# Hercus 260 ATM rebuild



## swunderlick (Feb 21, 2021)

Not too long ago I picked up an old Hercus 260 ATM, this will be the first machine that I have personally owned.  

And as things typically go for me I very quickly found something wrong that I wanted to fix.  In this case it was just a worn out half nut.  So I pulled the apron off and started to see more and more wear and tear on the parts.  And now my "new" machine looks like this.  In reality this is well into the project, it was extremely filthy and neglected so most parts shown here have been through the first round of cleaning just enough that I could identify the most critically worn components and get them on order.  Now comes the real deep clean and reassembly.  

This really wasn't part of the plan, I just want to start turning something.


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## 6.5 Fan (Feb 22, 2021)

You should get a great education on how your new machine operates. Hope things come together.


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## Swharfin' (Feb 22, 2021)

swunderlick Bravo dig in. 
I haven't been a member here very long either but I have seen 1000's of yrs. accumulative knowledge in all disciplines being freely given.
My 0.02 - Take lots of pictures both to post and to help you with reassembly. organize your parts, get a manual. I've found a guy in ENG. that supplies both PDFs and printed manuals       steve.lilliman.@ntlworld.com  in saying that I ordered a manual for a TOS FNK 25 a few wks ago and as yet haven't received it 
 ( Covid Quarantined item?)


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## swunderlick (Feb 22, 2021)

Swharfin' said:


> swunderlick Bravo dig in.
> I haven't been a member here very long either but I have seen 1000's of yrs. accumulative knowledge in all disciplines being freely given.
> My 0.02 - Take lots of pictures both to post and to help you with reassembly. organize your parts, get a manual. I've found a guy in ENG. that supplies both PDFs and printed manuals       steve.lilliman.@ntlworld.com  in saying that I ordered a manual for a TOS FNK 25 a few wks ago and as yet haven't received it
> ( Covid Quarantined item?)



That's awesome Swharfin, I've been looking all over the place for a manual and I'll have to give this guy a try.  Hercus hasn't even replied to my attempts at contacting them and it's been weeks.  Luckily Mal has been super helpful but I would still like to get the correct manual.

And I taken loads of pictures, that's the beauty of digital photography, you can take as many as you want.


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## YotaBota (Feb 22, 2021)

Success, the .jpg loaded this morning. The sn you gave in the other thread, 19506,  isn't on the list so not sure if it's the list that's wrong or the sn isn't correct. I'm thinking the 9 might be a 7.
The good thing about tearing the machine apart is that you'll know how everything works.


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## David_R8 (Feb 22, 2021)

I found these @swunderlick
I see 260 ATM referenced inside so I hope these are useful.


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## Janger (Feb 22, 2021)

Are you in Calgary Swunderlick? I have a Hercus but it's labeled Rockford. Is your lathe CNC or manual? There is a forum on facebook for hercus equipment. Bunch of nice Australians mostly.


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## Janger (Feb 22, 2021)

I think Swunderlick you already answered all my questions on your intro thread.


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## swunderlick (Feb 22, 2021)

YotaBota said:


> Success, the .jpg loaded this morning. The sn you gave in the other thread, 19506,  isn't on the list so not sure if it's the list that's wrong or the sn isn't correct. I'm thinking the 9 might be a 7.
> The good thing about tearing the machine apart is that you'll know how everything works.



Awesome, but do you happen to know if '82 is when they stopped building the 260?  My serial number is beyond this list, but I actually have two serial numbers on my machine and I suspect one was just stamped wrong.  I have 10506V and 19506V.  If I was to guess (with some help from Mal)  the 10506 was probably stamped wrong because according to him and this list the 260 wasn't in production yet.  Plus the 19606V is stamped in two locations.  Likely it is just a later production model.

Hercus has been absolutely useless on this, they haven't even taken the time to respond to me.


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## swunderlick (Feb 22, 2021)

Janger said:


> I think Swunderlick you already answered all my questions on your intro thread.



Sorry, not in Calgary.  I hate to say it but I spent 10 years in the Edmonton area, does that make us mortal enemies? 

And yeah, the machine is manual.

I haven't seen the FB group for Hercus, but I'll definitely have to look for it.  When I found this group I was only really looking for general metalworking groups because I didn't have a machine yet.


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## swunderlick (Feb 22, 2021)

David_R8 said:


> I found these @swunderlick
> I see 260 ATM referenced inside so I hope these are useful.



Awesome, thanks so much for these.


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## swunderlick (Feb 22, 2021)

Clean up and painting continues tonight.  The first few pieces that I painted are dry enough now to put them away until the new parts arrive for reassembly.  And started to clean the bed tonight, lots of scrubbing and solvent for the first stage.

When I started this I was thinking of it as a restoration, but I have to keep reminding myself that I'm not restoring a classic car.  My goal isn't to have something historically accurate but to have a good clean tool that operates smoothly and accurately.

Gotta run now, dog won't leave me alone, must be time to go outside.  I'll be back tomorrow, thanks for all the help guys.


