Subject: South Bend Lathe question

From: [email-masked] (Steve Welk)
Date: Tue, 17 Jan 1995 14:20:59 GMT

After months of searching for a reasonably priced lathe to aid in my true
hobby (old junky motorcycle restoration), I found the deal of my lifetime on
a South Bend lathe & tooling.  The plate on the gearbox identfies it as a
Model A, # 444R.  It has a 9" swing & 4.5 ft bed.

Just wondering if any body knows anything about this model.  Does it resemble
anything still in production, how long was it made, are acessories, parts and
documentation still available, etc.  This particular lathe is probably from
the 40's, as some of the South Bend docs that came with it (How to run a
lathe -42nd edition, etc) are from that vintage.  Also there's a plate on it
that says "this machine conforms with war standards", or something like that.
Appears to be in great shape, in spite of the age.

Thanks for any info.

Steve Welk

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From: [email-masked] (J. Kimberlin)
Date: 17 Jan 1995 08:28:35 -0800

>Appears to be in great shape, in spite of the age.

If it is in great shape - determined by checking runout, tightness, etc., 
then buy it.  All the parts for the SB lathe are available, here and 
there, as it was so popular (and still is).  Check the bed width.  9" SB 
lathes came in several varieties and in 2 bed widths, narrow had 5 1/8" 
width of outer inverted V ways, wide was at least an inch more.  I have a 
narrow one.  Other models had a spindle that would take a 5-C collet.  
Most took a 3-C collet.

Parts to upgrade a model A to quick change and power cross feed are 
usually available from Sobel Machinery - advertises in Live Steam 
Magazine.  They also have collet closers, bed turrets, tool post 
grinders, lever cross slide attachments, etc., from time to time.

JerryK

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From: [email-masked] (-F.KERFOOT)
Date: Tue, 17 Jan 1995 18:07:46 GMT

>narrow one.  Other models had a spindle that would take a 5-C collet.  

If I am not mistaken, all of the 9" SB lathes used 3-C collets. There
were two flavors of 10" lathe, one of which used 5-C collets, and the
other, designated 10K, took smaller (3-C?) collets. At least by the
1950's, none of the 9" SB lathes used 5-C.
>grinders, lever cross slide attachments, etc., from time to time.

My SB material is at home, but my recollection is that the model
A is the fully equipped model, including quick change gears. The
Model B had the full capability carriage (power cross feed) but manual
gears, and the model C had half-nuts only on the carriage, and manual
gears. Do I have it backwards?

As you say, there is lots of stuff out there for these lathes, at
least for the 9" versions that were made in the 50's and 60's.
I am assuming most of it fits on the earlier versions also, but I
don't know for sure.

Overall I have the same assessment. If there is no hidden flaw like
a crack in the bed or a bent spindle, go for it.

Frank Kerfoot
[email-masked]

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From: [email-masked] (John Angus)
Date: 21 Jan 1995 05:02:47 GMT

-F.KERFOOT ([email-masked]) wrote:
: In article <[email-masked]>, J. Kimberlin <[email-masked]> wrote:
: >In article <[email-masked]> [email-masked] (Steve Welk) writes:
: >>After months of searching for a reasonably priced lathe to aid in my true
: >>hobby (old junky motorcycle restoration), I found the deal of my lifetime on
: >>a South Bend lathe & tooling.  The plate on the gearbox identfies it as a
: >>Model A, # 444R.  It has a 9" swing & 4.5 ft bed.

Stuff Deleted

: My SB material is at home, but my recollection is that the model
: A is the fully equipped model, including quick change gears. The
: Model B had the full capability carriage (power cross feed) but manual
: gears, and the model C had half-nuts only on the carriage, and manual
: gears. Do I have it backwards?

Frank is correct. I have a 9" Model A and it has quick-change gears
and power crossfeed. I've managed to obtain most of the ordinary tooling
for it, including the milling attachment, and some not-so-common tooling
such as the turret cross-slide and taper attachment.

: As you say, there is lots of stuff out there for these lathes, at
: least for the 9" versions that were made in the 50's and 60's.
: I am assuming most of it fits on the earlier versions also, but I
: don't know for sure.

: Overall I have the same assessment. If there is no hidden flaw like
: a crack in the bed or a bent spindle, go for it.

: Frank Kerfoot
: [email-masked]

I agree! if no major flaws, Go For It.

John

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