Wadkin MF restoration

[wallace]

To remove the handles is pretty simple, the stub is peened over.

Just drill the top a bit

Then bash it out with a drift

Pullers are expensive things so whenever I see one at a carboot I get it. This English made one was just £10

To remove lots of metal quickly I just stick it in the lathe and use a flapper disc in the grinder while it spins in the lathe

Then go through the grits to 500

Followed by a polish

 

[wallace]

The guides are in pretty good shape, they just need a clean

I like to keep each section of a machine in its own box, it saves much confusion later on.

This one of the springs that counterbalances each motor.

The rod on the left has a slot in it which locates into the end of the spring encased in the casting.

To clean the bone handle I just stick it in the drill and spin it in a rag coated in t-cut.

It looks like the previous owner only used the chisel side judging by how shiny the handle is

Because the motor starts as soon as you pull a lever it has a nifty way of preventing accidental startups. Theres a button at the end of the lever which you press, this disengages a hook and allows the handle to be pulled.

Pretty much everything is cleaned and ready

After lots of prep I got a coat of etch primer

 

[JWD]

i get so excited when i see these WIPs! what a talent.

If i may ask - why would you have a chisel AND chain morticer? what can one do that the other can't??

 

[MikeG.]

i get so excited when i see these WIPs! what a talent.

If i may ask - why would you have a chisel AND chain morticer? what can one do that the other can't??

I can answer that. A chain mortiser makes big slots, and not all that clean and tidy. It's essentially a chainsaw plunged end-on into the wood. Obviously a chisel mortiser can make very small and neat holes.

 

[wallace]

i get so excited when i see these WIPs! what a talent.

If i may ask - why would you have a chisel AND chain morticer? what can one do that the other can't??

I can answer that. A chain mortiser makes big slots, and not all that clean and tidy. It's essentially a chainsaw plunged end-on into the wood. Obviously a chisel mortiser can make very small and neat holes.

Im not very experienced at the use of chain morticers, You can get some really delicate chains that are only 1/4"

 

[Trevanion]

Used to use a Dominion BAA Chain Morticer (which was in mint condition despite being at least 40 years old.) quite often for boring 2 slots at about a 12-degree angle through a window frame head into the head extension for air vents. It wasn't used for anything else really. I recall there were some very dainty bars and chains knocking around that were about 1/8" thick called "necklace" chains for boring mortices in glazing bars.

I remember seeing a Sedgwick morticer on the bay that someone had taken the original head off and cobbled together some chain head with the motor about 2ft above the machine. I think the guy made gates for a living as he was also selling these massive clamps that looked like regular T-Bar clamps with screw and sliding head but were made from 15ft long RSJ steel beams. I suppose a chain morticer would be an ideal tool for 1"+ wide mortices on gates as it's seriously hard going on a regular chisel morticer to do anything over 3/4".

 

[wallace]

Trevannion, I got offered a fantastic old robinson morticer, it stood about 15'high and was used in a railway works. That thing had 2" chisels.

A bit more done, I got all the grey stuff sprayed with good results.

Except a couple of bits developed some fish eyes and this bit needs to be stripped and done again. I'm not sure why it happened. I always degrease before painting but even after a flash coat was left to dry it happened even worse when I tried to recoat it.

This bit will be getting sanded to reveal the aluminum,

 

[Trevanion]

Trevannion, I got offered a fantastic old robinson morticer, it stood about 15'high and was used in a railway works. That thing had 2" chisels.

I'd Imagine you'd have to get the heaviest machinist to be able to do 2" mortices, even if he was hanging off the handle!

Except a couple of bits developed some fish eyes and this bit needs to be stripped and done again. I'm not sure why it happened. I always degrease before painting but even after a flash coat was left to dry it happened even worse when I tried to recoat it.

What are you using to degrease? Not all solvents will remove silicones from sprays like penetrating oil and can last on the surface for ages.

 

[wallace]

To degrease I use brake and clutch cleaner which has always worked in the past.

 

[wallace]

A bit more done, before it gets too heavy for my roof joists, its time to put it on a decent reinforced pallet.

I've been trying a new blackening product which seems to be the same as the little bottles of gun blue but you get much more for your money.

 

[wallace]

Finished, well just about.

And of coarse planet designation

 

[MikeG.]

Well that is really beautiful, Wallace. Well done.

 

[Distinterior]

Another one rescued..! A joy to see Wallace =D>

 

[SteveF]

love these restorations

does it work

Steve

 

[Farmer Giles]

Lovely job Mark, what a beautiful machine. =D>

 

[Bm101]

Much obliged. Some people take comfort from a painting, or a poem, or an ideal.
That's great.
For the rest of us Wallace, you are doing God's own work.

 

[AndyT]

That's one hell of a classy machine!

=D> =D> =D>