South Bend Heavy 10L - How’d I do?

[Cant_All_Be_Winners]

Just agreed to take this guy home for $1,500. It’s my first lathe and I’m pretty excited about it. I was pleasantly surprised to see the box of tooling and accessories that’s included. I’ve got some work to do as far as making some room and I have to figure out my power situation, but that’s all doable enough.

I feel like this was a good deal, and it looks like it’s in good shape, but I’m not an expert at all. I’m not looking to have my parade completely rained out, but I’m curious what people think. How’d I do?

 

[Cant_All_Be_Winners]

A few more pics.

 

[cowades206]

Can't be certain with just pics. Depends how much wear the chuck and ways have. I would be quite happy with this lathe at this price unless things are really worn.
Did you get a 4 jaw chuck with it? don't see it in the box of stuff. The tool holders make me kinda jealous. Hope you have 240V handy.

Enjoy it and don't worry about how good a deal it is. You'd have to be pretty lucky to find a good lathe for less money. Don't think you're going to get a you **** though.

 

[Whitworth]

It looks good to learn on. Coolness factor is high, especially with the stand. Has babbit bearings.

 

[Cant_All_Be_Winners]

Can't be certain with just pics. Depends how much wear the chuck and ways have. I would be quite happy with this lathe at this price unless things are really worn.
Did you get a 4 jaw chuck with it? don't see it in the box of stuff. The tool holders make me kinda jealous. Hope you have 240V handy.

Enjoy it and don't worry about how good a deal it is. You'd have to be pretty lucky to find a good lathe for less money. Don't think you're going to get a you **** though.

I’m not too worried about having gotten a deal, per say. More just checking that I didn’t miss something glaring and that it looks functional without a ton of work before it even makes any chips.

Also, I’m relieved at the box of additional stuff. I’m very early in my journey and having at least a way to make chips before going out and spending more money on tools and accessories is nice.

No 4 jaw, unless it was hiding. It’s the one thing I noticed a lack of. And a faceplate would have been nice. There’s a steady rest in the box. Ways seemed good to my inexperienced eye. Went at them with a flashlight and didn’t feel any steps with my fingernail.

The nice tool holders are the one thing I’m not sure about what’s included. Seller is going to go through them and keep some. Seems like a good dude, though, so I’m betting I leave with at least one of the blocks and a few holders.

The box of stuff also has a bunch of collets and Starret measuring tools I’m excited to clean up and start itemizing.

 

[WisJim]

There is a South Bend lathe group on Groups IO that I find interesting and helpful. Lots of saved documents and people who are using the machines and can sometimes help with their experence. https://groups.io/g/SouthBendLathe

 

[Cruzan80]

Looks like it was originally running a flat belt. I would not use a link belt in that situation. Some of the stuff in the box is not lathe related, but general Machinist style stuff

 

[Cant_All_Be_Winners]

Looks like it was originally running a flat belt. I would not use a link belt in that situation. Some of the stuff in the box is not lathe related, but general Machinist style stuff

Yeah. It definitely looks like that. The box was from the previous owner. I don’t think the guy selling it to me even really went through it. I’m not complaining, though.

 

[milkovich]

This seems like a great deal to me because you're making chips day 1 and you have a way to learn. The SB 10L is also a prolific lathe and you'll have a huge knowledge base and spare parts to buy if it does need anything. I wouldn't worry about the ways or even the headstock wear, you can tighten the lash on these and even buy new bearings as long as the spindle isn't scored up. These things were built to run forever. About 1000 times nicer than my first clap-trap Atlas, that's for sure. The only thing that bugs me about learning is the guys that gouge on spare parts like there's some machine shop out there willing to pay thousands for a taper attachment or antique collet sizes. That stuff sits on eBay for decades.

 

[Cant_All_Be_Winners]

Everything that was in the box.

 

[bmwrd0]

Very nice. Unless you move into either very large pieces to work on, or become a professional machinist, that lathe will do everything you need. As mentioned, you need to get the proper flat belt for it, which are available on eBay for 30-40 bucks (I just ordered on for my Logan), as you can not run it in reverse with a link belt.

A 10L is the newer version of the classic SB9, which is a great lathe. You did good.

 

[Cant_All_Be_Winners]

Very nice. Unless you move into either very large pieces to work on, or become a professional machinist, that lathe will do everything you need. As mentioned, you need to get the proper flat belt for it, which are available on eBay for 30-40 bucks (I just ordered on for my Logan), as you can not run it in reverse with a link belt.

