Thread: Hercus 9" Serial Number BS316

Hi Can anyone help me with a Hercus 9"?? I bought on Saturday the serial number is BS316 it is a Model C and came in bits and missing a few parts as well The lathe bed does not have Hercus cast into it the only Hercus is the change gear plat on the gear cover .This was suposedly bought in 1945 by a EX Changi POW in 1945 in Tasmania wer it has sat for the last 10 years .All the parts are identical to my Model A except for the flat belt remote motor and pulley assembly the pulleys are fairly said as it looks like the belt was a old trouser belt and they used the buckle to join together until it broke then they punched 4 holes in the leather and a strip of leather tied together till that pulled the belt apart I would like to show pictures but have given up trying to upload so can anyone give me any info on what the earliest Hercus date of Manufacture is and the BS316 is hand stamped in old style script so any help please

all the best derek

There is a not so old post here on the forum metal section that enumerates serial numbers colours etc. look up under Hercus.

Peter

I have two sets of headstock pulleys you can have one of those, you can pay freight. I know of people who have used V Belts on a flat belt drive if one set is veed or both flat an inside out multi V Belt.

Peter

Found that list of serial numbers yours was made in 1941.
Regards Peter

Always worthwhile giving Mick Moyles a ring to see if he has any parts

Hi bitza500 there a guy on here i down loaded a instruction book from I think his name was beershed?

Hi Pete,

I would be more than interested to know the source of your serial number/date list.

I obtained a copy from member Drummond, and it differs from yours.

Can you also shed some light on the letters BS?

Ken

I have a copy of the Drummond reply to the site dated 5th May saying serial Numbers 142 to 324 Made in 1941 and no I cannot remember the BS explanation.
If you have any knowledge of spare parts for Hercus in Aussie please put it out on the site for the new guys trying to get their machines under way.
Kind Regards Peter

Hi at the Forum I must be smelling to many paint fumes my old Model C is hand stamped in old style script VB 316 sorry to mislead you but I was looking at my Model A and it has BS on the front top of the lathe bed opposite the Serial Number so can VB be explained as for the last 9 months I have searched every where about the hercus lathe and would love to have more sites to read as Hercus is not easy to come across any actual facts and figures and paperwork But I have never seen a Hercus with the Serial Number starting in Letters then Numbers and hand stamped in old style script punches
So if anybody has parts books anything about the belt drive Hercus 9" I would be very happy as this lathe came from Tasmania last Friday and was bought S/H in 1945
Besides that I am stumped the motor and top pulley assembly is seperate to the lathe bed ??? and it comes in 3 colours battle ship light grey a medium blue and a bright orange Motor

So any help in finding plans or parts woul be gladly welcome as this is a very odd lathe

all the best Derek

I wonder if it is a Southbend with a hercus gear cover.

Steve

Bitza500,

Have you tried sending an email to Jim Durden, at Hercus. He may know what the VB stands for.
I have his email address if you need it.

Hercus are currently selling off the remaining bits and pieces they have on eBay.

Pete,

I must have had my glasses on backwards, your list and mine agree. As for Hercus spare parts, they are few and far apart. I usually turn to eBay. There is a company in Melbourne that were Hercus agents, Newmac Equipment P/L, Bayswater North, tel 9720 3922. I've not had any dealings with them, so don't know if they still carry any parts.

Ken

I rang Newmac in Bayswater today enquiring about parts they have a lot of the later Hercus and NO they do not strip down Lathes for parts they have some S/H parts and am going there tommorow to have a look they had a thread dial for a 9" $150 and then a single toolpost holder $20 but they mainly stock the later mdel Hercus so if you intend to go there take the part with you as the late Hercus has a lot of early Hercus parts inside

Hi Ken I contacted hercus when I bought my Model A and sent a stack of pictures and Jeff Vickers 40+ years at Hercus had never seen a lathe like mine with a full stripped down showing all the parts
The Model C would be a waste of time as it would be to old and thehave very little info on the old lathes
In one of your threads you had or heard of a second set of Serial Numbers can you reply about that plus the model C has a seperate motor and top pulley assembly that bolts seperatly from the lathe and I have yet to see a Hercus like that so any parts paperwork or contacts for a flat belt hercus would be gratefull
all the best Derek