Thread: Wadkin Wood Lathes

Vann, it is not a big tool, but an investment in your future happiness . . .

Originally Posted by Pat

Vann, it is not a big tool, but an investment in your future happiness . . .

I'm not sure happiness is the first emotion coming my way. I'm expecting a fair helping of grief first

Cheers, Vann .

It's easier to get forgiveness than permission

Nice solid little lathe Vann
A gent I knew had one with a vfd built in, I was impressed how smooth it ran
Like Elan said pull the trigger and seek forgiveness later !!

Melbourne Matty

I met a fellow recently that has a lovely big Wadkin lathe in the corner of his shed partially restored I noticed the outboard turning stand first and made a comment which lead to me being shown the lathe. I'm envious of anyone owning one.

There are more women than men and as we age the ratio gets higher so say the odds are in our favour. The odds on finding good old iron is not in as good. Not sure how often I can keep reminding my missus this with each new acquisition before she puts it to the test lol.

Originally Posted by elanjacobs

It's easier to get forgiveness than permission

Originally Posted by L.S.Barker1970

Like Elan said pull the trigger and seek forgiveness later !!

Yup, looks like I'll have to go down that road - the seller won't/can't crate it, so I'll have to take two days off work to drive up to collect it (no chance of sneaking it off a carrier's truck, into the garage while SWMBO is out at work ).

Anyway, it's paid for now.

Cheers, Vann .

Vann,

Well done on the purchase, and good luck with SWMBO, fortunately for me, turning is something my wife would like to get into, so this purchase I got away with.

Interesting to see so many RT's come up in a short period of time, going off the numbers I've seen, I have always thought there were probably not a lot of these made.

I think it's a good buy, there is a lot of lathe there for what you paid.

What's your plans with it (full strip down or just a cleanup), from the photo it looks like it won't need much to get it up and running?

cheers,

Camo

These little lathes look pretty neat.
I must admit they have completely slipped under my radar in the past.
I was not at all aware of them until a post recently on the Canadian Forum.
Ive never seen a mention in any of the catalogues I have or have looked at.
Ive been into Wadkin since the 70s and was doing a fair bit of turning thru the 80s.
I doubt there's many in Oz.
Do they have a common headstock thread with their brethren?
Good luck with the pick up and the boss.
H.

Looks like I’ll have to take two days off work to drive up and collect my Wadkin RTA, as the school selling it can't/won't load it (not even onto a pallet), nor arrange transport.

I found this on the Canadian forum:
The weight at 560 pounds.
Height of center is 6 1/4"
Capacity between centers is 31"
Length of the bed is 60"
Diameter that can be turned over hand rest and travelling slide rest is 9"
Height from floor to centers is 42".
Two speed adjusted by a hand operated change pole switch makes the speed changes.
Motor is rated at 1 hp and is totally enclosed

However, plans are coming together. We stayed with friends at the beach Friday & yesterday. I got around fessing up to SWMBO and there's been no explosion (yet ). One friend offerred to loan me his van - so I can get the whole thing back in one go. I didn’t think I could get the whole 260kg in my Toyota Corolla - and safely drive 500km back to Wellington, so I was planning to box up the bed and drop it at a local trucking firm for shipping home (but that won't be necessary now). And the boss can let me have off the 2 days I’ll need.

I didn’t know anything about Wadkin wood lathes before I bid on the RTA. I’m not a turner, and in my life I’ve probably turned ~ 4 tool handles, on a lathe attachment powered by the Makita power drill.

aWL1.jpg My current, high quality - made in Taiwan - wood lathe .
aWL2a.jpg I did turn this handle for my Dawn post drill with that set-up.

Looking at the Wadkin RS lathes the Aussie boys have bought, I can see it’s a vastly superior machine to my somewhat lightweight RTA. Then again, I probably wouldn’t have dared to buy anything as big and heavy as an RS - so my RTA is the correct sized machine for the moment (and apparently it does share the same tailstock and tool-rest support as the RS ).

As for my plans once it's home? The seller says it's in good working order. So I intend to set it up, clean it up, get it running - and see if I can interest MY wife in woodturning... .

Cheers, Vann.

Originally Posted by DSEL74

There are more women than men and as we age the ratio gets higher so say the odds are in our favour. The odds on finding good old iron is not in as good. Not sure how often I can keep reminding my missus this with each new acquisition before she puts it to the test lol.

SWMBO is my second wife - and this is my second Wadkin .

Cheers, Vann .

Originally Posted by clear out

These little lathes look pretty neat.
I must admit they have completely slipped under my radar in the past.
I was not at all aware of them until a post recently on the Canadian Forum.
Ive never seen a mention in any of the catalogues I have or have looked at.
Ive been into Wadkin since the 70s and was doing a fair bit of turning thru the 80s.
I doubt there's many in Oz.
Do they have a common headstock thread with their brethren?
Good luck with the pick up and the boss.
H.

Hi Henry,

I have seen a few down under but they are not common, even less common are the information leaflets or catalog cuts of them.
Funny thing about putting these pic's up is that if any one feels the need to spread then all over the internet, I'll know exactly where they came from.
Not sure on the head stock threads but the tail stock sure looks like a dead ringer for a 6 inch RS ?!
Vann and Henry, please enjoy the catalog cuts !





Melbourne Matty.

Wow Matty ! Thanks for the catalogue cuts. Information on the RT is hard to find - the Wadkin cattledogs I've found online don't even acknowledge the existence of the RT wood lathe.
And it clarifies for me that the RTA is just an AC powered version of the RT - just as my PKA is a PK with an AC motor. I was skeptical of this at first, as the PK had dropped the "A" by 1950, whereas the four RT in this thread are all 1950 or 1951 machines, but three are classified as RTA.

As I've said before, I'm no turner, but I was surprised by the speeds of this machine - 1500rpm and 3000rpm. I was expecting lower.

Originally Posted by L.S.Barker1970

Not sure on the head stock threads but the tail stock sure looks like a dead ringer for a 6 inch RS ?!
Vann and Henry, please enjoy the catalog cuts !

I'm sure I read somewhere that the RT uses the same tailstock and toolrest bracket as the RS (the 6" RS I presume). I'll have to try to find the posts again. I'm also trying to find what thread the headstock uses for the faceplate, etc.

I'm looking forward to picking up my lathe in a fortnight, and experimenting with a bit of turning.

Cheers, Vann.

I'll be looking forward to seeing more of your new acquisition Vann
Well done, glad you took the plunge !!

Melbourne Matty

Following Matty's posting of the Wadkin leaflet below...


I found this picture of an early RTA recently up for sale in Scunthorpe, UK.

RTA148.jpg RTA148t.jpg RTA 148, test 5029 (pre-1937).

Note the earlier type of headstock, and the packer under the tailstock (like an 8" RS).

Cheers, Vann.