Thread: A Hercus owners register??

I think you will find the RGE within a circle is the stamp of the guy who inspected it. In yours and also my case that's R.G Excell. Have a look here for an example of the inspection sheet http://www.lathes.co.uk/hercus/page5.html . Note the signature and the description below the photo.

Thanks for the pointer on oils. I'll have a look at them. Haven't heard of them before.
I know what you mean about the spray of oil when you startup too.

I see the comments about a spray of oil when you start up,where exactly is this coming from and how much is there,sounds a bit unusual.

Mine comes from the upper pulley spindle. I oil the four oiling points on it. The oil then seeps down the side of the large motor pulley and flings it out. I'm constantly wiping the excess oil off that pulley. Could have something to do with my theory that 'more oil is better than less' too.

I don't have belt guards on mine so there's nothing to stop it except of course when I'm in the way.

I thought it may have been coming from the headstock spindle,is the pulley side of your countershaft support badly worn,does the oil manage to get itself onto the pulley at all causing the belt to slip.

I don't think the countershaft is badly worn. I think it's more a case of once you put oil it in there it's going to follow the path of least resistance back out. On the right hand side the oil gets on the shaft retainer but doesn't seems to fling. On the left side with the large flywheel it gets a bit of inertia behind it, tracks down the spokes and tends to initially fling a bit out.

Oil on the belts isn't a problem. It seeps out to the outside edge of the flywheel and either gets flung off or sits there and doesn't track onto the belt. I tend to wipe that flywheel down regularly to remove excess oil so that might help too.

I don't have belt guards on my lathe and can't understand some of the comments I have read about swarf and oil getting on the belts. It doesn't happen on mine. Both belts are dry and as clean as you could expect a belt to be.

Do you have any guarding over the Headstock pulleys at all,do you ever machine any material that throws off chips or are you only machineing slowly and have your swarf drop down to the lathe bed and tray or does it just come off in long spirals.

The only guards on it are the two Bull gear guards. I think that's what they are called. When I first got it the guy didn't even have those installed to it because he couldn't be bothered finding a couple of screws. That looked a bit too dangerous even for me so I got those on.

I've had swarf coming off in chips, strings etc. It sprays to the rear, to the front and to the right but doesn't seem to go towards the left. Just thinking (dangerous I know) but I use a 6" 4 jaw all the time so I'm wondering if that's working as a deflector. Working on larger diameters whick I don't tend to do could cause the problem.

Hey guys,
I might have over stated the amount of oil spray, what I meant was that I probably use more than it needs. I use liberal amounts of the slideway oil over the leadscrew and rack, sticks like honey.
The other lathe I use is a Kerry 1324. This uses a staight gear oil (68 grade) everywhere. It has oil/grease nipples all over the place. I had to order a special oil pressure gun (from the same supplier), to lubricate properly. Works like a dream.
Peter

Here we go.

My machine is a 16 speed plain bearing Model A , serial No 5809 (1956). An original reversing switch and McColl single phase motor are fitted. It came from a deceased estate and was in virtually new condition when I bought it in 1997. By virtually new, I mean that it was unworn, but the paint has suffered the usual crow's feet and chips. In fact, I had to remove the remnants of the original protective grease from the bed with deoxidene and fine steel wool.

Since then I have had to replace the belts, which died of old age.

It is fitted with late model fibreglass belt guards and sits on an original Hercus chip tray and cast iron legs. While this setup is rigid and takes up little floor space, the tray could profitably be four inches wider front and back. As it is, swarf gets dumped under your feet and behind the machine rather than in the tray.

Modifications are limited to a matching maroon bakelite knob fitted to the tailstock lever and small thumbscrews on the cross and topslide dials in place of the original setcrews. This allows the dials to be zeroed in an instant, eliminating mental arithmatic.

