Buying a Southbend 9" Lathe?

[Marv]

What's the scoop on the Southbend 9" lathes?

I know these are older machines, but are they worth looking into?

What are the bad points?

What are the good points?

Is it better to just get a light or heavy 10?

TNX

Marv

[SGW]

Nothin' wrong with the SB 9" that I know of. It came in 3 models, the A, B, and C. The A has a QC gearbox and power cross feed. The B has the QC gearbox but no power cross feed, I think. The C has manual change gears and no power cross feed.

The 10K is basically the 9" lathe with larger swing. The two models share some parts. The 10K takes 6K collets, which go up to 5/8" round. The 9" takes 3C collets, which go to 1/2" round. Both machines have a 1 1/2" - 8 spindle nose. I've got a 10K, and it's been fine.

The "heavy 10" is the real industrial toolroom-grade lathe. It takes 5C collets, may have either a 2 1/4 -8 spindle nose or one of the locking spindle noses, it has a wide-range gearbox that lets you cut a few of the oddball threads (like 27 tpi), it has a double-wall apron, etc.

Any of them, in good condition, will likely serve you well. The "heavy 10" is the most robust, greatest capacity, the "best lathe" of the three models, but there is nothing wrong with a good 9" South Bend, either.

[Hackasaw]

I have a nearly mint late model A.......... it rocks and for a lot less coin than several others of similar size.

Not making any parts for NASA but it seems to do quite acceptable.

There is a 10K on eBay right now with reserve met at 600 bucks.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...tem=1721466828

He doesn't tell much of the condition and it does look like it's seen some chips flying.

He doesn't say if there is anything in the drawers either but you might check his other auctions.

[Gizmo]

I had one for about 10 years, the A model. It was a sweet running machine. Cut nice threads. Bed was pretty long for its swing, 4 feet, limiting factor was hole through headstock, only 3/4". Dials are small, but you get used to it. Wish I could have kept it, but needed to cash it out for the next one at the time. The little 9" machines these days lack the power cross feed, and I'm forever fishing around in the gear train to get the range right. The 9" SB-A is good stuff.

[trap]

Just got a 1982 Sb 10K in at work (I work for a dealer) that is in mint condition except for a one inch scratch on the ways. What makes me sick is the tag on the back of it that says it ways made in South Korea.

[joemer]

Great machine, about half the machine shops from here to there have one. Can not go wrong buying one if its in good shape. South Bend folks have tech manuals if you need one.

[RMPSTRAT]

Marv,

I bought a SB last year on Ebay and I like it. Only problem is that it was made in 1923 and South Bend doesn't make parts for their lathes that date back that far. I've been looking for a solid year for parts that I may need as spares. Just recently I lunched the longitude feed gear buck luckily I found a complete apron on ebay without power crossfeed. If you can find one that was made in the 40's, South Bend still stocks parts for the later models

[RMPSTRAT]

Marv,

I bought a SB last year on Ebay and I like it. Only problem is that it was made in 1923 and South Bend doesn't make parts for their lathes that date back that far. I've been looking for a solid year for parts that I may need as spares. Just recently I lunched the longitude feed gear buck luckily I found a complete apron on ebay without power crossfeed. If you can find one that was made in the 40's, South Bend still stocks parts for the later models

------------------
Ray

[mikem]

surely you are mistaken about South bend lathes being made in Korea? I'm going to have to look mine over when I get home!

[msrm]

Trap is right about SB being made in Korea.
I talked to a guy in SB Parts Dept. and asked
him about the rumor that SB is made overseas.
He said only the castings are made overseas
in different countries and at different times
throughout the years. He said that if a
rough casting had any flaws, it was scrapped
and was not finished. He also said the
actual process of building the 10K is done in
the US. The other lathes in the SB line I
think are made by other companies with the
SB lathe attached. Some SB lathes look a lot
like Nardini lathes from pictures I've seen.
Lets face it, a lot of quality names are just
names and not totally made in the US anymore.
It does sadden me too.