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Thread: New Hercus owner
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23rd December 2014, 01:35 AM #31GOLD MEMBER
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Hi Ratters, welcome to the forum, you lucky bugger. I now have to buy a new laptop, because of all the drool on the keyboard, I dare say quite a few others on here, would be in a similar condition, now also. Could I possibly ask, how much you parted with, for this delightful piece of equipment? I know I'm going to cry about it, when we find out. Pity there wasn't a smilie of the Incredible Hulk,or the green monster, envy.
Regards and Enjoy
Kryn
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23rd December 2014, 11:33 AM #32Novice
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- Dec 2014
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- Tasmania
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Well I won't give up an exact figure but it was more than $1000 and less than $1500, so you can put it in that ballpark somewhere I think the machine on its own is probably worth the price I paid, considering its quite well kept and not worn out, but the bundle of accessories I got seems to be quite some value in itself, I have sort of tallied a rough ballpark on what it could cost to acquire most of the bits, and I think it could be getting upwards of $2000? Its been great fun thus far, I'm learning loads at the moment, quite fond of 'tubalcain' videos on youtube.
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23rd December 2014, 01:47 PM #33Novice
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- Dec 2014
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- Tasmania
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Well, I was meant to be out doing last minute Xmas shopping today but instead just had a good old play on the lathe and am very happy to report that I was able to align the tailstock turning only 0.001 taper over 16" using the power feed. I did a bit of trial and error adjusting it bit by bit and then did 2 final passes and it held the same both times. I think that's good enough for me anyway, it won't be a while before I even need that kind of accuracy. I was thinking for my first 'real' project I could make a soft blow hammer with a brass head, and thread the handle into it, so I practice a few different skills there without getting too carried away with high precision. I would love to hear other ideas people have for good first projects?
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23rd December 2014, 04:38 PM #34GOLD MEMBER
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- May 2011
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- Murray Bridge SA
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What a bargain.
There are some good books around that I use in the Workshop Practice Series, 2 I would recommend for starters is The Mini Lathe, number 43 and Mini Lathe tools and Projects number 48. They start of with some basic tools to make, then progress to other tools, that utilise the previous made tools.
I've not made any out of the book as yet, as every time I go to do something, I end up with a problem, drive belt and pulley disintegrate, (3 times) last major catastrophe was the motor died, got another motor, 10 mins later the shaft inside the motor shears off, 9 MONTHS later I get the replacement motor, after many phone calls excuses after excuses etc. it finally gets here. I just put it in yesterday after having it for a month. The lathe is NOT a quality unit, my brother got it from ozemestores on fleabay, he did a bit with it, then gave it to me, I should have let him keep it, with the mini mill I got also from him.
What I'd spent on parts for it I could have bought a Hercus (bare) machine, not like some lucky bloke who basically stole it.
Any comments I make like that, are made in jest and are not to be taken seriously. Above all enjoy, if you have any questions please ask here, as you have already found there are a lot of knowledgeable people here only to willing to help out.
Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year
Regards
Kryn
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23rd December 2014, 05:07 PM #35Mechanical Butcher
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- Oct 2004
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- Southern Highlands NSW
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- 911
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24th December 2014, 12:48 PM #36Member
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- Jan 2012
- Location
- Melbourne
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- 64
That's an amazing purchase !!
The original owners wife would have killed him if she knew how much he'd spent, particularly on quality accessories !!
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7th January 2015, 10:11 AM #37Novice
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- Dec 2014
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- Tasmania
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- 23
Well believe it or not, it turns out I am missing a critical part of the lathe. I decided to dive into the art of thread cutting and so read some articles and also watched some videos, but when it came time to choosing a thread and setting the gearbox, I discovered that I am missing the 20 tooth gear. There is a 40 tooth gear on the lathe and my little box of spare gears does not have a 20 tooth gear in it. And according to the thread chart on the gearbox the 20 tooth gear is used for the majority of the threads!
So I will have to find one now. A quick look on eBay has turned up some south bend gears which I believe are interchangeable? I sent an email to Hercus on the off chance they might still stock a replacement gear. And I have a question also, when it comes to putting another gear on the lathe, should I be looking for the best and least worn gear possible, or it doesnt really matter? I am guessing the more wear the gear has the thread cut will differ slightly?
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7th January 2015, 11:33 AM #38GOLD MEMBER
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What gear is on the stud now?
You can use a 2nd hand gear, it shouldn't have any great wear in it as long as it hasn't run dry for an excessive period.
You should not have to pay more than $22.00 plus post if required for a new gear.
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7th January 2015, 12:01 PM #39Novice
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- Dec 2014
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- Tasmania
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- 23
There is a 40 tooth stud gear on the lathe at the moment. Where can I get a new gear for $22 + post? That seems very fair and reasonable to me!
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7th January 2015, 12:09 PM #40GOLD MEMBER
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I may have a 20 tooth gear.
Have you used the feeds on the lathe as yet,with the 40 on the stud the feed rates would be fairly quick.
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7th January 2015, 01:05 PM #41Novice
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- Dec 2014
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- Tasmania
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I have only used the power feed on the lathe for some basic cutting tasks not threading as yet, I kind of got stumped at the 20 tooth gear being missing. It seems only very coarse threads can be cut with the 40 tooth gear?
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7th January 2015, 01:31 PM #42GOLD MEMBER
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The depth of cut must of been very small so as not to stall the lathe .048" is pretty coarse.
What is on the screw shaft apart from the 56tooth gear.
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7th January 2015, 02:43 PM #43Novice
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- Dec 2014
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- Tasmania
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- 23
I will have a look tonight and get back to you, might post a pic as well. I have only used the power feed on a very slow feed rate, not doing .048 cuts sorry if I'm confusing you but I'm quite a novice so I probably don't explain myself very well. I have found that with both levers of the gearbox set to the far right positions it produces a very slow feed rate, thats the only power feed cutting I have done.
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7th January 2015, 03:41 PM #44GOLD MEMBER
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Sorry I made a blue with the feed it would be around .003".
What have you got on the screw shaft apart from the 56.
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7th January 2015, 05:17 PM #45Novice
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- Feb 2010
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- Geelong
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- 18
A possible location for the required gear.
Hi,
Before you look further is there an unused 20 tooth gear on the leadscrew shaft ?
The leadscrew gear should be something like 80 teeth and the smaller gear packs out the thread on the leadscrew.
With the ATM this is where the unused 20/ 40 tooth gear is located and hopefully would be the same on older models.
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David