# Southbend 9"  Information Needed



## HiCap239 (Mar 2, 2017)

Hello Everyone,

I just signed up today and I must say this site is an excellent source of information. I am somewhat new to metal lathes. I have an ENCO 9 x 20 that I have been working on too much, and have come to the realization with much reading that it is better to get an older American made lathe. I have done a lot of research and looking on Craigslist. I am in Southwest Florida and there seems to be a few lathes for sale here and there. I was poking around on Ebay yesterday just to see if there was anything decent and close. I found this ending tomorrow Item #2703219
What jumps right out at you here? Yep the rear assembly is reversed. I have been thinking about making this purchase but I am on the fence. The seller has send me several pictures, I wanted to see what the WAYS looked like and the back of the rear assembly with the motor. I am assuming (yes, I used the "A" word!) that the Horizontal Adjustable Countershaft can be removed from its housing allowing the 3 step cone pully to be  turned 180 degrees so when the complete assembly is turned to the correct position both sets of cone pullys are correctly aligned.  The ways looked good, from the pictures...... but then again I am not right there with a machinists straight edge to check them either. I asked the seller about the rear assembly he said it was like that when he bought it and it has worked fine for him. He also said this "
Just remembered that, when I purchased lathe years ago, seller told me it only goes clockwise and if reverse is needed, a reversible motor must be purchased." OK??? I am confused on this one. does the switch not work? Anyways, I would like some honest opinions on this one, pursue or walk away? I have no problems taking one apart and restoring it, I just want a good foundation at a fair price. I have a feeling the auction will end without any bids as it is a local pick up item. I might be able to get it for $500 if that is the case. Any info/advice would be greatly appreciated. I have seem to found an affection for these little Southbend 9" lathes and will have one of these one day, even if this is not the one. 

Thanks Guys


----------



## woodchucker (Mar 2, 2017)

well that item is not available. it's been removed


----------



## Bob Korves (Mar 2, 2017)

Be careful with eBay machinery purchases.  You are buying something sight unseen usually.  If it is what is shown in the photos, and it does what the seller said in the ad that it does, then it is yours to keep.  eBay will only help with things that are misrepresented.  Look at the ads from the eBay management point of view.  If it looks like a duck...

You can get burned badly buying machines on eBay unless you know what you are doing.  Read the ads with that in mind.  Often it just says that they do not test the machine, look at the photos.  That is what eBay will stand behind.  If returnable, it usually says the the buyer is responsible for return freight. It may well be scrap metal...


----------



## HiCap239 (Mar 2, 2017)

woochucker said:


> well that item is not available. it's been removed


Thanks for telling that it was removed. I just looked in my Ebay, I used the wrong number. Here is the correct item number 222420682085


----------



## HiCap239 (Mar 2, 2017)

Bob Korves said:


> Be careful with eBay machinery purchases.  You are buying something sight unseen usually.  If it is what is shown in the photos, and it does what the seller said in the ad that it does, then it is yours to keep.  eBay will only help with things that are misrepresented.  Look at the ads from the eBay management point of view.  If it looks like a duck...
> 
> You can get burned badly buying machines on eBay unless you know what you are doing.  Read the ads with that in mind.  Often it just says that they do not test the machine, look at the photos.  That is what eBay will stand behind.  If returnable, it usually says the the buyer is responsible for return freight. It may well be scrap metal...



Here is the correct item number so the lathe can be viewed 222420682085, I understand exactly what you are saying Bob and I very well may not end up getting it for the simple fact that I cannot go up and inspect it before I buy it. I might try to buy it person to person and inspect it after the auction ends. That way I do not have to commit to anything and can take some tools up with me to inspect the Ways for wear with. Any ideas on what a good used Southbend 9" lathe like the one in that picture is going for price wise these days? There is a add on craigslist that is just over an hour up the road from me. It is a Southbend 9" basic model with no threading gear drive unit. It does not have any change gears either and while it is clean with great looking Ways, it is in parts and also missing the tool lantern, has no bench and is in parts. The guy wants $1449.00 for it. He is firm on the price too. There is no way I would pay that much.


----------



## woodchucker (Mar 2, 2017)

I have a SB 9 model a.
yes the motor drive is backward. I'm not bothered by that. It looks like the owner hooked up some kind of linkage in the front under the gearbox extending toward the chuck, then it goes under the bed to the drive.
I am bothered by the crashed compound. That's toast and needs replacement.
if you are worried about the ways ask for pics.. ASK any questions you can, and get answers. If he responds you'll know... if he lies it's useful in a claim. In all my ebay transactions I only had one blatant liar..  And I won.


----------



## Bob Korves (Mar 2, 2017)

That compound lead screw has a really easy to use oiling port.  What else is bad?  The lathe is essentially not described at all, so there is nothing to get back at the seller with.  All you have are the pics, and they are not very good.  Woochucker gave excellent advice in his post above.  If you want this lathe, ask lots of detailed questions and expect good solid answers that are not full of wiggle room.  I know little about those lathes specifically, so no help there.  It still might be worth buying, but also notice that he may pull the ad early (if he is not getting his reserve price, whatever that number is.)  The "tooling" that comes with it is is mostly junk for the cutoff bin and the recycle bin, just a few 'possibly' useful tools there, and only a three jaw chuck, and the lathe has a short bed, which might be OK for you, but is limiting.


