Interested to hear opinions/feedback from anyone who has had experience with the above machine
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Interested to hear opinions/feedback from anyone who has had experience with the above machine
I have no experience with the BFT. All I can say is Wadkin stuff is usually pretty good.
I have a Wadkin RB 9" buzzer - made in 1926 (not yet up and running). The RB was replaced by the Wadkin RV about 1954-55. Then with the merger with Bursgreen (about the same time) I think they ended up with three 9" buzzers, the Wadkin RV, a Bursgreen and a Sagar 8" or 9" model. They rationalised with the Wadkin-Bursgreen BFT, which was made at one of the Bursgreen factories, not Wadkin's Green Lane.
Not much help, but a bit of background info.
Cheers, Vann.
My only concern is this thread which came from Canadian Woodworking?
Re: Wadkin 9 BFT
01-09-2014, 09:55 AM
Re: Wadkin 9 BFT
the 9 bft is garbage as the angled ways run on 1/2"round bars and ware badly. the table drop and can't be shimmed as easy. blades are 9.25" long standard non slotted
the 12" and the the 16" are parallelogram tables and are as good as real wadkin. I would still call the BFT vintage as its from the 60s.
Last edited by jgarrett forsberg; 01-09-2014, 09:58 AM.
everyone knows real machines are 3 phase. Founding member of the Wadkin blockhead club
jack
English machines
Further to my PM message and something I had forgotten about is that I had to take mine apart and shim the tables level and it most certainly not a nice job. Before buying it may pay to use a straight edge to check the machine or at least a very tight string line to check the top deck. Jack sometimes posts here and he sure knows his Wadkin machinery so his comments should be noted.
Not a lot in that thread, but here's a link https://forum.canadianwoodworking.co...7-wadkin-9-bftQuote:
Originally Posted by Chipbreaker
Interesting about the 1/2" rods. I didn't know about that "innovation". I'm glad I ended up with an RB, not a BFT.
Cheers, Vann.
I'm hoping (clear out / Henry) might chime in as I understand he has one which makes me more so curious
Hi Mark,
Mine is an x Uni machine and as such hasn’t been overused/abused.
I quite like it having only a narrow space, moved on a 12” Barker ‘cause it was too wide.
I didn’t even realise the round bars in it but no probs.
Nice fence adjustment, just have to keep the rust off it here, note the hole in the wall.
I did make and fit a better guard having shortened a digit due to slackness in adjusting a vintage waddy one on my 18” under and over back in ‘97.
If it’s in good nick I’d go for it, for what money will you get equal let alone better.
H.
Henry, that's a close, and very nice, copy of the Peat "Ideal" guard. I thought it was the real thing, but the aluminium blade cover and lighter springs, made me re-read your post and see that you'd made it. Both the "Ideal" and the "Clear Out Clone" made in Sydney... :qQuote:
Originally Posted by clear out
Attachment 450999 "Ideal" guard fitted to my short table 9" RB buzzer.
Cheers, Vann.
Thanks Henry, appreciate the input
Any thoughts on the market value of this machine, have an idea but cautious about over paying
I basically gave mine away to get it out of the shed after I put a single phase motor on it. There was a small rider on the give away which he understood but no money change hands. I had one person agree to a sale for some price near $1000 then try and bargain me down when payment time came but that is another story. With the knife setting tool I wouldn't pay more than a few hundred for one and if it didn't have the knife setting tool not much at all. Is it still three phase? Single phase might up the price a bit. Have you checked the bed levels? If they aren't level walk away, you just don't want to know what is involved in getting them level, that I promise.
Thanks Chris, it's 3 phase and as for the beds, I'm not 100% sure.
Appreciate your opinion, my previous jointer was a RD12" so I was very spoilt.
Well I've let this one go, anyone who knows of a Wadkin RB or similar for sale please let me know
I've been watching RBs for a couple of years now, and I've not seen any come up in Australia - so you'll need some luck finding one...Quote:
Originally Posted by Chipbreaker
A narrow RD (they came in 12" & 16") might be easier, and only 12" longer (5' vrs 6').
Cheers, Vann.