| Any experience with Monarch
lathes? (May 1, 2001) |
Lodge and Shipley lathe
(Jul 24, 2003) |
| Leblonde lathe
(Oct 18, 2001) |
Nordic 15X54 (Aug 14,
2003) |
| SB Clones (Jan 7, 2002) |
Kerry AG lathe (Aug 29,
2003) |
| Hercus clones
(Jan 8, 2002) |
Taiwan Lathe
(Nov 1,
2003) |
| Hercus 260AT A Good Clone?
(Mar 4, 2002) |
Niles lathe (Dec 15, 2003) |
| Boxford and South Bend?
(Jun 26, 2002) |
South bend vs Logan (Dec 20, 2003) |
| Logan and Sheldon Lathes
(Jul 27, 2002) |
Hardinge question (Dec
21, 2003) |
| Atlas vs. Southbend (Aug
9, 2002) |
Atlas lathe question
(Jan 8, 2004) |
| Sheldon (Oct 11, 2002) |
South Bend GALLICOP Lathe
(Apr 1, 2004) |
| Atlas Or Southbend? (Dec
21, 2002) |
Need help Rockwell lathe
(May 4, 2004) |
| Turnado (Jan 8, 2003) |
Norton (Nov 17, 2004) |
| SB Boxford (Apr 24, 2003) |
Anybody know this make?
(Nov 26, 2004) |
|
"Other" Lathes (May 3, 2003) |
Who made this lathe?
(Jan 12, 2005) |
|
SouthBend 11 inch? (Jun 25, 2004) |
Kopings Lathe (Nov 4, 2005) |
| |
| Any experience with Monarch
lathes? |
| I would like to know what experience anyone here has had with
Monarch lathes. Which model did you use and what did you think of
it? How did this model compare with other lathes? What is your
favorite brand of lathe, except South Bend, and why?Jim (585) |
| The Monarch 10EE is a beautiful
machine - not much bigger than a 9" South Bend in capacity, but far
more massive (as a guess, maybe 8 times as heavy) with much wider
way spacing and very precisely made. Everything about it is designed
to take very, very precise cuts with minimum flex and vibration. It
also has continuously variable speed (different systems in different
eras - motor-generator, vacuum tubes, some have been retrofitted
with frequency drives). They also made some more normal, larger
machines - I used one once without finding it particularly
memorable. Chris (586) |
| I'm a student in a
community college, we use a great variety of Monarch lathes. Out of
the 15 in the shop 9 are Monarchs. Some have three jaw. Some have
six jaw. Two are collet systems. I have to say that there're fought
over. A collet system is great if the part you're working on is able
to fit in the collet. My only like of the system is the fact that
you can close a collet on threads and not crush them. Or close a
collet on knurling and also not damage your piece. I usually use a 4
jaw because it's more accurate. But what is more quicker. Leon
(588) |
| Leblonde lathe |
| I am going to
go look at a leblonde 14 x 40 lathe tomorrow and I am wondering if
anyone out here has ever worked with one. They are asking $300 for
it. Gerald (1908) |
| I had the pleasure of using a 16"
LeBlonde gear-head lathe at my former place of work. It was sheer
pleasure. I wish I had one like it. Orrin (1909) |
I have used a few
types of LeBlonde lathes. The one have the traditional gear change,
it was a 26 inch swing. A real hoss of a lathe by most standards. I
never did anything precision on it. It was probably from around
WWII. It worked real good. We have/had 6 LeBlonds in the the
machine shop where I work/used to work (I'm in drafting now). These
had the servo shift rpm selector. It work real good. For the most
part they were good lathes. They didn't receive the maintenance and
care they should have. These lathes were probably in the same size
you are looking at. I think they are quality lathes. They could do
metric threads, but you couldn't disengage the feed lever, had to
reverse the feed. For $300, I would think the one you are looking at
might need some work. Just check the bed and ways. If it looks good
and runs, $300 is a steal for any lathe. Tom
(1912) |
| I guess I should add a bit more. As
far as in the same condition and same features, I would rate a
LeBlonde lathe equal or better than a South Bend. I haven't used the
newer gear change South Bends much though. The one I did, looked
good, but was beat from HS student usage. The LeBlonds solve the
debate of boxed bed vs. dovetail bed by doing both (at least this is
what I remember). The front way isn't quite the traditional dovetail
(angle) way but is very similar and works to the same principal.
There was an interesting feature on one of the LeBlonds I used, it
had dual gears in the tailstock. One for fast transition and the
other for actual feed cutting. This lathe was referred to as a
Toolmaker's model. There was a ring on the back side of the
tailstock to be pushed forward or back to select which mode you
wanted. I have seen this feature on other lathes ,Lodge Shipley, it
had a small lever on the top to be flipped to one side or the other
to change traverse modes. As almost stated before, if in good
condition in the bed and ways and it looks like you could get it
running or is running, $300 is very cheap for a quality lathe. I
would see that the gear selectors work. I don't know much about the
maintenance for them. It might be some $$$. Let me know if you buy
it. I might be able to get you a copy of the manual if they still
have them at work. Tom (1913) |
| Well I
went and looked at the lathe today and I was thoroughly annoyed. It
was covered in a turd yellow paint and dirt. The tailstock was
disassembled and laying on the ways. I couldn't even get the cross
slide to slide. No tool post and a rusty 3 jaw chuck. Carriage did
move but not very well and the spindle did rotate by hand. Ways were
pretty badly trashed. All in all I think I am going to pass on this
fine example of what neglect does to fine machinery. Oh well there
is an auction tomorrow and there is supposed to be a lathe there. It
is a blacksmith shop going out of business and I hope they didn't
use the ways for an anvil. Gerald (1917) |
| SB Clones |
| I have a lathe that
appears to be an SB clone. Makers name is Blomqvists
Verkstadsatkiebolag, Sodertalje Sweden. S/N 5918. The above ID is on
the quick change gearbox. The lathe appears identical to a 9" Model
A with the exception that it has a roller ball bearing mounted
headstock spindle. The rest is the same as SB, Vee to flat pulley
countershaft, vee belt from c/shaft to headstock. Even has a dauber
pot on the tailstock. All leadscrews are inch type. Anyone in the
group know anything about this clone? Tailstock barrel is a little
loose in the casting and feed screw has lost a few threads on the
outer end, handwheel has been replaced. So the major job is to
refurb the tailstock. Any suggestions? Repair or replace? Source of
parts? A "Hercus " style tailstock would be an improvement, 3"
travel would be even better. Ray (2586) |
| Ray,
www.Lathes.Co.UK lists the Blomqvist as clone of the SBL. See:
http://www.lathes.co.uk/southbend/page6.html
I own a Hercus and I do like the tailstock improvement. Drop the
lever, move the tailstock into position and tap the lever backup.
Makes slight adjustments a breeze. And the Hercus tailstock has the
dauber pot. No dauber, just the pot! Try sourcing a Hercus tailstock
in Australia. The current exchange rate should make it worthwhile!
