wallace
Established Member
So looking at the slider their is no adjustment of the slider in relation to the blade. Lovely job by the way.
Wadkin BGS10…The rarest table saw Wadkin made. Full Restoration
- Thread starter deema
- Start date
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The slider is adjusted to the blade with two stops. When the table is pulled away from the blade for blade changing etc, it returns to a location next to the blade that is set by the two stops, one at each end. You cannot set the height of the sliding table, rather you set the fixed table to the slider. It is mounted in 4 adjustable mounts. You then set the blade vertical and tilt stops to align with the tables.
Chip shop
Established Member
That looks fantastic. Top job. Now hurry up and get it boxed off as there's a Dominion BXA sitting in my workshop just waiting for the magic touch
It IS nice to have such an encouraging audience
Chivvied on by you all, we moved the job along some more today.
The first table to refit is the complete slider assembly
It lifts into place and must be aligned to the blade. This is done with a pair of square head bolts at the front and rear of the table. When the table is in working position, the square heads bear against sections of the casting. You can just see the bolt immediately above, screwed through a rounded pillar and with a lock nut and the bolt head both facing right.
The proper alignment needs the bolt head to be just out from the pillar so we had to turn 3mm length off the heads to achieve alignment and move the locknut to the opposite side of the pillar.
These are "new" adjusting screws - the originals were too damaged.
Once the sliding table is aligned, the right hand fixed table is installed next.
The fixed table has height adjusters at each corner so that it can be set to the same plane as the sliding table.
Each corner is composed of a threaded tube, with screwdriver slots in the lower end and a lock nut which we prefer to put on top. It's difficult to reach but the locknuts might work underneath too.
The tubes screw into the corners of the casting and are adjusted like jacks to level the table.
On the two outer corners, holes have been cut / cast in the casting to allow access to adjust the jacks
A little allowance must be made for the locknuts which pull the tubes upwards when they are tightened.
There's not a lot of clearance so tightening the locknuts while the table is in place would be tricky.
Once the tubular supports are levelled and locked, the table drops on for hopefully the last time. The table has studs that drop through the four tubes, and washers and nuts are fitted from below to lock the table down tight.
There are a couple of mm of clearance between the studs and the holes that they fit. so the fixed table can be aligned laterally as well as made flat to the slider.
Levelling the fixed table involves some repeated measurement and adjustment until you get it right. Here we're about 0.2mm high so we'll finish the levelling off tomorrow.
The measuring device is from Oneway, Canada. Not the best clock but the cast frame is excellent for this job, and for other tablesaw and planer / thicknesser alignment tasks.
Chivvied on by you all, we moved the job along some more today.
The first table to refit is the complete slider assembly
It lifts into place and must be aligned to the blade. This is done with a pair of square head bolts at the front and rear of the table. When the table is in working position, the square heads bear against sections of the casting. You can just see the bolt immediately above, screwed through a rounded pillar and with a lock nut and the bolt head both facing right.
The proper alignment needs the bolt head to be just out from the pillar so we had to turn 3mm length off the heads to achieve alignment and move the locknut to the opposite side of the pillar.
These are "new" adjusting screws - the originals were too damaged.
Once the sliding table is aligned, the right hand fixed table is installed next.
The fixed table has height adjusters at each corner so that it can be set to the same plane as the sliding table.
Each corner is composed of a threaded tube, with screwdriver slots in the lower end and a lock nut which we prefer to put on top. It's difficult to reach but the locknuts might work underneath too.
The tubes screw into the corners of the casting and are adjusted like jacks to level the table.
On the two outer corners, holes have been cut / cast in the casting to allow access to adjust the jacks
A little allowance must be made for the locknuts which pull the tubes upwards when they are tightened.
There's not a lot of clearance so tightening the locknuts while the table is in place would be tricky.
Once the tubular supports are levelled and locked, the table drops on for hopefully the last time. The table has studs that drop through the four tubes, and washers and nuts are fitted from below to lock the table down tight.
There are a couple of mm of clearance between the studs and the holes that they fit. so the fixed table can be aligned laterally as well as made flat to the slider.
Levelling the fixed table involves some repeated measurement and adjustment until you get it right. Here we're about 0.2mm high so we'll finish the levelling off tomorrow.
