Developement of the Wadkin RB Surface Planer.

[Vann]

As well as the herringbone gear drive shown above, Wadkin RB came with two other drives: flat belt drive (no motor supplied) and what became standard - electrically driven via vee-belt.

Flat Belt Drive:
Here is RB 409 (test 9969) of 1938. Somehow it has survived the years without the drive being modified.

(1.32 MiB)

Note the flat belt pulley.

(1.3 MiB)

The tag is not stamped for voltage, phase, nor cycles.

(1.55 MiB)

Electric Drive via vee-belt:
Both flat belt drive and gear drive were short lived, and twin vee-belts (as fitted to nearly every other surface planer) became standard. Motors were suppiled to the customers electrical requirements, in DC or AC. And AC motors were supplied in single phase, 2-phase (whatever that is), and 3-phase.

Some AC powered machines were classified RBA, and DC machines were classified RBD - but this was inconsistent, and died out completely as AC machines came to dominate the market and there was no longer any purpose in adding the 'A'. There was a 4th classification - RBV. I don't know what this was about, as the machines appear to be the same as any other vee-belt driven RB. Possibly it was an early indication of 'Vee' belt drive...

This is the tag on Guineafowl21's RBD - a 460v DC machine until repowered with a modern AC motor. RBD 212 (test 700) of 1932.

I think the person stamping was having some fun with the 'D' and 'C' stamped in the 'phase' and 'cycle' spaces.

(1.31 MiB)

Next is a single phase machine, recently refurbished by wallace. RB 256 (test 2360) of 1934. Note: 200v 50hz.

(1.33 MiB)

(1.65 MiB)

A 220v two phase machine. RB 193 (test 9452) of 1931. I don't know if that's the original 2-phase motor but 2-phase supply must be rare these days, and this is a frankenplaner.

(1.57 MiB)

(1.42 MiB)

A three phase RB. RB 497 (test 25435) of 1945. A very standard looking RB - and a very standard 400v, 3-phase, 50hz motor.

(1.01 MiB)

(1.19 MiB)

And finally an RBV. RBV 231 (test 1041) of 1932.

(1010.6 KiB)

Cheers, Vann.

[Vann]

...Edit: Some brain scratching revealed a memory of videoing the RB (RB 113) running...

And here is the link (please excuse the other machine screaming in the background): https://youtu.be/rWBHMLGd1JA

Cheers, Vann.

[Vann]

So looking at the developement of the RB, I'll start with the 'Base' or 'Stand', or in Wadkin speak 'Main Frame' - which probably had more changes than any other part of the machine.

Firstly there's the Bench variety, which came without a base.

Base 1: Then there's the first design of base, as shown in this catalogue cut:

(846.12 KiB)

Base 2: Soon the top of the opening was lowered to allow a chute to be added, to deflect woodchips to the left-hand side.

RB 158, of 1930.

(305.98 KiB)

The resulting arched or half-round opening in the front of the base, I consider the to be a feature of the RB buzzer.

...and with the same opening in the back.

From the 1936 catalogue - on VM site.

(362.04 KiB)

RB 183, of 1931.

(213.12 KiB)

This arrangement lasted until at least wallace's RB 256 of 1934.


Base 3: The third variation of the base has the rear opening replaced by an electric compartment with a "Brookhirst" switchgear door, and an opening for "Start/Stop" pushbuttons was added to the right-hand side. The earliest known example of this is RB 409 of 1938.

RB 409, of 1938.

(1.54 MiB)

Here you can see that half the base has been partitioned off to form the electrical compartment.

Upside down RB base stand.

(1.17 MiB)

RB 418 - "Brookhirst" switchgear door.

(519.08 KiB)

RB 418 - "Start/Stop" push button opening.

(338.73 KiB)

I don't know how long this variation lasted. RB 418, also of 1938 was the same. RB 497, of 1945 may have been the same (it's hard to be sure with poor or no photos of the rear of machines) but by 1946 a fourth variation had arrived.


Base 4: The fourth variation of the base has a much narrower and slightly taller "Brookhirst" switchgear door.

RB 519, 0f 1946.

(275.97 KiB)

Unknown RB of this period.

(1.07 MiB)

But by 1947 another modification was made.


Base 5: The opening for the "Start/Stop" pushbuttons was altered. Instead of a simple opening in the side, a boss was added for mounting the pushbuttons.

RB 745, of 1950.

(1.23 MiB)

Base 6: The final variation is a bit of back to the future, with the return of what appears to be a standard size "Brookhirst" switchgear door, now marked "Wadkin" - while retaining the pushbutton boss.

RB 830, of 1951.

(250.81 KiB)

From RB 830 (of 1951) to RB 1024 (of 1954).

Cheers, Vann.

[Vann]

Central Casting (for want of a better name) - the casting that mounts the cutterblock.

