Thread: Help!! Will a Hercus 9" cam lock tail stock fit a 260?

Hi!

Does anyone know if a cam lock tail stock from a 9" would fit the bed of a 260?
Are the beds the same for both machines?
I know the older 9" tail stock probably wont fit but the newer ones look almost the same.

Anyone know?

Thank you!

You shouldn’t have a problem with it fitt8ng.

Isn't the 260 tail stock thicker at the base, to match the higher headstock spindle centre?

What difference would that make to what the question was.

About half an inch.

Potentially useful for taper turning of highly flexible cylindrical material.

As the original post came from a "New member", who may be misled or confused by some of the wisecrack replies, I am adding that regardless of whether an ex-9" tailstock fits a 260 bed, unless the 260 bed has an ex- 9" headstock (???) the 9" tailstock as of itself will be substantially useless when fitted to any 260.

Originally Posted by Donaldo

Potentially useful for taper turning of highly flexible cylindrical material.

As the original post came from a "New member", who may be misled or confused by some of the wisecrack replies, I am adding that regardless of whether an ex-9" tailstock fits a 260 bed, unless the 260 bed has an ex- 9" headstock (???) the 9" tailstock as of itself will be substantially useless when fitted to any 260.

Is it possible to change the base of 9" the tail stock to a 260 base?

Alas, I do not know, perhaps someone else can supply an informed answer.

Even if the top and bottom fit together into a hybrid tailstock, each tailstock is machined accurately to match one and only one bed + and match one and only one headstock combination. Tailstock, bed and headstock each start off with the same matching serial number stamped on all three. They are not intended to be interchangeable. I have bed 1624 with tailstock 1621, that's not a match I am afraid, so I also am set up for taper turning...

Your next question might be, where do I find a 260 tailstock base ? I have never seen these 260 tailstock bases advertised for sale, and Hercus no longer make such parts. Even finding a complete 260 tailstock by itself in a secondhand auction happens seldom. But a complete 260 tailstock seems to me to be what you need to obtain. When you get a complete 260 tailstock, you will probably find that there is a small error in its alignment with the headstock.

Australian Metalworking Hobbyist or Moyles Engineering Supplies have some Hercus parts for sale.

Originally Posted by Donaldo

Alas, I do not know, perhaps someone else can supply an informed answer.

Even if the top and bottom fit together into a hybrid tailstock, each tailstock is machined accurately to match one and only one bed + and match one and only one headstock combination. Tailstock, bed and headstock each start off with the same matching serial number stamped on all three. They are not intended to be interchangeable. I have bed 1624 with tailstock 1621, that's not a match I am afraid, so I also am set up for taper turning...

Your next question might be, where do I find a 260 tailstock base ? I have never seen these 260 tailstock bases advertised for sale, and Hercus no longer make such parts. Even finding a complete 260 tailstock by itself in a secondhand auction happens seldom. But a complete 260 tailstock seems to me to be what you need to obtain. When you get a complete 260 tailstock, you will probably find that there is a small error in its alignment with the headstock.

Australian Metalworking Hobbyist or Moyles Engineering Supplies have some Hercus parts for sale.

Here is a link to what looks like a 260 base:
hercus 260 tailstock base--part No.5h71

As the original tail stock is no where to be found, I will most likely try to convert a 9" tail stock and custom fit it to my current machine.

Originally Posted by Donaldo

Even if the top and bottom fit together into a hybrid tailstock, each tailstock is machined accurately to match one and only one bed + and match one and only one headstock combination. Tailstock, bed and headstock each start off with the same matching serial number stamped on all three. They are not intended to be interchangeable. I have bed 1624 with tailstock 1621, that's not a match I am afraid, so I also am set up for taper turning...

Correction / Clarification

I think the 260 models have the serial number on headstock, bed and tailstock. Three places.

The 9" models have the serial number on the bed and tailstock, two places, unless there is a Norton quick-change gearbox, in which case there is a third appearance of the serial number on the builder's plate on the front of the gearbox.

Originally Posted by Donaldo

Correction / Clarification

I think the 260 models have the serial number on headstock, bed and tailstock. Three places.

The 9" models have the serial number on the bed and tailstock, two places, unless there is a Norton quick-change gearbox, in which case there is a third appearance of the serial number on the builder's plate on the front of the gearbox.

You would also also find them on the thread/feed selector plates of the 9” B&C giving three places on all machines

Originally Posted by pipeclay

You would also also find them on the thread/feed selector plates of the 9” B&C giving three places on all machines

The seiral number on my machine is DGM 20018.
Does anyone know what year this lathe was made?
I looked at serial numbers on another forum but they only went up to around 18000.

There is currently insufficient data, see chart.

Hercus Serial Numbers and Annual Production.jpg

There could be some way of using the software to generate an estimated trend line for serial numbers and production figures beyond 1982. But the result from the available current data would probably be inaccurate.

Cue: the next question comes here...

To fit a tailstock from a different lathe, if needed, you can:

- if the centre is high, machine or scrape at the junction of the base to the upper part.
- If the centre is low, shim the junction.
- If the centre is too far back or forward, use the screws for adjusting offset to correct it, and if desired, re-stamp new centring lines.

A waisted cylindrical testing bar between centres can be used, machined each end to confirm dimensional uniformity.

Anything can be made to fit, just depends on how far you want to go with it.
Kryn