The measuring device is from Oneway, Canada. Not the best clock but the cast frame is excellent for this job, and for other tablesaw and planer / thicknesser alignment tasks.
Also on today's list was renovating the handles for the two handwheels. Here you see the BGS parts on the left and a slightly different design spindle left over from a Wadkin AGS I think.
The one on the left was totally seized and the spindle needed to be warmed with the blowtorch before it could be tapped out.
The handle bores were cleaned out using scotchbrite and an improvised holder.
Spindles were both rusty and needed filing, scotchbrite and finally the wire wheel to get the rust off.
Protect with metalguard and refit using new circlips.
As a preview of the next steps. A new spacer and double washer have been fabricated so that we can correctly align the riving knife to the blade.
We also decided that the rarity of the BGS10 merited a new rip fence. We do have an original fence for the saw, but they are quite a lightweight part fabricated from two lengths of sheet steel folded and welded together..
It has taken a good number of hours machining, but the BGS will be given a much more rigid fence machined from a single length of heavy wall steel tube.
We'll add posts on both the fabrication of the fence and on the assembly and adjustment of the rip fence. In the meantime, it felt a bit tame just to paint it, so we spent a couple of hours polishing the new fence instead
The one on the left was totally seized and the spindle needed to be warmed with the blowtorch before it could be tapped out.
The handle bores were cleaned out using scotchbrite and an improvised holder.
Spindles were both rusty and needed filing, scotchbrite and finally the wire wheel to get the rust off.
Protect with metalguard and refit using new circlips.
As a preview of the next steps. A new spacer and double washer have been fabricated so that we can correctly align the riving knife to the blade.
We also decided that the rarity of the BGS10 merited a new rip fence. We do have an original fence for the saw, but they are quite a lightweight part fabricated from two lengths of sheet steel folded and welded together..
It has taken a good number of hours machining, but the BGS will be given a much more rigid fence machined from a single length of heavy wall steel tube.
We'll add posts on both the fabrication of the fence and on the assembly and adjustment of the rip fence. In the meantime, it felt a bit tame just to paint it, so we spent a couple of hours polishing the new fence instead
Today, a fair amount of my time was taken up playing with a new toy! A digital height tower that floats on air and capable of 2D measurements to 1 micron accuracy. Its now ‘old‘ technology, but still made, however for me although secondhand but placed on a Grade 0 granite surface table it means we can take our measurement capability to a new level. The photo shows the tower being useed to measure the cam that is part of the fence locking mechanis.
Before I can start assembling the fence mechanism, there are a few parts that need to be replaced. The original Cam is….well……horrible. The locking lever was missing and the cam pivot pin is worn. the Cam has both an offset pivot hole as well as a precise location for the locking lever to be attached to it. The height tower made the measurements very easy.
The photos show the original worn parts and the new replacements along with the schematic of the parts.
I need to order a new round knob for the locking lever, unless Sideways has any in his stash.
Before I can start assembling the fence mechanism, there are a few parts that need to be replaced. The original Cam is….well……horrible. The locking lever was missing and the cam pivot pin is worn. the Cam has both an offset pivot hole as well as a precise location for the locking lever to be attached to it. The height tower made the measurements very easy.
The photos show the original worn parts and the new replacements along with the schematic of the parts.
I need to order a new round knob for the locking lever, unless Sideways has any in his stash.
Inspector
Nyuck, Nyuck, Nyuck!
Well you have one upped us all now. Never played with one of those. CMMs and portable CMMs (Faro arm) where I worked but none of those. Best I have is a small granite surface plate and a few height gauges (manual and digital).
Pete
Pete
I have some miniature Aramith billiard balls in my box. The best brand and they can be polished to maintain a great shine. Easy to drill and tap on the lathe. They make great machine knobs so a new owner could have a choice of bright red or a good yellow, but I've no standard black on hand unfortunately.
Maybe we should put a colourful one on as a placeholder while we order some proper black ones ...
I think the full size red ones look pretty good on my drill
Maybe we should put a colourful one on as a placeholder while we order some proper black ones ...
I think the full size red ones look pretty good on my drill
Next job is to assemble the fence. The first thing is to assemble each cast iron end and then to join them to the fence section.
