Thread: A Hercus owners register??

Hi on the Forum, As you can see by both Ken and Pipeclay this is exactly what I was talking about

We have no rubbish just you own a Hercus the serial number the year ? and condition and plus any special little add ons you have done to improve your Hercus 9" and I will give it 6months or so and then I will then start a new Thread with all the Hercus Owners and their machines so anybody can ask another Hercus owner a question without having to wait for a Answer

The Serial Number and you user name is the main requistes if you have a date great like Pipeclay he has described all the lathe plus all the extras which is a bonus as how many times have you been stuck with cutting metric or Imperial threads ???

Drummond has the list of years of Manufacturer so we can add that in

But non of this BIG BROTHER that Ken had from a few Forum Members

Remember these lathes are minimum 30years old approx and are very scarce and with luck may end up finding a lathe for parts that could be a worthwhile bonus or like I have found out there are a lot of old 9" lathes still sitting under Schools or in the back shed as the owners do not think they are worth much and are to bloody heavy to get rid off

That is how I got mine the old bloke had no way of moving it and $300 later a complete running lathe sat on my bench

My 1941 Tassie Devil VB316 was the same the cost from Tassie to Victoria was to expensive but I waited 6 months and the owner had to come to Victoria to pick up some parts and it was only 10 minutes away from my House so he delivered it to my door

I know of 2 people who have 6 Hercus 9" lathes between them but as grotty as they are and with all the latest machines around them they are not for sale as they are way to handy

So I will stop bitchin when you Hercus owners put up you hand and let me know not write anymore than what I have stated if you send me more details they will be discarded as this is just a Hercus 9" Owners Help me out list and nothing more

all the best Derek
A4891
VB316

Hi all at the Forum, this is my third email today as I found a reply from Retrommilling that intruiges me
As you all by now know no personel details are required
All I want is your user name (NOT TRACEABLE)
the Year and Model (WHICH YOU HAVE PROBABLY GIVEN BEFORE )
The Serial Number (NOT TRACEABLE)
Year and Condition (WHO WOULD CARE)
And Any Mods or places were parts can be obtained
(ONLY HERCUS OWNERS WANT THAT )

So Retromilling please explain your reluctance ??
There are no names and addresses or Phone Numbers
All the details I want is readily available on the Forum anyway ( EXCEPT YOUR LATHE DETAILS )
I am Not Big Brother I just want to make a list of hercus Owners so we can HELP each other

If you can find a loophole let me know as all your details are on the Forum

Unless you are not prepared to help another Hercus owner with a Problem

Please email me and voice your negativity and what have I missed in protecting your true identity as the more we have the better the chance a rookie Hercus owner can find help

I have done all my Homework and found all the user names (which mean nothing to anybody else)
and to describe your lathe with serial number condition and age plus colour if original I cannot see that anybody could care less about all the info I want


Up to you just let me know what your problem is to this register
all the best Derek
VB316
A4891

Hi Gene well a new Thread for Hercus Owners has be set by me but I will still be chasing all the details as I have setout as so far my 2 old Girls are Great Grand Mothers compared to the others

But remember only User name Serial No condition colour and any extras or mods

all the best Derek
VB316
A4891

Type- 9" Hercus model AR
Serial No-9453
Mfg year-1964
Colour- blue similar to this -
All matching numbers
It has the 127 tooth gear and lots of others, I better see exactly what
In good condition but paint cracked and chipped.
Mcpersons badge on r/h leg
Twin pulleys on motor and top drive, smaller pulley appears to have been added on.
Slight rust on shiny bits, intend to polish it off?
Had a home made pump for cutting oil I removed it, was bolted onto bench not lathe.
Cross slide has the T slot option also original type cross slide
Knowledge? where is that on my lathe (joke)

Hi gene, by chance do you want to sell the cross slide that has the T-Slots in it as I am chasing one to finish off my Hercus which has a 2" riser block underneath the Headstock giving me more options to make some money as I was disabled from Work in 2002 and my Father got the Lathe to give me a little interest but to build the toolpost assembly requires the T-Slot Crosslide as being machined a riser plate is fitted to the T-Slot Crosslide and new holes drilled to refit the original Top Crosslide as well as machining more T-slots in the riser plate as I have to lift the tool post holder 2" or 50MM approx and the t-Slot Crosslide works out to be the best spart to fix the situation as we can pin and screw the new plate on top without mucking about like we are doing now

