscab** · 29th September 2015, 08:37 PM

This one turned up on a Machines 4U here with a big price on it of $3500 !! and its got plenty missing . I rang the seller after watching it for a few weeks, I asked about the machine , the parts , the distance , there was no way I was driving that far, probably around 15 hours non stop, each way. And then I got to the price. I reeled off a number of machines and what the prices were for them , and he asked what was I was prepared to pay?
Well, I think I offered more than most would, but I am a Wadkin tragic

( thanks Henry , Good name ) And I did get something I have wanted since missing the last one I saw in Sydney and Missed at $1000 about two years ago.
So I offered $1500. And he accepted the offer because he's smart enough to know he's probably not going to get such an offer, ever again!

Idiots just don't ring at all and offer probably two or three times what it may bring on ebay , if it sold at all .

But I am happy

I do have a plan .
If it arrives safely after being handled by forklifts and truck drivers , fingers crossed with that one !
Cartage was $257 on top .

The seller and myself had plenty of good chats over the phone and he told me he is a beekeeper as is / was ? his Dad , and his Dad was the guy who converted it to a single phase motor , took off the cover plate, all the switch gear under it , the switch, and all the wiring by the looks . The bridge guard and bracket is gone as well , and the belt guard at the back . after asking a few times about any of the parts I learned that the original motor and mount were still there.
His Dad built Bee boxes using the RD and used to rave about what a great machine it was , it was one of two machines he kept after selling others off .

So , this is what I'm thinking of doing with the machine , a bit of a conversion / restoration . I want to get a cover plate copied at a foundry , it's the same size as the DR band saw one I have , I'm pretty sure , so I should be able get the foundry to use that . Its such a basic shape , I hope that they can use it .

I hope to be able to get some bracket dimensions off any one here who has such a bracket and make a pattern and have that done as well . Then I'll fit a bar and , what I'd like to do is adapt that to take a pork chop guard , Ive been playing with some ideas and think Ive got it worked out.

I have a spare original Wadkin switch , its a vertical one which looks the same but the tags, and raised parts are the wrong way around for a horizontal mount , but it will look as close as I can get , and its just for looks .

I want to have the motor wired to a modern switch which I will mount off the machine , on the wall and a safety stop button on the floor probably as well .
And Ill have to make a belt guard .

And Id like a shelix head , or a shelix type head. I'm looking forward to some peace and quite.

Quite a bit to do !
With the good weather back , my DR band saw is coming inside finally. Ive had that running as of yesterday and it sounds good.

The white package is 28KG of Beeswax .

Extra fingers crossed that the Truckies don't Break the thing XX

Ill have to cross my fingers and cross my legs and hop around the workshop making wishes to the Truckie fairies

Rob

**clear out** · 30th September 2015, 04:59 AM

Congratulations Rob,
If you have probs re the cover plate I may be able to borrow one in Sydney and get it cast for you.
Thinking about it you should get it cast in Al especially if you are painting it.
Non ferrous foundries are more common than ferrous and quite often backyard businesses than make a lot cheaper product than a large iron foundry.
I mean cheap both ways but this is a non structural part.
H.

**DSEL74** · 30th September 2015, 09:26 AM

Congratulations Rob. Fingers crossed for a safe delivery as well.

**auscab** · 30th September 2015, 09:53 AM

Originally Posted by clear out

Congratulations Rob,
If you have probs re the cover plate I may be able to borrow one in Sydney and get it cast for you.
Thinking about it you should get it cast in Al especially if you are painting it.
Non ferrous foundries are more common than ferrous and quite often backyard businesses than make a lot cheaper product than a large iron foundry.
I mean cheap both ways but this is a non structural part.
H.

Thanks for the offer Henry , I'll see how it works out , and ask you later if I need to .
Out of interest , what is the shrinkage rate of Al ?
I spoke to a foundry down here that Matt put me onto, and asked about cast iron and I think they said the shrinkage rate for that was 1%
I'd have to go check what I wrote to be sure .

Rob

**Vann** · 30th September 2015, 09:58 AM

Originally Posted by auscab

I spoke to a foundry down here that Matt put me onto, and asked about cast iron and I think they said the shrinkage rate for that was 1%.

From what I've read (theory only) I believe the rule-of-the-thumb for cast iron, is 1/8" to the foot, which is a knat's over 1%.

Cheers, Vann.

**auscab** · 30th September 2015, 09:59 AM

Originally Posted by DSEL74

Congratulations Rob. Fingers crossed for a safe delivery as well.

Thanks Dale, I know you know how it feels

. I did ask the seller to take the fence and its bracket mount off and tie it down to the pallet somehow , but it did not happen . He told me it didn't project out past the pallet and would be OK . Oh I hope so !!
Anyway,, I can fix it if it goes wrong at least , and something does get snapped off . Just as long as I get the parts.