Taking the locking casting first, and assembling items 29 ~ 32. This is the plunger that locks the fence at this end, the fence has two mechanisms that lock the fence to the bars at either end. Most Wadkins Ive come across are only adjusted to lock at the hook end, presumably because it’s not well know that there is another lock. It’s advisable to take apart the plunger, clean it and grease it with white grease. They are aften full of saw dust and / or rusted up.
To take the plunger apart / reassemble we out it into a vice to compress the spring inside, which is a very strong spring and knock out the split spring pin.
When reassembling there are three holes, in the outer casing, but only two that line up. These are the ones to pop the pin through.
Next the transmitting crank is assembled. Items 10,11,14 and 15. The casing has to be the right way around, and item 14 has the slot for a screw driver to the left in the schematic picture.
This is then popped inside the main casting and the straight solid pin driven into place to hold it. Sometimes the pin can be loose in the main casting and not hold. It’s not an issue if this is the case.
The cam is then put into place and the solid pin tapped through. This must be a press fit.
The plunger is then slipped into place and the retaining grub screw and locking nut added. However don’t tighten these up.
We now slip the casting on to one of the bars and adjust the lock. This is done by pressing the locking handle all the way down, and testing to see if the casting is locked. Alternatively, you might not be able to push the lever down, or indeed get the assembly onto the bar. In either case you need to remove the plunger and turn the screw (item 14) which is behind the plunger after first ensuring the locking grub screw item 15 in undone. This is an iteration process, and when you have a good lock when the lever is down, and it’s free to move when the lever is fully up, tighten the grub screw item 15 and then secure the plunger and lock off the retainer. At this stage the locking lever will not stay in the upright position. The spring in the plunger is to create a positive cam action In the locked position.
A new micro adjust to re okace the old one is always required. They get mangled through the fence being pushed without it being disengaged. This is the original and the new ine we have made for it. The old one has been ‘tinkered’ with to try to get it useable by a previous owner.
Taking the locking casting first, and assembling items 29 ~ 32. This is the plunger that locks the fence at this end, the fence has two mechanisms that lock the fence to the bars at either end. Most Wadkins Ive come across are only adjusted to lock at the hook end, presumably because it’s not well know that there is another lock. It’s advisable to take apart the plunger, clean it and grease it with white grease. They are aften full of saw dust and / or rusted up.
To take the plunger apart / reassemble we out it into a vice to compress the spring inside, which is a very strong spring and knock out the split spring pin.
When reassembling there are three holes, in the outer casing, but only two that line up. These are the ones to pop the pin through.
Next the transmitting crank is assembled. Items 10,11,14 and 15. The casing has to be the right way around, and item 14 has the slot for a screw driver to the left in the schematic picture.
This is then popped inside the main casting and the straight solid pin driven into place to hold it. Sometimes the pin can be loose in the main casting and not hold. It’s not an issue if this is the case.
The cam is then put into place and the solid pin tapped through. This must be a press fit.
The plunger is then slipped into place and the retaining grub screw and locking nut added. However don’t tighten these up.
We now slip the casting on to one of the bars and adjust the lock. This is done by pressing the locking handle all the way down, and testing to see if the casting is locked. Alternatively, you might not be able to push the lever down, or indeed get the assembly onto the bar. In either case you need to remove the plunger and turn the screw (item 14) which is behind the plunger after first ensuring the locking grub screw item 15 in undone. This is an iteration process, and when you have a good lock when the lever is down, and it’s free to move when the lever is fully up, tighten the grub screw item 15 and then secure the plunger and lock off the retainer. At this stage the locking lever will not stay in the upright position. The spring in the plunger is to create a positive cam action In the locked position.
A new micro adjust to re okace the old one is always required. They get mangled through the fence being pushed without it being disengaged. This is the original and the new ine we have made for it. The old one has been ‘tinkered’ with to try to get it useable by a previous owner.
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The hook end is simpler to assemble,
The two nuts on the locking bar are of the locking type. There should also be a small spring which is occasionally missing but is important as it allows the hook lock to pivot without bending the locking bar. One of the nuts is captured by the pivot, and the other is tightened so that the spring is in tension but nit compressed too much.
This is then oinned to the hook by a split spring pin.
The two nuts on the locking bar are of the locking type. There should also be a small spring which is occasionally missing but is important as it allows the hook lock to pivot without bending the locking bar. One of the nuts is captured by the pivot, and the other is tightened so that the spring is in tension but nit compressed too much.
