Wadkin PK Tilt Mechanism.

I bought my rather beaten up PK dimension saw in July 2015. I'd been chasing a bandsaw but was told it was unlikely to become available, would I like this table saw instead? A month later I was offered the bandsaw. So I had two machines in need of re-assembly and the PK didn't get much done to it.

Attachment 504346 My PK saw, before purchase in 2015.

I use it frequently for ripping. It's still not fully functional, but from time to time I chip away at outstanding jobs.

The blade raise and lower was very stiff. It's a big job to disassemble. I can't afford the space and time to do a proper job (it'll need the table removed and the motor taken out to fix it properly). So instead I recently cleaned out as much sawdust as I could and added grease to the grease pots, and even squirted some oil about (something I'll regret eventually when too much sawdust sticks to it). It works a lot better but still isn't perfect.

The blade tilt mechanism is also very stiff, but a look inside shows I can tackle at least part of that job easily.

Attachment 504348 The tilt mechanism gearing, from the inside.

Cheers, Vann.

Hi Vann, did you happen to blow every thing down in there with compressed Air?,
I find that helps and a good wash down with kerosene for more stubborn grease and dust.. And a good spray oil.. Wd40, Inox, rp7 etc..
Melbourne Matty..

A bit of background info.

There are four versions of the Wadkin PK - or at least four significant changes that occurred between 1928 and 1960. With input from Jack and wallace, these are now known as Generations 1 to 4.

Generation 1 and 2 machines have the raise/lower handwheel on the left front, and the tilt handwheel on the right-hand side.

Attachment 504356 G2 PKA 412.

On Generation 3 machines the tilt handwheel was moved to the right front.

Attachment 504358 G3 PKA 785 - former owned by Clear Out.

On Generation 4 machines the mechanism was rearranged internally...

Attachment 504360 G4 PK 1127 - located in Melbourne.

...with all the gears mounted on a single cover.

Attachment 504359 G4 tilt mechanism gears.

Going back to my G3 PK...

Attachment 504361

...you can see that the lower gear and associated cover (to the right - actually located on the front of the machine) can easily be removed. There are just two bolts and two locating pins. At the other end of the shaft from that gear is the handwheel.

Attachment 504365

The horn handle on my handwheel has a piece missing - no doubt the result of a knock as its shaft is bent.

Cheers, Vann.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by L.S.Barker1970

Hi Vann, did you happen to blow every thing down in there with compressed Air?...

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My compressor hasn't run for at least a year Matty. Another job waiting in the queue :C.

Cheers, Vann.

If you can blow the ways out on the rise and fall and add some lube, If you tilt the blade flask you might be able to contort your arm to clean the ways with some scotchbrite. The achillies heal of the pk is running without extraction. I used one for a while without it and couldnt move the slider after a while. MDF is the worst for compacting

After removing that cover I took it all apart, cleaned the parts up, and checked that the oil port wasn't blocked. After coming out of the parts wash about 90% of the paint was gone from the cover casting, so I removed the remainder, and I'll repaint it (that'll look odd mounted on the scruffy old base casting :doh:). I also punched out the handle shaft and began repainting handwheel as well.

Attachment 504371

The heads of the bolts and the tee handle where wire brushed and now have a thin coat of BLO (in an attempt to keep rust from bright surfaces).

Cheers, Vann.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Vann

My compressor hasn't run for at least a year Matty. Another job waiting in the queue :C.

Cheers, Vann.

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Oooh noo :doh:

Looking back at the internals of my G3 PK again I could see that, now that the bottom gear and shaft were gone, the next cover including the shaft with the worm gear should also be easy to remove.

Attachment 504394

It came out easily - again just two bolts and two locating pins.

Attachment 504398 This one is missing the flip-top oiler.

It's interesting to see that they used the same pattern for both castings. Economical design :2tsup:.

Attachment 504395

Both marked "PK 18A" (Wadkin's pattern number for the part).

Attachment 504396

Although the machining is a little different.

Attachment 504397 And the locking tee bolt hole isn't drilled on this one (left casting in photo).

All castings now at various stages of painting (I hope to be ready to reassemble at the weekend).

Cheers, Vann.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Vann

The horn handle on my handwheel has a piece missing - no doubt the result of a knock as its shaft is bent.

Cheers, Vann.

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Have you got a spare for the handle Vann ? Or are you making or repairing that one?
I probably showed you the one I made for My RD Planner. US Walnut is a pretty good match if your substituting with wood .
If not, Sellys Plastibond with the right colour added would patch the horn up good too .

This was the Walnut handle .
Attachment 504399 Attachment 504400 Attachment 504401

Quote:

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Originally Posted by auscab

...US Walnut is a pretty good match...

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That walnut sure looks good.

Cheers, Vann.

I remember seeing a PK brass worm gear for sale on eBay UK some months back. I wondered if there were any differences between the different Generations.

So now's my chance.

Attachment 504464 G3 worm left - G4 worm right.

The worm portion looks identical, but the G3 worm has a boss on one end and is fixed to its shaft by a taper pin. The G4 worm has no boss and is fixed to its shaft by a key.

Attachment 504467 < G3 - G4 > Attachment 504466

The G4 also has ball thrust bearings either end (green arrows)

Attachment 504465

I haven't seen inside a G1 nor G2 PK, but I'm reasonably sure the worm arrangement is the same as the G3 - only the shaft is longer and has the handwheel mounted on the end.

Neither the G1 nor G2 PK has a separate handwheel shaft. It appears the gear on the end of the handwheel shafts is exactly the same for both a G3 and G4 PKs - albeit mounted the other way around.

Attachment 504468

All shafts are 1" diameter.

Cheers, Vann.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Vann

I remember seeing a PK brass worm gear for sale on eBay UK some months back...

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A-ha, found it - a screen dump dated February this year.

Attachment 504469
Looks like it's the raise/lower ("rise & fall") worm, not the tilt worm. And it's keyed.

Cheers, Vann.

I finished painting the covers yesterday. This morning I cleaned any paint off machined surfaces and re-fitted the shafts to their respective castings.

Attachment 504559

I thought the tee locking handle on the handwheel cover stuck out a long way. There was a ~3/4" brass slug down the threaded hole (to avoid marring the shaft when the locking handle is tightened). I cut it down to ~1/2". Bad move :o. The hole isn't threaded to the end :doh:. I had to tap it deeper so that the tee handle could once again lock the brass slug against the shaft :B.

The handwheel is away at a friend's having a new spigot for the horn handle made. The red handwheel is just there for the pictures (it's off a Sagar under/over that went to scrap a about two years ago).

Attachment 504558 Attachment 504557

The worm cover is still missing a flip-top oiler. I bought some new oilers several years ago - but I've misplaced the damned things :~.

Anyway, I hope to find time this week to fit the covers back on the saw.

Cheers, Vann.

A view from the inside with both covers off.

Attachment 505198

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Vann

...The worm cover is still missing a flip-top oiler. I bought some new oilers several years ago - but I've misplaced the damned things :~...

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I found the oilers and fitted one to the "worm" cover, and installed it.

Attachment 505199 Attachment 505197

Then the "handwheel" cover.

Attachment 505200

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Vann

...After coming out of the parts wash about 90% of the paint was gone from the cover casting, so I removed the remainder, and I'll repaint it (that'll look odd mounted on the scruffy old base casting). I also punched out the handle shaft and began repainting handwheel as well...

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Yup, it does look a bit odd :doh:.

Attachment 505201

The replacement horn handle on its new (and straight) shaft is very nice.

Attachment 505202

Cheers, Vann.