Elliot Minor wood working machine.

[kjmc1957]

Hello All
My first post after lurking for a while.
I recently picked up an Elliot minor multi woodworking tool (Planer, Shaper, Thicknesser, table and radial arm saw)
I have 2 questions: Where can I get a workshop manual and would this machine use metric or imperial size spanners, I need to take it to bits to give it a good clean. Thanks

 

[heimlaga]

If you test metric spanners and they don't fit the heads are imperial sized. It is that easy. An English machine from that era will likely have Whitworth threads all over.
Be aware that there are two sorts of imperial bolt heads. The old whitworth standard and the newer imperial standard. Then there are metric heads on some imperial sized bolts.

It is not likely that there has ever been a workshop manual. During that time period workers were supposed to know both how to use and how to service woodworking machines. Almost all makers rekoned so anyway.

However theese old machines are normally designed and built in a rather straightforward way. Once you have wrapped your head around their way of thinking you can usually figure out how the designer thought. The makers usually had rather basic machinery to work with so individual parts were usually rather simple.
If you run into trouble take a picture of the problem and post a question here and we will likely find a solution together.

 

[kjmc1957]

Hi Heimlaga
Thank you for the reply. The table that caeme with this is a piece of 3/4 ply, I suspect it probably had a steel table hence the quastion about the manual. There is a Elioot major that dos have aworkshop manual, I might buy that and try and scale it down.

 

[Alasdair]

Found this online. Dominion Universal Wood Machines
Might be of some help

 

[kjmc1957]

Hi Alisdair.

Mnay thanks, I'm still looking for a workshop manual, my machine was actually sold by a retailer only about 20 miles form where I live but it seems that they have ceased trading, never mind I'll keep looking.

 

[clogs]

pretty much if u can fix a bycycle u can fix one of these, they are that simple.....
if u take it apart take lots of photo's, even the simple stuff....often whats in the background of these photo's is just as important as the subject.....
ask me how I know.....hahaha....
thats the best thing about modern phones...
how about a photo of the beast to get us going.....?

 

[Alasdair]

The link I got was from lathes.co.uk Might be worth an email to see if they have anything that might help. [email protected]
Alasdair

 

[Alasdair]

Hi there found another source for manual while looking at machinery. Rondean Ltd | Machinery & machine tooling suppliers since 1984 They may have what you want listed under dominion I think. Not sure how much they charge for it though.

Alasdair

 

[kjmc1957]

Alisdair, thanks very much.
clogs, unfortunately I've already stripped it down so I'll take soem snaps of it laid out when it's ready for re-assembly.