It's is credit to the South Bend that there so many clones! As they
- say the sincerest form of flattery is imitation. Bill (2595) |
| Hercus clones |
| I've been looking
at the Hercus pix here on the server; I wonder if the Hercus was a
clone per se or a subsidiary of south bend? the reason I ask is even
the instruction manual artwork looks familiar. (2592) |
| The
Hercus was made and is still made in Australia. They're now made in
South Australia by a company call Axmell. For a history of the lathe
see: http://www.axmell.com.au/hercus/Index.htm Bill (2597) |
| Hercus 260AT A
Good Clone ? |
| I'll be moving from
California to New Zealand next month for a year or two to wait out
the recession in the electronics industry. I've taken up machining
as a hobby and I would like to purchase a bench lathe while in New
Zealand. I was all set to buy the new "big bore" Myford Super Seven
Plus (S7+), but I read about the Hercus 260AT(M) - which is
apparently a shameless copy of South Bend's 9" lathe and is still in
production in Australia. According to the website, the 260AT has
some differences improvements, such as a 10" swing. I have some
questions: 1) How does the Hercus 260ATM compare technically to the
most closely equivalent South Bend, and to the new Myford S7+ ? 2)
How does the Hercus 260ATM compare in price to the Myford when a
normal range of tooling is included ? 3) Are there USA dealers for
Hercus lathes ? If the Hercus is a good clone for South Bend lathes
that are no longer produced in the USA, why is the Hercus 260AT(M)
apparently not prominently marketed in North America ? Lastly, a
question for OZ/NZ members: 4) Does VAT have to be paid for lathes
delivered from the OZ factory to New Zealand ? (3503) |
| Thought I'd
just introduce myself. I'm a Kiwi living in Wellington, New Zealand
and I've a SB 9" Model C produced in 1936. I purchased the lathe
(along with some other machinery such as band saws and drill presses
etc) from a mate and joined the forum to see if I could learn
anything about the lathe. I'm an electrical engineer but spend all
of my time in Information Technology management so the lathe is only
a sideline hobby. I use it in my workshop to help with maintenance
on my main hobby, a 4wd (Nissan Patrol powered by a Corvette LT1 '96
350 700R4 trans) so most of your technical discussion is beyond me,
but interesting all the same, especially about restoring lathes. All
I can help with below is a comment on importation to NZ is that GST
(similar to VAT) is payable on almost all items imported to NZ which
is calculated at 12.5% of the landed cost (incl freight). I don't
believe its payable on personal items if you are moving to NZ, but
if you need more info, I'm happy to find out for you. Antony (3504) |
| Because Hercus would be exporting goods from Australia
to a non-resident, that will be enjoyed outside Australia, I think
you will not have to pay Australian GST (10%). Given you will have
to pay NZ GST, that's probably just as well. You other option is to
try to find a NZ agent. May be a smarter idea if you ever need
service. I have seen Hercus lathes but never used one. They seem to
have a good name here in Australia. Roger (3509) |
| Welcome to The
Land Down Under! Well almost. New Zealand is often referred to as
Australia's 7th state! I agree with Roger, you won't need to pay
Australian GST but you will have to pay NZ GST. If your getting paid
US$ you'll be way ahead anyway. I used a Hercus 260-G last Monday
night at the local High school where I do a community college course
on metalwork. The 260-G is a pretty good machine. They have geared
headstock that's breeze to change speed on. The crossfeed drive has
separate driveshaft from the leadscrew. But essentially they are
still a Hercus which is still a SouthBend at heart. If you haven't
already checked out the Hercus web site its at:
http://www.axmell.com.au/hercus/hercus_260_metal_lathe.htm
If your going live in NZ for a while you'll have learn to speak New
Zealand. If you think us Aussies sound funny wait 'till you hear the
Kiwis. If a word has an 'I' in it you drop the vowel totally when
you speak it - so "fish and chips" becomes "fsh and chps" and "ee"
becomes "I" as in "sheep" becomes "ship". Apart from that they sound
like Aussies! Enjoy your time down here. I'm sure you'll have ball.
But remember, we've just finished summer and are heading into
winter. You should've come down 3 months ago! Bill (3536) |
| Boxford and
South Bend? |
| What is the
relationship between Boxford and South Bend? I have a small Boxford
at work and the carriage is nearly identical to the 9" south bend
lathes I have seen. The bed also looks similar. Headstock is pretty
different but there is definitely something going on here. Joe V.
(4768) |
| The Boxford was a
dead ringer of the Southbend 4 1/2" or 5" made by Denfords Eng in
Halifax during the Second World War and used in tank recovery
workshops of the British army. They continued as the model AUD, BUD,
CUD and ME until the mid 80's? The spares are I think
interchangeable,
but suggest careful check. Phil (4773) |
| The SBL
has been cloned many times over the years. The Boxford, the Smart
Brown in the UK. Australia produced at least 3 clones, the Sheraton,
Purcell Hercus. I own a Hercus 'C' and there are even less
differences than the Boxford. It shows how well designed the SBL
was! Maybe if SouthBend had opened subsidiaries around the world
instead of licensing clones to other manufacturers they wouldn't be
in the predicament they are now in. Who knows! If you want more info
on the Boxford and the other clones, there's a UK site that has them
all - at: http://www.lathes.co.uk/boxford/index.html Bill (4778) |
| Logan and
Sheldon Lathes |
| Can anyone enlighten me on these two brands of lathe? They appear
very similar to South Bend (copies?). Are they any good, how do they
compare to a South Bend 9"? (5416) |
| I've never owned
a Southbend nor a Logan but really like my 13 gearhead Sheldon! Lew
(5417) |
| BTW forgot to
mention there is a Sheldon group (Sheldonlathe). It s a new group (3
members; I m the newest member) and a Logan group (lathe-list). The
Logan group is run by Scott Logan. It s a great, VERY active group.
Lew (5418) |
| Copies No! However,
both lathes are good lathes. Often times you can find a Sheldon at a
better price than a Southbend and they are ever bit as good as a
Southbend. Logan's usually are a bit more as their machines were
directed at industrial customers that could afford the higher prices
for a more ridged lathe with more features. Yasmiin (5425) |
| Yeah, I'd say the Logan line
is OK g So is the Sheldon and South Bend, but I am a bit biased
towards Logan (wonder why). As far as being copies, I can say that
the Logan is not a copy, but since SB was around before the Logan,
and was a high quality machine, some features were probably
"borrowed". Here's a question for the collective wisdom.... 1. Logan
parts are still manufactured, given. 2. South Bend parts are
available from LeBlond. 3. Sheldon parts were available from
National Acme. Does anyone know if LeBlond is MAKING parts, or are
they using old stock? I have had calls saying people have tried
National Acme for Sheldon parts with varying degrees of success.
Anyone have any recent direct experience? Scott Logan (5445) |
| Atlas vs.
