Wadkin RS Lathe Restoration, Part 1

[@stephendonathan6782]

Can't wait to see it run. That's a beast of a lathe. Thanks for sharing! Take care and GOD BLESS 🙏!

[@MartinWoodhead]

Not long to wait Stephen! Part 2 next week and then we will see if it's as good as it looks! Thanks for watching! 😊

[@Umberto.Goglia]

Love restoring and people who restore. It's always a good thing giving old objects a new life...well done Martin!

[@MartinWoodhead]

Thanks very much for your support Umberto! 😊

[@frankiernan183]

Nice one pal there'll be no stopping you when you have that up and running 👍

[@MartinWoodhead]

Thanks very much Fran. Almost done, part 2 next week! 😊

[@jackthompson5092]

What a massive job restoring an old lathe. It will be great to see it running. Well done Martin.

[@MartinWoodhead]

Thanks very much Jack, you can see it all finished and running next week in part 2. 😊

[@philvale5724]

Hi Martin , I am a retired Englishman living in France this is just come up on my KZbin link because I am always been have been interested in Woodturning, This is déjà vu, As I’ve got the same machine, which I purchased back in the mid 90s I got a contract to make a load of pepper pots and some other bits and pieces, I have been a specialist joiner cabinet maker from the mid 70s, When I restored mine I was having problems getting new belt and I had a big problem with the three phase motor. So I contacted a company in Bedfordshire called Lenze, this company was very helpful hello I believe now you cannot go direct, I purchased a inverter drive a new electric motor and some other components so I could drive the machine from 240 to 3 phase, With forward and reverse DC injection breaking, and they told me what size pulls I require and got these at the same time that I got my bearings for the main shaft is a dual pulley system so there is two belts with the same size pulleys and then different pulleys on the bottom shaft of the motor, So there is two speeds on the pulley system, But variable speed By the way of a use of a variable speed pot. The only thing I wished that I had done was turned down the thread on the inboard side of the shaft from inch and 3/8 down to 33m x 3.5 , as this is the most common size for modern day chucks - face plates and accessories and it might of been worth having a hole at 3/8”through the shaft, so if you wanted to, you could put a vacuum chuck onto it, I enjoyed your tutorial keep up the good work be very safe as if you make a slip with this machine you could lose fingers or crush a leg or foot, when assembling, I think I noticed you putting paint under the saddle that lifts out this will raise the saddle up. I just made sure the two surfaces are clean and put a smear of grease on the two mating surfaces, I will look forward to your next part of your renovation, Stay safe, Phil from the moulin in France.

[@MartinWoodhead]

Hi Phil, my original intention was to replace the motor and pulley system, but on dismantling the motor I realised what a wonderful thing it was and the belt looked new, so I decided to keep it original. I re threaded both ends of the spindle with m33 so I could use the attachments I already had. It's almost done, no crushed limbs or injuries! Thank you for watching and taking the time to comment! Part 2 next week and then we will see if it's as good as it looks!😊

[@philvale5724]

Hi Martin , glad to hear you’ve changed the threads on the main shaft, At least now you can buy modern day attachments for it. I’m glad to hear you’re safe and sound as dropping some of these components will definitely do you damage if your legs or feet or hands are in the way, look forward to your next territorial on restoring Wadkin RS8 , I paid around £1000 for mine Back in 1998 and then paid around £500 for new motor and inverter, As you probably know to buy something of this quality nowadays will probably cost anywhere between three and £5000. Hopefully in the not too distant future I’m preparing to turn something on the outboard side starting with something around about 3 foot and then going up hopefully the sky is the limit could be very interesting definitely need a very good and strong face plate. Keep up the good work I’ll wait to see the next one. Phil from the moulin France.

[@carolriley8472]

Wow, that was really a mess! Can't wait to see part 2. That restoration has been quite an undertaking!

[@MartinWoodhead]

Thanks for your interest Carol, you can see it all complete in part 2, from Friday! 😊

[@Ian_Kaos]

Beautiful lathes. Great to see it renewed with love.

[@MartinWoodhead]

Thank you very much Ian! Part 2 next week and then we will see if it's as good as it looks! Thanks for watching! 😊

[@WoodenItBeNice]

Hi Martin, I found this after seeing the Part 2 Video pop up. That is a huge lathe and I wouldn't have the first clue where to start doing something like this. My mate has a Wadkin Table saw and that is also a beast. Great video and off to see part 2 now. Take care mate. Cheers, Huw

[@MartinWoodhead]

Thanks again Huw! 😊

[@SiamWoodShop]

Som far so good Martin, can't wait to see the finished article.

