Wadkin machine threads

[RobinBHM]

A friend has a Wadkin spindle moulder, it's like an EQ.

Anyway all the fence clamp levers are missing, snapped whatever and he uses a spanner to tighten up.

So my question is: what will the thread be? Like Whitworth or something.

Waskin sell the clamp levers but the are £20 each, and I think it needs 6

TIA

 

[RobinBHM]

It's actually a Wadkin EP

I've just looked on the advanced machinery site, they sell them and say they are 1/2 BSW and 5/8 BSW

If anybody can confirm that would be great.

 

[Trevanion]

he uses a spanner to tighten up.

No wonder! If they wanted you to get them tighter they would've given you bigger levers!

I reckon the threads will be BSW unless someone has been messing around with the machine and changed them for modern metric. I have my doubts you'll be able to find locking levers anywhere else in BSW, it's hard enough finding bog-standard fasteners in BSW let alone something a bit more complex.

 

[RobinBHM]

No wonder! If they wanted you to get them tighter they would've given you bigger levers!

I reckon the threads will be BSW unless someone has been messing around with the machine and changed them for modern metric. I have my doubts you'll be able to find locking levers anywhere else in BSW, it's hard enough finding bog-standard fasteners in BSW let alone something a bit more complex.

Hi, thanks for that

So the threads are most likely to be BSW -thats handy to know

I did find Cotel stock a very limited no in BSW and depending on size might be a bit cheaper

 

[toolsntat]

Hi, thanks for that

So the threads are most likely to be BSW -thats handy to know

I did find Cotel stock a very limited no in BSW and depending on size might be a bit cheaper

I was chatting to Chris Adams at Adams Ironmongers the other day and he mentioned that he has an excessive amount of old style nuts and bolts which nobody seems to want anymore
www.birmingham-mowerrepairs.co.uk
Maybe worth a call for anything old-school.
Cheers Andy

 

[marcros]

could you buy some metric ones and rethread them as bsw. or buy metric and epoxy in a length of bsw bolt?

I dont know if these are male or female.

 

[heimlaga]

could you buy some metric ones and rethread them as bsw. or buy metric and epoxy in a length of bsw bolt?

I dont know if these are male or female.

When people do such "repairs" they usually cause more problem than they solve.

 

[marcros]

possibly but at least the metric handles are cheap and available and whether it works or not it doesn't modify the machine itself.

 

[RobinBHM]

could you buy some metric ones and rethread them as bsw. or buy metric and epoxy in a length of bsw bolt?

I dont know if these are male or female.

I was thinking of that option, but Im no metal worker

they are female I think -

2no hold the fence casting down to the spindle moulder table,
2no that lock the 2 fence plates from sliding
2no that lock the fence in and out adjustment

 

[MusicMan]

BSW nuts and bolts are not that hard to get. A search for 'BSW bolts' on eBay gets almost 8000 offers. It would be more of a problem getting a part of the right shape with that thread. BSW taps are also readily available, and rethreading another thread is perfectly possible. But note that 1/2 and 5/8 BSW threads are hefty sizes, meant to exert substantial force. I would not want a spindle moulder fence slipping or drifting on me while running, and i would be inclined to buy the original if available, rather than risk the substitute being too flimsy. If you are rethreading another part, you have to start with a thread smaller in diameter than the drill tapping size that you are putting in. Thus the part is going to be flimsier than the original. The one alternative would be a part physically the right size, which you drill oversize, tap (not trivial in this size) and put in a Helicoil insert (which are available in BSW sizes). But why mess about? I would think that a spare part specified for an EP sent by Wadkin would certainly fit, or else be readily refundable.

 

[OldWood]

Another very viable option is to buy a suitable AF tap and run it through the threads. AF is the same pitch and diameter as Whit with a slight thread angle change. But then that does assume you can get USA AF bolts of course.

As a totally "Off Topic" bit of possibly internet bit of mis-information, it seems that MG, as in Morris Garages, built all their cars with metric bolts with Whit /BSA size heads.

 

[Trevanion]

Another very viable option is to buy a suitable AF tap and run it through the threads. AF is the same pitch and diameter as Whit with a slight thread angle change. But then that does assume you can get USA AF bolts of course.

That wouldn't work in this case because the pitch of 1/2" BSW and 1/2" UNC is different (BSW is 12tpi, UNC is 13tpi), the rest are the same though. AF (Across flats) are the spanner/head sizes rather than the thread form.

 

[Trevanion]

they are female I think

Since he does everything up with a spanner anyway, do you reckon some nuts and washers would work as Musicman said? They won't be as cheap as metric nuts but they will be a lot cheaper than the lever handles.

If he wanted the same spanner to work on all the nuts it wouldn't be impossible to make larger (perhaps 30mm across the flats and slightly deeper than your usual nut) bespoke nuts with the different thread diameters to suit.

 

[RobinBHM]

Since he does everything up with a spanner anyway, do you reckon some nuts and washers would work as Musicman said? They won't be as cheap as metric nuts but they will be a lot cheaper than the lever handles.

If he wanted the same spanner to work on all the nuts it wouldn't be impossible to make larger (perhaps 30mm across the flats and slightly deeper than your usual nut) bespoke nuts with the different thread diameters to suit.

Many thanks for the advice

The machine is used for business and so minimising set up time is key and a lever handle is much quicker.
I shall be making a shadow board and other things to reduce the set up time more as well as a digital read out on the heights.