Southbend |
| Between a Southbend
and Atlas, which, assuming similar wear in used condition, will be
able to produce the most accurate parts? What would the approximate
gap in precision be? (5689) |
| Assuming you are
comparing a SB 13 with an Atlas 12, or an Atlas 10 with an SB9,
here's my take on them. For what it's worth, I have a Taig, an SB
Workshop C 9" x 3 1/2 ft, an SB 13" X 7 ft, and an Atlas/Craftsman
12" with a 54 inch bed. The South Bend is a bit stiffer, and in the
long run is a better machine. The down side is that finding a 12 or
13 inch swing SB in good shape with a ball bearing spindle will be
tough, and it will cost a lot more. I have an Atlas 12 I'm
restoring, they are kind of neat, but the bed is lighter and more
flexible and the gears for the most part are Zamac rather than
steel. Fine feed on the Atlas is via the half nuts rather than via a
worm driven by the leadscrew keyway. This bothers some people, but
the same method is used on the SB Workshop C, so I'm not put off by
it, although it isn't my first choice in how to do it! The ball
bearing spindle is nice to have, the solid bearing SB lathes are
limited to around 700 to 1000 RPM as a top speed, a bit slow for
carbide on smaller work pieces. A big plus for Atlas is that
Clausing has many parts available, and the parts (and lathes) are
far more affordable than parts from LeBlond (who now has the SB
spares business) or on the used market. Either lathe can do
perfectly good work, hell, I did work to tight tolerances when I had
to (better than 2 tenths, but it was darn hard as the machine
sucked) on a Chinese 9X20 until I got my SB9. When the opportunity
came along to grab an Atlas 12 inch swing lathe with a top speed of
2700 RPM complete with all the gears, I jumped on it! The fact that
it wasn't a South Bend didn't phase me at all. Assuming a lathe of
reasonable quality, correctly setup and in proper working order, the
end results depend a heck of a lot more on the person in front of it
than the name on the makers plate. If it's a precision lathe your
are chasing, you'll have to jump up to SB toolroom model A series
lathes (rare and big bucks if clean), or start looking for clean
lathes from Hardinge, Clausing Colchester, or Rivitt. By precision
lathes, I'm talking the kinds of lathes that hold to a tenth or
better day in and day out in the hands of a person who can work to
tenths. Naturally, you're talking lathes that weigh thousands of
pounds, and cost serious money. If it's holding to a thou or two day
in and day out, either Atlas or SB can deliver that with no problem
at all. Stan (5690) |
| Sheldon |
| I am looking at a
Sheldon machine, anybody got any idea where I could go with a serial
# to find out the date of manufacture. Alan (6610) |
| Try Tony at
www.lathes.co.uk he knows everything about every lathe ever built on
this planet. (6611) |
| There s also a Sheldon group
(Sheldonlathe@groups.yahoo.com );
small so far but growing. I have a Sebastian by Sheldon and a
Sheldon shaper. Really like them both. Don't know for sure where to
find the info you need, though. You might post your question to the
Sheldon group also, though. Lew (6613) |
| Atlas Or
Southbend? |
| I asked
this on the Atlas Lathe forum. I'd like to have your opinion also.
Thanks All else being equal. Both serves the purpose. Which would
you prefer? Atlas 12" or South Bend 9" Looking for opinions. Should
I sell my Atlas 12" (change gear) and buy the South Bend 9" (quick
change)? I'd just about break even money wise. I don't need or want
two lathes. Hank (8174) |
| The intelligent
answer to the question as worded-- All Else being equal , I would go
with the lathe with the quick change gearbox . I don't believe in
Equality though ,Choose the lathe you want based on the minutia of
condition , tooling , appearance , brand preference etc. and
whatever. All those variables that would give YOU the greater
satisfaction in using it. And I want to know why you don't want 2 or
more lathes. Alphawolf45 (8179) |
| Two are better than
one. Heck if you can afford two save one to set-up with a
milling att. or for grinding. Sounds like you could have it
made. Mike (8185) |
| Turnado |
| Does anyone have
experience or knowledge about the 17" turnado? A friend asked and I
don't know anything about it - except that they are heavy. jerry
(8600) |
| Jerry, I ran one in
a maintenance shop for five years. The feed change levers are very
susceptible to breakage from careless forklift driving (by me) and
they certainly are heavy. What else do you want to know? Peter
(8601) |
| I seemed way to
heavy for a home shop to me, and you don't see many parts posted. I
was hoping for more information to pass along.. I think my fiend
would be unhappy with this - better to get something 13" or less in
his application. Thought I would ask experienced (instead of my gut
feel) opinions before opening my mouth. jerry (8603) |
| SB Boxford |
| Does anyone know if Boxford bought a license from SB or
did they Hong Kong the machine? Frank
(10401) |
| Possibly the word
"clone" is slightly misused. The machines are not copies as such,
just basically designed and set up in a very similar way, with many
features that look the same and some interchangeability of parts on
size for size machines. Model naming has similar roots too, and
Boxford lathes found a similar niche in the educational and training
field. There were other makes who did the same also. plenty of info
about them on www.lathes.co.uk However, it would be interesting to
know whether these arrangements were legally formalized, or "ripped
off" as you already asked. Something else that intrigues me
slightly. I wonder if the existence of Singer etc in South Bend
city meant that there was a pool of highly skilled precision labor
that ensured engineering in South Bend city was just that bit better
than the average, and was that why the twins went there or was it
just serendipity? Len (10402) |
| It has always
been my understanding that they were licensed as was the company in
Australia because of the war effort to ease shipping problems. JWE (10405) |
| Many heroes crossed
the Atlantic from the US and Canada in those dark days of war to
help out in Europe. I look at my little machine, and think of "her"
as one of them in her own way. How many like her must be resting on
the bottom of the ocean between the States and UK, victims of the
U-boats and torpedo bombers? Len
(1407) |
| South Bend was a
center for manufacturing - it is the home of Studebaker. The
Studebaker test track was still there in the early 1970s (or was it
late 60s?) South Bend is not far from Gary Indiana and all the steel
mills. Frank (10412) |
| I don't have the papers on this but
it was a WW2 lend lease issue. Machines were being shipped to the UK
for the Brits to be better able to fight Hitler. Machines required
service parts. While SB probably did ship *some* service parts it's
not possible to predict with complete accuracy what parts will be
needed at any particular time. In order not to have machines
inoperative for extended periods of time while waiting for parts
from America, or to rob other parts from inoperative machines (they
needed all the machines they could get) UK sources were authorized
to manufacture service parts. The same thing happened with Atlas
lathes and possibly a number of other makes. Possibly during the
war, and certainly after, the UK sources found themselves in
possession of parts and no machines needing them after the demob but
shops wanting new machines to replace the ones worn out by the war
effort. Why not assemble service parts into complete machines? I'm
reasonably certain that Boxford and the various other clone
manufacturers (check Tony Griffiths' South Bend pages for more info
about SB clones) came to some sort of licensing agreement on this
issue. Since then the clone makers have engineered their own
modifications to the original SB designs so they often have uniquely
interesting features different from SB but I think each of them
would graciously and gratefully acknowledge their debt to SB for
having provided them with such an excellent starting point. Anthony
(10428) |
| Maybe the real
story was a variant on this, as Boxford didn't start manufacture
until 1948. Perhaps the large numbers of SB machines, generously
supplied to UK during the war, were put out onto the market, and
needed the parts and support in the same way that Anthony suggests
here. leading to the agreement. It's also probable that in the
depleted economy after the war, parts shipped over from the US would
have been too expensive in comparative terms. Len (10452) |
| One interesting
point about the "Box Ford" lathe (as it was originally known) was
that the first Instruction Book - issued until the late 1950s and
titled "Know Your Lathe" - had no copyright notice in it. This might
be thought a surprising omission, until an examination shows that it
was a plagiarism of certain parts of the South Bend "How to Run a
Lathe" booklet, but with specially-taken photographs and much
additional material relating only to the 9-inch lathe. Incidentally,
if you want a really good handbook for your 9-inch South Bend, this
(first edition, not the later) is the one to get; it's full of
highly specific details, full screwcutting charts and careful
explanations of how to operate the lathe although of course, it's
not perfect! Tony(10542) |
| "Other" Lathes
|
| you wrote: I would like to see one of those, then.
