Richards Vertical Borer ID

BCWayne · Mar 14, 2019

I am commissioning an older Richards vertical borer. Does anyone know where to find its serial number or other means of identification. We bought it at auction but no history or operating procedures were available. It has a 10 foot chuck. Any input as to possible history is of interest to us. It has been in Australia since WW2 at least. Extensive and repeated online searches have not come up with any comparable machines. Photo attached. Cheers

sfriedberg · Mar 14, 2019

I can't answer your questions, but that's a nice looking machine.

Tyrone Shoelaces · Mar 15, 2019

Normally serial numbers are stamped into the front face of the column ways nearest the operators station right at the very top. Sometimes the number is also stamped onto the cross rail upper ways right at the end nearest the operators station. If the machine has been re-built at some point in it's life those numbers may have been lost. There should also be a data plate somewhere on the machine.

Regards Tyrone.

BCWayne · Mar 15, 2019

Thanks for that Tyrone. I will look there first thing Monday morning. The photo was taken before we dismantled it in Melbourne. We are repainting it in its original colour as it is re assembled. There are a few controls to repair as we go but the machine itself is still sound. Cheers

BCWayne · Mar 18, 2019

The search for a serial number has drawn a blank. The only identifier we have found is hand stamped on all the major and minor components which is '5X' followed by the location such as TL, RR etc. (This was handy for re-assembly). Knowing how old the machine is won't make any real difference but it will satisfy my curiosity itch. We purchased Richards reprinted manual but all the models covered are different to this one. Ours has to be over a pit to accommodate the centre bearing and drive. The gearbox is at the rear and also requires a pit as it hangs down. It has the side tool as well as the two main tool holders. All the movements are driven by a single electric motor on top of the girth which means it has control gearboxes and selector rods all over it. I'll add some extra photographs that show a few more details. My guess is 1920's or 1930's. Does anyone have a more informed opinion? Cheers

Derek Smalls · Mar 18, 2019

BCWayne said:
My guess is 1920's or 1930's. Does anyone have a more informed opinion?

I'd guess a little later, early Forties to early Fifties maybe??? I ran a similar sized Bullard that was built in the early 1900's. It had been converted from line shaft, and was much, much lighter and simpler in construction. Yours looks like a pretty beefy machine. The Bullard used the spindle to drive the feeds through a pretty archaic seeming feed system. I'm not knocking that early Bullard, for it's time it was a masterpiece, it still runs today and holds tight tolerances with a bit of finesse and knowledge of work arounds, but I'd say it was much older than your machine. Yours looks WWII era to me.

Tyrone Shoelaces · Mar 18, 2019

I'd say 1940's at the latest. Later than that the balance weights were integrated into the ram design.

Regards Tyrone.

BCWayne · Mar 18, 2019

The are correct about this being a heavy machine. All the information we have found for a Richards 10 foot borer suggests they weighed about 33 tonnes. This machine weighs 53 tonnes. Without incriminating myself too much, its a good thing the truck made it through without being pulled in by the weight checking authorities. The overweight was unintentional and only verified when the crane operator unloading it at our site showed me his scales readouts. Most of the mass is in the base which is basically the same diameter as the chuck as opposed to all other illustrations I have seen where the base is much smaller than the chuck.

The other hint we have is that it has a small tag on the main motor from the Australian Department of Supply. This department only existed under that name for WW2. However, all this really proves is that it was registered for use under wartime manufacturing regulations, not that it was purchased just then. Cheers

sable · Mar 18, 2019

The control pendant must be a retrofit ,they look quite modern ,all the ones I have seen have two pendants with the buttons arranged vertically ,the early ones didn't even have pendant controls.

DDoug · Mar 18, 2019

sfriedberg said:
I can't answer your questions, but that's a nice looking machine.

It would look allot nicer to me if the table was flush with the floor,
and the handwheels were pushbuttons....Ugh that ones a mankiller.

BCWayne · Mar 18, 2019

The operator is going to have to be fit and active, to say the least. None of the controls are heavy though. You just need to remember to be in the right place at the right time. The machine will not be doing a lot of work. No-one else has a borer this size on the island as there is not much work for a machine this size, but there is enough to justify purchasing an oldie.

I was wondering about the pendant too. The frame over the top motor that the arm mounts on is a bit rough and ready compared to everything else.

Flush with the floor would have been good but that would set the gear selector way down in below floor level. We are having enough of a job recommissioning without inventing a new gear change... Cheers

DDoug · Mar 24, 2019

Most pendants get pretty smashed up looking.....seen some painted bright
safety yellow with black lines....still get hit with the crane.

ChedderChips · Mar 24, 2019

they dont make them like that any more

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