Finding Parts for Wadkin BAOS 12"

[Jelly]

I'm helping a friend restore a Wadkin BAOS he picked up for a song, it's been outside for a few years so has suffered with rust, but thankfully the highly enclosed design has left the mechanism freely moving and the electrics intact (apparently, we're yet to run it properly).

However, It's missing the fence assembly and the guard & associated fixtures, I know Daltons theoretically still support the old Wadkin machines, but I'm unsure if they can provide the larger cast parts like the fence or not, I'll be ringing them once we've developed a full inventory of what's missing and got the numbers from the parts diagrams.

In any case if we can't obtain or afford the spares brand new, are there any places (other than here and eBay) worth looking for spares?

 

[RobinBHM]

I think I would keep an eye out for a baos wreck, ive seen them sold on fleabay occasionally. Sometimes sellers have stripped down wadkin parts for sale. Id be surprised if there is any inventory of baos parts and if they are, I could see a few parts adding up to the value of buying a machine in complete condition.

Maybe a fence could be made?

 

[Myfordman]

Maybe a fence could be made?

I was thinking the same. Some restorers want to have the original look and a "dare not use it" paint job and others want a good saw that just works.
If the OP is of the latter persuasion, then there are numerous youtube videos on making your own fences both welded and non welded. Our own Steve Maskery has designed one and presumably is on one of his DVDs.

hth

 

[scosarg]

You won't be able to afford the Wadkin parts ... if they are available. If you don't mind a non original, you could try looking at the Sedgwick planer set up. We have used them on occasion when missing fences

 

[Jelly]

We have a good relationship with a local foundry, so we're seriously considering trying to find a complete one to make detailed drawings and have a new one cast, as a backup plan (depending on complexity we may be up to making the pattern with guidance from the moulders, or may have to pass the drawings over to a patternmaker).

This sounds more fun, but also longer, harder and probably in the middle of the expense range.

The Sedgwick idea is worth looking into for the fence, and we have presses and forms to make a sheet steel guard, all food for thought.

 

[scosarg]

This is a link to copy of the Wadkin BAOS Planer Manual... Might be of some help to you
https://www.dropbox.com/s/7wm7gnfcaudnp ... 2.pdf?dl=0

 

[heimlaga]

A cast iron fence would be by far the best solution. I think the necsessary patterns will be fairly easy to make from wood provided that your foundry still does hand moulding in traditional flasks. Just remember to increase the size of all parts to compensate for schrinkage and to add allowances for machining on all machined surfaces and to put fillets in all inner corners....and so on.....
One great adwantage with cast iron is that some surfaces that area difficult to machine accurately on a one off job can be hand scraped to very tight tolerances.

A cheaper solution would be to fabricate the fence from thick hot rolled mild steel profiles. I imagine a piece 20 mm plate for the fence with brackets welded to the back side for the tilt mechanism. Everything else built up from thick materials as well. Some components may be possible to forge. The welded parts should ideally be stress relieved in a proper industrial oven before machining. Once the machining is done you get pretty decent substiture parts this way.
I have made quite a few such parts with help from a very friendly local machinist.

Guards are usually rather easy to fabricate from scrap yard materials. No reason to worry.