# 13" Lathe Rebuild Cost Question



## MikeH (Feb 25, 2013)

I am considering doing a ground up rebuild on my 1947 vintage SB 13" x 40" (5 foot bed) sway-backed lathe. Unless I am measuring it incorrectly, the carriage drops by 30 thousands between the tail stock end of the bed and the area close to the head stock where the most wear is at. I figure that is too much to scrap, especially with my lack of expertise in scrapping. So, I have been getting quotes from shops around my area for getting the bed, saddle, & cross slide ground and fitted to each other. I figured I would try my hand at scrapping the compound and tail stock, they might be small enough for me to learn on. Anyway, the quotes have been quite scattered. To only grind the bed and do nothing else, a local shop quoted me "from $1250 to $1500", a shop in Columbia quoted me $600, and a shop in western TN quoted $1265 to grind the bed, saddle, & cross slide ground and fit them.

My question is what is a reasonable price for this work? What shops have a good reputation for this kind of work in the South East (I am in Greenville, SC)?
If I can afford it, I don't mind paying for good work, but I don't want to 2 or 3 times what I should for the work.


----------



## Richard King (Feb 25, 2013)

I just got off the phone with an old friend, Rich Piselli at RP Machine in Statesville NC.  I asked him if he knew any rebuilders in SC or locally.  He said he could not recommend anyone.  He said, he sends his machine rebuilding up north or brings someone in.  Most rebuilders in this area charge $75.00 to $125.00 per hour.  

I charge $75.00 for rebuilding as I have low overhead working from my home now.  The price of $1250.00 is pretty cheap if that company is any good.  You should do some detective work and call around to some professional machine ships and ask them what rebuilder they use.  Plus get some references from the rebuilders.  Check with the Better Business Bureau.  Get a written quote and ask what tolerance they can guarantee and how long will they guarantee it.  Just some questions so they know your serious, and a good rebuilder will be happy to give answers.  I would shy away from anyone who gets mad when you ask them those questions.

How did you check to say it's off .030"?  If the bed is worn that much, then the bottom of the saddle is worn that much too.  So you will need to glue some Turcite on the bottom of the saddle to bring it back to the original height so the feed shafts and rack and pinion align as new.  I can help you with the scraping.  Just come to my forum Scraping and Machine Restoration.


----------



## MikeH (Feb 25, 2013)

Thanks Richard. I will start calling around. 
The place in TN is Schimede, and did email me a pdf with the estimate and state the price is good through May. So far, they are the only one to provide anything in writing.
To get the drop measurement, I placed the carriage at what appears to be the most worn area of the bed near the head stock and measured with my dial calipers from the boss for the missing carriage lock to the smooth bottom of the ways in front of the rack that the hand wheel engages. I then moved the carriage to the end of the bed farthest from the head stock and repeated the measurement and compared the two measurements.
Thanks for your offer of help with the scrapping. I will start frequenting your part of the forum.


----------



## Richard King (Feb 25, 2013)

MikeH said:


> Thanks Richard. I will start calling around.
> The place in TN is Schimede, and did email me a pdf with the estimate and state the price is good through May. So far, they are the only one to provide anything in writing.
> To get the drop measurement, I placed the carriage at what appears to be the most worn area of the bed near the head stock and measured with my dial calipers from the boss for the missing carriage lock to the smooth bottom of the ways in front of the rack that the hand wheel engages. I then moved the carriage to the end of the bed farthest from the head stock and repeated the measurement and compared the two measurements.
> Thanks for your offer of help with the scrapping. I will start frequenting your part of the forum.




Schimede is one of the premier rebuilders in the country.  You may want to send them everything and save yourself a lot of hassles.


----------



## MikeH (Feb 26, 2013)

Wow! I did not know that. Ok, that is what I will do. Thank you for your advice.


----------