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## YotaBota (Feb 23, 2021)

swunderlick said:


> but do you happen to know if '82 is when they stopped building the 260


Don't know,my list may have been put together in 82 and never updated. I haven't found any info as to when Hercus stopped production. 
Have you been in touch with these guys?
https://australianmetalworkinghobbyist.com/store/index.php?route=common/home


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## swunderlick (Feb 23, 2021)

YotaBota said:


> Don't know,my list may have been put together in 82 and never updated. I haven't found any info as to when Hercus stopped production.
> Have you been in touch with these guys?
> https://australianmetalworkinghobbyist.com/store/index.php?route=common/home


Yes, I've got an assortment if parts coming from them.  They've been really helpful, just never thought to ask them about the year, but they are probably the best source of information out there.


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## swunderlick (Feb 23, 2021)

Little by little it's getting there. First coat of paint on the bed tonight. 

I think I'm  going to run out of storage space in my head for all my ideas if I don't get this thing turning soon.


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## Crankit (Feb 24, 2021)

Tried a microfiber roller from Benjamin Moore? 

Wayne


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## Proxule (Feb 24, 2021)

slow down before you continue have a look at enamel hardener, Isocyanate. Mix it 1:8 with your oil paint and it sets in days now WEEKS, and becomes dry in a day and has a nice gloss to it.
http://ca.proformproducts.com/en/pr...st-reducers/wet-look-acrylic-enamel-hardener/
napa auto has some - 25$

Gluck


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## swunderlick (Feb 24, 2021)

Proxule said:


> slow down before you continue have a look at enamel hardener, Isocyanate. Mix it 1:8 with your oil paint and it sets in days now WEEKS, and becomes dry in a day and has a nice gloss to it.
> http://ca.proformproducts.com/en/pr...st-reducers/wet-look-acrylic-enamel-hardener/
> napa auto has some - 25$
> 
> Gluck



Thanks for the advice, I'll have to check that out.  I know Lordco sells Pro Form products, so should be easy to get locally.


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## Proxule (Feb 24, 2021)

Any questions just ask. Many a machinery have had that treatment !


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## PeterT (Feb 25, 2021)

I've wondered about those generic hardeners too. Usually I'm loathe to mix chemicals from different brands / paint systems because the paint manufacturers are always messing with the recipe, sometimes for environmental reasons & sometimes just because. But I've read the same thing specific to Tremclad. I painted my mill stand with Tremclad & used a disposable foam roller & foam brush for hard to reach areas. It is really easy to apply & leaves a consistent finish vs brushes.

If I had a machine I really cared about, I'd go Endura. Its meant to be sprayed, also high in isocyanate, but brutally tough stuff.


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## swunderlick (Feb 26, 2021)

PeterT said:


> I've wondered about those generic hardeners too. Usually I'm loathe to mix chemicals from different brands / paint systems because the paint manufacturers are always messing with the recipe, sometimes for environmental reasons & sometimes just because. But I've read the same thing specific to Tremclad. I painted my mill stand with Tremclad & used a disposable foam roller & foam brush for hard to reach areas. It is really easy to apply & leaves a consistent finish vs brushes.
> 
> If I had a machine I really cared about, I'd go Endura. Its meant to be sprayed, also high in isocyanate, but brutally tough stuff.


That's exactly what I've been doing and I'm quite happy with the finish so far as it is still a tool.  

I'm honestly not a painter and I'm not expecting perfection with this. if I was I would probably have a professional do it. 

Started on the work bench today.


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## swunderlick (Mar 8, 2021)

Progress is pretty slow right now, but my parts still haven't left the land down under.  

Loosely put the gear box back together and installed it, partially to make room to work on other stuff, but also just because I like the way it looks .  And it is looking good.


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## John Conroy (Mar 8, 2021)

Looks like a great paint job to me. Mine are usually good from far but far from good.


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## swunderlick (Mar 8, 2021)

John Conroy said:


> Looks like a great paint job to me. Mine are usually good from far but far from good.


I am quite happy with the way it's turning out, better than expected for sure.


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## swunderlick (Apr 8, 2021)

Sorry guys, haven't posted any progress in a while.  Things got pretty crazy around here and it was all compounded by a few cases of COVID in the office.  But everyone is good now and I have my replacement parts.  So I've got back to painting and should be assembling it next week.  Getting excited to fore this thing up and do some turning.


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## DPittman (Apr 8, 2021)

Looking awesome.


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## Janger (Apr 8, 2021)

It does look good. What kind of paint are you using? Just regular Tremclad?


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## swunderlick (Apr 8, 2021)

Janger said:


> It does look good. What kind of paint are you using? Just regular Tremclad?


Just the run of the mill Tremclad, nothing special.


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## graig (Jun 27, 2022)

I quit using Tremclad. It used to use it exclusively on metal then they changed the formula and now it can take months even out in the sun for it to harden. The Cloverdale industrial enamel is great but they can't get quarts currently due to supply issues. I've heard good things about Sherwin Williams marine industrial too but they also can not get quarts (summer 2022).


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