Wadkin PK gearbox lubricant?

[carpenter]

I am restoring my Wadkin PK table saw but just up to the point where I can start using it in earnest. It had been sitting around unused for a number of years and covered badly, so all the usual stuff has been done to render it usable. However, to get the rise and fall mechanism to function I poured a little diesel into offending gearbox.

I was under the impression that whatever was in there was preventing the mech from working as I had used copious amounts of WD40 on everything else - I was right! It now works smoothly, but I would like to refill the gearbox with the correct lubricant. Presumably, the diesel dissolved any solidified lubricant that was in there but I now want to ensure it continues to work as it should!

I have read different threads on this machine but have not found a definitive explanation about cleaning the crud from this gearbox, without dismantling things and the specification for the replacement lubricant. One article mention it should run in an oil bath and the handbook appears to say it should be packed with 6 pumps of grease! The filler cap and 'drain hole?' on the casing are more suited to oil than grease. Can someone please advise?

 

[wallace]

On all the pk's I've done they have always had grease in them. Have you got a picture of the tag.

 

[carpenter]

Hi Wallace. I've taken pictures of the tags on my Wadkin PK but can't figure out how to attach these to this dialogue box. Please, can you advise me?

 

[carpenter]

Here is another attempt to send a much reduced file size to enable it to be attached to this post. I cannot figure why I am not allowed to attach a link to my Dropbox original image until I have completed more than 3 posts?

 

[Vann]

I am restoring my Wadkin PK table saw...
...I would like to refill the gearbox with the correct lubricant.

I'm in a similar position. I've just acquired a Wadkin PK and would like to use correct lubricants. The Maintenance Instructions suggest:
Grease: Wadkin Grade L.6
Alteranative grease: Shell NERITA GREASE 3; GARGOYLE GREASE BRB 3; REGAL STARFAK No.2 GREASE.

Oil: Wadkin Grade L.4
Alternatively: Shell VITREA OIL 33; GARGOLYE VACTRA OIL (heavy medium); CALTEX ALEPH OIL.

I just know that if I ask for these at the local gas station, they'll laugh at me, or a best I'll get blank stares. Can anyone advise of modern equivilents?

Cheers, Vann.

 

[CHJ]

http://www.alexoil.co.uk/shell-pre-iso- ... _c123.aspx

 

[wallace]

I wouldn't be worried about which spec of grease to put in the gearbox. Any bearing grease will work. Its not really doing much work in there

 

[Vann]

I enquired of a friend, and he put me onto a local Mobil service station that still supplies products other that petrol and pies :roll:

Here's what I got back from them:
Hi, thank you for your query on grease and oil for your Machine.
The Grease No. 2 equivalent is Mobil Grease XHP 222 – 400gm tube @ $10.55each
The Oil equivalent is DTE Heavy Medium – price $10.60per litre
Both are available, I would just need the time to decant the oil for you.

I now have two tubes of XHP-222 and two litres of DTE Heavy Medium oil - to keep me out of mischief for a year or two.

Carpenter, any chance of a photo of your PK? I'm particularly interested in a shot that would show the location of the two hand wheels.

Cheers, Vann.