Wadkin pillar drill resto

[JonnyD]

Its a great machine. Mine was in pretty good nick when i got it but i am tempted to pimp it just never seem to get the time. looking at Jacks brochure pics which ive never been able to find the fence on mine is original too.

cheers

Jon

 

[wallace]

Hi Jon, You cannot beat the quality can you. Is yours in the original paint aswell? Mine had been revamped at some time when it was rewired and a transfromer added for a light. I always try and get machines that are old and heavy because of the build quality. Plus I try and find kit that needs work. This drill had been stood outside for a year, luckily it still worked.
Mark

 

[wallace]

Hi all, I have done alittle more. This is the table winding handle, it is made from aluminium so was really scratched and bashed. Sanded then buffed. It took about 4 hrs

Mark

 

[wallace]

Heres a pic of the machine tag, it was stripped I tried painting by hand but it turned out crap so I re stripped it and have started spraying it.

Mark

 

[tool613]

Hi all, I have done alittle more. This is the table winding handle, it is made from aluminium so was really scratched and bashed. Sanded then buffed. It took about 4 hrs

Mark

A little about the aluminium crank handles.
They came in I believe some time after or during war II when the foundry's for air craft were in there height. For only a short time did wadkin use these handle. They were a lot more work than the "ARN" ones as they have press in steel selves that are machined with an interesting locking press joint. Just one other thing that was just real picky. This is why i love this old machinery. Easy to spot this stuff as the handle are not rusted. I recently found on a wadkin a chain made of tin with bronzes links so that oil was not need and it would not gather wood dust in it day to day workings.
Mark can you show a pic of the steel sleeve. I use this to date wadkin machines. i think it was drooped near the end of the 50s when wadkin revamped all its machinery.


jack

 

[wallace]

Hi all did abit more, I started on the motor which was very messy so I have removed all the paint.

I thought I'd check inside and had rather a shock, I've heard of greasing a motor but someone went a bit overboard. Can anyone advise me me how to approach this mess.

Jack heres a pic of the handle centre, it has a 12 stamped on the metal sleeve and on the shaft.

Mark

 

[JonnyD]

Hi Jon, You cannot beat the quality can you. Is yours in the original paint aswell? Mine had been revamped at some time when it was rewired and a transfromer added for a light. I always try and get machines that are old and heavy because of the build quality. Plus I try and find kit that needs work. This drill had been stood outside for a year, luckily it still worked.
Mark

Yes the quality is superb. I am pretty sure that mine is the original paint Ive found an old pic of it

Ill have to have a look at mine i am pretty sure the handle is cast steel with a turned wooden handle. I would have thought removing the grease and regreasing the bearing would be the way to go.

Don't know if you've got the fence as well but i found a pic of that as well

Ive just noticed that yours has a keyed chuck unlike the keyless one that is on jacks literature . You can just about make it out on this pic

keep up the good work

cheers

Jon

 

[jimi43]

I think it is wonderful that a company like WADKIN are still making quality equipment today when so many have fallen by the wayside.

Offering a rebuilt service also secures a loyal following....although, as we can see here, most people who have a Wadkin known how to restore these beautiful beasties!

I just wish the same could be said of their proof readers.....

Wadkin Built machinery is designed by Wadkin and built in the UK to the highest tollerances. All new Wadkin equipment is manufactured in the UK to the same exacting standards to which all Wadkin machines have been built.
A team of highly skiled engineers and fitters are solely employed in new machine builds. The final product is one of unrivalled quality and superior finish.
To browse the available Wadkin Built products, please select a category from the adjacent list.

Wonderful work Mark! What paint did you use on that hand wheel?

Jim

 

[wallace]

Hi Jon, I think I'd be tempted to keep the your original paint. And maybe just do the polished bits, I don't have the original fence. The chuck on mine is a jacobs.
Jimmy the wheel is aluminium so I sanded and polished it the paint I used was enammel. Yes I agree that a spellcheck would be usefull for the wakin web designers.
Do you think parafin would be ok to degrease the motor?
Mark

 

[9fingers]

Just scrape off the worst with a blunt scraper - scrap of wood perhaps.
then wipe with clean rag/paper towel. I would avoid solvents due to the risk of washing debris into the bearings and it not coming out.
Check that any rubber insulation on the wires has not been damaged.

Bob

 

[tool613]

here are two Handles off an RD rack and pinon fence. The cast one sitting beside the is older and off a machine with the propeller logo.

the propeller logo was carried for a few years after Wadkin went Ltd in 1936

any one else know where that propeller logo came from?

As to the motor cleaning. Soap and warm water is all I would use and I would not blow it out with high pressure air. let it dry for a week before you put it back together(motor shops put it in a oven to dry for a few hours).I would just wipe it down and get the most of it off. The motor will run fine with a little grease on the winding. No sure it was over greased as most of the manuals I have read from wadkin say to grease every 6 month. so 2 times a year with grease on a motor that is 60 to 70 years old would have a lot of grease in it.

jack

 

[wallace]

Hi, thanks for the advice. The spec plate on the motor has the propellar logo on it, do you know what year this machine is from?

 

[condeesteso]

A very fine restoration indeed. Notice Jack in Canada helping - a real Wadkin fan for sure! re the logo I don't know, but it may not be a propeller at all... possibly a pump symbol??

 

[toolsntat]

Would the logo be a triple wing cutter :?:

Andy

 

[L.S.Barker1970]

Would the logo be a triple wing cutter :?:

Andy

Around 1918 Wadkin Made a Automatic Propeller Shaper, I wonder if that has something to do with the Wadkin logo ??

Melbourne Matty.

 

[L.S.Barker1970]

re the logo I don't know, but it may not be a propeller at all... possibly a pump symbol??

Could it be a Symbol for an electric motor ?
After all by 1928 Wadkin were one of the first companies to integrate Electric motors with their woodworking equipment.

Melbourne Matty.

 

[wallace]

A little update, I took the motor to bits for a clean. I decided against cleaning inside the motor too much and just removed the thick and wiped, didn't use any solvents or anything. The windings have B5-1 stencilled on. The bearings were thoroughly degreased.

Matty I tend to agree with you about the symbol being a motor
Mark

 

[wallace]

heres the motor regreased, back togather and primed

Heres the tags repainted and polished

Heres the progress so far, I have noticed the polished steel bits starting to rust already so was thinking of useing a laquer in the meantime I have applied some waxoil.

Mark

 

[tool613]

tags look brilliant Mark!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


BTW Matty got the logo question.
jack

 

[wallace]

couple more pics, started doing the control boxes.

paint removed

sanded and buffed

The front is brass then chromed,

Heres another box

Paint stripper revealed some nice details

Mark