Thread: New old lathe

Originally Posted by gundoc

I was a boarder at Waitaki in '61-'62 for my 3rd and 4th forms (the Rector did not like me making home brew in the DX club rooms). I can't remember who the metalwork teacher was but right at the outset we were told we could make anything we liked except guns, knives, and go-carts! In my 4th form year I made a plywood canoe in woodwork and the old man had to drive from Ch-Ch to collect me (and get an earful from the Rector advising that I would not be there for the 5th form) because I couldn't take it on the train at the end of the year. It was bloody good canoe and I used to supplement my pocket money by drifting down the Heathcote (near where the A&P grounds now are) and scoring a few ducks with my little H&R .22 Young America revolver. I could get 5 shillings for a pair of dressed ducks (headshot only) and that would get me two packets of .22 ammo at the local hardware store. Kids today just don't have the same opportunities for fun!

I was a boarder too, although a few years after you!

Originally Posted by kimjon

Oh dear Lord! That's one sight you can't unsee

It's 9:45 pm how the hell am I going to get through that list tonight? One thing you don't want is to lose playing Soggy Biscuit!

Add lemon tee party to that list @Beaker.

smaller sized baffles for them chinese silencers
facing off/truing the muzzle end of wonky chinese silencers
thread protectors...the list goes on

clock spider....I should have listened....

Originally Posted by marky123

clock spider....I should have listened....

Hahahhahaha

Serves you right for being nosey.

Cheers
Pete

$300.00 retirement lathe! now to set it up at home!

Originally Posted by Maca49

$300.00 retirement lathe!Attachment 52633 now to set it up at home!

Well don't keep me in suspenders @Maca49, .... details! Looks to be in very good nick.

@gadgetman it's a Hercus model C, machine # 5671, made by FW Hercus South Australia and distributed by Morris Black and Matheson , Wellington. It's very basic, came with some insert tooling, four jaw, face plate and dogs, keyless chuck, full gear set for thread cutting, reversing switch on motor, it's in good nick for its age. Good for bushes, bit of gun smithing and pissing around on!

Had Hercus lathes at school. I like the V bedways on yours.

I need to pull the spindle and back gears out of mine to put in a new belt. Looks like a mission with the back gear set up. Unless I can find link belts somewhere. The aim once up and running will be to machine up a V belt pulley set to replace the flat belt spindle pulley.

GM put a 3 phase motor on it running thru a single phase/three phase VSD, instead of stepped pulleys, and I'd put a linked belt on it as well. Just going to sort a bench out for mine today!

Hey Maca, you need to install a digital readout on your lathe, make it more 21 st century :-)

Originally Posted by Maca49

@gadgetman it's a Hercus model C, machine # 5671, made by FW Hercus South Australia and distributed by Morris Black and Matheson , Wellington. It's very basic, came with some insert tooling, four jaw, face plate and dogs, keyless chuck, full gear set for thread cutting, reversing switch on motor, it's in good nick for its age. Good for bushes, bit of gun smithing and pissing around on!

Good purchase! When I started my gunsmithing business in 1972 I bought a new Hercus lathe from Morris Black and Matheson in Ch-Ch (my previous place of employemt, Tisadlls Ltd in Cashel street, had a pre-war South Bend that the Hercus is a direct copy of). I think the price of my lathe was close to $1700 and I had to get an import permit from the Minister of Customs, explaining how the purchase would contribute to long-term savings in NZ's overseas funds! It was a good, well-made machine, and it served me well for many years but was limited by the small spindle bore. It was eventually replaced by a 1 metre BC, 38mm bore Taiwanese lathe, and that was replaced about 10 years ago by my similar sized Colchester Student.

Originally Posted by Maca49

GM put a 3 phase motor on it running thru a single phase/three phase VSD, instead of stepped pulleys, and I'd put a linked belt on it as well. Just going to sort a bench out for mine today!

I'm finding out where I can get a linked belt as that would be the preferred option.