Baker WB rebuild

[Jim Corcoran]

This is another project that followed me home yesterday. It’s a Baker WB. Anyone have an idea what this is stenciled on the head? It’s not very legible in the attached image but appears to be “WB5101” on the first line and “0537” on the second line.

WB5001_0537.jpg

I hope to rebuild this and put it up as a spinner. Don’t know how successful I’ll be. It’s pretty much frozen up. As always, any help is greatly appreciated.

Jim

[billcobb]

WB parts list is in the library here. Crank case is usually Wx-3A

[Jim Corcoran]

WB parts list is in the library here. Crank case is usually Wx-3A

Yea, I had already gone through all the documentation I could find. Nothing close to these numbers found. Just hoping someone here might have come across something like this.

[windybob]

Jim, I don't know what those are, I've never seen them like that. I've seen a ship load of those, but not with stenciled numbers. The case number is on the snout. The number on the helmet is the helmet number, not the case number. I think it's WB21 on the helmet.

Pull the top, blow it out, soak everything with thin oil. Makes for a great mouse house in there. those are about as simple as a mill can be. Came out in 1932, long neck style. 1939/40 went to the short neck style, turntable on the top of the tower, and also changed the tail from swallowtail, to vertical.

See if you can work the hub back and forth. If not, start by taking things out of the "iron vault" case. I will let you know what to start with inside the case when it's cleaned out pretty good. No babbitt in these. So, heat won't melt any bearings out.

[Smax]

Jim use care when removing hub and shaft that hub is brittle found out the hard way a few months ago. Still looking for a new hub for the one I broke. Windy told me the proper way to get the shaft out and the second one I did went smooth.

[windybob]

I'm working on a 12-A now that was completely froze up. Got the bull gears out yesterday, and the pitmans off. crosshead off too. working on the yoke now.

Lesson? .........take your time, lots of penetrating oil, and tapping on areas to help it soak in. Start working things slowly, until they start to give.
I know you know this, but newbies here maybe don't. Just good advice.

[Jim Corcoran]

Bob & Steve,
Thanks for the advice and encouragement. This will take a fair bit of acetylene and PB Blaster. Looking forward to getting started. This is the fun part.

If all goes well I plan to mount this on a three legged Stover tower. Other than modifying the upper legs to accommodate the WB head plate and storm stay, anything else I should consider? You guys know a lot more about this than do I.

Thanks again,
Jim

[windybob]

You will have a few questions as you go. However, the mainshaft is probably not froze up, it's on brass bushings. Probably either the rocker arm on top. or the bullgear on it's shaft. They are steel on steel. Oh, the pitman is too. Gee, come to think of it, that's about all there is in the head. very simple.

[Jim Corcoran]

Found my first major problem. While cleaning off much accumulated West Texas red dirt, I discovered this broken ear that holds the sheave shield assembly to the main casting.

Broken ear.jpg

Is this reparable or do I need to find another housing?

Regards,
Jim

[windybob]

I can't seem to get my bearings here on what's up and what's down. Can you offer up another picture please? Probably not another case, unless something worse is hiding.