----------



## HiCap239 (Mar 2, 2017)

woochucker said:


> I have a SB 9 model a.
> yes the motor drive is backward. I'm not bothered by that. It looks like the owner hooked up some kind of linkage in the front under the gearbox extending toward the chuck, then it goes under the bed to the drive.
> I am bothered by the crashed compound. That's toast and needs replacement.
> if you are worried about the ways ask for pics.. ASK any questions you can, and get answers. If he responds you'll know... if he lies it's useful in a claim. In all my ebay transactions I only had one blatant liar..  And I won.



Yea, I noticed the compound too, not sure what caused that but it does look scary. What confuses me is if you picture the motor drive in the correct position the 3 cone pully's would not line up correctly. I have not seen one of these in person and I have not looked online to see how they come apart. It would have to come apart and be rotated 180 degrees on the countershaft for the 3 pully cones on the rear to correctly match up to the lathe. Then the linkage could be hooked up correctly. Then there is the email that he states that the motor only ones forward, no reverse. I might just let the auction end and contact him after to see if I can come up and look at it and make an offer. It makes me think the previous owner got it in parts and had no idea of how to put it back together. The seller has been good and emailed me a lot of pictures of it and has answered my questions. I am still leery and would rather inspect in in person before I buy.


----------



## Surprman (Mar 3, 2017)

It appears that the front bolts that tighten the head bearings are both missing.  I'd ask why that is - the answer could be a deal breaker.  (Man, that compound looks like it got hit HARD.). Also, maybe the photo quality is to blame but there are areas of the ways that should not get much wear in normal opearation.  Those areas should still have some evidence of flaking on them.  If it is all gone it could be the result of some heavy duty rework on the ways to mask damage or excessive wear.

Rick


----------



## HiCap239 (Mar 3, 2017)

Surprman said:


> It appears that the front bolts that tighten the head bearings are both missing.  I'd ask why that is - the answer could be a deal breaker.  (Man, that compound looks like it got hit HARD.). Also, maybe the photo quality is to blame but there are areas of the ways that should not get much wear in normal opearation.  Those areas should still have some evidence of flaking on them.  If it is all gone it could be the result of some heavy duty rework on the ways to mask damage or excessive wear.
> 
> Rick


Wow, I never even noticed that. The seller is clueless to this. I am going to pass on this. Thanks for noticing that, you saved me a lot of hassle. I had planned to let the auction end then contact the seller and drive 175 miles up there to inspect it myself. No need to do that now. I did find a 1875 Logan lathe and am going to check that one out since it is within 40 minutes of me. Lathe looks very nice and the gentleman knows all about it and owned it for several years. I will take my tools so I can do a good inspection, he is good with that too. I am going to work out a trade deal for it. Wish me luck. I figure the Logans Lathes are as good as quality as Southbend Lathes. I don't know though there is just something that seems to draw me to the Southbend 9" lathes and for the life of me I do not know why.


----------



## brino (Mar 3, 2017)

@HiCap239 

That's probably the right call with that SouthBend discussed above. If those defects are on the surface, what else is hiding in the gear-box and carriage?
Not that it could not be fixed up, but it sounds like it would be a bigger project that the Enco you have now.

Best of luck with the Logan, the circumstances around it sounds much better.
Please let us know how it goes.
-brino


----------



## woodchucker (Mar 3, 2017)

HiCap239 said:


> Yea, I noticed the compound too, not sure what caused that but it does look scary. What confuses me is if you picture the motor drive in the correct position the 3 cone pully's would not line up correctly. I have not seen one of these in person and I have not looked online to see how they come apart. It would have to come apart and be rotated 180 degrees on the countershaft for the 3 pully cones on the rear to correctly match up to the lathe. Then the linkage could be hooked up correctly. Then there is the email that he states that the motor only ones forward, no reverse. I might just let the auction end and contact him after to see if I can come up and look at it and make an offer. It makes me think the previous owner got it in parts and had no idea of how to put it back together. The seller has been good and emailed me a lot of pictures of it and has answered my questions. I am still leery and would rather inspect in in person before I buy.


The cones are in the correct orientation for the lathe. the cone on the motor drive can be reversed easily so that's what the user did.
I would ask why he reversed the assembly (for curiosity).
About the head bolts missing. I'm not sure they are. That head may have the socket bolts. Not sure of the age. Later models had sockets. Mine did not.


----------



## woodchucker (Mar 3, 2017)

Ask if all the gear have their teeth or are any missing teeth.
ask if anything is siezed up.


----------



## Glenn Brooks (Mar 3, 2017)

Ways can be shinny and smooth in photos and still be worn so badly you won't be able to make decent parts without a lot of aggravation.  Never hurts to take along a straight edge and put it on the ways to see how much gap there is near the headstock. 

Glenn


----------