So please give me a email to [email protected]
so we can discuss as to have both cross slides is unusual so I would say it would have been bought at a later date

But I am desperate as the only other step is to make a complete new Crosslide which I am able to do but the time to do it and my disability slows me down just a little so please let me know if you want to sell the crosslide ???

all the best Derek

I Have a pattern for a T slot Cross slide from when i made mine you can borrow ti if you like

Hi Chris, you have not put up your hand yet to the Register But I hope you will
As the very reason I am emailing now is someone has something that I need
Wouldn't it be nice to be able to email people who can help you out

That is what the Register is all about Owners helping owners ans Chris has done exactly that as I have been chasing a Cross Slide with T-Slots ever since I lifted the Headstock up 2" or 50MM

so Chris did you make the pattern ???
does it fit on the existing cross slide ?
or is it a complete crosslide built from Scratch ??

As I am not afraid of Big Brother I live in Croydon Victoria 3136
and my email is [email protected]
so if you can give me a email at home about the Crosslide as I am very curious as I was going to machine the end of my Cross slide in 2 places so that I can mount a plate the full length of the crosslisde redril to refit the Top Slide and machine out T-Slots on the other side as I saw a toolpost Holder on you Tube that has a Parting off tool upside down on the T-Slot side that worked brilliantly so give me a email and we go from there or FOOTZ let me know about your one as I have 2 lathes and want to build both the same
all the best Derek Chesworth
Now Big Brother knows who I am BIG DEAL

Hi Derek yes i made the pattern up my self and yes it is a complete cross slidesee photos

nah man kody pointed out they are very handy to have so Ill hang on to it. If you need dimensions I can measure it up. I am beginning to see the advantages of it already.

Hi Chris, I see you live in Melbourne to as I live in Croydon are you close to me or would not like to say on the Forum
If I could borrow the T-Slot Crosslide I could then start making up a new one for my old girl give me a email at [email protected] so we can arrang pickup as I have a mate Workshop that has everything imaginable so I do not think it would take long
At Present I am housebound due to a very bad fall which is not good when you have wires in your spine sending impulses to your brain for pain relief
So Send me a email with where you live and will organise to pick it up and start asap on Monday I Hope and with luck will have it done by the end of the week

all the best Derek

Some info that I have already posted with a bit more for 'registration'
Mine is a plain bearing Model 'B' in a very dark grey, standing on cast iron legs
Serial No B5540
Year 1956
It is stamped ‘BS’ at the tailstock end. (I did read somewhere that the ‘S’ indicates a ‘Special’ and wouldn’t have had a tailstock?? This may be one reason why the tailstock with the lathe is not matching numbers but several years older.)
It has a Mcphersons plate on the change gear cover and came with a bit of tooling including chucks, faceplates, dogs, a saddle stop, change gears and Brobo Waldren toolpost grinder.

The lathe has seen a lot of (ab)use and is now undergoing a slow restoration proceeding as I can find parts and solutions at reasonable prices

Not sure about the refference to the BS stamping mine is also stamped BS but my tailstock has the same numbers as everything else.

Mine is stamped with Serial No. VB1096 with an oval stamp beside it with the letters RGE in it. There is no number that I can find anywhere on the tailstock, inside or out. It looks like it has earned its keep, with little TLC, since 1944.

It has a 3 jaw Bernerd chuck, lantern style tool holder & face plate. It is on the factory cast iron legs and has a splash tray. Under the grime it appears to be grey. The ways are badly worn, as is the underside of the tailstock.

Mine is stamped AR9708 (1965?)
Tailstock stamped 9711
Mostly Blue
Virtually no accessories
Had a hard life, probably in a school - major parts are labeled
Has McPherson's badges and is also stamped BS
I will be looking for steadies, centres, faceplate, milling slide, etc