wadkin MD morticer

[wallace]

Its been a very long time since I did a wip on a rebuild. For the last 6 months I've been working on a biggish planer, its all crated up waiting for its slow boat. I promised myself that I'd do a few of my own machines that I've been accumulating for the last few years.

This was bought for about £150 off ebay and shipped to my place for another £70. I dont have a good track record with morticers, they seem to fall over if you sneeze on them, or it could just be incompitent couriers.



This poor thing did a full flip and bounce off the tail lift







Luckily the one I'm doing arrived unscathed and has been languishing in the undergrowth for a couple of years. Sheeted and smeered with waxoyle.

First job was to drag it in the shed







It was originally a line shaft machine but has been converted to run via a motor, it must have been done quite early on. The starter and motor are pretty cool











I'm not sure on date, at a guess late 20's, Vann will be able to offer some advice.







Heres a leaflet of an earlier version







And heres my version on a photo used for the catalogue























Nearly everything came to bits easily











4hrs work and its in smaller bits







I'm considering doing this one differantly to my usual shiny ones. I quite like machines in their working clothes so to speak. So I dont think I'm going to paint it. Just rebuild. The white paint came off ok with some thinners

 

[Trevanion]

Luckily the one I'm doing arrived unscathed and has been languishing in the undergrowth for a couple of years. Sheeted and smeered with waxoyle.

I remember talking to you about this when it popped up on eBay, and I thought that it was only a few months back but it's just over a year ago, time flies!

I've got a bit of info on this machine in a catalogue if you fancy it, but I suspect you've probably already got it!

 

[AndyP]

I have little interest in this type of tooling but your restorations make compelling reading and viewing.

 

[kirkpoore1]

That counterweight is a whole other animal than what I've seen before. I bet it weighs more than most of the machines that folks talk about.

I would suggest that it was always a motor driven machine. A lot of manufacturers had motors as options when selling lineshaft-driven machinery.

Have fun!

Kirk

 

[Vann]

...I'm not sure on date, at a guess late 20's, Vann will be able to offer some advice.

...

Hmmmm. Not sure I can help.

Wadkin would have used test number 3783 three times over the years. The cast brass Wadkin & Co. tag means it's pre-1936.

If it's from Wadkin's first test number sequence: test 3166 was carried out in September, 1925; while test 4087 was carried out in July 1926. That's ~920 machines over 10 months, or ~92 machines per month. That would place this machine, with test number 3783, somewhere around April, 1926.

However, if it's from Wadkin's 2nd or 3rd test sequences then it would be between 1934 & 1936.

...I'm considering doing this one differantly to my usual shiny ones. I quite like machines in their working clothes so to speak. So I dont think I'm going to paint it. Just rebuild...

I like that idea - and will be watching with interest to see how that works out.

Cheers, Vann.

 

[wallace]

A bit more done, because wadkin machines were hand finished parts have a stamp to keep track of which machine they were to go on. I have found in the past that parts are not interchangeable from one machine to the same type.



They even stamped the keys























If the part cant go to the wire wheel











I find it easier to sand before wire wheeling















I've been trying this stuff, first impressions is I like it

 

[Mike G]

Oh good, another Wallace adventure. Let's see how the no-painting thing works out. It might be great, and you could always paint it afterwards.

 

[Malc2098]

Cor!

 

[AJB Temple]

I like them shiny and perfect I must admit. Good thread as usual from you.

 

[AndyT]

Well, I'm happy either way. I've always enjoyed your really thorough restoration jobs, with everything back to bare metal then with all the shiny paint taking them back to showroom condition.

But in general, I like tools and machinery to look their age. So I will be interested to see you just take away the years of neglect, so it looks like an old machine that's been really well looked after. At least, if that is what you are going to do.

 

[wallace]

Well, I'm happy either way. I've always enjoyed your really thorough restoration jobs, with everything back to bare metal then with all the shiny paint taking them back to showroom condition.

But in general, I like tools and machinery to look their age. So I will be interested to see you just take away the years of neglect, so it looks like an old machine that's been really well looked after. At least, if that is what you are going to do.

I like to see machines in original paint, they are so often smeared in green paint by dealers trying to make the machine appear newer. I suppose if this has lasted 90 odd years unscathed it deserves a little respect.

 

[wallace]

Time to take the head to bits











I'm always amazed at bolts that come out like this after 90 years























Time to strip the motor







peculiar voltage







I've never come across this before, the end bells are centered with little locking studs



















This doesn't look legit to me, I cant imagine a motor maker would have the leads from the windings coming out like this, the gauge of wire looks very small.

 

[Robert]

Fascinating as always watching your transformations.

Great picture of all that sawdust in the motor windings.

