Hardinge HC rebuild

[BillTodd]

Looking at the turret I cannot see anywhere a ratchet system could be

No you're right - On the one's I have seen (later models), it's very obvious.

[northumbrian]

No you're right - On the one's I have seen (later models), it's very obvious.

Exactly, the manual I downloaded does not match this machine, some bits do but most of it does not.

The carriage and cross slide are different too. Not sure if this one has powerfeed to the cross slide or not.

[n.rat]

I've been rebuilding a British made HC Chucker over the past six months, and your HC looks like an earlier version of the one I bought on Ebay in March 2012. I believe the early models did not have the self-indexing feature to the turret. The Fetham Middlesex address suggests an early machine, as later versions were manufactured in Exeter. However, the operator's manual which came with my machine appears to be for the early model, with front-mounted carriage drive motor and handwheel operated spindle speeder. (like yours). I would happily swap my manual (original) for one appropriate to my chucker, which, I believe, was manufactured in 1980.

[esbro]

I've been rebuilding a British made HC Chucker over the past six months, and your HC looks like an earlier version of the one I bought on Ebay in March 2012. I believe the early models did not have the self-indexing feature to the turret. The Fetham Middlesex address suggests an early machine, as later versions were manufactured in Exeter. However, the operator's manual which came with my machine appears to be for the early model, with front-mounted carriage drive motor and handwheel operated spindle speeder. (like yours). I would happily swap my manual (original) for one appropriate to my chucker, which, I believe, was manufactured in 1980.

Hi everyone, I've just joined MYCNCUK. I too have an elderly British made HC - I've owned it for about 15 years and it's still going strong. Mine has the bedstop on a shaft, not bolted to the bed like all the others I've seen. So I guess mine is quite old ?

[BillTodd]

Is the bed ~5" or ~7" wide? (i.e. HLV width or HLV-H width) Just wondering if the two bed designs,like the HLV's , indicate the major design change (i.e. carriage etc.)

P.S. I notice the carriage motor has been disconnected, which does suggest a motor problem .

[northumbrian]

The bed is 7", which tallies with a later design change, a la' HLV / HLV-H.

The motor was in the box with the tooling. I'll take a photo of it tomorrow.
Although, after speaking to ZMT services, if it is a new motor, I may have to figure out a whole new way of getting power feed to the carriage.

Do you see what I mean by too many "hang on minute" moments.

[northumbrian]

I've sent Hardinge an email, I'll follow it up with a phone call at some point.

[northumbrian]

Got the cross slide & carriage off today, definitely no indexing mechanism.
The cross slide hand wheel is fixed to cross slide, and travel with it. No power feed to the cross slide either, not that I'm that bothered about having power feed to the cross slide, at least if there isn't one it can't be broken!
All the painted surfaces have been stripped ready to be repainted.
Tomorrow I'll have a closer look at the slide surfaces, they appear ok, but better to be sure.

[onecut]

intresting l like this sort thing amazing how after,you get under the grime, how well these things come back to life,almost smiling.-B

[northumbrian]

Checked the ways with a straight edge, everything seems to by ok.
The surface of the cross slide stop, had a few dings in them, so I hand scraped them flat so the stops can move freely.

I haven't done any hand scraping for years, my arms are aching now, I'm glad I don't feel I need to the ways.

Just repainting the painted surfaces on the carriage & cross slide