Wadkin info

[Roger_1]

Hello out there!

Forgive me if somebody's already answered this one, but I'm new here...

From my limited exploration of this site I think this is one for Scrit or DaveL: Can anyone offer and information and guidance on older British built table saws?
I am still looking at new (far eastern mostly) saws, but do have reservations about the dependbility & accuracy they offer. I'm also on a pretty tight budget so new would mean the Record/Fox, SIP or something similar, and the polarity of opinion on this forum has left me feeling pretty equivocal about these. I did initially like the idea of the Record, but would I get a good one or a duffer?

Before anyone says 'Xcalibur' - yes, they do look extremely well made but priced right at the top end of my budget (if not beyond it). I have nonetheless contacted Woodford for more info and am still waiting.

Meanwhile I'm inclined to consider the same approach I took when shopping for a drill press, namely buy something older, simple, dependable and built like a battleship. Hence the request for Wadkin info. I think a 10" AGS might do it from what little I have found out. Sedgwick's another name I have a lot of time for as well. The main priority is accuracy, so rock solid construction, a reliable fence and good old cast iron for stablity. The catch is that it also needs to be single phase (a motor swap or more complicated?), and I need to be able to move it around the workspace I have at the moment. Of course, I would also need to find one!

So, any info as to suitable models, options to look for, what's obtainable and what's not, single phase conversion etc. would be very gratefully received.

And thanks to everyone for creating and maintaining this invaluable forum.

Cheers,
Roger

 

[Adam]

Can't help with the query but nontheless, welcome to the forum.

Adam

 

[DaveL]

Hi Roger,

Welcome to the forum.

I can only tell you about my Wadkin, while Scrit has a much wider knowledge of British cast iron tools.

I have a 10" AGS, it was 3 phase and the motor swap was quite straight forward. They do come up on ebay on a regular basis, you just need to keep looking. I have seen a couple that had single phase motors already fitted. I was lucky in the saw was only a short detour for me to go and inspect, they are very well built machines but if lots of abuse is thrown at one it will suffer and repairs could be costly.
A major consideration is the cost of collecting the machine, you need a van, at least transit sized and ether lifting gear or lots of fit help. You can break the saw down by taking the fence, rails and table off, but the cabinet is still very heavy.
The AGS is as big as I could house in my quiet large shop, I have made a mobile base but I don't make a habit on moving the thing about.
The machine is magic to use, with the 3hp motor it just purrs its way though every thing I have cut on it. Standard 3/4" mitre slots take after market jigs and are still smooth to use. The only thing I still have not sorted out is the under table dust collection, but I an still working on that and it wont be long before I have a useable solution.

A word of warning, there is a cast iron Slope TM just like the hand tool one and I find myself looking at second hand planers and thicknessers and wondering if I could sell the aluminium tabled planer/thicknesser.

 

[Scrit]

Hi Roger

I think we've covered the topic in detail before, but I'll recap:

Startrite

Startrite TA/SP175

Startrite TA/SP275

The 175 is a 10in the 275 is a 12in. Available as 1- or 3-phase. Cast iron table. Mainstay of training colleges and joinery shops for years. Fence is fore and aft claw type and can become sloppy with age. Spares still available through a couple of sources.

Startrite TA300

Later 12in saw. Available as 1- or 3-phase. Ground sheet steel table. Good quality single bar rip fence with sliding plate a la Altendorf, Wadkin, etc. Large sliding carraige. Optional scoring blade. Still not able to rip a full 8 x 4 on the carriage, though. Good examples can fetch £1200+ (the one here is v.poor)

Wadkin

AGS 10 (sometimes called AGS 250)

AGS 12 (sometimes called AGS 300)

10in and 12in versions of the same saw. The castings are different, though. Normally only sold in 3-phase, but 10 in can be readily converted to 1-phase (motor, contactor set, overload protection, etc circa £250). Watch out on the 12in ones as some of them have motors which are flange mounted rather than foot-mounted and cannot be converted. There are later AGS 250 /300 models, too, since the late 1970s (they're still being made). Good saw, but likely to be expensive. There is also a 14in variant. Older ones have fore and aft claw fence.

BGS 12

Version of the AGS but with sliding table section to the left of the blade. See notes from AGS about convertibility

Sedgwick

TA

Current production machine made in 12, 14 and 16in sizes. 1- and 3-phase available. Cast irion table. Simple and robust

LK

Ripsaw without tilt arbor

You may also find single phase machines by Multico, although I don't think they ever made a tilting arbor sawbench.

There's loads more, but that should be enough to get you started

Anything specific please PM me

Scrit

 

[Roger_1]

Adam - thanks for the welcome. So nice to be made to feel at home

Dave, Scrit - thanks to you for the sage advice. Gives me a much clearer idea of what to look for and unravels some of the mysteries of these wonderful old machines.

Dave - I note your comment about the 'cast iron slope'. I know from past experience that it's all too easy to get hooked and spend more time hunting for and working on old machinery than working with...now what's that stuff called? Oh yes, wood! Being spoiled rotten with college machines doesn't help either, as anything less than a 2m surface planer with cast iron tables and fence seems like a toy.

Scrit - many thanks for taking the time and trouble to help, and for all the useful links. I hadn't mentioned Startrite but yes, they should be on the list too. I had visited DB Keighley's site before (bought a Woodrat from them and very helpful they were too), but now I know a little more about what I'm looking for so the reminder was very timely. Also thanks for the offer of further help with specific questions. If I find something promising that isn't the other side/end of the country I may well be back to seek your advice again. Meanwhile I'm watching a few likely but too distant saws on eBay to at least get a feel for what's out there and what prices they're going for.

All the best,

Roger