Do you have a URL or a source where I could look at one, or who
sells them? The ones I saw locally _couldn't_ be the ones you guys
are talking about, really. (Seriously, these were AWFUL, truly,
really, no kidding!) (10732) |
| They come
from a lot of distributors like Harbor Freight Grizzly and others.
The one on display in the local HF store is loose and assembled so
badly that things almost fall off of it ( American teenager quality
" Oh It'll Do" I know not all teenagers are like this but I have 3
boys that age and sometimes I wonder where they came from ) If you'd
like to read reviews and specs of all the different versions you can
go to. http://www.mini-lathe.com/Default.htm this page has pics of
the factory
http://www.mini-lathe.com/Mini_lathe/Sieg_factory/Sieg_factory.htm
Heres a link to the manufacture. http://www.siegind.com I've had my
7x10 for 3 years now. The only thing I did to it was lap the gibs on
it and make a QC tool post for it and get a 4 jaw chuck for it. I'm
currently making a set of change gears for my SB9-c ( on my HF 12
speed Drill/Mill with my home cast rotary table controlled with a pc
) only so I can thread things that will not fit the little one. The
7x is not a work horse like the SB and will never replace it but for
the smaller work I go to it and not the SB. The Wood Dragon
(10733) |
| Jon We have gotten
them from all the normal sources from Harbor Freight to Homier and
while you need to do a little detailing and finish work so will you
on any used machine. The 7x and 9x machines are superior in
performance and ability to Dunlop/Craftsman lathes and the MKII
square head Atlas/Craftsman lathes so they are defiantly worth
looking at if you just want something to work with and not an ego
trip bragging toy the way some my lathe is more prestigious than
yours mentality. I have three 7x machines and a 9x and also have a
SB 9" A and a heavy 10 and most of my work is done on the 7x
machines followed up by the 9x with the SBs only coming into use
when something demands them because they are at work. Lathes are
tools and as such the one that is the easiest and most convenient to
get to is the one that is going to get used the most and that is
going to be the 7x because it can be taken to the job while the
others the job has to come to them. JWE(10734) |
| I have to respect the opinions of anyone
who knows their way around a lathe. I did run into a small import
"Jewelers' type" lathe (About 5 by 20) that was a lot of fun to run,
and it did good work. ( We did joke about it, but in a good natured
way; One guy said, "Running this lathe reminds me of "Why is riding
a moped like dating a fat girl: They are both fun, but you hope your
friends do not see you!") The bad ones I saw, though, did not have
much to do with bragging! The compound dials were made of zinc and
wobbled and gyrated when rotated, as if the bores had been done with
a hand drill, and then upon closer inspection, it just got worse. So
I was pretty sure anyone who ran a lathe, even casually, could not
consider buying one of these anyway. I wish I could recall the
brand. The reason I looked was because I do need 9" lathes, but have
limited room, and this one had a much shorter bed, so I could have
fit it in as a second lathe. But seeing it up close really gave a
very bad impression...I even asked a machinist at Work if he had
been to the place and seen it, and he laughed his head off, and
said, "You mean that green thing next to the drill presses? Hahaha!
Yes, I saw it-Hahaha!"
(10735) |
| Jon A lot of people
cheat themselves out of a good reasonable priced and usable machine
because of a beat up show room display unit. I looked at the 7x10s
at Enco, Rutland, J L and HF for years before buying one because of
the crappy one on display. When going into the local HF one day
about 5 years ago they had it on sale for $329, and I said its got
to be worth that much and bought one. I took it home, fired it up
and did some stuff with it, said wow this is a bargain and went back
to the store for another one to use on small jobs at work. My first
9x was a show room casualty that had been dumped over a couple of
time and never was right. My new one is almost as nice to run as my
9" model A SB is and with a little work will be closer yet, not bad
for $600 out of the crate. As I said there are a lot of people out
there that are image conscience and have to have brand name clothes,
car and tools that reflect the image they wish to portray but I do
not need that kind of an ego boost. My tools are for working and
doing a job and getting it done as fast and cheap as I can and I use
the best and cheapest tool that will do the job right. For an
example we ran a naval bronze bearing that had a +/- .001 tolerance
for both size and concentricity and the guy on the B S screw
machines that blanked them drilled them with a concentricity of .003
and the reamer in GM on the Hardinge DSM secondary operation lathe
followed the drilled bore and while the size was right the
concentricity was still off. Using a 3MT to 180 DA collet chuck in
the 7x10 and a high speed steel D-bit type boring tool I was able in
three hours to save a 3 grand order that would have been scrapped
with a $300 toy lathe according to some here. That toy lathe has
paid for itself a thousand times over at our shop even if my boss
still scowls whenever he sees it he no longer makes jokes about it.
And for your friends that like to HA-ha them, well some day some
smart individual will save their bacon with a toy lathe and then
they will be scowling out of a different mouth. JWE (10739) |
| Well, I sure did not buy my South Bend on
appearance. It was pretty ugly when I brought it home. It spent its
last years as a "community" lathe for the R D technicians-Never
cleaned because it was "Someone else's" And a LOT of graphite work
was done on it. Fifteen years later, the damn stuff is STILL coming
out, despite constant cleaning. It's almost like it soaked into the
cast iron. I suppose it was well lubricated...Maybe that's why the
gears are so quiet. (10741) |
| There are a
few suppliers. Micromark sells the top of the line, inch dials, and
quick lock tailstock. but around $550 Grizzly and Enco sell the same
unit as Harbor Freight and Homier, but for a premium. HF has theirs
on sale for $369 occasionally and Homier mobile merchants sell them
for $299 at the shows, or ship them for about $150 in shipping
charges. all the scuttlebut is that except for the Micromark, you
are buying a kit that requires work. Grizz requires less than HF or
Homier. The units are not fitted, but assembled. final fitting is
needed to get a decent unit. Regarding the NEW version of the 9x20,
JWE has reported that it is a very serious contender. much higher
quality than in years past and that it is worth a look. for $700.00
new it might be worthwhile. (10755) |
| New 9x20? Different
from the 9x20 that everyone sells? (10758) |
| I'm
wondering, can you knurl on these small 7x machines? Can they handle
the heavy lateral force required for knurling? (I've been thinking
about getting a 7x12 but haven't quite decided yet). Jacko
(10759) |
| Use a scissor Type
Knurling Tool. The Wood Dragon (10760) |
| Actually the clamp
or scissor type knurling tool should be used on all small lathes. At
work on our davenport and B S screw machines and my Hardinge CHNC1
we have dumped the bump type knurling tools and shifted to the clamp
type tools as the knurls last longer and the parts can be held to
tighter tolerances. The bump type knurling tool is a good example of
bad engineering perpetuated by greed and stupidity. Here is the
concept drawing I used to make the ones we use at work from. JWE
(10767) |
| Thank you! This
has been saved, and put in my things to do list ! This should
probably go into the files section as well. Okey (10769) |
| It is here along
with some similar others.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/mwhints/files/NeatIdeas/
JWE
(10773) |
| Although I've never used used a clamp type tool, I've always been
uncomfortable with the way the SB (one side) kurling tool worked.
