Subject: South Bend 9" Lathe --Need Help

From: Phillip DeBrito <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 12 Sep 1996 09:45:55 -0500

I have an older SB 9" Lathe my father bought, then gave to me several
years ago.  It was one of the whims my dad had, but he never got around
to learning how to use it.  

My questions are...

I would like to tune it up and find sources for parts and maybe manuals,
where and how do I start?  

How do I find out what year it was made?

I've got the Metalworking FAQ so I have the addresses, but who do the
users of this newsgroup prefer for tooling sources?

Thanks ahead of time!

Phil DeBrito
Beginner At Large

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From: [email-masked] (James Baird)
Date: Thu, 12 Sep 1996 15:20:15 -0400

> users of this newsgroup prefer for tooling sources?

There is no end of help available to you.  You will find a serial number
on the lathe bed down at the tailstock end.  Call the customer service guy
at South Bend Lathe - Ralph - at 800-245-2843.  He will tell you the
month/year the machine was shipped out of the factory; maybe even to
whom.  While you are talking to him, ask him to send you a parts breakdown
booklet on the 9".  It'll cost you +/- $20.  

If you are new to the hobby, also ask for a copy of "How to Run a Lathe"
-= another $10.  Old, but good.

Once you have these, you can go to work.  If the machine is operational,
my suggestion would be that you lube it well & run it.  Use it and you
will find out if it needs work (and where) - or just a clean-up and paint
job.

Parts are easy.  Try Dave Ficken at Meridian - 516-956-1442 - or Sobel -
201-768-9645 or Joe Bergamo at Plaza Machinery.  You will find Dave and
Joe on thi list.  Both helpful, pleasant guys with whom I have done
business; and can recommend.

I have rebuilt several 9's and 10's - so if you get stuck, drop me a note.

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From: [email-masked] (Chris Kantarjiev)
Date: 12 Sep 1996 19:53:50 GMT

Call the customer service guy

Ralph is a good guy, and has been very helpful in our research on
FrankenLathe. Ask him to send you a copy of the lathe's "serial card",
which records all the part and unit numbers on the lathe.

However, what they currently ship as a parts book for the 9" is not 
really very good, especially for the older 9". Someone has taken the 
lovely old line drawings and redrawn them on one of those damned computer 
things; the parts book is a so-so reproduction of printout with not 
enough resolution - lots of jaggies. The only thing good about it is 
that it has the current SB part numbers. (You *do* want a copy of 
the current SBL accessory catalog, which they'll probably charge you for.
You'll also be on the floor when you find out what they charge for parts.)

I'll be happy to make you a copy of some of the older drawing sets 
that I've unearthed. I think the earliest exploded view I have is for
a 1957 headstock, and 1963 or so for the rest of the lathe.

Buy a copy of "How to Run a Lathe". SBL will sell you a current edition
for about $20. Lindsay Publications, Inc, (815) 935-5353, will sell
you a nicer quality reproduction of the 1943 edition (which is essentially
the same) for under $10.

I would go to David Sobel for parts first.

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From: [email-masked] (Scott Logan)
Date: 15 Sep 1996 12:28:17 GMT

In article <[email-masked]>, From Phillip DeBrito 
<[email-masked]>, the following was written:
> I would like to tune it up and find sources for parts and maybe 
> manuals, where and how do I start?  

South Bend can be contacted at 800-24-LATHE although I understand their
prices are rather high.  You can also try:

MACHINE TOOLS AND PARTS, USED AND NEW
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Meridian Machinery
PO Box 1
Babylon, NY 11702
Dave Ficken
Tel. 516-956-1442
E-Mail: [email-masked]
http://hre.com/meridian

PKE, Inc.
P.O. Box 6595
Libertyville, IL 60048-6595
Pete Welzen
Tel. 847-362-0014
Fax  847-362-5657
E-Mail: [email-masked]
http://www.concentric.net/~pmcpke

Plaza Machinery Co.
P.O. Box 14
Bethel, VT  05032
Joe Bergamo
Tel. 802-234-9673
Fax  802-234-6325
E-Mail: [email-masked]

Richard Triemstra     
6238 College Dr.
Dearborn Heights, MI 48127-2554
Tel. 313-563-7571
Fax  810-756-1524

--
  ---------------------------------------------------
  From Scott Logan,
  Logan Actuator Co., Chicago, IL
  http://members.gnn.com/SLogan
  Reply to [email-masked]

---

From: [email-masked]
Date: 13 Sep 1996 22:02:15 GMT

In <[email-masked]>, Steve Wellcome <[email-masked]> writes:
>Lindsay Publications sells copies of South Bend's "How To
>Run a Lathe" book, as well as another pamphlet from S.B.
>called  "Keeping Your Lathe In Trim" or some such title.

THe SB book is terrific.
>
>As far as parts goes, Plaza Machinery in Bethel, VT, and
>Sobel Machinery in NJ are both reliable dealers in used
>machinery.

I have purchased a lot of stuff from Sobel (in Closter, NJ -
quite near NYC) and he is scrupulously honest.

>
>I think South Bend will tell you the year it was made if
>you call them up and give them the serial # (look on the
>right-hand end of the bed between the front ways).
>
>Oh yeah - use the correct oil in the headstock bearings.
>You want machine oil with a Saybolt viscosity of 100 at
>100 degrees F.  That translates into about a #6 or #7 oil,
>i.e., quite thin.
>

Actually, I swear by Mobil 1 for the spindle bearings, but
this has been examined in detail elsewhere.  The most
important thing to do is to post your questions up here,
as there is a fair amount of accumulated wisdom on tap here
about these machines.  

Seems like every other home machinist had a 9" SB lathe at
one time. 

===========================================================

 1959 BMW R50                                           Jim Rozen              
 1969 BMW R60US                                (JRR0 @ watson.ibm.com)                 
 1975 BMW R75/6    (The "new" one)        

===========================================================

That sig really doesn't belong - should be:

Oily, greasy lumps of cast iron (covered with knobs and gear wheels)
residing in basement.

---

From: [email-masked] (Greg Lewis)
Date: 15 Sep 1996 02:51:20 -0700

>users of this newsgroup prefer for tooling sources?

Without question: MSC. These folks really want your business
regardless of the size of your order, have almost everything listed in
the catalog in stock, and you'll get your order in two days or less.
No other company I have dealt with has come close. example: I faxed in
an order one day for about $40 worth of stuff. Two hours later I got a
phone call from them. Seems a 65-cent item was out of stock and they
wanted to know if I would accept the next grade up at $1.25! How's
that for service?

Do not, repeat NOT, ever buy anything from Enco regardless of their
price. They have the lowest prices, but you get what you pay for.
Their quality is the lowest in the industry and their customer service
is an embarrassment to the mail-order industry. Should you have a
problem you'll be insulted and cursed at. I know this not from just
one order with them, but seven (I'm a slow learner). Enco flames show
up frequently on r.c.m. from others, which suggests I am not the only
one who holds this view.

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