Boxford "C" vs South Bend "A" Upgrade

[donf]

Thanks, I did get one to move. It was tight even with the screw all the way out and PB blaster. The other one is not budging. I will soak it a few days.

I did get a large chuck in the pile of stuff that came with the 9A. It will not fit the 9" at all but spun right on the Boxford. I probably will not use it a lot but there have been times I could have used a bigger 4 jaw. I have had pretty good luck taking rust off chucks with evapo rust. I will see how clean I can get this one.

[loose nut]

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.

Why would he change, he uses it to torment metric users, FOREVER........................................... ......

[Baz]

Boxford improved the design initially, then again for your under drive model. So that one is two generations better.
I don't know why you are complaining about the small dials though. Some of these lathes use the dial as part of the handle locking onto the leadscrew too so not convenient. Just make a 2.5in diameter plastic disc that uses the silly little one as a bearing, engrave, or just slot in the lathe with a sharp tool and a 50 tooth gear.
It seems like you never screwcut anyway so just want multiple feeds. Small DC motor and ebay speed controller soon sorts that, or perhaps use your battery drill. The drill also provides cross power facing.
You mentioned perhaps problems with the cross feed. First there is an interlock between the half nut lever and power feed selector on the apron then also the clutch is a weird design so can jam, especially in a school machine that didn't get oil in the apron. After releasing the star knob it sometimes needs to be hit inwards to release.
If stripping note that screw in the middle of the star wheel is reverse thread. And the screw holding the half nut lever sometimes has a second screw deep in the hole under the outer one.

[donf]

Boxford improved the design initially, then again for your under drive model. So that one is two generations better.
I don't know why you are complaining about the small dials though.

The Boxford dials are fine, its a better design all the way around. 1962 South Bend 9A Dials are small and stuck because of lack of care. I guess they are supposed to move too. Just waiting on PB blaster to do its thing.

[mattthemuppet]

don't forget heat. It'll either soften up the gunk, cause the PB blaster to get sucked in better or help crush any rust between the two parts. Heat is wonderful for getting things apart

[RB211]

Put a Clough42 ELS on it and be done. Power crossfeed? Home brew your own. ELS is superior to any gearbox.

[nickel-city-fab]

Put a Clough42 ELS on it and be done. Power crossfeed? Home brew your own. ELS is superior to any gearbox.

For a few years now, I've been interested in the Hardinge HLV-H but that is still WAY out of my league finanacially and space-wise.

[J Tiers]

Forget all the "fluff" being discussed......... You OWN two lathes, and have a question as to which to keep.

It appears that the Boxford is in considerably better condition. The only features of the SB that seem attractive are that it has a threading gearbox and is a longer bed. The rest of the machine has disadvantages. But, you have not been limited by the lack of a threading gearbox on the Boxford so far, nor by bed length.

It seems straight up and clear that you will want to keep the machine that is in better condition. That seems to be the Boxford.

[donf]

Thank you, yes I am keeping the Boxford. It was a good lesson and think I can get my money back out of the south bend fairly fast. I found the oil cups for the spindle bearings are missing from the headstock on the South Bend too. So that probably means trouble, although there is no slop yet in the head bearings just tugging. Maybe they just put oil in the plain holes? Hopefully. Still its not making sense to go much further.

[J Tiers]

Clean it up, paint it, clean the rust or dirt off the ways, and you may get enough for it to repay you plus buy yourself some nice tooling!

Shiny clean stuff sells.........

[donf]

I did disassemble the chuck and dipped it in rust remover. It has both sets of jaws still. I did clean the ways and knocked off the high spots where kids dropped tools. I would rather not paint it. I hate those machines people just slap paint on to sell. If it doesn't go away in a week or two I will put more work into it and raise the price. Really the thing needs a total rebuild so no use putting lipstick on a pig, even though its a popular pig. I think I will just stick it out with the Boxford for a while longer, I have gotten used to it. This lesson taught me that its a pretty good lathe as is.

[Paul Alciatore]

Yea, I was going to say that on the SB I just loosen the set screw before touching off and then tighten it at zero. Quite easy.

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]

Yea, I was going to say that on the SB I just loosen the set screw before touching off and then tighten it at zero. Quite easy.

Set screws were out. I finally got them loose after two days of pb blaster, heat and finally channel locks and a rag. I put some ads up with an accurate description of the condition, (overheating motor, dinged cross slide and compound, needing a general redo) and I have someone wanting to look at it today after work. Its a decent start to a project but it needs a lot of care and maybe some replacement castings for the cross slide and compound if you don't want it to look like it came from a high school.

[loose nut]

. I would rather not paint it. I hate those machines people just slap paint on to sell. If it doesn't go away in a week or two I will put more work into it and raise the price..

Paint it the original colour then scuff it up, chip the paint some and generally make it look like it is old original paint but in pretty fair condition. The buyer will think he got a good deal and you wont feel so bad for making it look to good to be true.

[donf]

If I paint it, it would have to be disassembled and cleaned. At that point I might as well refurbish it myself and keep it as there will be many hours involved that I should have spent on other projects. A rebuild on a machine is only worth it for me if its a drastic upgrade from the Boxford, and this one isn't. As it sets there are a few tire kickers so far. I think it could be gone by the weekend. I got a rusty 8" chuck and a full set of lathe dogs out of the deal and I will make a few dollars for dragging it home and cleaning it up a bit.