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  1. #16
    Join Date
    Mar 2017
    Location
    Melbourne
    Age
    64
    Posts
    221

    Default Sand blasted and powder coated stand

    The stand was pretty rusted, so I decided to get it sand blasted and then powder coated. I thought I'd publish the details in case others were thinking of going down this path. The sand blasting cost $150 and the powder coating cost $120 (two separate suppliers, in the Keysborough, Victoria area). The powder coat bloke told me it would have been considerably more expensive if I had insisted on a custom matched colour. He used the standard Colorbond colour Wilderness, so that was available 'out of the gun' and kept the cost down. I gather this is a common choice for Hercus restos, but in my case it was not a particularly good match. Not that I mind the colour, but is was lighter than the original. I had already colour matched the original lathe colour down at Bunnings (must have fluked finding a helpful bloke in the paint department), which was a deeper green than the Wilderness, and have repainted the lathe that colour. So, now I have two shades of green. I'm OK with this, but as others have commented, there is a bit to say for picking a standard, off the self, easy to get colour and accepting that it is not 100% match for the original Hercus colour. Before and after photos below - hard to tell the colour difference in a photo, but it sort of shows the differences.

    In any case, the stand now looks a million dollars and the robust powder coat will outlast me!

    I will start reassembly soon. Hope I can remember where all those bit go......
    Lathe stand.jpgLathe stand after powder coat.jpg

  2. #17
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
    Location
    near Rockhampton
    Posts
    6,216

    Default

    I am not a big fan of powder coating. We had some inside use only steel furniture done, few years later rust is coming through.
    Gold, the colour of choice for the discerning person.

  3. #18
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
    Location
    Adelaide
    Age
    68
    Posts
    1,373

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by .RC. View Post
    I am not a big fan of powder coating. We had some inside use only steel furniture done, few years later rust is coming through.
    It depends largely on the preparation work and the skill of the people applying the coating.
    We use it on our superkart chassis which would have to be one of the more severe tests it could endure - the chassis is designed to flex (no suspension), it runs at speeds up to 240 kph an inch or so from the road surface so gets blasted by a lot of junk off the surface and gets run in all weathers - not to mention straddling the kerbs from time to time.

  4. #19
    Join Date
    Mar 2017
    Location
    Melbourne
    Age
    64
    Posts
    221

    Default

    Yes, I think preparation is the all important element. Time will tell with my job I suppose.

    Sent from my SM-G920I using Tapatalk

  5. #20
    Join Date
    May 2015
    Location
    Newcastle
    Posts
    62

    Default

    I agree with Steve and think that was a good buy, loads of stuff, had it been closer to me I may have been tempted to put a bid in on it, not to much work to replace a few gears and a little paint, sounds like it found a good home


    Evaporust is a bit hard to get.

    I found Evaporust at supacheap, loads of the stuff, only thing is it's a little expensive as I've had to buy several bottles of the stuff and your right Silversprings, it's good stuff, washing soda also works a treat

  6. #21
    Join Date
    Mar 2017
    Location
    Melbourne
    Age
    64
    Posts
    221

    Default

    Thanks. Very happy with the purchase. Saving a fine old piece of Australian industrial history from rusting away under the house, and giving it a new lease of life. Really enjoy that.

    Evaporust. You reckon it is expensive; I checked the supacheap price and it is pretty good compared to the $145 for 5L I paid a few years ago. The next bottle is coming from supacheap, that's for sure! As a side story, my wife's auntie died in her 90's last year and we had the job of cleaning up her place etc. It turns out she locked up her husbands shed when he died 40 years ago and it has never been opened by anyone for all that time. I was lucky enough to open up this time capsule. He was a keen woodworker, car tinkerer and radio/electronics man - he had a treasure trove of old goodies (in my opinion....) but much of it had suffered greatly over the 40 years, with many fine old (English and Australian) tools rusted up and looking pretty sad. That's when I got on to the Evaporust. Between that and the wire wheel, I was fairly successful in resurrecting a good many nice pieces. So, the Evaporust has had a lot of metal/rust run through it, and it has served me well for the Hercus clean up. It is a pretty black soupy drop now, but amazingly, still seems to work. I figure my $145 investment was worth it.

  7. #22
    Join Date
    May 2015
    Location
    Newcastle
    Posts
    62

    Default

    Sounds like you hit a double jackpot, I love the old stuff. old tools are made from different steel back than, the good steel.