[@MartinWoodhead]

All but done, part 2 next week John! Thanks for watching! 😊

[@randallwilkie4658]

Looking forward to seeing that lathe running Martin. Looks like a beauty!!

[@MartinWoodhead]

I'm looking forward to seeing how it performs Randall, It's almost done so Part 2 next week and then we will see if it's as good as it looks! Thanks for watching! 😊

[@rogerhodges7656]

What a great find! The spindle on that motor is LONG.

[@HeckingtonArts]

Great video Martin I'm looking forward to part 2

[@MartinWoodhead]

Not long to wait Terry! Part 2 next week and then we will see if it's as good as it looks! Thanks for watching! 😊

[@ronnieoreilly821]

Great use for the sash clamps 😱👍

[@MartinWoodhead]

Thanks for watching Ron! 😊

[@JRattheranch]

Sash clamp..... Used as a spanner..... Brilliant.... 🤣🤣 Having owned and restored quite a few Wadkins,, your choice of machine is brilliant 👏! Shame about the battleship grey though! All the Wadkins I've ever seen were a dark to medium green and Wadkin was always outlined in red! But a fantastic lathe! I gave up engineering to take up being a professional woodburner 59 years ago... Hence my intense interest....

[@MartinWoodhead]

Thank you for your interest John. Yes I grew up using wadkin woodworking machines, and they were always green, but I like the grey. With the upgrades made it's a great lathe to use, and a great hobby. I cannot imagine making a living from it, and for 59 years that is impressive! Are you still turning, or are you sick to the back teeth of it!!! 😉🤣😊

[@JRattheranch]

@@MartinWoodhead I started life studying engineering as an Austin Apprentice. Having gained a degree in automobile engineering I realised I hated living near a car factory. So I went back to West Wales and started woodturning for Workshop Wales and Heals in London, amongst many others. That became furniture. Furniture became uPVC windows. (Engineering + woodworking 🤔😉) 20 years later having worked for many German companies... 🤔🤣🤣 I started again as a computer programmer ! And at 72 years old.... Still doing it and building a new house here, in the forrest, just outside Minsk! Lots of lovely timber here, dirt cheap! 👌😉

[@MartinWoodhead]

@@JRattheranch Oops! In my head you were in a dusty workshop where you had been shackled to your lathe for the last 59 years! Nice to know I'm mad! Hope the house build goes well. 😊

[@lancerawlings5401]

A little different project this week. I like it. I rebuilt a 1942 delta- Milwaukee 1400 series lathe a couple of years ago. Certainly not the lathe you are rebuilding. Are you going to use it in your shop?

[@MartinWoodhead]

Yes Lance, I've spent a lot of time doing it so I will definitely be using it! Part 2 next week and then some turning on it! Thanks for watching! 😊

[@loicgoffinet4041]

Bonjour, Magnifique restauration, bon travail. Pourriez-vous me dire où trouver d’occasion des tour à bois de ce genre ? Je suis de Belgique mais ce n’est pas un problème pour moi de savoir . Merci

[@MartinWoodhead]

These lathes come up from time to time on eBay in the UK, and also on a site called Gumtree in the UK. Another place to look out for them is face books marketplace. but of course you would probably need to collect from the UK. Good look! Ces tours apparaissent de temps en temps sur eBay au Royaume-Uni, ainsi que sur un site appelé Gumtree au Royaume-Uni. Un autre endroit où les surveiller est le marché des livres sur Facebook. mais bien sûr, vous devrez probablement les récupérer au Royaume-Uni. Bon coup d'oeil ! Merci d'avoir regardé !😊

[@paulwhite9460]

Hi Martin. I am just about to start restoring my own RS and I wondered if you could tell me how you removed the paint and rust to the main body of the lathe? Also how many coats of paint did you use to get the lovely finish? Did you spray of brush on the final coat? Many thanks. Paul

[@MartinWoodhead]

Hi Paul. I scraped, sanded and burnt the paint off. I soaked the whole thing with phosphoric acid to neutralize and remove the rust. Filled any unevenness with a two part filler. I think I gave it three top coats of Bedec multi surface paint, applied with a foam roller. It's water-based so very easy to apply and very tough when fully cured after about one month. Good luck with your restoration! 😊

[@paulwhite9460]

Thanks Martin 😊

[@calvinbass1839]

Aren't you a handy guy to have around.

[@MartinWoodhead]

Thanks for watching Calvin! 😊

[@glennmoreland6457]

Nah.....yer allrite... As soon as the belt sander was used on that bedway I had to chip out... ☹🇬🇧

[@mfs5493]

Stick to woodworking, please.

[@Ian_Kaos]

No need for comments like this. It’s a woodturning lathe. Just about the best one you can get.