Replies

1. 
   JimV | Sep 27, 2006 10:10am | #1

   Nivek,

   You're in luck, while I have no experience at all with Wadkin lathes, I do have some experience replacing bearings. In my most humble opinion, your best bet is to pull the existing bearings and take them to you local bearing shop and ask them to find replacements. Bearings tend to be made to standard sizes and you shouldn't have to much trouble replacing them.

   Good luck!

   Jim

2. 
   RickL | Sep 27, 2006 02:23pm | #2

   You in the states or UK?  Look in your local phone book under bearings.  http://www.packardwoodworks.com has accessories for lathes.

3. 
   JohnWW | Sep 27, 2006 03:39pm | #3

   Does it have ball bearings or are they solid metal? 

   You may be able to find ball bearings, if they aren't an obsolete size or specially configured.

   If they are solid, they are probably Babbitt metal which looks like lead, but they could be brass or even iron.  Depending on how the solid bearings are set up, they can possibly be adjusted to correct for wear, typically by removing shims between the two halves of the bearing housing. 

   Babbitt bearings are renewed by pouring molten metal into the bearing housing around the propped up shaft, something of a lost art these days, but you can do it yourself.  After the metal is poured and cooled off, the bearings are adjusted to a good fit by taking off small shavings of the soft bearing metal in a process called scraping.  A machine shop could rebuild a Babbitt bearing head to take ball bearings, or brass bearings, but this could cost a lot of money.

   Brass or iron bearings can be replaced, but you may have to have new inserts machined to size.

   John White, Shop Manager, Fine Woodworking Magazine  

1. 
   CStanford | Sep 27, 2006 07:24pm | #5

   Oh, those wascally wabbits....I mean Babbitts

   Edited 9/27/2006 12:34 pm ET by CStanford

1. 
   JohnWW | Sep 27, 2006 08:44pm | #6

   Another man who appreciates the best of American culture, I'm a fan of the patron saint of tinkerers Wile E. Coyote.

   John W.

1. 
   RickL | Sep 27, 2006 09:15pm | #7

   Doesn't get any better than http://www.rube-goldberg.com

2. 
   PADDYDAHAT | Sep 28, 2006 07:41am | #10

   JWW. I assure you your safety was not in danger, but on one polaris patrol our submarine captain came into the control room and could only find the two guys driving , the diving officer and the officer of the watch. Where was the forward auxliiaryman and IC electrician, the quartermaster, the firecontrollman and the messenger of the watch?

   You see the movie after the evening meal that sets up on the mess deck was preceeded by several road runner cartoons and as each perpatrator went below to get a "coffee" they dallied a bit to watch the expolits of the road runner, unfortunately they all dallied at the same time and the "old man" went nuts and we didn't see another road runner for a month. Such was the price of the cold war. Pat

1. 
   JohnWW | Sep 28, 2006 05:37pm | #12

   The Road Runner cartoons are really addictive, I'm going to have to dig out my DVD of them when I get home tonight.  Good Story.

   John W.

2. 
   Biscardi | Oct 02, 2006 03:05am | #23

   John,

    

   I completely agree. I grew up in the 60s and 70s on old fashioned violent cartoons. My kids watch these politically correct cartoons now that teach lessons about cooperation and brotherly agape etc . . .

   Hell, if someone doesn't get hit in the head with an anvil or fall off a cliff, it just isn't a cartoon!

   IMHO

   Frank

2. 
   joinerswork | Sep 28, 2006 12:45am | #8

   Charles,

   Babbitt...wasn't he Lou Costello's straight man?  "Hey, BABBITT!!!!"

   Ray

1. 
   CStanford | Sep 28, 2006 02:14am | #9

   Kind of blended into more of a heeyyyyabbott.....but a good one nevertheless Ray.

4. 
   BruceS | Sep 27, 2006 04:10pm | #4

   If the bearings are the roller type I would suggest Timpkin or SFK,  Both of which are execlent bearings.   If they are poured babbit, You may have to pull an old millright out of retirement.   There are some Industrial motor repair shops that still repair babbited bearings.