I've ruined more than a few pieces of work while using it. Anyways,
thanks for the pointers. May start work on one this week.
Jacko (10775) |
| JWE posted on the
7x10 list recently. ". The new batch in maroon are a quantum level
better than my old one and the Jets I have seen on display at local
dealers, it is one solid and nice lathe almost as nice but not
really as my SB "(10786) |
| The one I looked at
at the local HF store is awful also. Beginning to rust, parts
missing and machine work looks awful. The 3 I have bought from
Homier road shows are much nicer. The have a few problems but mostly
in setup and adjustment. They make a good small jobs lathe. (10806) |
| If you are
comparing a SB to a $299 table top toy you are going to see a HUGE
difference. if you look at it as a hobby lathe KIT that requires you
to finish it off, you walk in with the right point of view. SB's are
not bolted together, they are assembled. someone paid attention to
fit and finish. I am sure each step was passed thru some form of QA.
But these are sold for lowest price. Heck the assemblier (SEIG)
could buy the ways flame hardened for another couple bucks. I was
quoted $15.00 for flame hardening from a factory on a 9x20 import.
(shipping was too high to make it worthwhile). Dave (10820) |
| Dave I know you and
many others understand that having a lathe to work with is much
better than having no lathe at all. Look at the number of people
that build the Gingery series of machines from castings they do
themselves. During the late 80s I had no lathe at home to work with
because my SB was at my friends shop where I had worked for some
years. When I found a deal on a showroom damaged 9x20 for $200 and
carry it away I took it and spent another $150 on cross feed parts
and a new motor from the distributor. Now that one ran and worked
kind of, but it was much better than no lathe at all until I got the
SB back home and then it just sat at work being used occasionally
until the motor failed again. I bought the 7x machines to supplement
the SB not in place of it because many times you will need another
lathe to fix something or because you do not want to change setups
in the big machine or a dozen other reasons. Having a second or
third lathe handy and available, especially if it is somewhat
portable and can be moved to where it is needed. It is like with
computers and other things there are people who will get hung up on
having something they can not afford or do not yet have room for and
wait drooling for the time to come. Now of they were to buy just
something cheaper or smaller and/or more available they could then
be using something and learning and have a tool there to use when
they need it instead of having to say " Oh if I just had" all the
time. Those persons that tell the newbie that they must have at
least machine XX and all the goodies that go along with it are doing
people more harm than good because they are delaying that person
from beginning his/her machining experience until they can find/buy
that perfect ideal machine and accessories. Now I do not really like
the Sherline or Taig lathes and some others but in retrospect even
an Dunlop/Craftsman is much better than no lathe at all. As a person
grows with machines you will add or change them along with your
needs and desires but starting with what may be be a marginal
machine can sometimes make someone a better machinist. Have you ever
seen some of the Sherline projects and a friend of mine in the UK
has done some fantastic work on their version of the Taig lathe. So
my recommendation to newbies is buy what you have room for, can
afford right now and several years down the road you will grow into
a collection of machines that match up with the work you want to do
with them and a more balanced viewpoint about what is good, usable
or junk than the egocentric that dismiss all that does not fit their
perfection objective. JWE (10828) |
| I just want to
defend Atlas lathes here briefly. I have had an 6" Atlas MKII for
about 20 years. It is not in the same league as a South Bend but it
has Timken roller bearings, a flat bed like the Myford and is small
enough to move single handedly. True, it is light weight but if used
within it's limits it will hold a reasonable tolerance. Also,
remember the time it was sold. What else was available to the hobby
user. There was no flood of used industrial grade machines on the
market. With the milling attachment and draw bar and collet holder
it was possible to do some milling. Granted I have not touched a
Chinese machine yet but I will hold onto my Atlas because it gives
me a second lathe to do small things and to back up my 9" model A.
Maybe I will change my mind a give it to someone after I get the
Hardinge DV59 I bought used. No threading but there is another
advantage to the Atlas. I bought the change gear set they used to
market and they really worked as advertised. They gave you a wide
range of threads and feeds and were easy to use. I almost hate to
say this but the Atlas was made in the USA, I think. Jim (10829) |
| What you have said
is absolutely true and I have said it myself many times, and I have
done it many times; but there is another side to the story. Once you
have this "less desirable" alternative it is much harder to justify
the "desirable" alternative. 40 years ago I bought a 10" table saw.
It was relatively cheep about $200 in 1960 dollars. A Delta cabinet
saw was about $500 then. It was motorized but resembled a skill saw
with a cogged belt driving the blade with a 0.5 speed reduction. It
worked but it was not super. The cogged belt set up a vibration on
the blade an no cut was ever quite true. I could never justify
getting another. Finally, about 5 years ago the motor burnt out. I
was finally able to get a good saw. But for 30 years I longed for
the good one. Still it was better than no saw for that time. Jim
Benjamin with is much that build the the late 80s shop where damaged
9x20 for feed parts and of, but it and then it again. because many
do not want Having a second portable and will get hung for and wait
something cheaper and having to machine XX and than good machining
accessories. others but in all. As a your needs sometimes Sherline
work on their afford right of machines balanced that dismiss to
finish it import. (10830) |
| And that is
the point I keep trying to make no matter if it is a car, machine or
computer that having one to work with is far better than going by
the showroom several times a week to dream. JWE (10832) |
| Actually, another, even smaller, lathe
would have come in really handy when I was rebuilding the crossfeed
on my Model A last week! (10833) |
| Atlas Bend but
small used within the time it I guess that was between the Homier
and the old Manson. those offer decent prices for their times.
Assuming you already know the 7x mini-lathe, here is the Manson of
1949 http://shopswarf.orcon.net.nz/manl.html
There was no flood of attachment Granted Atlas up my 9" get the
advantage to they really feeds and in the with is that themselves.
During the friends shop damaged feed kind of, but and then again.
because do not Having a portable will get room for and something
something and of having machine XX than good machining others but at
all. (10837) |
| Ah yes, the hold it
till it fails routine. We all have a special place in our hearts for
that first lathe. I bought a 9" workshop because I needed a lathe,
period. funny that the 3 month wait for HF to ship a 7x mini ended
the same week. Here it is a year later, still love the workshop and
am working on switching over to a model A. I may never want to give
up the model A, but then I pass by a dozen decent lathes every week.
