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Thread: Bed wear
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15th Mar 2015, 12:27 PM #1New Member
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Bed wear
Hi
First post. I have recently aquired a Hercus model AR. I've had a Sheraton Model C for 20 years and I thought it was about time I had power cross feed and a gearbox!
I mounted a dial gauge on the Hercus tailstock's foot and had it bear against the front saddle way about 3" in front of the tailstock. Sliding this up and down the bed shows a difference of 7 thou between the bed center and the end. I guess thats a combination of both tailstock way and saddle way wear.
I tried the same test on the Sheraton; it has less than 3 thou difference over the bed length. It woud appear to be much less worn.
So, the question is: how much wear is acceptable? The Sheraton has a bit of a taper but thats very rarely a problem for the type of work I'm doing. I suspect the worn Hercus will frustrate me more though. Perhaps there is a better way to measure the bed?
There is an option to fit the Hercus A apron to the Sheraton - I'd need to source a Sheraton A leadscrew; the bed is 2" longer than the Hercus. I can feel the purists shaking.... well, these are 50 year old worn machines, I'm trying to be pragmatic.
Thanks
Murray
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15th Mar 2015, 07:45 PM #2
Hercus
Welcome Murray
gee you should have got the Hercus model A I saw today at the auction here . It was near perfect, almost new condition . I was bidding on it but another guy wanted it more than I did
Most of them you see on EBAY are overpriced , there seems to be an endless supply of them for sale . Mike
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15th Mar 2015, 10:06 PM #3New Member
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Thanks Mike. Mine was free - can't beat that price. Looks like its had a hard life though. The pulleys were nearly frozon to the headstock spindle as was the oil screw. Obviously not used in a long time.
I'm giving serious thought to fitting the apron and gearbox to my Sheraton C. The holes are all there, all I need to do is make an extension piece for the shorter hercus leadscrew.
Murray
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17th Mar 2015, 11:39 PM #4Member
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Murray, I would say as long as you're not doing permanent damage or mods to either, go for it! However, the reality is that you can have some pretty serious bed wear, and it never gets anywhere near the contribution of workpiece deflection and all the other variables. Personally I would just let both be, put a 4 Jaw on the Sheraton and a 3 Jaw on the Hercus and use them for whatever comes along.
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18th Mar 2015, 02:58 PM #5Cba
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Nothing beats the ease and pleasure of working with an accurate lathe free of wear and backlash. Nothing.
That said, a talented and experienced machinist can correct on the fly for quite some degree of wear. See some good hints here:
http://www.eztram.com/helpfulhints_r...sp?Hints_ID=13
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18th Mar 2015, 08:35 PM #6New Member
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18th Mar 2015, 08:36 PM #7New Member
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