A 10L is the newer version of the classic SB9, which is a great lathe. You did good.

The seller is actually including supplies for a leather belt. What he showed me connects the ends together with metal clamp things. Is there a better option than that?

 

[bmwrd0]

You could scarf the leather belt together into one unbroken loop, but I do the metal lace type myself, and they work great.

 

[Cant_All_Be_Winners]

You could scarf the leather belt together into one unbroken loop, but I do the metal lace type myself, and they work great.

How might one scarf leather together?

 

[Nessism]

The heavy 10 is very highly regarded. It's not just a beginner's machine. Unless there is some hidden damage or heavy wear, you got a very nice deal.

Someone painted it, so hopefully, they also put care into maintenance.

The collets are nice, but I don't see a closer for the lathe. You can find adapter chucks for reasonable prices, though.

Hobby Machinist is a great site. Tons of great guys over there. Very helpful, like this place, with a great vibe. Post this up, and someone will say "you ****" (tongue in cheek for "I'm jealous").

 

[bmwrd0]

How might one scarf leather together?

Cut both ends at angle, about 3-4 inches long, so that they overlap and keep the belt the same thickness. Then glue with strong cement.

 

[Cant_All_Be_Winners]

The heavy 10 is very highly regarded. It's not just a beginner's machine. Unless there is some hidden damage or heavy wear, you got a very nice deal.

Someone painted it, so hopefully, they also put care into maintenance.

The collets are nice, but I don't see a closer for the lathe. You can find adapter chucks for reasonable prices, though.

Hobby Machinist is a great site. Tons of great guys over there. Very helpful, like this place, with a great vibe. Post this up, and someone will say "you ****" (tongue in cheek for "I'm jealous").

Haha! Just signed up over there today!

 

[Ultradog MN]

Nice score. If there are no major issues with it that wasn't a bad price. Even a pos, worn out South Bend will usually fetch a grand. You got a good bunch of tooling too.
Lots and lots of new and used parts and add ons on ebay.
One caveat - don't look at it as your forever lathe.
As you learn and grow into machining you might find you want something newer, bigger or better.
I'm on my 5th metal lathe here.
X2 on Hobby machinist and don't forget about owwm.org. And if youre capable of taking professional advice with a verbal *** kicking there's Practical Machinist.
A lathe is kinda like a welder. It will SO increase your capabilities.

 

[Cant_All_Be_Winners]

Nice score. If there are no major issues with it that wasn't a bad price. Even a pos, worn out South Bend will usually fetch a grand. You got a good bunch of tooling too.
Lots and lots of new and used parts and add ons on ebay.
One caveat - don't look at it as your forever lathe.
As you learn and grow into machining you might find you want something newer, bigger or better.
I'm on my 5th metal lathe here.
X2 on Hobby machinist and don't forget about owwm.org. And if youre capable of taking professional advice with a verbal *** kicking there's Practical Machinist.
A lathe is kinda like a welder. It will SO increase your capabilities.

Way ahead of ya on Practical Machinist and OWWM. It’s a solid little community we’ve got here.

 

[RTM]

Cut both ends at angle, about 3-4 inches long, so that they overlap

This usually requires a super sharp knife, and practice, to keep things nice and even, so smooth when joined.

 

[Cant_All_Be_Winners]

Brought the 10L home today. Unloading was more work than it had to be, but we managed to get things mostly where they need to be. I’ll have to do some more disassembly to get it the rest of the way on my own.

Seller sent me home with two more boxes full of stuff. I almost feel like I’m taking advantage of him, but I checked like three times and he insisted I take it all. He even specifically mentioned that if there was anything I couldn’t use to just do whatever I want with it. So some quality time eBay is definitely in my future.



I’ll have to lay everything out at some point, but I couldn’t help but look through the stuff a bit tonight.

The additional collets are R8. Lol. The draw bar for the 4C collets was in the additional boxes. Still not sure if they’ll work with the lathe.

The wedge type tool post is a BXA. That’ll be the one I use for the time being. There are a bunch of matching tool holders. There are a couple AXA posts and I think an 0XA.

There were a bunch of Jacobs chucks. A dead center and a live center.

I feel like this is a crazy haul.

 

[Cant_All_Be_Winners]

Interesting update. Just got my order card from Grizzly. The serial number on the ways does not match the model number on the plate. Both seem to be from catalog 100B (that’s the only one I saw 187AN in) from 1941. The ways, at least, went to the Navy. I guess at some point something got swapped out. And I guess that means I have a 3-1/2’ bed, and not a 4’ one.