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13th Jul 2017, 12:00 AM #1Novice
- Join Date
- Jun 2017
- Location
- Bellevue
- Posts
- 12
Restoration of a Hercus 9A (No. 6625)
Hi All,
I'm just wishing to share a few details and photos of a 1958 Hercus 9A lathe I picked a few short weeks back.
I picked it up from a gumtree ad for $700. The owner was moving house and just wanted a quick sale. It came with a few cutting tools, a three and four jaw chuck, but unfortunately there were no steadies or face plate.
The previous owner informed me that he bought it twenty years earlier and in all that time he had never used the power feed or lead screw! It doesn't appear to have had much in the way of heavy work or abuse and in general I suspect it wont require much in the way of replacement parts to get it restored.
The lathe came with a 'Cadet' 3 phase motor which I will replace with a secondhand 'Cadet' single phase due to the power source in my garage.
I will be adding a few more photos in due course as I get some of the sub-assemblies stripped, cleaned up, painted and oiled.
Apologies if the photos are not so good on quality.
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13th Jul 2017, 09:45 AM #2Mechanical Butcher
- Join Date
- Oct 2004
- Location
- Southern Highlands NSW
- Posts
- 1,898
Those legs sure give it a vintage look.
There's much to admire about South Bend - Hercus etc lathes.
Spares availability is good too, notwithstanding yours is nearly 60 years old.
Jordan
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20th Jul 2017, 10:41 PM #3New Member
- Join Date
- Nov 2013
- Location
- Australia
- Posts
- 5
Hi Vince60
Very nice pick up. I have the same one which I picked up 30 years ago. Still runs good...
Jim P
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22nd Jul 2017, 12:40 AM #4Novice
- Join Date
- Jun 2017
- Location
- Bellevue
- Posts
- 12
Thanks for the messages guys. It's not hard to see why you guys are passionate about the South Bend/Hercus lathes. While dismantling the lathe I can really appreciate the work that has gone in to making these.
A quick question while I'm online, I presume not all headstocks have the small hole to push in the wire to hold the spring wick down when reinstalling the spindle? My 9A doesn't appear to have them. I will be getting close to replacing the wicks in the coming week but I believe I can use still go through the hole for the brass oil points. Is this correct?
Vince
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22nd Jul 2017, 02:08 AM #5Most Valued Member
- Join Date
- Jun 2007
- Location
- sydney ( st marys )
- Age
- 64
- Posts
- 4,890
Yes.
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23rd Jul 2017, 01:07 AM #6Novice
- Join Date
- Jun 2017
- Location
- Bellevue
- Posts
- 12
HI Pipeclay, Thanks for the confirmation.
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29th Jul 2017, 01:05 AM #7Novice
- Join Date
- Jun 2017
- Location
- Bellevue
- Posts
- 12
Hi again,
Just reporting back on some progress on the restoration after working on the 9A every night after work and several hours each weekend (I cant get enough of it at the moment). I have cleaned and painted the major components now and I have reassembled the tailstock, quick change gearbox, saddle and the tailstock. I have included some photos of the progress of these latter items.
I have a feeling that the friction clutch hasn't gone back together correctly as the action of full clockwise to full anti-clockwise doesn't appear to be travelling as far as it used to before I dismantled the apron. I will removed the parts, check it and try again but I may seek some advice it if doesn't go well again.
When cleaning out the apron I found that instead of felt wicks there appeared to be paraffin lamp wicks in a couple of the holes! were these used instead of felt back in the late 50's or is it likely that someone has replaced them with the next best thing they had available?
Saddle and small components.jpgTailstock quick change gear box and apron.jpg
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10th Aug 2017, 12:10 AM #8Novice
- Join Date
- Jun 2017
- Location
- Bellevue
- Posts
- 12
Hi All,
I have almost completed the restoration of my model A (photos coming soon) and whilst testing the lathe out I came across a small issue and thought I would pose a question; when I engage the longitudinal feed the saddle moves from right to left, however when I drop the drive selector to the lower position the cross slide feeds from the centre outwards! I have watched a youtube video ('South Bend Model 9A Metal Lathe walk through') and noticed theirs was the same. So, after taking a longitudinal cut towards the chuck and you wish to face the work off, you have to stop the chuck, change the reversing lever, restart the chuck then make the facing cut. For curiosity is this the same on all Hercus lathes?
Regards Vince
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10th Aug 2017, 10:28 AM #9
I don't know about Hercus, but this is normal for most lathes in my limited experience. My lathe works this way I noticed the opposite occur on a YouTube video so both are used. I also posed this question on here years ago. A lot of people on YouTube tend to face from the centre out. Maybe to save changing the feed direction.
Dean
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10th Aug 2017, 07:54 PM #10Most Valued Member
- Join Date
- Nov 2007
- Location
- melbourne australia
- Posts
- 3,228
It confused me so much I drew arrows on my headstock and saddle with a marker.
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10th Aug 2017, 08:43 PM #11
One benefit is that if you engage the cross slide feed by mistake when you are part way down a shaft then it will not dig in and ruin the work. Likewise when part way across the face. I don't recall any problems remembering which way, I just have a problem remembering to change direction before starting the lathe and having to stop again to do so. My lathe has an excellent foot brake so it is only a minor annoyance.
Dean
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10th Aug 2017, 09:36 PM #12Most Valued Member
- Join Date
- Nov 2007
- Location
- melbourne australia
- Posts
- 3,228
Restoration of a Hercus 9A (No. 6625)
I've never considered putting a foot brake on my 260. It would be dead easy to do with the VFD. What are the advantages? Do you ever find yourself tripping it accidentally?
Edit: or does your lathe have a mechanical brake?Chris
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10th Aug 2017, 10:57 PM #13
No it is in a good position so it doesn't get in the way or accidentally tripped, but not too far to reach easily. It is the full length of the gap between the headstock and tailstock sections. The shaft passes into the headstock casting and actvates a band which wraps around the motor pulley on a flat section designed for this.
It would be easy to do with a VFD. Use a heating element for a resistor.
If I put my weight on the brake it stops very fast.
Dean
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13th Aug 2017, 04:39 PM #14Diamond Member
- Join Date
- Aug 2006
- Location
- Melbourne
- Posts
- 1,106
Only problem with a foot brake on a lathe with a screw on chuck is the chuck could unscrew itself with a sudden stop.
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13th Aug 2017, 08:56 PM #15
Quite true. I don't think a foot brake would be suited to such a lathe. Just asking for trouble. It may be possible to fit a locking grub screw tho? It would need a flat spot to lock to. That is if you want to do this to your lathe spindle thread.
Dean
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