As well as three and four jaw chucks, drill chucks, catch plate, face plate, centres etc, I have a number of Hercus attachments. These are fixed and travelling steadies, a set of metric conversion gears, indexable saddle stop and milling slide. Unfortunatly I do not have a Hercus milling slide vise but have fitted a McGain vice whilst awaiting the genuine article. One will turn up at the right price eventually. An indexing attachment at the right price would be good too!

The saddle stop is complimented by a home made dial indicator holder much in the style of a micromer saddle stop. This provides indication of cutting depth when milling and spacing of grooves, etc.

Although I have the original lantern toolpost and a full set of Lock toolholders, I made a faithful copy of a Hercus non-indexing four way toolpost and prefer to use this for its increased rigidity. The difference when parting off is remarkable, particularly when a Lock S19 toolholder is used.

Other non-genuine bits include ER 16 and and ER 25 morse taper collet chucks and collets, purchased remarkably cheaply on Ebay. These are held with home made drawbars. While this setup does not allow a great length of stock to pass through the spindle it is OK for short work and accurate to less than a couple of tenths.

A posilock chuck and home made drawbar hold screwed end mills and slot drills.

The machine is a joy to use compared to the well worn ex-school Model C (serial no 10217) which proceeded it. No bed wear to be compensated for - it will turn to less than a thou in 10 inches without tailstock fiddling and after 11 years of moderate use feedscrew backlash is still within limits (15 thou cross slide, seven thou top slide).

Eat you hearts out!

Tony

Ok here's my 2c. I've been sick but managed to drag myself out to the shed this am to get the number. It's off the id plate not the bed but I assume they are the same.

VBA 2024

I looked up the number range on a post here and it indicated 1948 ? Anyway it's a plain bearing model A with the small dials. I haven't set it up properly or checked it but it seems tight and straight. It's got some of the common problems, 3 jaw has been strained, the slides are slightly looser in the common travel areas, a few nicks in the bed under the spindle. The 4 jaw is sweet and it came with a faceplate, jacobs, couple of dead centers. The machine is generally in ok condition and will suit my purposes.

Hi all you Hercus owners is this not the best idea out ? Just Hercus and Hercus problems plus I have had a few emails from people wanting to lend a hand with making special tools or other goodies we have now reached the Bakers Dozen
And Buncha another VB serial Number I am wondering if they were Victorian Barracks as RGE is Royal General Engineers ??????and Brett the Toolpost post Grinder how well does it work and what work do you use it for ???

At Present 75% of the Hercus owners are doing restorations including myself so this is where the site comes into action as what was the go with all these little headless screws, and springs of all odd shapes and sizes
Be warned if you do not have patience do not strip your apron apart as they are a little tricky and have some strange workings

So as we have plenty of people restoring anybody got spare parts or know of a place where you can find except USA as that is were I am buying more bitz for my modified 9" which is now a 13" swing

Buncha How did you get the year of build ???
as my one is VB316 and that is going on Drummond's Hercus Serial number list
Has anybody got that still as I would like to see how we fare with what we believe is the year of our lathes

Also on eBay is a Model A gearbox in Victoria starting price $61 not looked since

But keep the numbers and years coming and with luck we will make this site a better improved site just for us Hercus owners

all the best Derek bitza500
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Bitza500

As Wannabe says above, RGE is the mark of the guy who inspected it before it was sent from the factory.

The date I got from Drummonds list. Have no reason to doubt its accuracy.

Buncha

Re Toolpost grinder.

I haven't used it at all, but it has certainly been well used. I believe that it was made specifically for the Hercus lathe - I have seen a couple come up on Ebay.

I am currently investigating having the ways ground as I have a fair bit of wear, particually on the saddle ways (up to 8thou).

Hi Brett, my Mate who is a toolmaker may be able to fix the grinder for you but he would have to see it first
He lives in Kilsyth and works partime at home this is were all my parts are getting the once over so if you want to have him look at it just email me and we can go from there
all the best Derek bitza500
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