Photo Index - Wadkin Ltd. - RB Surface Planer - Bench Type

Machinery Photo Index

Manufactured/Badged by:
Wadkin Ltd.
Nottingham

True Manufacturer:
Wadkin Ltd., Nottingham

Machine Specifications
Machine Class:	Wood Working Machinery
Machine Type:	Jointer
Machine Size:	9"
Submitted By:	John Vannisselroy

Machine Specifications
Description/Model:	RB Surface Planer - Bench Type
Date of Manufacturer:	October, 1926
Serial Number:	RB 116
Last Updated	8/5/2024 6:42:22 AM

Comments:

I was sent a picture of this machine on 10th May, 2017, and by the 15th I'd paid for it.

It is one of twelve RBs ordered by New Zealand Government Railways in 1926, as part of an upgrade of railway workshops in New Zealand at the time, and was probably delivered in 1928. It is one of three landed at Port Chalmers (Dunedin, New Zealand) - all three would have gone to the nearby Hillside Railway Workshops. I believe it spent it's entire working life in the Pattern Shop at Hillside. When the workshops were closed down ~2012, the Foundry and Pattern Shop were sold to an Australian firm as a going concern. The machine was declared surplus, but unlike several other surplus machines, failed to sell. It was initially stored indoors, but by May, 2017, had spent "several" months outside.

It is numbered RB 116 - and as Wadkin started their model numbers at 105 it is just the 12th RB made by Wadkin & Co. It was tested at their Green Lane works, Leicester, England, on 18th October, 1926, before being shipped to New Zealand.

It has a 5" diameter round cutterblock which holds two 9" cutters on a slight skew. According to catalogue pages of later models of this machine, the tables are 5' long, but this early machine has 3' 9" tables.

The motor is 1.5hp 3 phase, and drives the cutterblock spindle through herringbone gears enclosed in a gearcase. The motor is manufactured by English Electric Co. at their Phoenix Works in Bradford, England (serial number X11328B).

The machine initially went into my rathole, but I couldn't leave it alone. It's now nearing completion. I initially mounted it on a temporary bench (photos 2 & 3), while rebuilding both the machine and the original bench (photo 1). In order to ship the machine to me, the bench legs were removed and the table mounted on a pallet. I have disassembled and rebuilt the bench with new legs (photo 5). I have also reburbished and refitted the switchgear that came with it (photo 6) including replacement steel conduit and new wiring.

Unfortunately an issue with the cutterblock (abused) and with the motor (possibly damaged by me) means it will still be a while before it's making chips.

Photo 1:

Comments: As photographed on 10th May, 2017.
Source: Seller's photograph.

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Photo 2:

Comments: As photographed 15th November, 2017.
Source: My photograph.

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Photo 3:

Comments: The motor was meggered and wired for the first time on 30th October. It's refurbish will have to wait.
Source: My photograph.

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Photo 4:

Comments: Photo of the original test sheet for the machine.
Source: Wadkin Ltd. (through AMS)

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Photo 5:

Comments: The machine back on it's rebuilt bench (June, 2023). Note the "Surty" type guard - actually an "Ideal" guard manufactured by JT Peat Pty Ltd of Sydney, Australia.
Source: My photograph (June, 2023).

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Photo 6:

Comments: Original electrics. Actually the "Auto-Memota" DOL starter (left) dates to the mid-1930s, while the MEM isolating switch (right) dates to the early 1960s.
Source: My photograph (Dec. 2022).

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