wadkin JTA restoration

[Jake]

OK its [edit] galvanic then if the mating surfaces are steel, it sounded like otherwise but given the quality of Wadkin engineering there is no surprise they had avoided that obvious issue.

A good thing for you as oxidised aluminium is hard as hell.

Heat is definitely worth persevering with, multiple cycles really help. If handheld, the MAPP (yellow) gas cylinders are a lot better than propane. I imagine big propane is better but don't have any experience with them.

 

[wallace]

TFrench can you braze with propane and oxygen? Theres not a lot left unless you want a brick as a momemto. I got the main doors which is pretty cool.



This was the pattern shop





The doors were pretty heavy, I could just about lift one end at a time.

 

[AndyT]

Yay!

Wadkin will live again in County Durham! =D> =D>

 

[wallace]

Andy I got offered the big stone pillars as well :shock: But I thought of the cost of having them transported. I would have loved the carved bit of the portico with wadkin written in stone. That bits stopping on site and getting built somewhere in the housing development.

 

[Bm101]

Ahhhhh. I thought you just rolled in there on the sly and half inched those lovely doors lol. Good to see they have gone to the right fella.

 

[wallace]

More disassembly, the motor came to bits really easy.







This one looks in good nick



I hope I don't have to replace this big boy



Just noticed these under the paint





Never come across a red earth tag



I started cleaning up the ways on the bobbin, you can still see the hand scraping.

 

[ivan]

Re rust removal; you need to get things clean for any chemical to reach the rust. Use hot water/detergent after gunk. Derusters like Jennolite use phosphoric acid, and sell it to you rather weak. Phosphoric acid is realatively benign (it's an ingredient in Coke! Why??). Look in yellow pages or online for a local laboratory chemicals supplier, and ask for a winchester bottle of sirupy (concentrated) Phosphoric acid. These days it will be a big plastic bottle 2.5l. Dilute at least 10 to 1, which is much stronger than anything you can buy in Halfords. The acid will dissolve the rust, leaving a coating of phosphate. On clean surfaces the effect is minimal, and the phosphate is insoluble in water and once formed on the surface, halts further action. Car manufacturers dip bodyshells in the stuff to "passivate" the steel before painting. It also etches the surface for better paint adhesion. Should probably suggest you wear gloves when handing the concentrate, and and eye shield, but it's not dangerous to skin - just wash off any spalshes, it won't burn like battery acid, say. If you can't submerge, keep wet with a brush. If the remover beads up and won't "wet" the surface add some detergent. Be sure to wash this off when done, as detergent is often thickened with salt.....

 

[wallace]

Thanks for the advice Ivan. I'll give it a try

 

[wallace]

I got the motor rebuilt and thought I would test it before I did any cosmetic work. This motor is not a happy bunny, very loud hum and a juddering spindle. I've got a friendly motor winders local who did the rewind on the JY I did. This motor is 4hp and pretty big I cant imagine what a rewind would cost. He has mentioned before that I could use his motor ovens and he's done small jobs for me for peanuts. Heres hoping its something simple but I very much doubt, I've seen a motor act like that before.

 

[wallace]

I got a call from my motor guy and he said he had tried the motor in his oven and it hadn't improved the mega test. I was waiting for the huge rewind cost and was surprised at £220. I think that's a cracking price considering its 4hp and physically huge.
I ordered some Phosphoric acid and citric acid to try out. Both cost half the price of the magic solution from workshop heavin.



I tried the phosphoric and I am quite impressed.



The hand wheels look rough but after 30 mins

 

[Bm101]

That's an impressive result on the hand wheels especially, with the phosphoric acid. Presuming that's just out the tank and no polishing Wallace?

Also:
Quick question for the bigger brained among us, when I got some copper sulphate to experiment with metal etching it was 'pentra hydrate' . Now at the time I presumed that meant it was more concentrated at least in terms of contained water. ie: 5 times drier crystals... bear with me Oh Big Brained People.... :| I'm a little out my depth here... So would that presumption be right and more importantly for someone using it for a purpose like ours here (ie shed type rust removal and not under lab conditions), would it make any discernible difference to results in a realistic sense. Personally given that I just chuck a bit in a tank then add a bit of water till it 'looks right' I'm guessing not. (hammer) But it would be nice to know.

Cheers
Chris

 

[Myfordman]

You obviously did not pay attention in your chemistry lessons lol

Penta hydrate is simply describing the water content that is in the blue crystals. Also known as "Water of Crystallisation "

CuSO4.5H2O.

The anhydrous form ( with no water) is *********** which will slowly go blue in air as it extracts the atmospheric water

 

[Bm101]

Myfordman, not all of us went to schools where Chemistry was even an option.
Thanks for the answer though. I've tried to do my best to catch up but sometimes I feel I'm swimming against the tide. :|

 

[wallace]

Chris the handwheel wasn't done with the phosphoric acid, The handwheel was very dinged so I put it on the lathe and used a flapper disc to remove metal quickly then went through the grits before buffing.

 

[dickm]

Wasn't phosphoric acid the active ingredient in the original Jenolite? No idea what is in there now, but can bet it's more dilute than the original! THINK the acid is still available for cleaning milking lines.

 

[Fitzroy]

It's the main ingredient in coke that makes coins shiney when soaked in it.

F.

Edit: I have lately been fact checking stuff I randomly spout. Having looked this is another myth, damn.

 

[rhrwilliams]

I've just looked at your website....what fantastic restorations !

 

[wallace]

Thanks Mr, it all started getting quality machines cheap. It seems to have snowballed a bit.

 

[dickm]

It's the main ingredient in coke that makes coins shiney when soaked in it.

F.

Edit: I have lately been fact checking stuff I randomly spout. Having looked this is another myth, damn.

Oh dear! I was told that çoke was the thing to free off a seized engine - good job I didn'try it.

 

[rhrwilliams]

Id love to get a big old wadkin....but they are all 3 phase

Do you run these machines from 3 phase or do you use an inverter ?