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Developement of the Wadkin RB Surface Planer.

Here's the place to talk about all your table saws, bandsaws, routers and dust extractors. In fact anything that makes noise and uses electrickery.

Batch A-2469.

Postby Vann » 19 Oct 2021, 11:33

The twelfth batch on the Batch List:

Batch A 2469 - RBs 750 to 797 - 48 machines commissioned 30th November, 1948:
RB 763, test 37585, of Sept. 1950 - South Africa - Wadkin Ltd. tin tag;
RB 780, test 37954, of 1950 - United Kingdom - Wadkin Ltd. tin tag;
RB 793, test 38322, of 1950 - United Kingdom - Wadkin Ltd. tin tag;

RB 763c.jpg
RB 763.
(297.64 KiB)
RB 780d.jpg
RB 780.
(613.59 KiB)
Note the handwheels are now 3-spoke aluminium. Around 1949-50 Wadkin changed from cast-iron handwheels to aluminium handwheels on most of their range of machines - along with many other components such as the crown guards on their PK saw. I believe there was a lot of aluminium from WW2 aircraft available.

Also note the electrical control gear (or "Brookhirst") door is now the standard door used on many of Wadkins machines - wider and slightly shorter than used on previous RB surface planers.

And lastly, note the return of the standard 2nd type of fence (same as batches A-1257, A-1315, A-1500, A-2239, A-2289, A-2320 and 2372).

RB 793a.jpg
RB 793.
(1.17 MiB)

This is also the last batch to use the etched brass sheet "tin" tag.

RB 793 38322 UK.jpg
Brass sheet (or "tin") tag.
(919.93 KiB)

Cheers, Vann.
Vann
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Re: Developement of the Wadkin RB Surface Planer.

Postby Vann » 19 Oct 2021, 11:42

9fingers wrote:Some of us do worry about you at times Vann! I realise you had longer lockdown time in NZ than many of us and there are an awful lot of sheep around but do try and get out a bit now and then! :lol: :lol:

Bob

Hi Bob. Don't mention Covid. There's an outbreak at present and it doesn't look like we're going to be able to eliminate it this time. So there's a major push to get everyone vaccinated. I work with two anti-vaxers - and my sister's one as well. Grrr...

As for the sheep - well they're safe around me. I'm 65 and can't catch them anymore... :o ;)

Cheers, Vann.
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Re: Developement of the Wadkin RB Surface Planer.

Postby 9fingers » 19 Oct 2021, 11:53

[quote="Vann"
Hi Bob. Don't mention Covid. There's an outbreak at present and it doesn't look like we're going to be able to eliminate it this time. So there's a major push to get everyone vaccinated. I work with two anti-vaxers - and my sister's one as well. Grrr...

As for the sheep - well they're safe around me. I'm 65 and can't catch them anymore... :o ;)

Cheers, Vann.[/quote]

Sorry to hear about your current outbreak and good luck with getting jabbed real soon. I'd not seen much news about the position in NZ recently.
In UK we are learning to live with it and the vaccines mean that the effects for most people are far less serious after 2 jabs. I'm due my 3rd in around a month but we are still getting deaths but most of those are folk who have not been jabbed for whatever reason.

Back to planers, looking at some of your recent photos, there is something looking like a second small motor mounted below the main motor. Is this a feed motor? looks a strange location to me - as one who is not wadkin literate!

Stay safe
Bob
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Re: Developement of the Wadkin RB Surface Planer.

Postby Vann » 20 Oct 2021, 01:18

9fingers wrote:...and good luck with getting jabbed real soon. I'd not seen much news about the position in NZ recently...


Thanks. Both SWMBO and myself have had two jabs (Pfizer - the only option here), both daughters have had one jab, and my son has had at least one to date.

9fingers wrote:...Back to planers, looking at some of your recent photos, there is something looking like a second small motor mounted below the main motor. Is this a feed motor? looks a strange location to me - as one who is not wadkin literate


RB 763is.jpg
RB 763.
(53.3 KiB)
RB 780is.jpg
RB 780.
(506.25 KiB)
RB 1010is.jpg
RB 1010.
(45.03 KiB)

I believe that is a "Brookhirst" isolating switch, possibly containing fuses as well - an option on many Wadkin machines.

is.jpg
(919.1 KiB)
is2.jpg
(204.66 KiB)

Cheers, Vann.
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Batch A-2547.

Postby Vann » 20 Oct 2021, 11:23

The thirteenth batch on the Batch List - I've only found one machine from this small-ish batch:

Batch A 2547 - RBs 798 to 833 - 36 machines commissioned 7th February, 1950:
RB 830, test 39773, of 1951 - United Kingdom - Wadkin Ltd. cast tag;

RB 830a.jpg
RB 830.
(253.59 KiB)
RB 830b.jpg
Rear view - showing the "Brookhirst" electrical control gear door.
(250.81 KiB)
RB 830 39775 UK.jpg
Cast brass tag - RB 830, test 39773.
(189.86 KiB)

This machine appears to have the same features as the previous batch - as follows:
- 2nd type of fence (same as batches A-1257, A-1315, A-1500, A-2239, A-2289, A-2320, 2372 and 2469);
- 4th type of handwheels - cast aluminium, 3-spokes (same as batch A-2469);
- base casting with opening in boss for pushbuttons (same as batch A-2320, 2372 and 2469); and
- base casting with opening for standard (and wider) electric control gear door (same as batch A-2469).

