Oy, that's a big 'un

[rantbot]

16x120 South Bend on CraigsList.

http://boston.craigslist.org/bmw/tls/662169953.html

I don't think I'd want it ... I admire the concept, though.

[jkilroy]

I think if I was in the market for a lathe with that capacity, and at that cost, that I would look for one that could really work at that size. Think Pacemaker, Powerturn, Axelson, Sidney, and the like. I would not be surprised if my Rivett 1020 weighed as much as that machine.

[Randolph]

My father worked at the local power company during the 1940's and 50's and their only turning capacity was a South Bend 16 x 120 and a South Bend 9" benchtop lathe. The 16" machine had 4" riser blocks under the headstock, tail stock and compound and he told me once that the thing wouldn't pull a greasy string out of a cat's ass!
I know where one of those lathes is today and it is used for making drive shafts. Works pretty good for that.

[BadDog]

It is my understanding that those are intended as a "pattern maker lathes", which means they see very light duty, so the blocked up part isn't such a problem. I saw one local a while back. Story was it had been ordered and rigged up specifically to turn huge/long lead screws for a big relatively low precision machine that went through them about twice a year. Cheaper to buy the lathe for a special purpose than to buy a years worth of lead screws. And that was the cheapest lathe that had sufficient length. The lathe was sold when the machine it serviced was scrapped. Problem was, the seller though it was worth a MINT because it was a "South Bend" and "special". I don't know what he finally got for it, but it sat in his way for at least 5 months.

[tiptop]

jkilroy,
I would rather have your Rivett 1020 also. I like south bends, but not for that much money. How many 1020's were made, do you know? Jay

[jkilroy]

I don't know exactly how many 1020's (or 1030's) were made but I don't think it was many. Mine is the newest one I have ever heard of, being that it was made in 1968. She's a portly girl, at a bit over 4000lbs for 20" between centers.

[Forrest Addy]

Those extra long lathes were intended or shafting. Used to be lot of them because so much machinery was on line shafting. Not so much now; no lineshafts. Besides the line shaft business went to col rolled and nowadays T&P.

Still that long bed gives you a place for the unused chucks/ The rest of the space is cover with a piece of plywood where you spread out drawings, stack stuff, collect clutter and park your lunch box. In the end you have a 16 x 36 lathe that's 16 ft overall. Makes a kind of sense.

[A.K. Boomer]

unless its totally obsolete is that thing not a bargain for that price?

[BadDog]

Yes, totally obsolete by todays standards. And not really considered a "rigid" lathe even in stock config, much less with 4" blocks. The one out here in the tool desert, where anything decent commands a premium price IF you can find it, there was one every bit as nice as that one appears to be, and even with a complete compliment of normal tooling (steadies etc), it sat for months on end for $3000...