Page 2 of 3 FirstFirst 123 LastLast
Results 16 to 30 of 35
  1. #16
    Join Date
    Nov 2017
    Location
    Geelong, Australia
    Age
    57
    Posts
    2,651

    Default

    Generally there's no drama with screwing a leadscrew completely out of its nut, so IMO no need to mark the travel or add a stop.
    One place where it IS good to have a mark is on the chuck so when using larger diameter workpieces you're not guessing whether or not you still have good jaw engagement on the screw.
    This youtube video from Joe Pieczynski (one of my YT fav's) explains it much better than I could: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j6hGlf1F2VY

    Steve

  2. #17
    Join Date
    Jan 2021
    Location
    Sydney, Australia
    Age
    51
    Posts
    25

    Default

    Thanks for the link, Steve. putting a safe limit mark on the chuck is a really good idea. Your explanation was fine, I understood what you meant. I also watched the youtube video, he explains things very well.

  3. #18
    Join Date
    Jan 2021
    Location
    Sydney, Australia
    Age
    51
    Posts
    25

    Default

    I was debating whether or not to disassemble the headstock. The spindle was spinning freely but on closer inspection I noticed some insects had at some stage taken up residence in the bearing oil holes. I didn't want the dirt carried in by the insects spinning around in the bearings so decided to disassemble the headstock to clean and inspect. It came apart quite easily, first I removed the back gear and then slid the spindle out. The spindle needed a light tap using a wooden block to free it and then I was able to pull it out.

    IMG_1085.jpg

    IMG_1086.jpg

    IMG_1087.jpg

    IMG_1089.jpg

    Now that I've taken it apart this far, I'm wondering whether to go further and take it completely apart. If the bars are correctly aligned now, then releasing them from their clamps could create complications later to get them realigned. If they are not correctly aligned, then releasing them from their clamps should not be an issue since it will need aligning anyway. Having the headstock casting free from the rest of the lathe would make it easier to thoroughly clean and repaint. Does anybody have any thoughts or suggestions about releasing the bars from their clamps?

  4. #19
    Join Date
    Mar 2012
    Location
    South Australia
    Posts
    33

    Default

    As mentioned earlier, these lathes were made by a Clarrie Burden in his backyard workshop at Glenunga, a suburb of Adelaide. He used some parts that were common to the Hercus lathe.

    Clarrie and Fred Hercus knew each other as they were both members of the South Australian Society of Model and Experimental Engineers.

    I attended Clarie's house many times by invitation to drive his model locos, 5 inch Gauge, around his backyard track.

    At the very back of his house block was a big heap of, many tonnes, of metal shavings dumped for convenience sake. This would have made an interesting discovery when the property was eventually sold.

  5. #20
    Join Date
    Jan 2021
    Location
    Sydney, Australia
    Age
    51
    Posts
    25

    Default

    That is very interesting, did he build the locos himself?

    Do you know roughly how many of these lathes Clarrie made? It’s hard to imagine large volumes of production coming out of a backyard workshop.

  6. #21
    Join Date
    Feb 2014
    Location
    Werribee, Melbourne
    Posts
    177

    Default

    Just saw this on eBay - the tooth count of the change gears supplied might of interest?
    I see it doesn't have anything like the spacers you mentioned on the cross-slide.

    https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Vintage-...frcectupt=true

    Ray

  7. #22
    Join Date
    Jan 2021
    Location
    Sydney, Australia
    Age
    51
    Posts
    25

    Default

    Thanks Ray. Garry brought that ad to my attention earlier today. I’ve already been in contact with the seller. It looks more complete and much better condition than mine is. Lol. Too bad it’s in Victoria and I’m in Sydney and the border is closed.

  8. #23
    Join Date
    Aug 2012
    Location
    Greenmount, W.A.
    Age
    70
    Posts
    273

    Default

    Calculating the inflation for the purchase price for a back geared lathe with compound slide (in the 1939 advertisement) which is listed as £16/10/- (full price, not sale price), would equate to $1,473.38 in 2019!
    I used this Reserve Bank of Australia's calculator at this site to do this:
    https://www.rba.gov.au/calculator/annualPreDecimal.html

    The plain lathe without backgear or compound slide at £10/5/- in 1939 was a snap at $915.28 in 2019!

    For reference, the 1939 minimum hourly wage of workers, by Federal Legislation was 25c (2/6), so you would have to work 84 hours (before tax) to earn £10/5/- in 1939. Longer for an after tax amount.

    In 2019 the minimum hourly rate was $19.84 per hour, so you would have to work 74.26 hours to earn that amount before tax.

    Working out the tax was too hard!

