Hercus 9" Workshop Lathe Model ARH Serial #15548V

Ulma Doctor

Infinitely Curious
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i"m Totally stoked, i just fell onto a pristine but dirty Hercus 9" workshop lathe on craigslist.

For those who don't know the Hercus Lathe is a improved copy of the 9" south bend model A.
they were imported from Australia, manufactured in Thebarton.
it uses V belts instead of flat belts
9 x 22" between centers
it has a quick change gearbox and power crossfeed
8 speeds are attainable and cuts 56 different threads from 4 tpi to 224 tpi.
crossfeeds from .0015 to .0853"
it came with a 5" backing plate 1 1/2" x 8 tpi
a 3 jaw chuck that runs .001" tir on a .500" dowel :))
timken taper rollers supporting the 3/4" through hole
MT3 taper in the spindle nose, MT2 Tailstock taper
double v ways
a follower rest
a steady rest
articulated threading dial
quick change gearbox
back geared
mounted on a heavy duty storage stand.

the old beast weighs a ton!
but i got her settled in and cleaned up and oiled up enough to see if she still wanted to go to work.
everything worked after careful oiling and sounded really good.
i'll take some test cuts tomorrow after work.

thanks for reading,
 
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After all this time its probably pining for the caress of a calloused Aussie hand.
I think you should pack it up and send it back home.

cheers Phil
 
After all this time its probably pining for the caress of a calloused Aussie hand.
I think you should pack it up and send it back home.

cheers Phil

:roflmao:
They really produced a fine machine!!!

is there a nice Aussie girl's name i can give to her?
 
G'Day,
An obvious name would be Sheila, the metalwork sub forum of www.woodworkforums.com has a dedicated Hercus area which contains a wealth of information, you will need to register to access the archives, nice score by the way, if I had the room for a second lathe I would probably grab a Hercus as a dedicated second operation finishing lathe, they don't have a great deal of grunt, but they can produce some beautiful finishes.
Regards,
Martin

P.S. The "H" in the ARH model designation indicates a hardened bed, a very desirable option.
 
Re: Hercus 9" Workshop Lathe Model ARH Serial #15548V

Aarrggggggg! I had my eye on that one!


Sorry Bellwether,
i jumped on it as soon as i saw the posting on CL, it was up for only 2 hours when i called.
i picked it up less than 24 hours later!
if it's any consolation, the lathe is pristine and has all the bells and whistles!!!
- - - Updated - - -

G'Day,
An obvious name would be Sheila, the metalwork sub forum of www.woodworkforums.com has a dedicated Hercus area which contains a wealth of information, you will need to register to access the archives, nice score by the way, if I had the room for a second lathe I would probably grab a Hercus as a dedicated second operation finishing lathe, they don't have a great deal of grunt, but they can produce some beautiful finishes.
Regards,
Martin

P.S. The "H" in the ARH model designation indicates a hardened bed, a very desirable option.

G'Day Mate,
Sheila will be her name then!
thank you for the information, i'll join up with the woodwork forums!
hardened bed you say, hmmm :thinking:this lathe just keeps getting better!!
i can already tell that this is a very finely made machine, i look forward to making chips after i clean her up.
Cheers
mike:))
 
And for the record, the 'R' designates the roller bearings. They were also available with solid bearings.
 
i was droolin' over my new acquisition, giving her the once over .
i thought the lathe was just really dirty, come to find out the dirt is really old cosmoline mixed with dust
that has kinda made a protective cocoon around various parts of the lathe:))
this machine is brand new although it was manufactured in 1975!!!!!

as always , thanks for reading and commenting
 
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