Rob

**camoz** · 30th September 2015, 11:17 PM

Rob,

Well done, I'm sure that machine will pay it's way, so, I wouldn't be running yourself down about the price.

Originally Posted by auscab

Ill have to cross my fingers and cross my legs and hop around the workshop making wishes to the Truckie fairies

Rob

this technique works best if you wear a pink tutu, film it and post a video on the forum

**auscab** · 1st October 2015, 02:59 AM

Originally Posted by camoz

Rob,

Well done, I'm sure that machine will pay it's way, so, I wouldn't be running yourself down about the price.

I'm happy Cam! it is the end of a sort of a quest of mine, in that the two machines I never owned that are a part of my workshop, the large band saw and the Buzzer are now both bought , Ive still got to get them in , but the buzzer purchase finishes that off .

Originally Posted by camoz

this technique works best if you wear a pink tutu, film it and post a video on the forum

Thanks for the advice. It sounds like you have experience here Cam , can you lend me one of your pink tutu's and Ill see if it fits first.

Rob

**Allison74** · 1st October 2015, 10:10 AM

Originally Posted by auscab

I'm happy Cam! it is the end of a sort of a quest of mine, in that the two machines I never owned that are a part of my workshop, the large band saw and the Buzzer are now both bought , Ive still got to get them in , but the buzzer purchase finishes that off .

Thanks for the advice. It sounds like you have experience here Cam , can you lend me one of your pink tutu's and Ill see if it fits first.

Rob

The jointer looks great, you did well on that and I agree with Cam, after a few months of work you won't even remember the price.
As far as the truckies go, I've never had a problem, they actually seem to take care.

I'm not going to hold my breath for the tutu pics. Something tells me that would be an exercise in futility!!

Secret Men's business and all that.

Have fun,
Alli

PS
Be careful dancing around the workshop with your legs all crossed in knots. I can't imagine the fun trying to explain a pink tutu to the ambos if you fall over and break a leg!

**auscab** · 2nd October 2015, 01:06 AM

Hi Alli ,
Yeah , when I think about it , the accidents Ive seen are when its a single guy paid to do it or the inexperienced.

I am paying big guys with big trucks and forklifts at both ends , and the seller fixed it to the pallet some how , hopefully with decent bolts .
An extra safety wire around the fence would have been nice . Its going to be ok .

Rob

**Vann** · 2nd October 2015, 06:52 PM

Originally Posted by auscab

Hi Alli ,
Yeah , when I think about it , the accidents Ive seen are when its a single guy paid to do it or the inexperienced.

Are we still talking about the pink tutu here?

Cheers, Vann.

**auscab** · 2nd October 2015, 06:59 PM

No Vann , don't mention it !!

**Allison74** · 3rd October 2015, 10:02 AM

Originally Posted by Vann

Are we still talking about the pink tutu here?

Cheers, Vann.

I was asked to be fashion consultant and I agreed after swearing an oath not to post the audition pics that Rob sent, I'm not sure if they were of him or Cam.
The doctor told me the damage to my retinas would only be temporary, I should be able to ditch the white cane and get back to work in a few weeks, but that there was a risk of Post Traumatic Stress episodes!

Have fun,
Alli

**auscab** · 6th October 2015, 10:34 PM

Picked the RD up from the Depot yesterday.

The first picture is the first view I had of her coming my way on a fork lift

Note there is no dress on this dude!

All was good , it had a close shave somewhere along the way, it looks like it was clipped by a forklift which bent a bolt ! lucky nothing was cracked for me!!
This old stuff is like transporting something made of chocolate that big, as you all know, very brittle.
Its the bolt that held the bracket which held the bar for the bridge guard.

Its funny how the bracket is gone but the bolts have been put back in, and the same on the other side where the belt guard is gone but the nuts that held it on have all been screwed back on ," hmmm ?? wonder where those parts are sitting now ?"

I took it apart to unload it , I left the pictures at work though .

The first thing I noticed was how nice and solid and easy to operate the fence tilt was, the locking lever and the handle up on top of the fence make quick easy work of it compared to what I now use, and have to go find a pair of vice grips to operate.

The head with the skewed blades is 5" diameter , nice and BIG! And 4 HP to drive it .

The second thing I noticed when I got to bits was how this thing is made , the base with a machined top , and how the two tables and the castings that hold the head sit on that to line every thing up. Ill put up pictures of it .

When buying this sort of thing , you cant go out and try before you buy and then decide sometimes , its an eBay purchase or like how I got this.
The thing about this big old Wadkin stuff that I have felt a few times and been so surprised at is, Man!! its well thought out solid gear when it comes to adjusting it . I'll put some other pics up asap .

Rob

**Vann** · 6th October 2015, 10:50 PM

Woohoo. Keep the pictures coming.

And could you kindly check the Test No. against Wallace's list to find it's age?

Cheers, Vann.

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