# Model C Restoration - nearly complete!



## Surprman (Jun 8, 2014)

Well, it looks like I can now post pictures, and just in time, I completed the majority of the reassembly of my lathe this weekend. (I still need to work on finishing up the electrical, but I did test it out - it is nice and smooth (even the back gear, which took the brunt of a fall sometime in the past.  I replaced a bent shaft with a new one).

Rick


----------



## bobby light (Jun 9, 2014)

Looks great, wish I had the patience to restore a couple of my south bends!


----------



## Don B (Jun 9, 2014)

That's a fantastic bit of work.....!)


----------



## Surprman (Jun 9, 2014)

Surprman said:


> Well, it looks like I can now post pictures, and just in time, I completed the majority of the reassembly of my lathe this weekend. (I still need to work on finishing up the electrical, but I did test it out - it is nice and smooth (even the back gear, which took the brunt of a fall sometime in the past.  I replaced a bent shaft with a new one).
> 
> Rick



Here is how I received it a short few weeks ago:


----------



## DoogieB (Jun 9, 2014)

It's almost to pretty to use!   Nice job.


----------



## Andre (Jun 9, 2014)

Nice resto! Any bondo or just paint on the castings?


----------



## Surprman (Jun 9, 2014)

Andre said:


> Nice resto! Any bondo or just paint on the castings?



Thanks.  I just stripped it and repainted.  I used Sherwin-Williams industrial urethane alkyd enamel.  It is pretty nice paint.  They only sell it in gallon quantities. ~$50/gallon.  You can paint a lot of lathes with one gallon!  I had them split the full gallon into two halves and tint them different shades.  At least I could get a little variety into the job if I have to buy all that paint.  That paint is tough to buy.  They say they can only sell it to contractors or for use to those "in industry".  (Or you can go in late in the day when they have their young kids working who don't know that  )

Rick


----------



## HMF (Jun 10, 2014)

Beautiful job!!! Thanks so much for showing it to us!!:thankyou:


----------



## Splat (Jun 13, 2014)

Beautiful job, indeed!  Looking at that color you used now I want to eat mint ice cream.


----------



## rmack898 (Jun 13, 2014)

Very nice job. 

The SW paint is good stuff and it will hold up well  

Enjoy your new lathe.


----------



## Lornie McCullough (Jun 14, 2014)

Very nicely done! Mine looks like your 'before' picture.


----------



## Kroll (Jun 15, 2014)

Very nice job,love the color looks like a shade of green.Question on the paint,did you have to use a hardner and did you spray?I think that is the paint use on heavy equipment like bull dozers


----------



## Bill A (Jun 15, 2014)

Surprman said:


> Well, it looks like I can now post pictures, and just in time, I completed the majority of the reassembly of my lathe this weekend. (I still need to work on finishing up the electrical, but I did test it out - it is nice and smooth (even the back gear, which took the brunt of a fall sometime in the past.  I replaced a bent shaft with a new one).
> 
> Rick


Wow!  My lathe hasn't been that clean since the day I installed it!!!:whistle:

- - - Updated - - -



Bill A said:


> Wow!  My lathe hasn't been that clean since the day I installed it!!!:whistle:


----------



## Surprman (Jun 15, 2014)

Kroll said:


> Very nice job,love the color looks like a shade of green.Question on the paint,did you have to use a hardner and did you spray?I think that is the paint use on heavy equipment like bull dozers



Thanks.  I did not use a hardener and I brushed it (it self levels pretty good).  It does take a bit of time to fully cure.  It drys to the touch in  one day, but you don't want to pick up any heavy parts for a couple days - the paint will wrinkle.  After a few days the paint is really hard.  I used a primer, but on one handle, I didn't use it.  I don't think I needed to use the primer comparing the two.  We'll see over time.
Rick


----------



## radial1951 (Jun 20, 2014)

Surprman said:


> Well, it looks like I can now post pictures, and just in time, I completed the majority of the reassembly of my lathe this weekend. (I still need to work on finishing up the electrical, but I did test it out - it is nice and smooth (even the back gear, which took the brunt of a fall sometime in the past.  I replaced a bent shaft with a new one).
> 
> Rick



Hi Rick

Very nice job, I like the spearmint green too. Do you know when it was made? This website, http://www.wswells.com/serial_number.html, will give you an approximate idea. I got the build card for mine from Grizzly, nice to confirm the exact details. Interesting contrast, the SBL and your mill look like they were made centuries apart. Well, I guess they probably were! Well done, another South Bend preserved for eternity.