This is then oinned to the hook by a split spring pin.
The final part can be a real pain! First bolt the locking casting into the fence body. Place the long spring into the locking bar then you have to thread the locking bar that is now attached to the hook through the fence and get it to go through the item 11, the transmitting crank.
You the secure the hook to the fence with a single bolt. However, the long spring (item 12) is very powerful, and you need to adjust it so that you have to push the hook to get the bolt in, but nit have too much tension on the spring. The double nuts (item 13) are used to set the spring. This often requires a number of iterations, and getting the locking bar threaded into the hole isn’t easy!
Finally you pop item 10 into the end which attaches to the locking rod and screw it on slightly. The fence is now assembled. You put it onto the bars and adjust item 10 to lock the hook end. We normally tap the end with the palm of our hands to text the locking.
I will go through adjusting the fence to the blade when we actually put the fence on the saw.
This is what the fence looks like for this saw.
You the secure the hook to the fence with a single bolt. However, the long spring (item 12) is very powerful, and you need to adjust it so that you have to push the hook to get the bolt in, but nit have too much tension on the spring. The double nuts (item 13) are used to set the spring. This often requires a number of iterations, and getting the locking bar threaded into the hole isn’t easy!
Finally you pop item 10 into the end which attaches to the locking rod and screw it on slightly. The fence is now assembled. You put it onto the bars and adjust item 10 to lock the hook end. We normally tap the end with the palm of our hands to text the locking.
I will go through adjusting the fence to the blade when we actually put the fence on the saw.
This is what the fence looks like for this saw.
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And yes, it is a tiny billiard ball on the end. Prepared on the lathe with a centre drill, tapping drill and a short (about 6mm deep) counter bore snug to the outside diameter of the shaft. The thread, cut directly, ends up well inside the body of the knob making for a robust fit.
Today, we also had to finish levelling the right hand, fixed table.
Another iterative process. We must have lifted the cast iron table on and off nearly 20 times by the time we finished.
Initially the tubular jacks at the 4 corners are adjusted with their lock nuts loose.
The Oneway gauge is used to get the fixed table level with the slider at both the front and back edges.
A good straightedge is placed across both tables and the outer edge of the fixed one wound up or down until everything is parallel. A flashlight emphasises any gaps. Changing the inside or outside jacks tilts the table so you have to sneak up on plane and level by adjusting everything in turn.
Once done, the position of the jacks were marked and they were kept in position as the locknuts were tightened.
Tightening the locknuts pulled the jacks upwards by 6 thou, evenly all around.
1 thousandth of an inch is 25.4 microns, so 6 thou is near to 0.3mm high.
To return everything to level, we remove the table top and corner by corner slacken the locknut , turn the jack a measured amount to drop it then retighten the locknut. It took several iterations but the jacks were finally level turned to about 2 to 3 o'clock from the initial positions.
We called it a day when we got everything levelled up to better than 2 thou / 0.05mm
Another iterative process. We must have lifted the cast iron table on and off nearly 20 times by the time we finished.
Initially the tubular jacks at the 4 corners are adjusted with their lock nuts loose.
The Oneway gauge is used to get the fixed table level with the slider at both the front and back edges.
A good straightedge is placed across both tables and the outer edge of the fixed one wound up or down until everything is parallel. A flashlight emphasises any gaps. Changing the inside or outside jacks tilts the table so you have to sneak up on plane and level by adjusting everything in turn.
Once done, the position of the jacks were marked and they were kept in position as the locknuts were tightened.
Tightening the locknuts pulled the jacks upwards by 6 thou, evenly all around.
1 thousandth of an inch is 25.4 microns, so 6 thou is near to 0.3mm high.
To return everything to level, we remove the table top and corner by corner slacken the locknut , turn the jack a measured amount to drop it then retighten the locknut. It took several iterations but the jacks were finally level turned to about 2 to 3 o'clock from the initial positions.
We called it a day when we got everything levelled up to better than 2 thou / 0.05mm
The saw is now almost complete, with the two tables levelled to each other and coplaner, they now need to be alined to the blade. There is a small amount of lateral movement possible in the fixed table, which is firstly aligned to the blade and then the locking nuts added to secure it down.
