Page 1 of 2

Wadkin MF restoration

PostPosted: 21 Jan 2019, 19:13
by wallace
I've never done an MF chain and chisel morticer so thought people might like to see it be made all pretty.
These things are pretty heavy lumps weighing in at 850kg

Image

Can I spy brass on that door

Image

This one dates from 1959

Image

Image

Image

On other morticers the motor is counterbalanced by a big lump of cast iron but on this they use a wound spring for each motor. To undo the tension you have to carefully release it a bit at a time, you can imagine the pull on the spring if it lifts up a 50kg motor

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

Re: Wadkin MF restoration

PostPosted: 21 Jan 2019, 19:17
by DaveL
That is an impressive looking machine.
Is it a motor for the chain and another for the chisel?

Re: Wadkin MF restoration

PostPosted: 21 Jan 2019, 19:30
by wallace
DaveL wrote:That is an impressive looking machine.
Is it a motor for the chain and another for the chisel?


Yes, plus their is no on/off switch, you just pull whichever lever and it starts the motor

Re: Wadkin MF restoration

PostPosted: 21 Jan 2019, 20:00
by Malc2098
Lummy!

To a layman like me, in what sort of a manufacturing environment would a machine like this be used?

Re: Wadkin MF restoration

PostPosted: 21 Jan 2019, 21:25
by Rod
It looks in fairly good nick compared to some you’ve show us in the past.

Rod

Re: Wadkin MF restoration

PostPosted: 22 Jan 2019, 02:45
by kirkpoore1
That's pretty hefty. Your arm is going to get a workout on it.

Kirk

Re: Wadkin MF restoration

PostPosted: 22 Jan 2019, 13:46
by wallace
Malc2098 wrote:Lummy!

To a layman like me, in what sort of a manufacturing environment would a machine like this be used?


Pretty much any woodworking business, the machines came with a long bar where you could set stops for repeticious work like window making.
I don't know what job would dictate the use of a chain over a chisel, maybe size of hole required. This can accommodate some big chains, like 40mm wide

kirkpoore1 wrote:That's pretty hefty. Your arm is going to get a workout on it.

Kirk


I will have to move the main casting onto a better pallet at some point, I doubt my block and tackle hung from a roofing joist is going to lift it

Re: Wadkin MF restoration

PostPosted: 30 Jan 2019, 13:45
by wallace
A bit more progress. This has been well cared for with only one green overpaint which was done really well.

Image

Starting to prep for etch primer

Image

Image

Its nice when you see double row self aligning bronze bearings by Hoffman

Image

And even nicer when you still see the hand scraping

Image

Image

Image

Image

Its -2 in the workshop so not good for spraying, may as well do some bling.

Image

Image

Image

Flapper disc in a grinder then rotary in the drill followed by sanding to 1000 grit with the ROS

Image

Polished on a close stitched mop using silverline red compound followed by t-cut

Image

Image

Re: Wadkin MF restoration

PostPosted: 30 Jan 2019, 14:02
by Malc2098
Pretty!

Re: Wadkin MF restoration

PostPosted: 30 Jan 2019, 14:20
by TrimTheKing
Mmmmmm shiny!

Re: Wadkin MF restoration

PostPosted: 30 Jan 2019, 14:44
by Robert
Polishing looks easy when you present it like that but I know it isn't. Scary when an edge or bracket catches the mop. Can be a very dirty job too with the mop throwing compound about. Are you using a stand polisher or something more basic?

As always enjoying seeing the progress.

Re: Wadkin MF restoration

PostPosted: 30 Jan 2019, 18:33
by wallace
You soon learn what makes a catch. I'm just using my lathe on max rpm of 2800. The mop is starting to get a bit small so I could do with a new one. I feel it works better with a decent peripheral speed.

Re: Wadkin MF restoration

PostPosted: 31 Jan 2019, 00:39
by Rod
Looking good

Rod

Re: Wadkin MF restoration

PostPosted: 01 Feb 2019, 17:55
by wallace
Its pretty cold in the workshop which I don't mind apart from my hands which hurt due to white finger. This is my solution a chicken brooding lamp.

Image

The blower nozzle which is aluminium, it would be a shame not to give a bit spit and polish.

Image

One way to clean up parts is to put a rotary flapper sander in a drill in a vice.

Image

Followed by a polish

Image

Image

When doing bolts and little items I wire wheel degrease, then use gun blue. Then I put them in paint can tops and give a liberal coating of wd40. This also helps keep specific bolts with the correct part of he machine.

Image

Re: Wadkin MF restoration

PostPosted: 01 Feb 2019, 21:01
by Malc2098
I do like bling!

Re: Wadkin MF restoration

PostPosted: 01 Feb 2019, 22:52
by Mike G
I don't think I've ever seen aluminium shine like that.

Re: Wadkin MF restoration

PostPosted: 02 Feb 2019, 23:36
by Rod
I need sunglasses

Rod

Re: Wadkin MF restoration

PostPosted: 04 Feb 2019, 17:40
by wallace
To remove the handles is pretty simple, the stub is peened over.

Image

Just drill the top a bit

Image

Then bash it out with a drift

Image

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

Image

Image

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

Image

Then go through the grits to 500

Image

Followed by a polish

Image

Re: Wadkin MF restoration

PostPosted: 04 Feb 2019, 18:19
by Malc2098
I just love polished hand wheels, so tactile.

Re: Wadkin MF restoration

PostPosted: 04 Feb 2019, 18:54
by fiveeyes
looking good...love the WIP

Re: Wadkin MF restoration

PostPosted: 07 Feb 2019, 18:35
by wallace
The guides are in pretty good shape, they just need a clean

Image

Image

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

Image

Image

Image

This one of the springs that counterbalances each motor.

Image

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

Image

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

Image

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

Image

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.

Image

Image

Image

Pretty much everything is cleaned and ready

Image

After lots of prep I got a coat of etch primer

Image

Re: Wadkin MF restoration

PostPosted: 07 Feb 2019, 18:53
by Mike G
Blimey, Wallace, you're cracking on with this one.

Re: Wadkin MF restoration

PostPosted: 07 Feb 2019, 21:49
by wallace
I find the re assembly takes a long time, its always the little jobs that take ages

Re: Wadkin MF restoration

PostPosted: 12 Feb 2019, 19:44
by wallace
A bit more done, I got all the grey stuff sprayed with good results.

Image

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.

Image

Image

Image

This bit will be getting sanded to reveal the aluminum,

Image

Re: Wadkin MF restoration

PostPosted: 13 Feb 2019, 00:20
by Rod
Looking good

Rod