What's in a vertical head?

[Anorak Bob]

Greg,

Attached are scans of exploded drawings of two heads made for the F4. Also included is a diagram of a far simpler adjustable tailstock than my Hercus version. The quality of the images is poor. I may be able to find the original files I downloaded at home, if you are interested. They include exploded drawings for the accessories made for the F4 and F5.

BT

[Greg Q]

Thanks Robert...they look like they'll be very useful.

[Anorak Bob]

Before I found my 13, I toyed with the idea of building a self powered head with a quill for the little Hercus. I had a few discussions with Steve Durden at Hercus about machining an accurate rack in the quill. His suggestion was to buy an existing rack and pinion and insert the rack into a milled recess in the quill. Makes a lot of sense if you are not in a position to cut the rack yourself. Trick is finding a rack and pinion that will provide the correct gearing when combined with a worm and wheel, to suit your chosen micrometer feed dial calibrations. Having a separate rack would also allow for adjustment to ensure correct tooth engagement.

Something to think about.

[Dave J]

Hi Bob,
This guy made a rack in a quill back in 2006. He used hardened chrome hydraulic shaft so it should be a lot easier in cast iron. With you expertise with cast, it should be no problem. He used a fly cutter but a rack gear could be used in something softer.

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Dave

[Anorak Bob]

Here is a link to the Aciera manual and parts drawings. A lot of desirable accessories. That they are all newer box look parts would aid in their replication. Might clash with the more voluptuous shape of our older machines though.

http://home.online.no/~ewaness/aciera_f4_manual.pdf

[Anorak Bob]

Hi Bob,
This guy made a rack in a quill back in 2006. He used hardened chrome hydraulic shaft so it should be a lot easier in cast iron. With you expertise with cast, it should be no problem. He used a fly cutter but a rack gear could be used in something softer.

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Dave

Nice welding and his lathe must have some grunt to cope with a drill bit of that girth.

Dave, when I bought the Schaublin I was given a crate containing a variety of accessories, one of which was a high speed drilling head (6000rpm max.). The desire to make my own version for the Hercus suddenly disappeared.

Bob.

[Dave J]

The drilling and milling where done at his work.
I know your not going to make one, but it just goes to show it is possible.

Dave

[Anorak Bob]

Dave, I wonder how he indexed the rack teeth. You DRO boys just dial it up on a screen I suppose.

[Dave J]

I am not sure if he had a DRO, but I would use "holes in a strait line" where you dial in the number of holes and the distance, and the DRO divides it up and tells you each step by having to zero it on the spot.
You should think about a DRO while the dollar is up. They can be installed with 4 x M4 socket screws for each scale so it doesn't mess up the machine in a big way. Sometimes a bracket can be made from existing holes to save drilling any others. Once you have used one, you will never go back.

Dave

[Pete F]

Good idea Dave, especially on the Hercus Bob. You reeeeaaalllyy want to have a DRO on that little puppy*

Pete

*This encouragement may or may not be any attempt to get Bob to fit a flawless DRO installation to his Hercus so that I may shamelessly precisely copy the whole setup for my own Hercus

[Dave J]

LOL, good con Pete

Dave