I've found two styles of the central casting:

First the "high arch" model...

RB 183.

(253.71 KiB)

...found on the first RBs and up to at least RBA 231 (of 1932).

Followed by the later "slotted" central casting...

(71.68 KiB)

(435.52 KiB)

...found on the other RBs in the sample, from RB 255 (of 1934), to RB 1024 (of 1954).

However the earlier "high arch" models had a variation (or two). The "standard" variety (or should I say just "stand" variety) looked very much the same front and rear.

Rear of RB 183.

(127.92 KiB)

Whereas the "bench" variety looked like this at the rear:

RB 116.

(364.16 KiB)

This difference being to mount a motor shelf above bench height.

RB 116.

(360.87 KiB)

One other minor variation is the word "Wadkin" cast into the front of this example.

RB 158.

(88.41 KiB)

Cheers, Vann.

[Mike G]

Blimey, Vann, this is great research, and I'm sure we'd all give up a small appendage or internal organ in return for any Wadkin planer.

[Vann]

Blimey, Vann, this is great research...

And there's a lot more to come (I can guarantee you'll be bored to death before the end ).

Cheers, Vann.

[Vann]

Continuing to work through the significant components of the RB, the next item on my list is the tables.

The RB, like it's big brother the RD, and cousin the RM buzzer/thicknesser (which I believe shares the same base and other features), has "draw out" motion to give better access to the knives and cutterblock.

On the RD and RM this is achieved by unclamping the table and wedge arrangement, and then sliding the whole assembly outwards

The table arrangement on the RD surface planer.

(209.7 KiB)

The toggle handle clamps the assembly to the base.

(315.29 KiB)

On the RB this "draw out" motion is achieved differently. The wedge sections (I wish I knew the correct name for them) are separate from the tables

The table arrangement on the RB surface planer.

(515.32 KiB)

The tables "draw out" on the wedge sections and are clamped by this tee handle under the table.

(286.17 KiB)

The tables can be removed leaving the wedge sections in place.

(329.69 KiB)

As far as I can see, the wedge sections have remained unchanged during the entire RB production period - except that they were lengthened with the change from 3' 9" length to 5' length tables (late 1920s?). The same appears to apply to the outfeed table.

The infeed table however, has gone through at least for variations - firstly to lengthen the table, then each subsequent change due to a change to the fence.

The first RBs have the fence attached to the infeed table by a dovetail in a groove (in the same way as the ripping fence is attached to the table on the PK saw). This required a dovetail groove to be machined across the width of the infeed table (including the rear extension required to support the fence when set at maximum width).

(273.91 KiB)

Note the rear extension - approximately 5" square.

(218.26 KiB)

I guess machining the dovetail groove was expensive, because sometime between RB 190 (mid-1931) and RBD 212 (mid 1932) Wadkin replaced the dovetail groove with a clamping bracket, mounted on the rear extension, to support a revised fence. There does not appear to be any change to the table casting - just a change to the machining processes.

(751.51 KiB)

Two bolt holes and two locating pins replace the dovetail groove.

(112.55 KiB)

In the last few years of production the fence was upgraded to the RD/RM fence requiring a larger infeed table extension.

Wadkin RB Buzzer-rb93-jpg Note the rear extension is bigger and now has angled sides.

While there may be some user mods in the form of bolt holes in the leading face of the infeed table, there's one pair of holes that appear on all machines from RB 876 to RB 1010 - consistently enough to be an OEM feature.

(317.45 KiB)

Wadkin RB Buzzer-rb37-jpg

(62 KiB)

Not quite sure what they're for - maybe for an optional pork-chop guard for the North American market?

Cheers, Vann.

Ps I'm having trouble with the site logging me out half way through posts - so I have to put up what I've got while the going is good, and complete posts later. So some pictures still coming...

[Vann]

Another component of the RB surface planer that evolved over the years, is the handwheels.

The first machines of 1926 had steel handwheels - small (2½" diameter) knurled knobs - to adjust the height of the infeed and outfeed tables.

RB 116 outfeed wedge and adjustment mechanism - part way through overhaul.

(1.18 MiB)

RB 116 during reassembly.

(1.52 MiB)

Early Wadkin PK saws used a similar (or identical) knurled steel knob on the rip fence.

PK 115.

(641.09 KiB)

By RBA 158 (of 1930) this steel knob was replaced with a cast iron 'knobbled' knob.

This example on RBA 418 of 1938.

(197.85 KiB)

This cast iron knob remained in use on the RB at least until RB 519 of 1946, but by RB 563 of 1947 it had been superseded by a cast iron 5-spoke handwheel (6" in diameter)...

On an untagged RB of approx. 1947.

(958.12 KiB)

...which was last found on RB 677 of 1949.

