Wadkin Bursgreen UO/2 Planer

[Marty Schlosser]

I was fortunate enough to have picked up this vintage 18" X 5" planer for a very reasonable price last year. The seller was telling all prospective buyers that it had a 24 amp 3-phase 220 volt motor. I think the size of the motor was the thing that (fortunately for me) turned off other buyers. Despite the high amperage motor he stated it had, I decided to take the plunge. To make a long story short, the motor turned out to be an original Brooks 3 phase 220 volt, drawing only 6.6 amps!

After moving it down into my basement shop - in itself a lot of fun as you can see from the enclosed photo - I connected it to my panel via a VFD (ENC model EN600-250037 I purchased through Jack Forsberg: gforsberg@hotmail.com, ph. 613-298-7507). This electrical arrangement also allowed me to use the machine's original on/off switch.

Here's a few photos showing how I broke the 1,280lb machine into two more manageable parts, and moving its base section down into the shop:
Lowering onto mobile base.jpg Moving down stairway.jpg

Here's the video showing the machine in operation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-XYM2bXWp4w

[Bob Vaughan]

Wadkin is renown for its quality. Looks like you've got a keeper there. I know it was worth all the effort.

[Rick Fisher]

Great looking Planer..

Do you have any more info on how you got it down the stairs ? did you use a winch of sorts to keep it moving slow ?

I have to move a 660 lbs compressor downstairs soon .. Still plotting ..

[Marty Schlosser]

Rick,

There's nothing difficult about moving such machines down - thanks to gravity and well-built stairs!

As you can see in the first photo I have a shop built gantry equipped with a 2 ton chain hoist. I simply make a skid out of 2X6's that I place underneath the machine (using the gantry to lift if). Once I've ensured the machine is firmly fastened to the skid with lag bolts or heavy ratchet straps, I again lift the machine and place pipes underneath it, to enable me to move it about my garage. As you can see in the second photo, I screw a pair of 6/4 hard maple boards to the top of the stairtreads leading down into the basement, spaced so they fit the machine I'm skidding down. You'll also notice I have a also made a set of side rails (4 X 4s) to keep the machine from sliding off the rails as it is being moved downstairs. In the case of the machine you see in the second photo, I decided to keep the roller base on the planer to roll the machine down. I must tell you that having those swivel wheels gave me a lot more difficulty than my usual system, which is simply to slide the skid mounted machine down - wood on wood. The resistance of the wood on wood works out quite well... as long as you're skidding it downstairs. If you have to move a machine up against gravity, I have found that using the pipes worked out really well. But it's a bit of a hazardous work, as you have to continually grab the pipes as they leave the machine and place them in the front as the machine advances forward. I'd hate to see what would happen if the chain or hoist were to fail while my hands were between the machine and the pipes...

Once the machine and skid are ready to move about the garage, I remove the chain hoist and clip it to a chain that's fastened to the garage wall. After that, it's a simple matter of fastening the chain hoist's chain to the machine (I use another heavy ratchet strap) then slowly lowering it over the brink of the stairs and onto the rails, then slowly letting out chain through the hoist.

Hope this all helps.

[Rick Fisher]

So the ratchet strap is how you lower the machine..

You said something that really made sense to me .. My compressor is on wheels.. It would be better if it where to slide down the stairs on a pallet.. Gravity will do the work, but friction will keep it under control ..

I have access to trucker straps.. I was gonna buy a winch ..

I have a shop with a basement under it .. I want to move the compressor into the basement because its annoying .. the wheels are a detriment.. not an asset .. Brilliant.. Thanks so much for that ..

[Marty Schlosser]

No, Rick. I lower it with the chain hoist. The chain hoist hooks to the ratchet straps I've tied around the machine. Sorry for any confusion.

Yes, as I'd done with the base section of my planer, if (repeat, if...) you're careful to keep things under control and it stays on track, that may be an option.

So the ratchet strap is how you lower the machine..

You said something that really made sense to me .. My compressor is on wheels.. It would be better if it where to slide down the stairs on a pallet.. Gravity will do the work, but friction will keep it under control ..

I have access to trucker straps.. I was gonna buy a winch ..

I have a shop with a basement under it .. I want to move the compressor into the basement because its annoying .. the wheels are a detriment.. not an asset .. Brilliant.. Thanks so much for that ..

[Bill Dufour]

Note the way these steps were built. About 300 steps down so they made a trackway for carts to take materials up and down.
Bill D.

http://www.lighthousetrek.com/reyes.html

[Rick Fisher]

How is the Wadkin planer ? You have it running ?