# Just Bought A South Bend 9c



## a917ndy (May 15, 2015)

This is my first real lathe, i have a harbor freight one but its just too small for me. It came with a 3 and 4 jaw chuck, some brass 3c collets with the closer, a kdk style tool post, and a bunch of other stuff



	

		
			
		

		
	
Before I start using it I'd like to take it apart and clean it up and make sure everything is working nicely. This is my first time working on an old machine like this so any advice would be greatly appreciated.

-Andrew


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## aametalmaster (May 15, 2015)

Nice find. I would just wipe it down and give it a test run...Bob


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## brino (May 15, 2015)

Hi Andrew,

Congratulations, nice lathe!
I like to see people as excited as I am about the older equipment.
You will find lots of like-minded people here that have decades of knowledge and are willing it share it.

Welcome aboard!
-brino


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## Strtspdlx (May 16, 2015)

I would consider giving it a good wipe down and cleaning build up off without disassembly and oil it up. After that run it for a bit. Try turning facing and parting. See if there are any issues at all and if so when you take it apart for a thorough cleaning you can identify and fix known issues. Looks like a great but good luck with it!!


Regards-Carlo


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## pineyfolks (May 17, 2015)

Looks like a good deal. I have a larger lathe but my 9" sb is used for 80% of my work. You'll be amazed at how much you can do with that size machine.


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## Surprman (May 17, 2015)

Andrew,

Congrats on the lathe.  That size is great and they are fun to refurbish.  One item,  I think you have South Bend 9 inch junior lathe (not a model C). - the apron and headstock look different from a model C.  That is an important distinction when you are going out to eBay to start getting parts.  Also, the feet look like they are reversed on the lathe.  (The foot with the hole should be under the headstock- at least that is how most of the ones I've seen have been arranged).  

Have fun!
Rick


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## Splat (May 17, 2015)

I would at the least remove the apron and see how dirty it is, along with the lead screw gear box, if it has one. Good luck with her!


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## brino (May 18, 2015)

Surprman said:


> The foot with the hole should be under the headstock- at least that is how most of the ones I've seen have been arranged



Hey Surprman, is that hole used for anything?

thanks,
-brino


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## a917ndy (May 18, 2015)

Thanks everyone, the lathe seems to run fine, i've taken a couple things off to clean and it was pretty filthy. Also I think you are right surprman i did notice a few very slight differences between my lathe and the one in the rebuild manual. Also the bolt used to lock the cross feed was steel instead of brass so I'd like to replace that with the correct one but i cant find a brass one with those threads so I'll have to try to find one online or make a brass tip so it doesnt damage the threads it pushes against.

Other than that its cleaning up real nicely


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## Surprman (May 18, 2015)

I'm sure you will get some good use out of the machine regardless of the model (although the jr model might not have as many parts up for sale compared to the production run size of the "workshop" models (A,B and C).   Regardless,  they made good, quality stuff back then.  To answer a question another poster asked in this thread,  the hole is sometimes used as a place to run the wire back to the motor (not sure if that was the original purpose, but that's what I used it for:


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## AustinTom (May 31, 2015)

Surprman said:


> Andrew,
> 
> Congrats on the lathe.  That size is great and they are fun to refurbish.  One item,  I think you have South Bend 9 inch junior lathe (not a model C). - the apron and headstock look different from a model C.  That is an important distinction when you are going out to eBay to start getting parts.  Also, the feet look like they are reversed on the lathe.  (The foot with the hole should be under the headstock- at least that is how most of the ones I've seen have been arranged).
> 
> ...



I recently bought one very similar, and recognize the headstock casting  Unfortunately its neither a workshop or a Jr. Its a Toolmakers No. 20 and way less common than even the Jr.


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## a917ndy (Jun 1, 2015)

AustinTom said:


> I recently bought one very similar, and recognize the headstock casting  Unfortunately its neither a workshop or a Jr. Its a Toolmakers No. 20 and way less common than even the Jr.



Thats what i thought but i didnt know it was actually a different model, the catalogue number is 420-Z but i couldnt find that same number on the website where they have info on the catalogue numbers


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## AustinTom (Jun 1, 2015)

Here check out this Catalogue from 1933.

http://www.wswells.com/data/catalog/1933_Circular_No.9-G/1933_Circular_No.9-G.pdf

The feet in there are different than yours,  but the Catalogue No. is in there.  Mine has the same feet as yours.

Austin


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## spongerich (Jun 1, 2015)

a917ndy said:


> Also the bolt used to lock the cross feed was steel instead of brass so I'd like to replace that with the correct one but i cant find a brass one with those threads so I'll have to try to find one online or make a brass tip so it doesnt damage the threads it pushes against.



Hmmmm... if only you had some sort of machine that could make a threaded bolt from a piece of brass bar.


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## a917ndy (Jun 2, 2015)

spongerich said:


> Hmmmm... if only you had some sort of machine that could make a threaded bolt from a piece of brass bar.


Yeah like a lathe or something


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