some nice SB's. 120 inch 12" swing a few months ago. Victor,
Clausing, Harrison, couple SB's, Rockwell this last week. most are
12" and up and just too big for my basement. I can move the 9" but
do not lift it to sweep swarf. Dave (10838) |
| SouthBend 11
inch? |
| I am the new owner
of a somewhat older south bend 9 inch model A. I am a hobby
machinist -- my only experience was a one semester metal shop class
in high school back in the 70's. I also am learning about running an
Asian mini mill. I was at a local scrap yard buying some one inch
aluminum plate upon which to mount my mini mill, and found an old
south bend lathe that had just arrived. It is not in good shape and
cannot be run under power as there is no motor. From reading the
plate on the gear cover, it is a south bend 11 inch lathe. I did not
record any numbers from the bed. I have looked around and I have not
found any mention of this size south bend lathe. I am curious about
his size lathe. Any information or a gentle nudge in the direction
of information would be appreciated. Another observation is: What
has happened to the price of scrap metal?????. Wow!. My aluminum
plate cost a buck a pound. Doesn't sound bad until I weighed my 30
inch square base plate (cut out of a very large piece with a sawzall--not
recommended) which came out to 91 pounds. Ouch! David |
| More about the
older (pre-ww2) SB lathes, including the 11 inch, here:
http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/SBL_Junior_Lathes/ Check
the catalog scans in the files and photos section. Jeff |
| David, I have an
old 11" South Bend lathe. It is #846 and was made sometime in the
early teens of 1900. They stopped making the 11" and if you look
through the member info you might be able to find out when. It has a
1 1/2" x 8 spindle. There are some acc's that have the 1 5/8" x 8
thread , don't know what they're for. Paul |
| I had a South Bend
11" for many years and it was a great machine. This one was made in
the 30's and basically was like a big 9", with a backgeared head,
quick change gear box, clutched power feed in both directions. I
needed a larger lathe and sold the 11 and the buyer is very happy
with it. If it looks like it has any life left in it at all, save
it, its a great machine. Paul T. |
| Yes they did, and
there is a group on them. All the SB Junior lathes are there. Bob
|
| I have an '33 11"
SB with a 1-5/8 x 8 nose thread. In fact, I've been keeping my eye
on that face plate... Peter |
| Lodge and
Shipley lathe |
| Can anyone give any
info on a lodge and Shipley lathe serial # 42711 if I'm remembering
correctly. It looks to be built somewhere around the mid to late
30's And also is there a web site on these old lathes. LaRue
(12931) |
| My
information (which can be out of date) refers to Monarch Machine
Tool for Lodge and Shipley lathes. Please try them at 937-492-0144.
Rose Marvin (12949) |
| Nordic 15X54
|
| I bought this lathe
a few years ago and it seems to be an excellent machine, However I
had some one tell not long ago that the French made lathes were the
least desirable machine of any. (this was pre-Iraq war) How true is
this statement and do you think I got "taken" at $3800? It came with
2 face plates, 2 chucks and a Chinese tool holder. At least it did
come with a quality ball bearing live center and a steady rest. So
far, it has proven itself to be a good machine. It there any
weakness of which I should be aware? Jerry
(13365) |
| I owned the same
machine in my business for about ten years and had good luck. The
machine was used a good deal buy us. The only problems I had were
the Brake/Clutch in the headstock. It seemed as though the lube oil
would eventually get in where the wires entered the coil and then it
would fail. The other problem had to do with the forward/reverse
handle at the front of the machine. With time and wear it had enough
slop so that it could be engaged to easy and become a hazard.
(13380) |
| Kerry AG lathe |
| I am in urgent
need of both Fixed and Traveling steadies for my old Kerry AG
lathe. Does anyone know of a supplier or compatible items? Bob (13693) |
| There is a shop in
Apache Junction Arizona that makes steady rests for any lathe. The
name is J.C. Bogeman and the phone is 602 982 8436.You will have to
make measurements on your lathe, and write them on the form that he
sends you. I have one for my Logan lathe and its a gem. Rob
(13719) |
| Taiwan Lathe |
| I am in the market
for a 12-14" lathe with 36" between centers. Good used lathes are
hard to come by. There are may imports available and wanted to know
which ones have the best tolerances. I have heard some brands are
not worth buying.
(14707) |
| The question is
this: What are you planning on using it for? Is the tooling for it
easily available? The other food for thought is are parts available
for this lathe? Will they still be available 3 -5 years from now?
Most of those lathes are of the throw away lathe status and parts are
stocked while they are in production only. Don't get me wrong there
are some good imports but you may pay a little more for a SB or even
a Logan or Hardinge but there is a lot more tooling out there for
SB, Logan and Hardinge etc then there is for imports. You may have
to buy a lot of new tooling for an import. Where are you located? I
have a 12" Logan I may sell. (14716) |
| I am in Minn. just
west of the twin cities. You are correct about the parts, but even
if you break a gear you can make one. What Logan do you have? AL
(14717) |
| My Logan is a 12"
powermatic 2557l00 its 12" with 34 between centers I am in Ma south
of Boston I also have a 10L SB with 24" centers. (14719) |
| What does it have
for tooling. Assume the condition is good? What are you asking?
Kevin (14725) |
| Have you checked
the 12x group? There is a lot of info there. I have had good luck
with my 13x40 from WT Tool. It is very accurate. I am more
comfortable with my old 10L. Joe (14747) |
| What is the web
address on the 12X group? I have a 1978 model Shen Wai 12x36
(Taiwanese) and would like to get some info on the original wiring
etc. Oh of course I also have a very nice SB9-A 41/2' bed. (14753) |
| Ray Go to Yahoo
Groups. Join group 12x. Joe (14756) |
|
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/12x/
and http://groups.yahoo.com/group/12x36importlathes/ Jeff
(14757) |
| Niles lathe
|
| During the summer I
picked up an old Niles 15" flat belt lathe. The mfgr is listed as
Niles, Bement Pond. Based on what I've been able to find out Niles
merged into this company in 1898. My guess is that the lathe was
built shortly after that. The ways look to be in reasonable shape,
but I've had to rebuild parts of the carriage. I'm about halfway
through getting it ready to run. I would hope to be pleasantly
surprised by its accuracy. It case I am not it needed saving anyway.
Does anyone have any info on old Niles lathes? Greg (15635) |
| Try
http://www.niles-simmons.de/englisch_neu/chronik/chronik_content1.htm
Jeff (15648) |
| South bend vs
Logan |
| I
currently have a SB 9" C that is from 1938 and in near new
condition, I just bought a SB 9" A 1958 that has some miles on it
but its all there and once I finish cleaning/painting will get to
try it. Now I have found a a Logan 13" that is in very good
condition with many extras. I have a full set of 30 5C collets that
I would like to use, but don't like the setup for the SB to use
them. The SB 3C collets, drawbar are pricey. How do Logan lathes
rate compared to SB? I all I need for my SB outside of the collet
issue. I am working on a MT3 Chuck for a full set of #11 collets I
have. But that will take some time and money.
(15827) |
| On the closer issue
I would think that both styles would be pricey no matter what make
of lathe. Check out Ebay item #'s 2582793068 Handwheel Closer 11"
Logan and 2581953891 Handlever Closer 11" Logan and see what price
they end up at. I'm sure you will see prices are about the same as
SB equivalents. Only thing that I could add, and this is not from
experience but from conjecture, is that POSSIBLY there are more SB
owners looking for these items than there are Logan owners as I
would think SB most likely sold more lathes than Logan. Ron (15828) |
| Logan
Lathes are far superior to South Bend Lathes (GD R) But seriously,
folks... There was no Logan 13" Lathe. 12" or 14". Do you have a
Model Number? Scott S. Logan (15829) |
| Scott It looks like
nobody went for the bait... Frank(15832) |
| Such a silly boy :-) Yes, I do wish I had a
Logan. My wishes for a great Holiday Season to you, Abby, and
everyone else reading this. Stan (15838) |
| Well,
I can't be totally factual, but Logan Lathes were built from 1940
until 1971 (in Chicago), and some more after that, until June, 1985.
