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Thread: AR Restoration

  1. #1
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    Default AR Restoration

    Hi All

    I thought that i would upload some photos of my 9" AR that i have been working on, it is a P pattern drive setup that i bought from the place where i did my apprenticeship as a fitter and turner.

    The bed has been reground by Hercus and i have also reground the V slides on the saddle and also the tailstock base (V and Flat) as well as ground the compound rest base (cross slide) and the compound rest top. I have also made new bearing housings for the counter shaft using 6203 3/4 bore bearings to retain the original 3/4 shaft.

    I also have a few attachments for it which are a turret, cut off slide, both travelling and fixed steadies, face plate and dog drive plate, 4 jaw chuck and a quick release collet setup.

    I have a few other Hercus lathes, the others are another Model AR, Model A and a Model B (which i will be looking at fixing it up and selling), and a Model C which i have been using for parts.

    Thank you for reading this post.

    Cheers Steve
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  2. #2
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    Default

    Very nicely done. With the grind it has come up looking like a new lathe.

  3. #3
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    Default

    Thank you YBAF, i still have a bit more to do but it has come up better than i was expecting.

  4. #4
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    Tinkerer77

    That's a very nice job, you put me to shame. I've been refurbishing my AR for the last two years, at least.

    May I be cheeky and ask what do Hercus charge for the regrind etc? I thought they only did 260 beds.

    Ken

  5. #5
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    Hi Ken

    They do take a lot more time than you think to redo them, i thought i would have mine finished in 4 weeks but it has been over 6 months for me and i have another 2 that i need to do as well, but once the painting and all of the little bits and pieces are done they don't take too long to reassemble.

    From memory the bed was about $620 (a bit pricey but the end result is worth it)to get it ground, my bed was quite badly worn, as far as i know the beds on the 9" and the 260's are the same but Hercus do them on a surface grinder so it does not matter which bed they do. i was lucky enough to be able to do the rest of the grinding myself as where i bought it is a grinding shop and my old boss let me use his tool and cutter to do the small bits.

    Steve

  6. #6
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    Default

    $620 for a one-off. I wonder what the set-up costs are for that? Perhaps if Hercus had a few to do in one go I wonder if the price would come down a bit?

  7. #7
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    Hi Steve, congratulations on tackling this. The outcome magnificent. Small thing, but I notice that both the McPhersons tag, and the Hercus thread chart are likewise in good nick. Was this original, or did you refurbish?
    Mark.


    Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by YBAF View Post
    $620 for a one-off. I wonder what the set-up costs are for that? Perhaps if Hercus had a few to do in one go I wonder if the price would come down a bit?
    I asked Hercus that question some time back, it doesn't seem to matter if they do 1 or 20, the price doesn't change. Nice job you've done there Steve.

  9. #9
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    On the subject of the McPherson logo, mine was a sticker now painted over. It was not the old fashioned logo but a modern one.

    Since changing computers, I've lost all the snaps I had of my Hercus prior to restoration.

    If you know of the modern McPherson logo I speak of, please submit an image so I can copy it.

    Ken

  10. #10
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    Ken,
    This is off a 1974 machine, I assume that's the one you need. I might be able to get one off a machine if you want me to try.
    Mal
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  11. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by allterrain50 View Post
    Ken,
    This is off a 1974 machine, I assume that's the one you need. I might be able to get one off a machine if you want me to try.
    Mal
    McPhersons sold a lot of diferent equipment back in the day.
    As an aid to dating machines sold by McPhersons did they change over to decals across all machines at once ?

  12. #12
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    I haven't taken much notice of the McPhersons stickers as they where just the agent. Unlike the machines i haven't tried to date those changes but you are probably right about them changing all a once, I would suspect it was all about cost reductions, not aesthetics.

  13. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by allterrain50 View Post
    I haven't taken much notice of the McPhersons stickers as they where just the agent. Unlike the machines i haven't tried to date those changes but you are probably right about them changing all a once, I would suspect it was all about cost reductions, not aesthetics.
    I see me 60's Kerns has the McPhersons plate whilst a C model Hercus I've got has the decal. (ser. C13406)

  14. #14
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    Hi Mal, re your post #10, yes that's it. A good quality photo and some dimensions would be a great help

    Ken

  15. #15
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    Quote Originally Posted by markpest View Post
    Hi Steve, congratulations on tackling this. The outcome magnificent. Small thing, but I notice that both the McPhersons tag, and the Hercus thread chart are likewise in good nick. Was this original, or did you refurbish?
    Mark.


    Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
    Hi Mark

    The McPherson's tag was in good condition and i did not need to touch it, the gearbox plate and the Hercus name plate on the change gear guard i repainted myself, it actually wasn't as bad as i thought to repaint them, what i did find after i painted the gearbox plate was to use some 800 and 1000 grit wet and dry with some kero to get the plates reasonably flat on a surface plate and then paint it so when you go to sand the excess paint (I found I needed to put more paint in the depressions than I thought I would need) from over the numbers and letters it is much easier and quicker to get looking nice, i used enamel paint on it as well.

    Steve

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