Induction hardening

[morrisman]

I was wondering if the ways on my Sheraton 9" AR lathe are hardened. Does anyone know how to test this ? Apparently, the Hercus 9" lathes were not hardened ? Found this interesting: Mike

Induction hardening - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Induction_hardening)

[pipeclay]

Try giving some part of it a touch with a file.

[Anorak Bob]

I was wondering if the ways on my Sheraton 9" AR lathe are hardened. Does anyone know how to test this ? Apparently, the Hercus 9" lathes were not hardened ? Found this interesting: Mike

Induction hardening - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Induction_hardening)

Mike,

I did a bit of delving.

From the Hercus 9 inch swing lathe brochure dated May 1970 - "The bed is of close grained alloy cast iron, naturally aged and precision ground. The working surface comprises two outer vee ways carrying the saddle and a third vee and flat accommodating the tailstock. When required beds can be supplied with flame hardened working surfaces."

Mention was made that if a Craftsman lathe was supplied as an instrument lathe it had a hardened bed.

260 serial numbers included an H in the prefix if it was hardened. I don't know about the nines.

BT

[morrisman]

Thanks Bob

I had an idea that some were hardened . Seems it was an option, going by your brochures, on some of the Hercus models . Still not sure about what Sheraton in Melbourne did . The ways on mine exhibit visible wear towards the tailstock end, on the rear V of the pair of Vees , about 2 thou of ridge I would guess , but only at one end. Odd place to wear , it must have been caused by the tailstock being pushed up and down the ways by the students at the tech. school. The bed is also marked with little dents where they have dropped chucks on the bed at the headstock end. Mike

[Greg Q]

FWIW you can still have things flame hardened. Detroit Flame Hardening here in Melbourne can do it, but obviously the bed would have to be in good shape first, then ground afterward. No idea of cost, nor the benefit to a home shop.

Greg

[Oldneweng]

Many years ago I operated a couple of induction hardeners at an engineering firm in Adelaide. We did some stuff from Newcastle Steel mill so the big one was top of the range at the time. I rode in a cage along side of the head of the unit with a corded remote to control the process. The vertical traverse was based on a 25ft lathe bed. The top poked out the roof until an extra bit was built over it.

This unit could do up to about 15in in diameter and about 20ft long. About 1980 it cost around half a mill to buy and setup.

Dean