From 1940 until 1971, Logan sold somewhere over 90,000 Logan and
Montgomery Wards Lathes. Total Serial Numbers assigned: Logan
77,187, Wards 15,785. South Bend started building lathes before that
time, and continued (continues?) after that, so I suspect there are
more South Bends. Rose, do you have any figures (even approximate)
of how many SB lathes were built? Scott Logan (15868) |
| Scott, Rose is
likely to have better numbers, but SB used sequential serial numbers
up to the 1947 numbering change, so it appears they made (or
assigned numbers to) about 186,500 lathes up to that date. After
1947 the serial numbers were apparently sequentially assigned within
lathe types. If I add the highest serial number I have seen in each
category post-1947 to the pre-1947 number I get a total of a bit
over 330,000, or a somewhat less than four times the number of Logans you mention. The SB count stood at about 97,000 in 1940, and
about 25,000 were made after 1971 (by my numbers, mostly 10K), so
over the interval that Logans were made, it looks like SB made about
234,000 lathes, or between twice and three times as many as Logan.
Frank (15871) |
| Scott- South Bend
started in 1906. In 1947 they had sold over 180,000 lathes. Since
1947 they have probably sold over 100,000 more. Rose (15892) |
| Hardinge
question |
| A bare Hardinge lathe popped up in a
local ad for big money, like three times what a decently equipped SB
of similar size might bring. I'm not about to buy it, but I'm
wondering what makes a Hardinge so special? Shane (15844) |
| What model is
it. There are several types of machine from Hardinge such as DSM and
similar second operation machines which are 5C collet machines used
for production part finishing operations. There are several CNC and
semi CNC machines based on this series also. Then there is the HLV
tool room machine that is everybody's dream is if they only had the
money, space and power to run it. The HLV in good condition is worth
over 10 grand with ease, the second operation machines can go for a
couple hundred for a bare one to a few grand for a well tooled one.
The HLV could be used as a hobby machine if you have the space and
power it requires as well as the money to but it and the tooling it
needs. The second operation machines are not well suited for most
home shop needs as they are optimized in design for doing a simple
two or three step operation on thousands of parts in a production
environment. But to do many different operations a more flexible
lathe is better. JWE (15845) |
| Atlas lathe
question |
| I currently own 2
SB 9" lathes but have come across an offer. I will be "Looking" at
a 12" Atlas that comes with 3 and 4 jaw chucks. a Jacobs headstock
chuck, a tail stock chuck, dead/live center, a milling attachment, a
drilling table? quick change gears. The lathe is said to have been
used very little and is near new condition, the seller is asking
$1100. (16355) |
| I hear that the
beds on those things can tend to sag over the years, heard that one
should check very carefully. BTW, 1100$ sounds steep, I've seen one
for 675, actually same guy who I bought my 9" lathe from. His
stories were a little fishy, I didn't trust him a whole lot. (16358) |
| There are different
types of 12" atlas lathes. Some have rectangular beds and some have
prismatic or V beds. If you are accustomed to using a South Bend you
will probably not be too happy with a flat bed Atlas. The prismatic
type, however, is not a bad lathe. RC (16364) |
| Where are
you located? I just got my Atlas 12" back from my Dad. He had it for
about 15 years and didn't do anything with it. He's now 86. It's in
good shape (the lathe, although, so is my Dad). No milling attach.
or drilling table (what is that anyway?). Has 3-jaw, 4-jaw, face
plate and I think some collets. I'd be willing to take $600 for it.
Ray (16371) |
| No milling attach.
or plate and I think some collets. I'd be willing to take $600 for I
am up in CT, sounds like a fair price What is the big difference
using a flat bed? (16378) |
| That I can't
answer. I never experienced any toolbit chatter when I used it. The
gibs were always adjusted just right also though. Good question. Ray
Z. (16382) |
| I doubt the problem
is the difference between flat (or boxed ways) and 'V' ways. I would
guess its a matter of how much iron is used in the bed. I don't have
much experience with Atlas type lathes, but from the ones I have
seen, the beds are not as stout as SB or other lathes. I have heard
that European builders like to use the boxed ways and American
manufactures like to use the 'V' ways. LeBlond used a mixture on
boxed and 'V' ways. I didn't have any problems with those lathes if
the motors rans. From what I was informed, 'V' ways are a bit more
accurate and boxed ways are easier to rebuild. Hardinge uses a
dovetail bed, sort of a flat bed with 'V's on the side. They are
usually very accurate. Just thinking that the Asian import lathes
have 'V' ways. I had a Jet brand lathe on my kitchen counter top
(I'm not married, I wonder why). It wasn't set up properly, so its
hard to say how accurate it would have been. Still, function wise I
would want an SB or quality American made lathe. So between all my
Blah ,Blah, Blah, Its more of the overall quality design and
manufacture of the lathe, than the type of design. You could look at
the EMCO lathes and compare them to the Asian imported ENCO lathes
for a comparison of the same basic design verses the quality and
accuracy of the lathes. Tom (16383) |
| I have one of the
latest atlas 12 (Craftsman). The Atlas lathe I bought has a very
good speed selection (up to 2000 rpm) The flat way thickness on mine
is 1/2 in. Older models have 3/8 in thick beds. Things to consider
at this price: 1. Does it have a quick change gear box? If no,
reduce the offer by at least $200 2. Is there evident traces of wear
on the bed If yes, bring the price down according to your judgment
3. Is the headstock fitted with trimken bearings (old models have
babbit bearings. I would definitely not buy one with Babbitt as
there is a lot of chance to have wiped out bearings) Well adjusted,
it is a machine that runs fine. The main problem with Atlas lathes
is the quality of hand fitting done in the factory. The SB Lathes
were much better built. The V belt drive gives very good performance
with regards to depth of cut Don't expect to do heavy milling with
the milling attachment. It is useful for small stuff like key way
cutting. If ever you want to use it with collets, it will accept 3C
collets like the SB 9 (much easier to find than the 3AT collets) The
bed is easy to re-surface in a machine shop equipped with a proper
surface grinder. (In 1997 I had to get mine surface ground after
water damage) There is a discussion group on atlas-Craftsman on
yahoo. I recommend you join this group. Guy (16398) |
| One thing I like
about South Bend lathes is that the head is mounted directly onto
the bed V-ways, so taking it off and replacing it is very quick
compared to a flat bed (or a V-bed that doesn't have the head
mounted on the ways). Another small advantage is that swarf doesn't
tend to collect on the bed. Jordan (16406) |
| South Bend
GALLICOP Lathe |
| I have just
purchased a used SBL Gallicop. Is anyone familiar with this lathe?
They are suppose to deliver it next Thursday. The voltage is 380v.
50cycle 3 phase. I have a rotary phase converter that produces 230
volts 3 phase. I plan on using a step up transformer with it to get
440 volts 60 cycle 3 phase. I believe that is what they run it on.
Do you think this will work? You can view a similar lathe at:
http://www.mondiale.be/en/products/prod_detail.asp?prodID=MN2626
Richard (18118) |
| That's one heck of
a good looking lathe. The motor should run cooler on 60 Hz than on
50 Hz. I am concerned about the 440 vs. 380. The high end of 380
(380*110%) is around 420. 440 is a little high. I would try to
adjust the 230 into the rotary converter to be on the low side,
around 210. I would normally suggest a variac except the current is
going to be high at 8 to 10 HP. If you can find a 230 to 12 volt (or
perhaps 24 V) 40 amp or larger transformer you can wire it to buck
the 230 volts and reduce the input to the rotary converter. This
would be a single phase transformer. Take a look at 3806536370 This
is a 208/230/460 primary to 24/115 output. The rating is 350 VA at
24 volts this is 14 amps. The other option is to use three
transformers on the 440 to buck and lower the voltage in each 440
leg. These would need to be 440 to 24 volt transformers as above.