Regards, RossG.
radial1951
_____________


----------



## Surprman (Jun 20, 2014)

radial1951 said:


> Hi Rick
> 
> Very nice job, I like the spearmint green too. Do you know when it was made? This website, http://www.wswells.com/serial_number.html, will give you an approximate idea. I got the build card for mine from Grizzly, nice to confirm the exact details. Interesting contrast, the SBL and your mill look like they were made centuries apart. Well, I guess they probably were! Well done, another South Bend preserved for eternity.
> 
> ...




Thanks Ross!  I chose the color because I wanted something a little brighter than the standard gray/gray-green (it's in my house not in a factory- besides, I figured that with a lighter color, I would be more inclined to clean it better (so far that is correct!). Based on my review of the wells site, the machine was sold around 1941 (I ordered a PDF of the card from Grizzly about 10 minutes ago).  I'm pretty sure it will confirm that it was sold to the Gurley Precision Instruments company.  (The gentleman I bought it from worked there and he indicated he retired from there and bought the lathe from them while he was still there).  Again, they sold it probably because it fell and had some broken parts and it was probably not worth their effort to repair.  The restoration is 99% complete and I have made some chips (and even an actual functional part!).  The last main thing I want to work on is the cross slide.  The original has the elongated slot for the taper attachment (which I have).  It was broken off, probably in the tumble too.  I am thinking of milling the back side of the cross slide flat and drilling and tapping a couple holes in it.  I will then mill up a new elongated slot to mount on the end (kind-of how the taper slot on the SB 10" heavy lathes are mounted).  I will be starting a new post with the PDF file image and a few pictures of the lathe and some of the parts I made on it.  Stay tuned.

Rick


----------



## Marco Bernardini (Jun 20, 2014)

On "Popular Mechanics", Oct. 1934 issue, there was a "special offer" for a SB like yours, just $7/month for a year: old good times 
See the ad here:
https://encrypted.google.com/books?id=xd8DAAAAMBAJ&hl=en&pg=RA1-PA117#v=onepage&q&f=false

P.S.:* I offer you $14/month!*
:roflmao:


----------



## Showoff (Jun 22, 2014)

Surprman said:


> Well, it looks like I can now post pictures, and just in time, I completed the majority of the reassembly of my lathe this weekend. (I still need to work on finishing up the electrical, but I did test it out - it is nice and smooth (even the back gear, which took the brunt of a fall sometime in the past.  I replaced a bent shaft with a new one).
> 
> Rick




That looks fantastic !

what color is that ? Ive been trying to figure out what color to paint my stuff.

i was thinking i definitely wanted it lighter than normal and couldnt decide on a light blueish or green color.

kitchen maid has some neat retro colors i think look cool but maybe too much on a big machine.

keep up the good work john.


.


----------



## Surprman (Jul 5, 2014)

Showoff said:


> That looks fantastic !
> 
> what color is that ? Ive been trying to figure out what color to paint my stuff.
> 
> ...



John,

Thanks.  The light green is SW. 6448 (Greening) and the darker green is SW 6450 (Easy Green).  Both colors have basically the same base and can be mixed from the same gallon by SW.

Rick


----------



## VSAncona (Jul 22, 2014)

That looks awesome!

Heck, I'd even be happy with the lathe in the "before" photo!


----------



## rw1 (Aug 20, 2014)

Really spiffy little lathe and beautifully restored!  Love your shop  with lots of outlets and clean look.  Enjoy your "Minty" SB !  :roflmao:


----------



## CoopVA (Aug 21, 2014)

Awesome job.  That looks fantastic!  I'm getting ready to start on my 9A...   I hope it turns out half as nice as yours did...


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


----------