    I bought evaporust from supacheap a couple of years ago and I want to say I paid $35 or $40 a litre back than so it may have gone down in price since and that's always a good thing. I would like to see some photos as you put your lathe back together, I'm sure there are other that would like to follow it's restoration if possible

  8. #23
    Join Date
    Mar 2017
    Location
    Melbourne
    Age
    64
    Posts
    221

    Default

    A couple of progress shots. The saddle gears (and in fact the whole lathe) was pretty clogged up with swarf and years of gunk (and rust). I've completed the bed, gearbox, tailstock and saddle/slides. Moving on to reassemble the head now.

    It would have been nice to make it into a show piece, with lots of attention to the paint job and finish, but in the end, I want it to be a useful machine and do some work like it was designed to do. Sadly this means the paint job will suffer some dings and nicks in service. So far, despite the dirty condition, the key parts all look to be in good order with little wear. Now cleaned, oiled, and adjusted, the completed assemblies are tight where they need to be, and work smoothly.

    So far so good......
    Saddle gears before clean up.jpgSaddle and tail 1 .jpg

  9. #24
    Join Date
    Mar 2017
    Location
    Melbourne
    Age
    64
    Posts
    221

    Default

    Another work in progress update. The gear train is finished - before and after shots below.
    The head stock is 90% done, I'll post some progress shots soon.
    The only thing left is to clean and make-safe the electrics. Not sure how common my set up is; it looks totally original, with a GMF Cadet 3/4 horse cap start single phase motor, and a Siemens off/forward/reversing switch. I'll post some shots and a wiring diagram, if others are interested.
    Gear train before shot.jpgGear train after shot.jpg

  10. #25
    Join Date
    Mar 2017
    Location
    Melbourne
    Age
    64
    Posts
    221

    Default

    Two questions:
    1. What is this little 'thing' that lives in a blind hole in the tail stock? I bet I'm not the first to ask....
    Tails stock thing.jpg

    2. Is the bolt in the tumbler selector redundant? I understand why it is needed in the older models (like my old '43 model C) which do not have the indexing plunger, but in this case it appears to be something you could leave out without much drama - or does the tumbler assembly start to wander out if this bolt is not tight?
    Gear train tumbler bolt.jpg

  11. #26
    Join Date
    Jan 2011
    Location
    Far West Wimmera
    Age
    63
    Posts
    4,049

    Default

    The first one is called a Dauber and is (was) used to apply lubricating grease to the dead centre and centre hole when mounting stock between centres.

    Dean

  12. #27
    Join Date
    Mar 2017
    Location
    Melbourne
    Age
    64
    Posts
    221

    Default

    The resto is petty much complete. I still have to tune it up and make the final adjustments, but essentially, it is done.
    Thanks to you all for your 'likes' and helpful input.
    I'll still draw up the electrical diagram, as I haven't found one on the forum (or web) which matches the set up I have. It might help someone else out. When I get a minute (ha, ha) I'll draw it up.
    Before (from the original eBay ad) and after shots. The colour looks very different between the photos, but that is more to do with the different cameras and lighting. The colour is pretty close to the original.
    Cheers, Tony
    Ebay pic 3a.jpgNearly finished.jpgNearly finished 2.jpg

  13. #28
    Join Date
    Jun 2007
    Location
    sydney ( st marys )
    Age
    64
    Posts
    4,887

    Default

    Have you thought of moving the forward/ reverse switch to another location from where it is currently mounted?

    From the original photo it looks as if it has been hit with coolant and dwarf,not always good to have to lean or reach over a lathe to turn it on or off.

    There may be room on the left hand side cabinet to mount it.

  14. #29
    Join Date
    Mar 2017
    Location
    Melbourne
    Age
    64
    Posts
    221

    Default

    Thanks for that suggestion. The previous owner had used it for metal spinning (and a lot of wood turning, but that's another story about why there was so much grot over and in everything) and there was a lot of waxy like stuff which must have been thrown off the work as it spun - it was all over the switch. Stuck like glue. So, yes, not an ideal position. The original factory position for the switch would have been even worse - see photo below. The previous owner had made up the extension bracket to move the switch out of the way (or less in the way). I will be fabricating a splash guard, hopefully that will help tame the spray (a bit). Still, as you say, leaning over the rotating work to turn the thing off is not ideal.
    Hercus A.jpg
    McPhersons 1966 catalogue (page 176). Just for interest. Different switch (drum style) but in the same position - right in the middle of the turning action.
    McPhersons catalogue 1966 Hercus p179.jpg

  15. #30
    Join Date
    May 2015
    Location
    Newcastle
    Posts
    62

    Default

    Very nice

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