South Bend Metal Lathe

[Maui]

I got this South Bend metal lathe home a few hours ago. It was listed locally on FB Marketplace, and to my amazement the gentleman who had it called me first. It's missing the motor, switch, and the chuck. But that isn't any problem for me since I have all of them. To my delight it has the dual lever quick change gear box and the original South Bend taper attachment, and both appear to be in excellent working condition. What really surprised me is that this lathe came on the original factory South Bend steel bench, which is something I've never even seen before. The fellow who owned it never got it running. I'll probably have it up and running some time next week.

 

[cannuck]

FABULOUS score.

 

[tombell572]

That is one sweet find. The taper attachment is icing on the cake. I've never seen that bench either.

Tom B.

 

[Maui]

Thanks! With all of the people who I knew would be drooling at a chance to buy this I was SHOCKED that I got a call back. The previous owner is a great guy. I'm just really happy I ended up with it. If you look at the lower right hand side of the last photo (you may have to enlarge it) you can see the South Bend badge riveted to the bench leg.

 

[isb cornbinder]

Is that SB a 9 inch? My friend has a SB 9. I like it more than my Myford Super 7. I also have a SB 16"X120"

 

[nadogail]

May you enjoy your Lathe and Good Health for many years.

 

[Maui]

It is a 9” lathe, yes. Any idea what year that 16” South Bend is that you have isb?

 

[Maui]

Thank you for the good wishes nadogail!

 

[tom in nh]

Nice that it has the v-belt drive and thread dial also.
What is the current going rate for a setup like that?

 

[isb cornbinder]

It is a 9” lathe, yes. Any idea what year that 16” South Bend is that you have isb?

Wednesday, December 12, 1945. On that Day, the Old Medicine Hat Hotel burned down. Dad bought a set of SK tools at McLeod's Hardware Store and his wife gave him his first born, a son.

 

[Maui]

Nice that it has the v-belt drive and thread dial also.
What is the current going rate for a setup like that?

I know that the taper attachment alone is worth at least $600.

 

[paulsomlo]

The v-belt drive was not very common on those, neither was the guard mounted switch.

 

[isb cornbinder]

I know that the taper attachment alone is worth at least $600.

I do not have a taper attachment for either of my lathes. I would guess that I might have used a taper accessory 1 or 2 times in 40 years. For the times I needed to machine a taper, I was able to turn the compound and cut the angle. The last time was when I made a crowned flat-belt pully for my Canedy Auto drill press.
A friend was looking for a nice South Bend lathe. The first words out of him for years, was "taper attachment". He has had his SB for more than a decade and he has never used what he thought was a deal-breaker important option.
I think the taper attachment is important because it improves the resale of the lathe to the next person fixated on an ability to machine tapers. Keith
Rucker and Adam Booth have videos on the set-up.
Try to not miss a good deal on a lathe because it is without the taper attachment.

 

[paulsomlo]

I do not have a taper attachment for either of my lathes. I would guess that I might have used a taper accessory 1 or 2 times in 40 years. For the times I needed to machine a taper, I was able to turn the compound and cut the angle. The last time was when I made a crowned flat-belt pully for my Canedy Auto drill press.
A friend was looking for a nice South Bend lathe. The first words out of him for years, was "taper attachment". He has had his SB for more than a decade and he has never used what he thought was a deal-breaker important option.

That's a common sentiment - unless you need to turn a long taper, it never gets used.

 

[rsanter]

Nice

 

[Maui]

I do not have a taper attachment for either of my lathes. I would guess that I might have used a taper accessory 1 or 2 times in 40 years. For the times I needed to machine a taper, I was able to turn the compound and cut the angle. The last time was when I made a crowned flat-belt pully for my Canedy Auto drill press.
A friend was looking for a nice South Bend lathe. The first words out of him for years, was "taper attachment". He has had his SB for more than a decade and he has never used what he thought was a deal-breaker important option.
I think the taper attachment is important because it improves the resale of the lathe to the next person fixated on an ability to machine tapers. Keith
Rucker and Adam Booth have videos on the set-up.
Try to not miss a good deal on a lathe because it is without the taper attachment.

Several years ago I restored a Reed 324 1/2 Coachman's swivel jaw vise. The taper pin was missing when I bought the vise, and lots of different colors of paint had been slopped all over it. I stripped it down to bare metal, dug out all of the pieces of wood that had been jammed into the hole of the swivel pin, painted it and then clear coated it. I machined a pair of new taper pins for it on a South Bend 10K metal lathe that I used to own that had the very same factory taper attachment that the lathe I just purchased has. I made one pin from brass, the other from steel. Using the taper attachment made it a much easier job than it would have been otherwise. I regretted selling that 10K lathe, and definitely missed having the taper attachment available to me. This is one of the reasons why I was so happy to find this 9" South Bend lathe.

By the way, I only paid $100 for everything, and that includes the factory bench.

 

[isb cornbinder]

That's a common sentiment - unless you need to turn a long taper, it never gets used.

On some tapers it may be possible to offset the tailstock and make the tapered cut. If you have the attachment, use it. There are options.

 

[paulsomlo]

By the way, I only paid $100 for everything, and that includes the factory bench.

You left off a zero, right? If not, I'll let someone else say it.

 

[Maui]

You left off a zero, right? If not, I'll let someone else say it.

Nope.

 

[Jswain]

Well you already know it...you ****!

 

[dutchgray]

$100 is basically free for a good working lathe.

 

[paulsomlo]

$100 - how did that happen?

 

[Maui]

$100 - how did that happen?

That is the price it was advertised for. I couldn't get my wallet out fast enough to pay him!

 

[Maui]

Well you already know it...you ****!

It's been too long since somebody said that to me in these forums!

 

[isb cornbinder]

5 years ago I bought a dusty Myford Super 7 for $100. This Myford Super 7 came with many accessories I started to clean the Myford up. I was going to set it up next to my otherSuper7. A random visitor stopped by the shop and left with the second "7".
I did not give the Myford away.