Wadkin PK restoration

[wallace]

Since I finished the bandsaw yesterday I thought I'd crack on and start this thing. I got a message a couple of years ago asking if I knew of any history to it. All I knew was that it was an early generation 1 machine. Oh and I wants it.
I offered to buy it but he was not ready to sell it. But he did say if and when he would contact me. Going forward I messaged him every few months to see if it was for sale and eventually he must of got sick of me asking so he offered it. The price was high, twice as much as I knew I could buy one for elsewhere. But like I said earlier 'I wants it'.

His place was not suitable for pallet collection so I drove to halifax and put it in my VW. I remember it well because after I'd loaded up and secured everything I had a little rest and had some food and coffee. It was then I saw a middle aged woman saunter up to my window and ask, 'do ye fancy any business luv' in a very yorkshire accent. I declined but did offer her a butty, she looked knackered.

Anyway I digress, I've been looking forward to this one for ages.

Do you see the 115 stamped after the PK, that is what number it is but wadkin started at 100 so my machine is the 6th machine built.

It was built on 13th sept 1928

It was overhauled 4 years later and it looks like the speed was changed. Can you imagine a machine nowadays being tested for 6hrs.

The thing that floats my boat is that the PK was unveiled to the public at the 1928 trade exhibition, maybe this is my machine.

This is the first time I've done a generation 1 and their are lots of modifications on later machines

The ruler is etched into the table, later a chesterman ruler was inset

These bolts are for extensions to acomodate a longer slider

Its had alot of work done to it at some point, it has a modern dc break and a crown guard from a much later PP

Back in the day this is what was in use

I cant imagine why the PK took off

 

[deema]

That’s looks like a beauty, can’t wait to see her all dressed up.

 

[KT_NorCal]

Ooooh. An oldie.

This a keeper?

Need a later one of these some day m'thinks. Or an ET/E or Pickels, or Stenner, or, or, or... but just settle for a BGS10. I think the latter is the only one that would actually fit in my garage tbh.

 

[wallace]

Yes this is a keeper, I have a thing for the old ones. I sold my extended slider PK to get this one.

I made a mistake in my earlier post this machine was the 11th made and wadkins machine numbering starts at 105. Thanks to Vann the wadkin statistician.

Wadkin added flip top oilers on later models here for the raise and lower shaft.

I find you dont need much heat to free up stuck pins

This has definately been taken to bits in the past. The tapered pin has been wacked in too hard. I had to drill it out.

The grease nipple has been rubbing when tilted

I found a broken stud which someone has attempted to drill out not so well. I wont be able to drill it out so might try the doubleboost method of welding a nut on it.

Now this is a bit odd, this is where the gear for the tilt is attached,

Its almost as if someone messed up the pattern for the base casting, and forgot to add a hole and a raised area that would normally be machined flat for bolt holes.

And this part has been cobbled together, the bit where the shaft goes through is nicely bored with oil grooves inside, but there is thick steel welded on the sides for the bolt holes.

 

[deema]

Brilliant, nothing like the old timers for solving a problem.

 

[KT_NorCal]

Yes this is a keeper, I have a thing for the old ones. I sold my extended slider PK to get this one.

I made a mistake in my earlier post this machine was the 11th made and wadkins machine numbering starts at 105. Thanks to Vann the wadkin statistician.


Now this is a bit odd, this is where the gear for the tilt is attached,

Its almost as if someone messed up the pattern for the base casting, and forgot to add a hole and a raised area that would normally be machined flat for bolt holes.

And this part has been cobbled together, the bit where the shaft goes through is nicely bored with oil grooves inside, but there is thick steel welded on the sides for the bolt holes.

11th made? Wow.

I'm would classify that under a "still learning how to build this thing" error if that is the case.

"Philip, tell Frank he forgot the #$%'ing boss on the casting again!"

Almost looks like they had a go at it with cold chisels....

 

[wallace]

Vann had a very plausible explanation for the big hole, he has a pic of a even earlier machine which has a boss in the main casting. He reckons some one messed up the machining and then a bodge was needed.

Ive been removing the old paint mainly at the bottom where it was really chipped, theres no point removing every bit because the filler they used is really solid.

Followed by a load of aluminium filler

I've done quite a few PK's and never thought to put the casting on a bench to work on.

Wadkin would stamp parts with the machine number to keep them with the correct machine. Looks like someone picked up the wrong bit.

This part is off an earlier version

This poor thing has certainly been in the wars, the fence plate has been welded and re machined

Also the blade flask has been snapped and welded back together

A later version of the trunnion

 

[wallace]

Running low on consumables, £100 for this lot. The sanding discs will last a while though, I've only used two so far.

Anyone explain the pattern? Is it the cooling of the cast iron

Taking the handwheels off is just a matter of drilling the peened end and wacking with a punch

But wadkin thought it needed to be threaded and peened

The main casting is nearly ready for some primer

I was contemplating using some polyester spray filler but I think it might be too cold

The blade flask cover is very basic, wadkin changed to cast iron with a much more complicated casting then they changed to aluminium

The brass cages look like they are supposed to be attached to the sliding table judging by corresponding holes, they werent attached , just floating around.

