# Just purchased a CL187A lathe - need some help



## rfdes (Jun 20, 2019)

I have recently purchased a nice CL187A (circa 1967 model with steel cabinet) but have not taken possession of the unit.  The seller will load the lathe in my pickup but I am not equipped to get it out once I'm home.  Once home, I would prefer to disassemble the major parts of the lathe while the unit is still in the bed of the truck.  This will allow me to move the individual parts from the truck fairly safely.  I need some advise as how to efficiently remove the major parts from the cabinet.  I have no manual for this lathe. Is there any written manuals, etc. explaining how to do this?

Any advise would be appreciated.
Jim


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## chefjuke (Jun 20, 2019)

There are some GREAT guides to renovating South Bend Lathes available on eBay.

Some have kits with replacement consumables such as felt wicks.

Search for “south bend lathe guide” and choose the right one for your model.

Here’s my South Bend 9a before and after a full teardown and rebuild using one of these guides










Chef Juke


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro


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## 4ssss (Jun 21, 2019)

It would be better and easier if you'd rent a U-Haul trailer. They have HD trailers for probably $15 a day and  if it is a cabinet model, it should have holes drilled in the feet. Go to HF and get 4 wheels and roll it off. Why tear it down unless you're rebuilding it.


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## rfdes (Jun 25, 2019)

I appreciate the advice.  I think I will rent the U-Haul trailer but I have some spare rebar rod that I would like to use instead of using wheels.  Do you see any issues with this approach?  The cabinet does have feet but I will be using 2- 6 foot 2x4s to lag bolt the cabinet to.  Then the rebar will be used to roll the lathe around under the 2x4 'skids'.  Any additional advice would be appreciated.


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## FOMOGO (Jun 26, 2019)

Rebar isn't really round. I would get a few pieces of black pipe, or similar in 3/4". Mike


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## rfdes (Jun 27, 2019)

FOMOGO said:


> Rebar isn't really round. I would get a few pieces of black pipe, or similar in 3/4". Mike



How would 3/4" EMT hold up with a lathe that is in the 950-1000# range?  Seems like I have seen people claim that it works just fine under these loads, however, nothing heavier.
Jim


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## brino (Jun 27, 2019)

rfdes said:


> How would 3/4" EMT hold up with a lathe that is in the 950-1000# range?



I guess that depends on how many you use. 
Use more pieces to spread the load and you should be okay.
-brino


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## SLK001 (Jul 9, 2019)

When I moved my 10L's, I disconnected the lathe from the stand at the seller's location prior to them loading and transported them with the lathe on the deck.   I thought that they were just too top heavy to transport completely assembled.  Once I got a lathe  home, I removed the head and the tailstock from the bed, which made it "light" enough for one man to move.  I "walked" the stand where I wanted the lathe and backed up my pickup to the stand and then "walked" the bed to the stand from the bed.  If you have one of those one ton shop cranes on wheels, it makes it relatively easy to move.  I estimated that the two main parts were 600 LBs for the lathe and 400 LBs for the bed.


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## MontanaLon (Jul 9, 2019)

We use 1" PVC to move full safes. Once you have the first piece under the thing you are moving the rest is pretty easy. For a lathe you can use a floor jack to lift each end enough to get the pipe under. With a safe it is a bit more complicated but they can usually be tipped by a couple guys. The weight is spread over the length of the pipe and divided by the number of pipes you have under the thing you are moving. You would be amazed at the ease of moving an object that way, in fact take it very slow as getting it moving is easier than stopping it.


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## Superburban (Jul 9, 2019)

When I piked up my shaper, the PO used 1/2" or 3/4" PVC pipes to roll it around his shop.  When my shed was delivered, they used a bunch of 4" PVC pipes to roll it in place. I was surprised both times, I would not have thought of using PVC for either move.


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## matthewsx (Jul 9, 2019)

MontanaLon said:


> We use 1" PVC to move full safes. Once you have the first piece under the thing you are moving the rest is pretty easy. For a lathe you can use a floor jack to lift each end enough to get the pipe under. With a safe it is a bit more complicated but they can usually be tipped by a couple guys. The weight is spread over the length of the pipe and divided by the number of pipes you have under the thing you are moving. You would be amazed at the ease of moving an object that way, in fact take it very slow as getting it moving is easier than stopping it.



Safes full of ????

Are these your safes, or "borrowed"


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## MontanaLon (Jul 9, 2019)

matthewsx said:


> Safes full of ????
> 
> Are these your safes, or "borrowed"


Whatever it is people keep in safes. I suspect some of them were full of coins as they weighed a ton. You would be surprised the number of people who buy a gun safe and then fill it with something other than guns. I mean, how unsophisticated. 

I should note that it works best on hard flat floors. Carpet and anything that isn't smooth makes it harder.


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## rfdes (Aug 6, 2019)

Thanks to everyone for their advice.  Since I posted this original message I now have 2 - CL187A lathes which will need to be moved.  I am still waiting to take delivery of the 1st unit I purchased.  Total price for both + all tooling?  $200.  I'll never find another deal like this.

One last request:
Does anyone know where to find an exploded parts list for the CL187A lathes?  I've looked everywhere and cannot seem to find a drawing.  If anyone knows where something like this exists please point me in the right direction.
Again, thanks to all.
Jim


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## markba633csi (Aug 6, 2019)

2? for 200? that should be against the law


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## rfdes (Aug 6, 2019)

markba633csi said:


> 2? for 200? that should be against the law


 
Well actually, the 1st cost $200.  The 2nd was free.


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## Superburban (Aug 7, 2019)

Well then, you can give me the second one, and say you quadrupled your money.


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## brino (Aug 7, 2019)

rfdes said:


> Well actually, the 1st cost $200. The 2nd was free.



A BOGO deal on Southbend Lathes?
I have never seen a deal like that........
-brino


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## Nogoingback (Aug 7, 2019)

But, since there are no pictures, there is no proof that any of this is true...


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## Latinrascalrg1 (Aug 7, 2019)

brino said:


> A BOGO deal on Southbend Lathes?
> I have never seen a deal like that........
> -brino


I happen to come across an ad titled "BOGO sale for SB Lathes" or something to that effect a few years ago.  What was advertised as a gently used Hobbyist owned lathe with a spare for backup parts that could "easily" be fixed to run on its own giving you 2 working machines turned out to be a longterm protect with potential along with a complete basketcase a parts donor!  What the seller actually meant was that by taking all the good pieces from one lathe and fixing them to the better bed you COULD build a Hobbyist sized lathe and have some leftover replacement parts that Could possibly be used to help rebuild a second lathe!  The Greatest thing about this was he wanted $1500 FIRM and not a penny less!


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## rfdes (Aug 12, 2019)

Ha - I didn't think of it as a Bogo deal but I guess it was.  I've been working as an electronics engineer for a small company based in Mass. which had a local production facility in Florida.  The owner of the company told me that I was welcome to the lathe since they were going to close the Florida facility and move back to Mass.  During this same time, a friend of mine working for a different local company said they were auctioning off another lathe (same models CL187).  I low ball bid $200 and won it, a complete surprise to me.  Now I've got two well maintained lathes to play with.  Even better they come with gobs of tooling.  I am currently in the process of getting them moved to my home.


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## Dabbler (Aug 13, 2019)

at that price you can afford a mover - if you have any qualms...


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