Boxford "C" vs South Bend "A" Upgrade

[754]

The Southbend is a foot longer... right ? WISH MINE WAS...

[donf]

This one is about 6" longer. That's one thing I have never maxed out on the Boxford is its length.

[JRouche]

Id take a solid Boxford over a Southbend pretty much all day. JR

[donf]

Thanks for the feedback. One thing that this adventure has shown me is that the CUD was actually a very good lathe, even when compared to an old used South Bend 9a. I thought all this time I was just settling, but I am starting to appreciate what I have, at least in this part of the USA where good lathes do not show up often. The CUD bed is free of dings from kids dropping the chuck or tools on it and shows minimal wear. Almost everything is more refined with the Boxford. One huge deal I found last night was the South Bend dials are tiny and not movable, at least on this 1962 model. So you can't touch off the tool and start the dial reading at zero. That's a huge deal to me because I am used to having that feature. I know people use the South Bends and make really nice parts, but I am starting to just think I am going to keep the CUD and look for another lathe, preferably one with a large hole head stock. The CUD has done good by me for 10 years and the parts I make are limited by the operator (myself) more than the machine.

I cleaned a bit on the South Bend last night and there is something definitely wrong with the motor. It gets hot - like in funny smell and smoke hot after a while and its down on power even with no cuts. It was a high school machine from Los Angeles and has a USA made phase converter (Cedarburg) so I'm thinking the wiring was proven over many years as I didn't change any of that. I did put the plug back on, but 240v single phase is sort of hard to mess up. Two hot wires and a ground. I put my hand on the 3 phase Boxford motor with a digital drive and it barely warm after a few minutes of no load running. So something is off.

[loose nut]

The lathe was imported, but its more likely it came from Canada as they use the metric system.

Metric, Not back in the 80's, many still rightfully refuse to change now.

Can't say it wasn't imported into Canada as a metric machine but all of the Boxfords I have seen here are Imperial. That doesn't mean that there wasn't a mentally deranged person who did import metric Boxfords into Canada. Poor bastard hope he was locked away in some institution for his own good.

[donf]

The metric part of the lathe doesn't phase me a bit any more. I am used to it now. The person I got them from had 8 identical metric Boxford machines that were on the border of Oregon and Washington. So thinking it must be some type of school as a CUD probably would not be used for industry. I got so many extra parts with mine I was able to recoup most of the purchase price.

[DS_park]

My $0.02. I have a 10" Logan that is change gear only. Spindle ID is small and I would hate to drop down to a 9 in size lathe.

I think you would miss the current speed, spindle through hole size and 10" - 245mm? capabilities of your Boxford. I also hate to see potentially good lathes (the 9A) cannibalized.

1. As others have suggested, if you have room for 2 lathes you will probably use both.
2. If your cross feed needs are mostly for turning, consider adapting an electric variable speed motor to drive it.
3. Digital feed and threading. Fellow on the internet and you tube under Clough42 has built (and sells) a digital control for threading and cross feed that appears to work well.

When I get the time, #2 may work best for my old Logan.

Good Luck.
DS

[Tundra Twin Track]

That doesn't mean that there wasn't a mentally deranged person who did import metric Boxfords into Canada. Poor bastard hope he was locked away in some institution for his own good.

loose nut tell us how you really feel about metric

[donf]

Thanks for the feedback. I have the room for a few weeks or months but not being able to set the dials on the South Bend to 0 after touching off the tool was the deal breaker. I have a huge amount of respect for people who can work remembering what number they started at, adding it all together while spinning handles like mad. I just like easy and starting at zero and easy to read large dials. That's a bigger deal to me than any QCGB, I may be able to learn but the 9A will have to find an new home. I will continue to just try to learn the skills of machining rather than spend a few months making the 9A look presentable.

[mattthemuppet]

most likely the dials on the SB are simply seized on with gunk/ rust. Keep spraying them with PB blaster and hit with some heat every so often and they should free up.

I agree with the ELS suggestion, that would solve most of your wish list for the Boxford.

[donf]

Thank you for the tip, yes one dial is free already. The other is being stubborn. I sprayed some PB in it and will try again in a few hours.

[loose nut]

loose nut tell us how you really feel about metric

Well I could tell you but the shear terror you would experience from hearing it would leave you a babbling idiot for the rest of your life. Just accept that I think the metric madness is a bigger plague on this planet then the covid will ever be but that's just me. All the people that like the metric system will have to answer to Satan some day, it's his kind of evil.

[David Powell]

Long ago I gave up on reading dials, All my machines have either dial gauges or digital readouts fitted, Thisway I KNOW how much the slides have moved rather than how far the dials say they should have moved, Some angle iron , slotted as needed, and a few bolts will enable you to add a dial gauge to read your cross slide movements, for the saddle you need to make a quickly movable bracket to fit on the front shear to hold the dial gauge against the apron. Hope this helps someone, Regards David Powell,

[plunger]

Well I could tell you but the shear terror you would experience from hearing it would leave you a babbling idiot for the rest of your life. Just accept that I think the metric madness is a bigger plague on this planet then the covid will ever be but that's just me. All the people that like the metric system will have to answer to Satan some day, it's his kind of evil.

I cant prove it just yet but I have a sneaky feeling that Satan uses the imperial system. I dont see him converting just yet.

[nickel-city-fab]

that's odd about the dials, they should be movable. There is a small slotted set screw, at least on mine there was. I replaced them with thumb screws. The trick to removing the dials is to remember they had a pretty close fit, and fine threads. I tapped the crank handles off with a lead brick, working slowly and evenly. Then used a 2-foot strap wrench on the dial housings. One sharp hit on the end of the wrench then they spun right off.