Oxford RT 140

[daleyd]

Just put a cheeky last minute bid on on old oil cooled oxford RT 140, looks clean enough given its vintage but it's marked as spares or repair.

Can't see there being much to go wrong with these, anything in particular to look for??

I got if for £10 quid so even if it turns out to be a pup, I reckon its got to be worth more than that as scrap!

 

[AdrianH]

The typical thing that go are the contacts and blades, they are basically bent copper strips and cast brass blades. I replaced around 15 contacts and two blades on my Oxford after buying it cost around £60 back around 12 years ago, think I went to Pickhill. Unit got sold on here a few months ago.

People forget you have to lift the handle before you turn.

Good luck with it.

Adrian

 

[daleyd]

Thanks Adrian, I take it these contacts and blades are part of the switch assembly? That's the only moving/wearable part as far as I can tell!!

 

[brightspark]

Thanks Adrian, I take it these contacts and blades are part of the switch assembly? That's the only moving/wearable part as far as I can tell!!

 

[daleyd]

I saw your piccies earlier brightspark, when I was looking for some info - though I want sure if they were of the inside of your welder or stills from a Quatermass film!!

I believe youngs still do spares for them if needed?

 

[daleyd]

I'd not noticed the bottom pic before, that makes it a lot clearer how the switch works!

Looks a fair old lump of copper/iron in there

 

[Wendelspanswick]

I'd not noticed the bottom pic before, that makes it a lot clearer how the switch works!

Looks a fair old lump of copper/iron in there

Here a PIC of the inside of mine:

 

[daleyd]

There's something quite weird about the scabby outside cases that have seen years of abuse and the pristine innards that look like they've just been made!

 

[brightspark]

there only half filled with oil so i give mine a shake now and then so the oil coates the upper conections

 

[Wendelspanswick]

Mine came on a sack truck type trolley but whoever designed it put the wheels too far back so to tilt it I have to hang off the handles, it moves well once I've got the welder off the ground but I then have the opposite problem of lowering back down, it always goes down with a thump which handily throws the oil around inside the welder!

 

[daleyd]

Well, took a trip today and picked it up. The wife wasn't all that pleased when I told I was off to Bangor to pick up a tranny but after I explained it was a welder she was ok with it.

It was in a school metalwork class, been there since 1985 or 95 I didn't quite hear correctly and although dirty looks very lightly used.

Will post some pics when I get chance, would do it now but I have to go and pick my aunts and uncle up from a wedding so haven't got time at moment.

Total cost so far = £10.65 for the welder and about £10 for diesel.

 

[eSCHEn]

Ran any beads yet mate?

 

[daleyd]

No I've literally just got it out of the car and it was sold as not working, so the plan is to whip the top off and check all the connections and switch parts. I believe it was working until not long ago and there is not much to go wrong with these short of the blades and contacts on the switch so fingers crossed it'll be an easyish fix.

 

[eSCHEn]

Nicely. Be great to see it up and running again.

 

[daleyd]

Ok, the top 2 pics were as I collected it.

10mins later and 1/2 a can of degreaser later it looks like the bottom pic. It looks almost brand new, hopefully when the top comes off it'll be an easy fix! Result!! (hopefully)

 

[roofman]

Great welders...just watch your lights go dim when you fire the puppy up for a split second,after that there fine

 

[daleyd]

To be honest I wasn't expecting much for a tenner but it looks almost new under all the filth. I guess that's typical for ex school equipment, though I didn't know it was an ex school machine when I bought it, so that was a nice surprise

It's not really needed other than for curiosity value, plus as a back up should my inverter go mammaries upwards.

 

[eSCHEn]

That's a grand looking machine, all the better for getting a scrub up

 

[daleyd]

That's a grand looking machine, all the better for getting a scrub up

Thanks! I've never managed to bag myself a proper "find" before so I'm hoping that whatever is causing it not to work is not too terminal.

 

[eSCHEn]

Thanks! I've never managed to bag myself a proper "find" before so I'm hoping that whatever is causing it not to work is not too terminal.

Did the leads come with it? I'd be tempted to check continuity and remake any less than serviceable lugs. Start at the easy stuff