Build a roller bearing headstock ????

[bitza500]

Hi mad Hercus Owners, has anybody ever modified their standard Headstock to a tapered roller bearing setup???????

Or has someone got a Tapered Bearing Headstock for sale as I have lifted the Headstock 2" or 50mm fo the younger generation and have purchased a Atlas Top Compound ,swivel and bottom compound which the top Compound is 1 1/2" or 40 Higher that the Hercus as the Atlas was a 12" machine and I am set up to machine the 2 swivel as the Hercus pivot fits down the Atlas fits up so as both swivels have a centre hole that lines up I am going to drill and tap the 2 swivels after machining them down to just the round section were the degrees bolt and 4 dowel pins and I have my Headstock 90% finished

But am chasing a Tapered roller bearing Headstock as the 16 speeds I have the old girl wil fly but now am looking at Making or buying a Tapered roller bearing Headstock

I am not fussed by condition so long as the headstock has the mainshaft and the bearings

As It will improve ??? please reply if you disagree????
the running of the Mainshaft and the tapered bearings will take the speed plus the larger parts to machine as I can fit a Chev Flywheel on the Lathe and as mine has no bearings at all am worried about flogging out the Mainshaft?????

So can anyone shed any light on what I want to do or have you got a Tapered rollerbearing headstock lying arond gathering dust ???????

Heres hoping someone can help as with the no bearings I cannot fit the larger and faster motorplus the 3 stage motor to top pulleys I have fitted and the shaft replaced and bronze bushes fitted instead of straight on the castings
So Here is hoping as I think the tapered bearing Headsock would be differnt in size ??? or are the they the same just machined out to take the bearings ??????

Any Help pleas as I am now getting down to the last nuts and bolts but the Headstock is a bit worrying
all the best Derek bitza500
[email protected]

[pipeclay]

Find it a little bit hard to understand what you have written,it all seems to flow into its self.
You have allready raised your Headstock with Riser blocks,I assume you have also made the same mod to the Tailstock,Why dont you just put a Riser block under your tool post rather than adapting the Atlas type.
In regards to a Roller bearing Headstock the castings are different,you could modify a Plain bearing Headstock but time and cost would be great,you would virtually have to re-engineer the whole housing.
If you mainly intend to machine Brake drums and Fly wheels cant really see a problem with the original set up you have,just keep the lube up to it.
The weight of either should not be a problem,and the RPM that you would need would allready be suitable from what you can get from your twin pulley set up,if anything you may have to look at putting a smaller pulley on to reduce your RPM further due to the Diameter of the items your turning.

[damian]

First of all raising your headstock has seriously weakend your machine. Running it at high speed is unwise.

Second why do you want to run it so fast ? The optimum cutting speed for any material is the relative speed of the tool and material, therefore the larger the diameter the slower you need to go.

Third, roller bearings are really expensive, and apart from useless high speeds don't really offer any advantage.

There is a reason bigger lathes are much more heavily built than smaller ones. Hercus didn't put the spindle so close to the bed for no good reason. The forces generated by spinning out of balance work/chuck etc together with the forces involved in cutting the job grow exponentially. I really understand wanting a bigger swing, but your probably better off getting a bigger lathe. I do most work at about 200 rpm, and I've never needed to go over 800 unless I'm polishing. I don't understand why you would want to. It's dangerous.

2c.

[.RC.]

as mine has no bearings at all am worried about flogging out the Mainshaft?????




no bearings at all??? Shouldn't it have plain bearings???

and for the record plain bearings are/were used on the top quality tool room lathes...With plain bearings the metals are not supposed to actually touch as they are separated by a film of oil as the shaft turns..

[bitza500]

Hi All as I have had 3 comments I thought I had better explain the main reason for the mods 1 Machine 10 1/2" stainless steel The hercus or SouthBend did not change its size much over the years and the 2" lift was to machine a certain job plus oddball brake and flywheels The riser has been precision made to within (to close to call) as the American who made it agreed that the 9" was to small a centre height SouthBend then introduced the 10K whic is 1/2" higer headstock and 1/2" higher tailstock
I have spent 6 months working the setup
1. The Hercus Top Compound was to fragile
2.The Atlas is off a 12" lathe is same length just mad stronger and higher
3. the building up the toolpost which I did proved useless as the Hercus Top Compund was balancing on a 3" x 3" block of steel 2" high with the hole drilled so the swivel could be used still not strong enough
I haunted until I found a Top Compund that was similiar to the Hercus heavier built and I do not have to put a riser block as it is to highas a Standard unit so the Atlas was the choice

As for the the riser being dangerous it is only dangerous in the wrong hands I know the jobs and the speed required and unless it can snap 2X 8 Grade Bolts holding it down it is not going anywhere on the trial run I used Mild steel bolts like the Factory supplied
I have had plenty of people say I am wasting money
Well I have a near full restored Hercus 13" x 40 "a 3 row adjustable pulleys on the main Drive No Massive ugly toolpost as the Atlas sits on and needs very little Machining and 4 pins and 2 bolts all for under a $1,000.00 plus the top shaft bearings are have bronze bushes fitted plus a new shaft

I know a lot of people thing I am mad but lookat at some of the crap lathes they make now and mine has lasted 60 years with very little wear
I am building for the sake of because I can and I know it works plus taking in consideration of all the lathe work I may have to do
It is over enginered it has to many pins and bolts holding the top compound to the hercus Modified swivel I have gone from the super slow speed to Bloody fast
This is why I am chasing the Tapered bearing Headstock as mine does not run bearings it has a Hardened Mainshaft and runs on the Headstock casting
This is my main reason for going tapered bearing

I have had this lathe 12 months and the decision to modify was the shear cost of getting parts machined so I can machine to max 13" in diameter and as small as the chuck will take
The headstock and the riser are a snug fit going over the v's and the steps of the bed
The Top Compound was a challange as there was no reply from any Lathe dealers so I went USA AGAIN The Atlis is just a overgrown Hercus Top Compound andding 1 1/2" on its own without the swivel or the toolpost mounted as I am trying to get to much done to quickly
As I fully restored the lathe only to find the Thrust race was a tad noisy
And that was when I decided to lift all the parts so I can machine all the parts I need and for under $1,000
And as I have 4Wheel Discs on both cars just machining them will save me money my Chev Flywheel cost $50 to be machined

I am in some aspects building a lathe that may be used once a year for certain purposes but the machine is there and it works
I know I am mad but you have to build better and old Fred Hercus made the Hercus very solid which is why I am using the casting strength to lift all the parts without fear of breaking anything
As anyone ever seen a broken Headstock Clamp Bolt ???
They are mild steel mine are grade 8
The Atlas Compound is such a good swap that very little has to be machined
The top of the Compound will be machined and the toolpost base bolted to the compound Once this is done the lathe only has to have the Tailstock riser made and it will be a goer

But as my Headstock does not have bearings I am chasing a Tapered bearing headstock and mainshaft as the top speed is a Lot faster than the original
So can anybody help me out ????
all the best Derek bitza500
[email protected]