   Work Safe,  Count to 10 when your done for the day !!

   Bruce S. 

    

5. 
   gb93433 | Sep 28, 2006 08:37am | #11

   Wadkin is still around. I would contact them first.

1. 
   Nivek | Sep 29, 2006 03:40am | #13

   thanks to all for you replies.

   i've tried to contact wadkin with no success. a bearing shop is a good idea and will be the place i go once i have the things out. i am not to optimistic because most of the nuts and bolts i removed are really odd sizes.  got my fingers crossed!

1. 
   gb93433 | Sep 29, 2006 04:55am | #14

   You might try contacting Craft Supplies at http://www.woodturnerscatalog.com/They are very knowledgeable about lathes. They are woodturners. If they do not know they might be able to steer you somewhere. Showroom/Store:
   1287 E. 1120 S.
   Provo, UT 84606
   Monday - Friday, 8:30am-6pm, MSTPhone Orders:
   1-800-551-8876
   Monday - Friday, 7am-6pm, MSTCustomer Service:
   1-800-551-8876
   Monday - Friday, 7am-6pm, MST
   Email Customer ServiceTechnical Support:
   1-800-398-2743
   Monday - Friday, 7am-6pm, MST
   Email Technical SupportFrom outside the USA and Canada:
   801-373-0917
   Monday - Friday, 7am-6pm, MSTFax:
   801-377-7742Years ago CB Tool in CA carried a number of brands
   http://cbtoolgroup.com/cbtool.html

   Edited 9/28/2006 10:03 pm by gb93433

2. 
   gb93433 | Sep 29, 2006 05:02am | #15

   I think that the machine is British made.

3. 
   RickL | Sep 29, 2006 03:30pm | #16

   Screws are probably metric. I get bearings from http://www.bearingbrokersinc.com   I pay $1.40 for bearings for a unsaw versus $20 from Delta. Never buy bearings from the machine manufacturer. I deal with Wadkin on a regular basis with our 12" moulder. Not sure how much old stuff is supported.

   (336) 665-1907  Wadkin USA

   Lathes are real easy to work on.

   wwwpackardwoodworks.com for generic lathe stuff.

4. 
   trialnut | Sep 29, 2006 05:22pm | #17

   If this is an older machine all the bolts are most likely Whitworth. If I remember correctly Whitworth wrenches are labeled for the bolt size (threaded part) that they fit rather than the head size of the bolt, but you can find US sizes that will fit. The devil in this is that British Standard thread is cut at a 55° rather than 60° like SAE. This means a 1/4" Whitworth is the same OD as SAE but the thread angle is different and the thread pitch is usually different, so neither SAE or metric will fit. I don't know if Whitworth bolts are still available anywhere or not.

   Rich  The Professional Termite

1. 
   Nivek | Sep 30, 2006 04:48am | #18

   that is sounding alot like my machine. i am quit sure it is not metric after exhausting all those tools in my shop also.

   thanks

6. 
   Troy | Sep 30, 2006 11:48pm | #19

   For whitworth wrenches you might try snap-on at one time they had them in their catolog. Sounds like a really nice lathe and worth the effort to get it spining.

   Have fun and welcome to the world of semi obsolete cast iron.

   Troy

1. 
   Nivek | Oct 01, 2006 04:31am | #20

   i purchased it at a government auction a couple of years ago and had it turning but the bearing started getting loose on me.

   fantastic machine, a real beef! all told, 10' long and it must way a ton literally!

1. 
   Troy | Oct 01, 2006 09:46pm | #21

   If you have not seen it there is a very useful website for old machinery called owwm.com they have a lot of neat info.Troy

7. 
   philip | Oct 02, 2006 02:19am | #22

   Niv,
   I also have a Wadkin-it has been seen on this forum. Not as big as yours, but I know the model you have I think.
   It will have Imperial bearings, and you should have no problem getting these from a dedicated bearing supplier, especially if you get the numbers off of the old ones.
   I even named my dog from this lathe- see the pics.

   Philip Marcou