I have a gauge that is made by igaging which is very good for aligning tables with the blade. Due to variation in a blade, it’s best to select and mark a single point on the blade (rotating the blade) and only measure on this point. Otherwise, the alignment will only be as good as the blade is flat.
With the fixed table aligned to the blade, the moving table can then be aligned. The two adjusters are used to both set alignment and also how close the the two tables are.
I have a gauge that is made by igaging which is very good for aligning tables with the blade. Due to variation in a blade, it’s best to select and mark a single point on the blade (rotating the blade) and only measure on this point. Otherwise, the alignment will only be as good as the blade is flat.
With the fixed table aligned to the blade, the moving table can then be aligned. The two adjusters are used to both set alignment and also how close the the two tables are.
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There are four stops that need to be set to control both the limits of the rise and fall as well as tilting.
The rise is the most important, if this stop isn’t set or set too high the spindle pulley / belts will rub in the underside of the table. This can cause the motor to stall when starting and everything can get very exciting if the saw doesn’t have an over current protection relay in the starter.
The rise stop acts upon the rack
It’s usually a square headed bolt with a lock nut. There is often a slot on the opposite end to the square head to aid setting. Raise the spindle whist turning the spindle until is stops turning, we then back it off and set the stop.
The lower stop is directly under the spindle, we wind the spindle down as far as possible without anything catching.
With the lower stop set, a quick check the blade will lower below the table.
The rise is the most important, if this stop isn’t set or set too high the spindle pulley / belts will rub in the underside of the table. This can cause the motor to stall when starting and everything can get very exciting if the saw doesn’t have an over current protection relay in the starter.
The rise stop acts upon the rack
It’s usually a square headed bolt with a lock nut. There is often a slot on the opposite end to the square head to aid setting. Raise the spindle whist turning the spindle until is stops turning, we then back it off and set the stop.
The lower stop is directly under the spindle, we wind the spindle down as far as possible without anything catching.
With the lower stop set, a quick check the blade will lower below the table.
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The tilt stops are on either side of the saw and come through the case with lock nuts. The photo below has one of them highlighted.
Setting these two stops also requires the blade to be checked that it doesn’t catch the table. The extension of the spindle can be adjusted if necessary.
Setting these two stops also requires the blade to be checked that it doesn’t catch the table. The extension of the spindle can be adjusted if necessary.
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The final part to setup is the fence. The manual for an AGS10 asks for the fence to be locked next to one of the slots, and adjusted for a 1/32” runout away from the blade along its length on the table. We set the fence using the OneWay gauge.
To adjust the run out of the fence, the single bolt above the claw on top of the fence is slackened, the fence ‘tapped’ and then retightened. Sometimes, it’s a really easy thing to do, other times it can literally take hours!! With a bit of maths we calculated the required run out along the distance of the blade. Again we measured using a single place on the blade.
The fence could be set parallel to the blade, however we only ever set them with a runout as per the manufacturers instructions for safety. It’s too easy for the fence to ‘pinch‘ whats being cut and eject it if it’s set parallel.
To adjust the run out of the fence, the single bolt above the claw on top of the fence is slackened, the fence ‘tapped’ and then retightened. Sometimes, it’s a really easy thing to do, other times it can literally take hours!! With a bit of maths we calculated the required run out along the distance of the blade. Again we measured using a single place on the blade.
The fence could be set parallel to the blade, however we only ever set them with a runout as per the manufacturers instructions for safety. It’s too easy for the fence to ‘pinch‘ whats being cut and eject it if it’s set parallel.
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The saw would have come with accessories, one of which is a mitre gauge, which we have an original Wadkin which will be included with the saw. Sideways has started to make a fixed 90 degree fence for the sliding table. This is bolted and pinned to the table. It is removable and has two locations where it can be bolted down to the table.
First job was to run a tap down the mounting holes in the table.
The parts have been cut to size and drilled for the mounting bolts.
Checked for squareness to the blade.
There is still a bit of work to do to finish it.
However, mocking it up highlights that it provides 14” of cut with the blade raised to its maximum.
First job was to run a tap down the mounting holes in the table.
The parts have been cut to size and drilled for the mounting bolts.
Checked for squareness to the blade.
There is still a bit of work to do to finish it.
However, mocking it up highlights that it provides 14” of cut with the blade raised to its maximum.