During 1949 Wadkin changed the material used for some components of many machines, and the RB handwheels changed from cast iron 5-spoke to cast aluminium 3-spoke wheels, through to the end of RB manufacture in 1955.

RB 793 of 1950.

(115.15 KiB)

Cheers, Vann.

[Vann]

Looking through my collection of Wadkin RB photographs, I find four significant different arrangements of fence.

The first is a short(ish) fence with a single gate.

(236.37 KiB)

Note that the fence is locked vertically (or at 45°) by a sliding tee handle clamping two steel slotted links, approx 10-12" apart.

(272.69 KiB)

The second arrangement is that shown in the catalogues.

From a 1936 catalogue.

(362.04 KiB)

From a 1941-ish catalogue.

(63.41 KiB)

The fence looks to be approximately the same length, again with a single gate. However, the fence is now locked using just a single cast iron link - a distinctive feature of the "standard" Wadkin RB.

Note that the rear view of the fence in the 1941ish catalogue shows two more bosses than shown in the 1936 catalogue, yet the first version of fence already had the two extra bosses - as shown in the photo of RB 183's fence (above). Never trust a catalogue cut - the marketing department may have photoshopped it.

(216.91 KiB)

(479.21 KiB)

(1.13 MiB)

The third arrangement adopts the RD surface planer fence (also found on the RM planer/thicknesser), but not the rack and pinion of the RD fence arrangement. It is longer than previous RB fences, has two gates, and is locked using twin links (like the first fence).

(570.49 KiB)

(167.51 KiB)

(918.54 KiB)

(328.76 KiB)

And finally, the fourth arrangement, with full RD fence - complete with rack and pinion adjustment.

(125.27 KiB)

(160.16 KiB)

Cheers, Vann.

[Guineafowl21]

I’ve got another one for you:

(251.39 KiB)

This was bought from adidat of the other forum.

Looks early 1940-ish to me, but further info would be welcomed. More pics to follow when I’ve freed/cleaned everything up and put it back together.

[Guineafowl21]

Almost ready to run:

(360.68 KiB)

(341 KiB)

[Vann]

I’ve got another one for you...

...Looks early 1940-ish to me, but further info would be welcomed...

Thanks GF21. Adidat sent me pictures about the time he sold it to you.

It dates to 1938.

I'm envious that yours is nearly up and running.

Cheers, Vann.

[Guineafowl21]

I’ve got another one for you...

...Looks early 1940-ish to me, but further info would be welcomed...

Thanks GF21. Adidat sent me pictures about the time he sold it to you.

It dates to 1938.

I'm envious that yours is nearly up and running.

Cheers, Vann.

I had her spinning up for the first time this very evening!

The switchgear door is non-standard, home-made out of some sheet steel.

Angle grinder with wire wheel worked like magic on the machined surfaces. I’m leaving the paint as it is - I think old machines should look like they’re used - but may lacquer over the top at some point.

[Vann]

I had her spinning up for the first time this very evening!...

Nice! Have you planed wood with it yet?

...The switchgear door is non-standard, home-made out of some sheet steel...

It's a pity it's the "standard" door. I recently picked up a spare narrow door - but it won't fit your machine.

Cheers, Vann.

[Guineafowl21]

I had her spinning up for the first time this very evening!...

Nice! Have you planed wood with it yet?

...The switchgear door is non-standard, home-made out of some sheet steel...

It's a pity it's the "standard" door. I recently picked up a spare narrow door - but it won't fit your machine.

Cheers, Vann.

No wood planing just yet - the knives will need a sharpen and set-up, the latter of which takes a good half-hour of determined patience!

I put my back out lifting the top casting onto the stand - b ugger me, that was heavy, but a few years ago I wouldn’t have even noticed. Getting old

It’s for a mate who fell in love with my 1932 RBD, and wants it for his workshop which isn’t built yet. It will sit, for now, coated in WD40 and a cotton sheet.

At least the switchgear door is at the back. I would love, if anyone has one, a set of on/off buttons to fit in the side opening. Then I can hide that clunky DOL starter in the back compartment where it belongs.

(345.13 KiB)

[Vann]

Here are three more RB surface planers:

RBA 158.

(434.78 KiB)

(454.18 KiB)

RBA 158 (Test 8623), of 1930.

(539.4 KiB)

RBA 190.

(644.76 KiB)

(674.33 KiB)

RBA 183 (Test 9335), of 1931.

(385.46 KiB)

RB 190.

(1.08 MiB)

RB 190 (Test 9407), of 1931.

(1.5 MiB)

Like the first machines, all three have the early Main Casting with arch, the first style of Fence. They also have the early base casting with arch opening front and back, and no provision for electrical switchgear.

However they have the longer (5' overall) tables, and the table adjustment handles are the second style (knobbed cast iron knobs).

All three are located in the UK.

Cheers, Vann.