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Wadkin Bandsaw B700
Hi
I have finally joined the Wadkin owners club with this B700 Bandsaw.
I purchased it from Nowra NSW last weekend from a deceased estate sight unseen.
The machine works but the top guides are rusted shut. The bottom guides are missing and in its place is two blocks of wood bolted in place.
I am having difficulties finding out the rough year it was built.
The question is, do I just get it to working order and wait to upgrade to a better or older Wadkin Bandaw? or do I do a full restoration on this little beauty? I have little experience in restoring machines, I am competent with wood, but little experience in restoring machines.
Thanks in advanced for the input.
David
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/J5...=w1292-h970-no
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/cP...8=w727-h969-no
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/GB...s=w727-h969-no
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I was at a workshop at St Marys last week and they had a similar machine which he’d rebuilt a few years ago.
He said he got guides from Carter in the US.
He said they were the same as the originals and weren’t expensive.
Your other option would be the guides made here in Oz by Chris Vesper, they look very well made to me.
The saw at St Marys is being used for cutting veneers from stuff like European Ash and Oak up to 300 deep.
I prefer the older cast iron machines myself but it appears these fab ones work if you tune them up.
H.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by
T91
Or better still AMS Woodworking Machinery Services who bought all Wadkin's parts when Wadkin went under - and their intellectual rights. But, make sure you're sitting down when the quote comes in :oo:.
Like Clear Out, I too prefer the older cast iron machines, but Wadkin made good fabricated machinery too. Unfortunately I can't see your photos. Is there one of the Wadkin tag?
A lot of older bandsaws had wooden guides. They work fine (if adjustable). My (non-Wadkin) bandsaw has Chaco guides which use plastic inserts (graphite impregnated plastic I think). I was going to make wooden inserts to replace them, but be the time I found some lignum vitae, I'd already discovered that Chaco are still in business and had bought new plastic inserts.
Edit: try re-attaching your photos (with 24 hours) or load them in a new post.
Cheers, Vann.
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judging from the manual https://www.daltonswadkin.com/wp-con...Parts-List.pdf they are the same guides as on our BZB 20".
These might be suitable Top or Bottom Saw Guide Assembly - Wadkin B700 Bandsaw but it would be cheaper to get the parts made here by the look of it, or adapt something local to the purpose.
Really, there is nothing too difficult in fabricating the parts as needed if you know someone with a welder and a light machine shop.
or this might help GL789 Lower Saw Guide Unit For Wadkin C700 Bandsaw-Genuine WADKIN BURSGREEN OEM | eBay and
GL789 Upper Saw Guide Unit For Wadkin C700 Bandsaw-Genuine WADKIN BURSGREEN OEM | eBay
they look pretty much the same