The balls are kept in place by the brass being chiseled slightly

At first I thought it was supposed to slot into the groove at the bottom, but its thicker and doesn't reach.

 

[KT_NorCal]

Anyone explain the pattern? Is it the cooling of the cast iron

Looks almost like wood from the original pattern transferred to the mold...

The main casting is nearly ready for some primer

I was contemplating using some polyester spray filler but I think it might be too cold

I thought with a lot of those fillers that they were meant to go over a coat of primer and not directly to bare metal.... so in other words: strip (however) > prime > fill > sand > spot fill > then prime again ... Do you use a special filler on the cast iron? I'm about to do this on my little AGS, so am curious.

 

[wallace]

The 'fiddleback' pattern is a machined surface so cant be transferred

Sometimes I prime first but I've not had any fall off of bare metal. The stuff I use smells like normal car bodge but is really dense because of the ali content

 

[KT_NorCal]

The 'fiddleback' pattern is a machined surface so cant be transferred

Sometimes I prime first but I've not had any fall off of bare metal. The stuff I use smells like normal car bodge but is really dense because of the ali content

That is bizarre if it's machined into the metal. Is it a mating surface? I know for "rough" machining (non mating) Delta here in the US used to use large circular (think almost like a meat grinder blade) tooling on horizontal mills, but not sure if something like that would make that pattern. Interesting.

Does the aluminum content do anything in particular or is it just better stuff in general? Harder to sand?

 

[wallace]

The surface is done with a metal planer, the pattern is within the structure of the cast iron.

The aluminum stuff resists chipping and is really hard. It takes more effort to sand

 

[TheTiddles]

Looks like dendritic pattern, not seen one quite like that before (though they are all unique) is it a flat machined surface or has it been scraped?

 

[clogs]

comming along nicely....
guess Wadkin were paying peanuts.....and got monkey's....
shame on them...
I think they thought about precision in later production....
after all from the saw to the planer.....!!!!

 

[Inspector]

Just a WAG but I think the pattern is chatter from the planer/shaper. The harmonics changes as the planer moved across the part with each stroke. Depth of cut, length of the tool bit, cutter sharpness, material, stroke speed, might have contributed to or been the reason for it. They left it because it wasn't a mating surface so didn't matter.

KT_NorCal I believe you are thinking of/describing Blanchard Grinding.

Wallace I'm enjoying your rebuild WIP.

Pete

 

[Devmeister]

I love to see PKs getting a new lease on life. Mine is moving forward as well.

I have never seen that pattern before. As Wallace said, the surface is planed. If you look carefully you can see planer marks esp towards the edges.

At first I thought it was a sander or grinder. But the pattern is unique. A planer uses a heavy or stout cutter and planers are huge. Many tens of thousands of pounds in some cases. The heads don’t move but the table does.

The step over is very narrow and the cut is narrow so it took a while to do this!

The area of the pattern is somewhat thin. So I am thinking this is due to rapid cooling. If it was a cold day and the first pour of the day along with the thin section, it may likely be due to rapid cooling.

In that time frame, Wadkin may also have been using a cupola coke furnace. So the first tap of the morning may have been cooler than normal.

Rapid cooling often leads to white iron. White iron results from rapid cooling so the regular grain structure of grey iron does not form. White iron results in hard castings which are more difficult to machine. Train wheels often had a steel donut in the sand mold to force rapid cooling on the outer edge. While harder to machine it improves the wear of the tail wheel.

A planer is a powerful machine and can muscle it’s way through the rough surface. They would need to sharpen cutters more often but the casting is useable.

I would not be concerned about this at all. It’s just a neat pattern

 

[wallace]

Devmeister thats the type of thing that crossed my mind, I just didn't know the process, It is definately within the metal itself and not part of the surface finish.

Inspector this is a mating surface, the trunnions are pinned and bolted to it.

 

[wallace]

More filler application

I thought I'd give the spray filler a go. This stuff is literally liquid car filler with an activator. It goes on horribly and is a nightmare to clean the gun, apparently you need acetone which I never had.
There is nearly a litre on the these two parts, so you can imagine how thick it goes on.

The fence plate cleaned up nice, you wouldn't think this has been broken and welded

One strange thing is this machine was one from the first batch made and yet has a slider from a PJ but the fence says PK. I have done PK's which had a PJ fence.

I normally take the wheels off the shaft but the tapered pin was solid so I stuck the whole thing in the lathe. to clean up.

Cast iron is really hard to get a full on shine. It needs buffing on a mop next.

Got some more supplies in. Someone mentioned those paint removal discs on my bandsaw thread so I thought I'd try them. I got some other ones that are like fine scotchbrite.
I also got some steel rod for new locating pins and a box of 5 wire wheels for the silly price of £21, I normally pay £10 for one wire wheel.

 

[Inspector]

Inspector this is a mating surface, the trunnions are pinned and bolted to it.

Sorry I should have been more specific. It isn't a mating surface where the parts slide past/over one another.

Pete

 

[Devmeister]

Hey Wallace, I apologize! Yup you need acetone!!!! Not always easy to get these days except in auto body supply shops. I also have a special primer gun for shooting this goop! And unless you have a ventilated space, forget going to the pub afterwards…. There will be no need for four or five pints

But those castings look really good!