  9. #24
    Join Date
    Jan 2021
    Location
    Sydney, Australia
    Age
    51
    Posts
    25

    Default

    Alan, converting the value of money from 1939 to present day puts things into perspective. It seems so strange to see such low prices on those old ads not having lived in that time period and experiencing a different value of currency to what we have today. It still seems like a great price at around $1500 for a machine that didn’t come off a mass production assembly line.


    So, I bit the bulletin today and finished taking the lathe apart. All the pieces are now sitting in various compartments of a trolley. Is there a preferred product that works well to clean cast iron? Now that it is all in pieces, I’d like to clean everything well and repaint the non machined surfaces.

    594381AD-C7CC-4D38-AB62-7746FE380B62.jpg2ACBE5ED-13DD-48F3-86C1-1518DBFBF424.jpg882734CD-B0DA-4C57-8BC0-828AE42ECD63.jpg

    The lathe came with a home made stand. The stand needed a little TLC so gave it a good once over with a wire wheel on the grinder to remove any flaking paint and rust then a thorough clean with some turps and a coat of paint. I had a can of yellow rust guard spray enamel so that’s the colour it got. It needs at least one more coat, not sure if I should stick with the yellow or paint it the same colour as the machine. I am also planning on enclosing the sides of the stand to create a seperate compartment for the motor and a storage cabinet in the remaining space.

    6AC501C2-C61A-4441-BD0A-752BEB80910F.jpg535E77F5-9403-4EAF-9F56-7C146BCD4190.jpg

  10. #25
    Join Date
    Sep 2012
    Location
    York, North Yorkshire UK
    Posts
    6,444

    Default

    Hi Jayne, Guys,

    Its always handy to have some storage space under the lathe ! I keep my chucks and various lathe keys and other tools under mine. I also made a drawer to keep things like micrometers and gauges in.

    As far as your stand colour is concerned, I really fancied bright yellow at one time, I even bought a two litre tin of it. I looked awful under the florescent workshop lights. So to match everything else Green became the colour of choice.
    Best Regards:
    Baron J.

  11. #26
    Join Date
    Aug 2012
    Location
    Greenmount, W.A.
    Age
    70
    Posts
    273

    Default

    Was the green "eau de Nil" or "British racing green"?

  12. #27
    Join Date
    Sep 2012
    Location
    York, North Yorkshire UK
    Posts
    6,444

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by A J in WA View Post
    Was the green "eau de Nil" or "British racing green"?
    Hi Guys,

    Supposed to be "Myford" green, but yes, nearer BRG !
    Best Regards:
    Baron J.

  13. #28
    Join Date
    Jan 2021
    Location
    Sydney, Australia
    Age
    51
    Posts
    25

    Default

    Could somebody tell me what this gear is called? It is the small gear on the end of the spindle which drives the change wheels to turn the lead screw when engaged. And is the bracket where the change wheels mount called the banjo bracket?

    Thanks, I am very much learning as I go here.

    22261CA6-E553-41C1-BF90-2656B7093E2F.jpg

  14. #29
    Join Date
    Jan 2021
    Location
    Sydney, Australia
    Age
    51
    Posts
    25

    Default

    I started cleaning and painting the castings, so far the headstock, tailstock, tail mount and saddle have been cleaned and received a first coat of paint.

    Here a some photos after cleaning the grime and removing any loose paint and rust.

    Tailstock
    IMG_1117.jpg

    Headstock
    IMG_1125.jpg

    Saddle
    IMG_1123.jpg

    And a couple photos after the first coat of paint. The paint is White Knight Rust Guard Epoxy Enamel. I've had good success with that type of paint in the past with durability and it seems to stick to just about anything. I'll put a second coat on tomorrow and possibly a third coat after that has dried, depending how it looks.
    IMG_1115.jpg IMG_1130.jpg

  15. #30
    Join Date
    Nov 2017
    Location
    Geelong, Australia
    Age
    57
    Posts
    2,651

    Default

    Looks great. I’m also a fan of that epoxy enamel paint. It’s easy to use and seems to hold up well.

    Steve

Page 2 of 3 FirstFirst 123 LastLast

Similar Threads

  1. Hercus Restoration Log
    By Malibu in forum THE HERCUS AREA
    Replies: 16
    Last Post: 1st Dec 2020, 11:13 PM
  2. Restoration of a Hercus 9A (No. 6625)
    By Vince60 in forum THE HERCUS AREA
    Replies: 20
    Last Post: 10th Sep 2017, 10:03 AM
  3. Hercus Model ARM restoration
    By country kid in forum THE HERCUS AREA
    Replies: 1
    Last Post: 21st Aug 2015, 09:46 AM
  4. Hercus/Bagear bar-bed spindle centre
    By Andrew C in forum THE HERCUS AREA
    Replies: 8
    Last Post: 24th Apr 2012, 01:55 PM

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •