Thread: Making new tool banjos for my Wadkin RS8, Ideas wanted.

I have made several banjos for my small Woodfast.

A WIP of my last one is here
Dualling banjos

I used a cam action lock, no metal mill was needed, just a 4 jaw chuck on a MW lathe to turn the cam and drill the holes in the locking rod/nut offsets.
It was actually a quite easy process and sure beats getting out a spanner every time to position the banjo.

Thanks Bob,
Some good ideas there.

I like the bending of the cam shaft to make the handle.
I will probably weld the tool post on the other side of the banjo, was there any reason you welded yours where you did.
As I’m making a pair I may do both.
I’m supervisor at the woodies workshop today so I will make a mock-up in 1” MDF to check the reach etc on the lathe. I like to have a rough small project if it’s not busy.
It’ll also do instead of a drawing for James who’ll be waterjet cutting them out for me.
H.

Originally Posted by clear out

Thanks Bob,
Some good ideas there.

I like the bending of the cam shaft to make the handle.
I will probably weld the tool post on the other side of the banjo, was there any reason you welded yours where you did.
As I’m making a pair I may do both.

That's basically why that one is welded on that side. The other one I made is welded on the other side.

I have built a couple of lathes from scratch, banjos are the easy to build including a cam set up. What exactly are wanting to build? I see a right angle banjo or is it a straight banjo?
The banjos I have built are fairly long at 300mm plus as my lathe will swing nearly a metre, along with a couple of short ones 200-250mm. I build them out of bright mild flat bar 40-50 wide 8-10 mm thick depending the length , all welded construction. A lathe would necessary to make the tool post and the cam lock cam, other than that a welder.

I’m just using up the leftover 1” steel plate from making the 2 right angle banjos.
I did a quick mock up in MDF at the woodies workshop, photos below.
Also a few photos of an inability to get close to a faceplate with my homemade toolrests.
The Wadkin ones are better but I usually just weld mine straight on top of the 1 1/8” post.
I plan to use these with a long toolrest also.
Sorry about the mess with the photos, I forgot to edit them which fixes their orientation usually
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Have you seen the following from Marcello Rotar down in Victoria: 登录 Facebook

RWadkin-RS01.jpeg RWadkin-RS02.jpeg RWadkin-RS03.jpeg

Thanks Chas, I had seen that ad.
Also his ad for the first edition Wadkin Pattern Mill.
Matter of interest I sold a genuine Wadkin Banjo a few years back, can’t remeber (old age)
but I think Glen bought it.
These I’m making will be a little different just because I can.
Im also adapting a saddle and cross slide from a weird metal lathe onto one of the RS8s.
H.