The current per leg would be reduced and the transformers above
might just squeak by depending on the motor loading. If you can find
a 230 to 440 3 Phase transformer with taps you should be able to
find a condition using the taps. Jim B. (18122) |
| I believe SBL run
this off the 440 volt buss. They said the only problems they had
with it were some switches. I was also told that they made the feed
and compound screws with it. I am going to give it a try. It may
also run on a lower voltage. I forgot to get the manuals Monday so I
could read up on it. Richard (18126) |
| What you have there is a job for a
VFD. Not using it as a VFD but
using it as a fixed 380 volt 50 HZ power supply. There are several
motors on the machine which makes it a big job to change the
motors. Running any motor outside its nameplate specs by more than 10
percent is not advisable. Putting 60 Hz ac on a 50 Hz motor will make
it run about 20% faster which could cause other problems. Also it is
likely that the VFD will be cheaper than the transformer. RC (18137) |
| Need help
Rockwell lathe |
| We have a very good
friend that acquired an 11" Rockwell lathe, model 25-100. If anyone
could help us with literature, manuals or ANY information: such as
what the taper is in the headstock. (18822) |
| Go to
http://www.wheatfarm.com/rockwell_lathe/ This states that its an
L-00 taper (18823) |
| The head stock
inside taper is the small end of a No. 5 Morse a little hard to
find. The tail stock is a No. 3 Morse. There are manuals on eBay
most of the time for this lathe. According to Delta, their are no
parts available. I have been told that the gears are standard and
easily replaced. I have two of these lathes and may be able to help
with some of your questions. Hutch(18825) |
| Your head stock
taper is 2 mt tailstock is a #3 mt. All the information you are
asking for is on your posted web site. Top right hand corner under
military manual. Duane (18827) |
| I believe the No. 2
Morse taper in the head stock is a misprint. The through hole is
1-3/8" diameter and the end of the spindle nose has a 1.525"
diameter which puts it at the small end of a No. 5 Morse taper.
Hutch (18828) |
| Hutch, there are
two adapters 1 for the #2 mt part# MCL-424and one for a # 3 mt part
# MCL- 428. Headstock parts list, on web page. Duane (18840) |
| Are you sure that's
an 11" lathe? I had a 10" Rockwell and I'd swear that's the same
model number but I could be mistaken. One thing I do know is if it
is a 10", the internal taper of the headstock fits a 4c collet. I
had an adapter sleeve to #2 Morse and also a 4c collet with a dead
center built in. I think I got the collet from Dave at Meridian
Machinery. Chris (18853) |
| Norton |
| Any insight as to
how the term 'Norton' became attached to the gear box? -- In 1892 Wendel P. Norton was issued
Patent No. 470,591 for the for the first version of the Quick Change
Gearbox which is commonly used on a large selection of lathes. As
far as I know this was first applied commercially to the Hendey
lathes and very soon came to be popularly known as a "Norton
Gearbox". In 1894 W. P. Norton was issued another patent, No.
519,924, for a reversing device for the leadscrew gear train which,
when properly applied, allows pick up of all screw threads of any
pitch without the use of a threading dial. While this invention
never became as universal as his gearbox design it is still used on
many lathes, including Hardinge, Monarch, Pratt Whitney, etc. As far
as I know there was never any connection between W.P. Norton and the
Norton Company who did/do manufacture grinding machines and related
products. Anthony
(22089) |
| Anthony.
Now makes sense why the gearbox is called a Norton. JP the gear the
first commercially to the Gearbox". reversing allows pick dial. it
is still and the products. (22092) |
| Anybody know
this make? |
| I came across a
small lathe with the brand name : WF J.Barnes C:Rockford I11 USA.
Anybody heard of it? it looks like early 20's. Vincent. (22314) |
|
http://www.lathes.co.uk/barnes/index.html (22317) |
| Who made this
lathe? |
| Very unique! Never
seen one like that before. Timkens are a plus and I like the
thumb-lever method of disengaging the pin on the QC tumbler. Roy
(23918) |
| Looks like a
Clausing Mark 3
http://www.lathes.co.uk/clausing/page13.html
Rick(23919) |
| Sure looks like a
Southbend. Speaking of Timken roller bearings, my SBL 9" was
equipped with Timken tapered roller bearings in the headstock, but
it did not have back-gear, so I ended up swapping out the headstock
for the standard one. I've never seen another 9" SBL with Timkens!
Maybe if I start using this 9" for an additional wood turning lathe
I'll put the Timken headstock back on, but not until I have another
9 or 12 inch metal lathe. Paul H. (23920) |
| Bingo! and
thanks a bunch. I dimly re-called operating this model somewhere in
the past 35 or 40 years, but thought I remembered it being an Atlas.
Reading the articles on the 100 Mark 3 points out that for a while
this was known as the Atlas 4800 and then switched back to Clausing.
(23923) |
| It is a real
mixture of familiar features coupled with "I never saw that on an
SBL.(23924) |
| Indeed it does!
Actually, according to the web site it is likely a Mk 3a with the
clutch lever is on the left and the cast lever atop the QC. Also the
similarity to a South Bend could be attributed to Paul Clausing's
wish to improve upon his South Bend lathe. Although, IMO he built a
different mouse-trap, not necessarily a better one. Roy (23925) |
| I tend to agree. I
learned on South Bends (and Logans, Monarchs, Leblonds, Cincinnati's
and still learning) In addition to the 100 Mark 3a ((at home), I've
got a 1924 vintage SBL 18" x 10' bed catalog # 171-G and a older
Hardinge 59 second operation lathe. Also at home is a Waltham style
jeweler's or watchmaker's lathe.
(23926) |
| No problem. Just
searched Google using Timken and headstock brought me to the
www.lathes.co.uk site. I knew it was a major manufacture as I remember
seeing one like it before. Rick (23928) |
|
Kopings Lathe |
|
I bought the
contents of a local machine shop last week and there is an engine
lathe in there made by Kopings - Sweden. I cant really find any info
on it on the web and was wondering if anyone knew anything about
them? This is a model S8SA, looks like a nice machine. You can
contact me off line as to not clog up the list. There was a
SouthBend 16" there but the previous owner wanted to keep it for his
garage so I didn’t get that pc. Jeff |
|
K30 KOPING
Heavy-duty lathes Models: S8SA, S8SAG, S10SA, S10SAG: Sales
Catalogue 10 pages £12 US$20 Found here:
www.lathes.co.uk/cat/ |
|
I want just tell
you that here in Sweden Köping S8S is still well known and has a
reputation as very good machine. If it is in decent condition you
have an excellent machine. If I am not wrong spare parts can still
be obtained from Storebro bruks AB in Sweden. All Köping Lathes I
have worked with has been excellent machines (S8, S8S and S10).
Juhan |
|
Juhan,
unfortunately in the ebay world it seems an atlas bench top lathe is
worth 4x what one of these nice machines is! It really does seem
like a nice machine. I think it’s got too much HP for me to run here
or else I might consider keeping it for myself! If you want to see
it, I had it on ebay as item 7563970259. Jeff |