That motor says 3HP and it's 3 phase so 1HP per phase or 750 watts. divided by the as you say odd 346V is a bit over 2A plus a bit for power factor... but still not a lot so maybe the cables are thick enough. I'll defer to bob though for a more informed opinion

 

[Dr.Al]

346 V is one of the three phase voltages that Hong Kong uses (or used?) as well as 380 V. 380 V is a lot more common (and 415 V even more so), but it's possible that the motor you have was designed for a particular market with a 346 V supply.

 

[wallace]

346 V is one of the three phase voltages that Hong Kong uses (or used?) as well as 380 V. 380 V is a lot more common (and 415 V even more so), but it's possible that the motor you have was designed for a particular market with a 346 V supply.

I suspect the voltage was because way back in the 20's lots of places ran off their own generating plant before supply became standardised.

I know I said I wasn't going to tart this one up, but I couldn't resist just a little bit on the motor. There was very little original paint left.



A generous application of zinc 182











Followed by a touch of black enamel

 

[9fingers]

Superb!

Bob

 

[MY63]

What a fantastic job, can you give a little more detail on the paint process, I have a sewing machine stand I would like to paint.

 

[wallace]

What a fantastic job, can you give a little more detail on the paint process, I have a sewing machine stand I would like to paint.

This motor is a bit rough and ready but it seems to have come out ok. My normal process depends on what I start with ie is the original paint sound. If its not I will either remove it all or just the bad bits.
Degrease with brake cleaner, you dont want smchoo getting rubbed into the old finish. Sand, apply filler. Car bodge is fine but I like aluminium filler,(sometimes called liquid metal) its alot more dense and impact resistant. Its a bit harder to sand but the finish is better than car stuff.
Then prime, the zinc 182 is good because it stops rust on bare metal and can be laid quite thick like a filler primer. It wet sands really nicely. Then topcoat, this is just quick dry enamel. I do a light coat at first then wait a few minutes, then I can build it up. The motor probably had a good four coats.

Is your machine stand one of those ornate cast iron jobbys? I would wire brush, degrease, prime and topcoat.
If you have a motor factors near you or a car spray mixer. You can get rattle cans mixed up in enamel to any colour you want. Its cheaper and much better quality than the normal rattle cans

 

[MY63]

Thanks Wallace it is a Singer machine but not the standard one. It is called a patcher as the sewing foot can rotate 360 degrees which is very useful. I dont want to touch the machine itself just the stand.

singer 29k by my0771, on Flickr

 

[wallace]

I think a little wire wheel in a drill would be perfect, degrease, prime, topcoat

 

[MY63]

Thanks

 

[wallace]

Well its finished, I'm not sure you can call this a restoration. Maybe a recommisioning.















I was torn as to weather I should do the buttons











































This is next on the list, its been hammershited so its getting the full monty

 

[AJB Temple]

You do very fine work. Excellent.

 

[Lurker]

Always a delight following your posts
I am in awe.

 

[droogs]

A fantastic refurb once again.
It always amazes me that, not one of the people involved in the design or making of this outstanding piece of machinery probably ever thought it would end up standing neglected and forlorn before being restored to its prime. Or that the machine itself would ever be regarded as out of date or past it. As we have "progressed" i feel we have definitely forgotten that form can be just as important as function, even on the most industrial of machines :eusa-think:

 

[Malc2098]

I was right pleased you did the buttons.

 

[Mike G]

I like that Wallace. It has the look of a well used but well cared for machine. The fully re-painted jobbies look great too, but if you have a working workshop, a machine like this looks much more in-keeping, I reckon.

 

[AndyP]

Always a delight to follow. Great work.

Love your bandsaw blade storage rack.

 

[wallace]

A fantastic refurb once again.
It always amazes me that, not one of the people involved in the design or making of this outstanding piece of machinery probably ever thought it would end up standing neglected and forlorn before being restored to its prime. Or that the machine itself would ever be regarded as out of date or past it. As we have "progressed" i feel we have definitely forgotten that form can be just as important as function, even on the most industrial of machines :eusa-think:

Totally agree, I much prefer the older machines for their looks. The wadkin bursgreen range dont do much for me.

 

[Vann]

I like the way it's come up Wallace, without the full repaint bscene-drinkingcheers:

...This is next on the list, its been * so its getting the full monty

Could it be your DH. De Havilland? No, something a little closer to the ground - a bicycle maybe (going by the number of wheels).

You've certainly picked up a few rare gems. This one, your LP borer and recessor, and the very early PK dimension saw. All from the Wadkin & Co. era (pre-1936). Nice!

Cheers, Vann.

 

[wallace]

These are my holy grail machines, its weird I got 4 machines all within a year. I was very lucky with the morticer, bandsaw and big lathe, they looked rough which puts people off. I payed way to much for the pk but I had to have one from the first batch built.