And of course the new square cast brass tag.

Cheers, Vann.
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Batch A-2572.

Postby Vann » 22 Oct 2021, 11:39

The fourteenth batch on the Batch List:

Batch A 2572 - RBs 834 to 905 - 72 machines commissioned 23rd June, 1950:
RB 839, test 41647, of 1952 - New Zealand - Wadkin Ltd. cast tag;
RB 849, test 41831, of 1952 - New Zealand - Wadkin Ltd. cast tag;
RB 858, test 41973, of 1952 - New Zealand - Wadkin Ltd. cast tag;
RB 876, test 42337, of 1952 - New Zealand - Wadkin Ltd. cast tag;
RB 884, test 42634, of 1952 - New Zealand - Wadkin Ltd. cast tag;
RB 886, test 42636, of 1952 - New Zealand - Wadkin Ltd. cast tag;
RB 893, test 42643, of 1952 - New Zealand - Wadkin Ltd. cast tag.

The first thing of note is the introduction of the 3rd type of fence.

RB 839b.jpg
RB 839 - rear view.
(942.12 KiB)
RB 876.jpg
RB 876.
(901.96 KiB)
RB 884.jpg
RB 884.
(237.6 KiB)
RB 886.jpg
RB 886.
(558.15 KiB)

This fence is the basic fence off the larger Wadkin RD surface planer (12" & 16"), but without handwheel adjustment. This fence has two gates, as opposed to the single gate on the first and second types of RB fence.
RD fence.jpg
RD fence - you can just make out the pattern number "RD 13A".
(457.19 KiB)


Note that it required a modified infeed table with a larger (and possibly repositioned) landing for the fence mounting.
RB 839f.jpg
RB 839 fence - again the pattern number "RD 13A" is visible.
(303.87 KiB)

The same fence was also used on the Wadkin RM planer/thicknesser.
RM fence.jpg
RM fence.
(1.24 MiB)

These machines have the following features:
- 3rd type of fence, making its debut;
- 4th type of handwheels - cast aluminium, 3-spokes (same as batch A-2469 and A-2547);
- base casting with opening in boss for pushbuttons (same as batch A-2320, 2372, 2469 and A-2547); and
- base casting with opening for standard (and wider) electric control gear door (same as batch A-2469 and A-2547).

Cheers, Vann.
Last edited by Vann on 14 Apr 2023, 11:12, edited 3 times in total.
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Two More Recently Spotted RBs.

Postby Vann » 27 Jan 2022, 04:30

I've quietly been adding more RBs to the lists, but the thread has slowly been dropping down and might soon be on page three :shock: :eusa-snooty: It needs a bump.

So here are two more RBs, early ones, to add. RB 308 and RB 349.

RB 308.

RB 308a.jpg
RB 308 front view.
(1.13 MiB)
RB 308b.jpg
RB 308 rear view.
(1.07 MiB)


RB 349.

RB 349a.jpg
RB 349 front view.
(1.34 MiB)
RB 349b.jpg
RB 349 rear view.
(874.59 KiB)

Both surface planers appear to share the same features:
- second type of fence (with distinctive "classic" tall link);
- second type of handwheels - cast, knobbed; and
- base with no electrical provisions (no switchgear cabinet, no opening for "On/Off" pushbuttons), and therefore have the arched opening at rear.

In fact the biggest difference is that one was built in Wadkin & Co. days (pre-1936), while the other was built by "Wadkin Ltd".

wRB 308 5098 UK.jpg
(1.24 MiB)
wRB 349 7634 UK.jpg
(1.67 MiB)
RB 308, test 5098, of March, 1936 - United Kingdom - Wadkin & Co. cast tag; and
RB 349, test 7634, of Sept., 1937 - United Kingdom - Wadkin Ltd. tin tag.

Edit: test dates confirmed for these two machines.

Cheers, Vann.
Vann
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Re: Developement of the Wadkin RB Surface Planer.

Postby Vann » 19 Jan 2023, 09:21

I've quietly been adding more RBs to the lists, but the thread needs a bump.

As part of a separate project, I've been working on establishing Test dates for Wadkin machines leaving the Green Lane works in Leicester. This has taken on extra importance as Wallace has decided to discontinue his wadkinrestorations website, so there is no longer a quick reference for dating Wadkins.

Working with a contact at the firm who hold Wadkins records I've been working through the 1930s to establish Test dates for early machines (the wadkinrestorations site started at 1937). I have recently received information on test dates for 1932 and an RB surface planer turned up as tested early that year.

1493 - RBA 200 F32 s2.jpg
Copy of Wadkin's original test page for Test 1493.
(543 KiB)
RBA 200, test 1493, of 2nd February, 1932.

I'll add it to the lists on previous pages.

Cheers, Vann.
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