# SB 9" Workshop Lathe - 1938 Restoration



## Mike in Wis. (Sep 3, 2019)

Hello all.... my first post here.  I stumbled on a pretty nice 1938 South Bend Workshop lathe. It was used in a shop, and about 55 years ago taken out of service and sent to be refurbished.  By the time it was returned they had already put a new lathe into service so it was plopped on a pallet and stored in a loft. To make a long story short... it was never returned to service. I ended up with the lathe and some misc tooling for $250 over the weekend. It's tight.... was repainted but is covered in various shmutz and dry lubricant. My plan is to take it apart and clean everything and likely replace the felts as I'm sure they are all turned to varnish as well.  Are parts for the 9 series pretty much the same except for the apron/cross slide. This one seems pretty much identical to the year later Model 9C.  I know I will need to find a motor.  While never used... they had mounted a 1.4 HP 3450 rpm motor <grin>.  That would have  spun the bearings out quick.... Anyway, I need to scour this forum for info that may answer many of my questions. If you have any specific tips or motor recommendations please let me know. I do have the card from South Bend. Interestingly is said it was sold in 1938 but also shows billed date of 11/1940 ?  Maybe a time payment plan .... or maybe built in late 1938, delivered to the jobber but not sold/registered to the owner until 1940 ? Who knows?   

Mike


----------



## craptain (Sep 3, 2019)

Hi Mike. Your new lathe sounds like the one I am selling right now. Mine is designated as a 415, but is in every way a model c before they called it that. Mine is 1937, but delivered in early 1938. I know it fairly well, having had it for about 3 years. I am only replacing it because I found a later and slightly longer 9a. I have done some good work with it and found it more accurate than I am. Yours should be even better. Yes definitely get the felts. And generally give it a good lube all round. I invested in a kit of oils for the ways, spindle, cutting and something else. I also upgraded the toolpost to a Shars AXA anda kit of tools. Good investment, though I use HSS most of the time. 
Good Luck. You will enjoy it. 

Oh, definitely get a 1725 motor. 1/3 or 1/2hp is plenty. 

Sent from my SM-G930T using Tapatalk


----------



## Mike in Wis. (Sep 3, 2019)

This one is a 415 as well... a ZA .... 3 1/2' bed.... I haven't touched a lathe since high school (I'm 62 now, do the math <grin>) but I'm sure I have the mechanical ability.  I have a bunch of parts ordered and a full rebuild kit from stevewb .... Should be fun. Now, if I only can find the time. I discovered a couple hours ago that what I thought was rust on the ways is really a thin spray of primer. Under it the ways look like new.  If I have a real challenge is will be with the graduated dials.... a ton of last for and aft. My machinist neighbor said they were never "set up" or adjusted after being assembled and tells me not to be overly concerned. Nice and tight once engaged though... A motor is next on my list.  It came with a HEAVY fabricated mount/legs stand for it and the motor etc. designed to bolt to the shop floor. It weighs a ton... I bet there's $250+ worth of angle, rectangular and plate steel in it. LOL


----------



## Nogoingback (Sep 3, 2019)

At $250.00 it sounds like you stole that thing.  Keep us updated, and welcome to the forum.  We like pictures by the way...


----------



## Bi11Hudson (Sep 4, 2019)

Naahhh, it doesn't have a computer so it's junk to be got out of the way. That's the way business people think of it. You paid them for the trouble of getting it out of their way. Damned bean counters...

.


----------



## Janderso (Sep 4, 2019)

That’s a great story. Sounds like you found a sweet lathe for darn near free.


----------



## graham-xrf (Oct 24, 2019)

Firstly - do you have a picture?  I get it that you may in the throes of fixing it up, or like me, perhaps other stuff has got in the way for the present. I have a 9C, and a 9A which is in pieces. Actually, even the 9C is partly in a tangle! The motors? Best not spoken about for a bit. Cleanup has to come first!

Regarding a suitable motor. The original 1/4 HP option was always under-powered. 1/2 HP was an option, and most folk will try for 1/2HP, or 3/4 HP as an upgrade. 1.4HP is definitely OTT, and could give you problems.

Much depending one whether you can have 240 phase available, if you happen to consider VFD electronics to try and give more speed control, consider that on even a delta-connected 3-Phase induction motor using the "artificial 3-phase" switched waveforms from a variable frequency inverter drive, the power available will depend on the torque and the RPM. They fall away dramatically if the motor shaft is turning slowly. Using a 6-pole or 8-pole AC drive intended for servo or machine drives can give fantastic torque, even if the shaft is turning really slowly. These types have permanent magnets inside, instead of using the induction effect to provide the magnetization of the rotor.

The power delivered is not only about the frequency. They slow down the frequency only a limited amount. The rest of the range of power delivered is variable by the mark-space ratio of a much higher frequency waveform, switching at usually 8KHz to perhaps 12KHz or more. Pulse-width modulated + variable frequency speed control is how these controllers work, and they work better if paired up to the right kind of motor.

I will likely at first get the lathe running on the motor my 9A came with, then go for the motor + electronics speed control later.

I suppose I will also go for changing to a serpentine. The leather thing with the hinge joint clacking around is not going to suit me. I like smooth!

I scored my 9C with bench, tooling + two 4-jaw chucks in addition to the 3-jaw for $147 in a fumbled auction gone wrong, so I guess I had a better steal than your $250. We both have a lot of machine for the money, and cleaning them up, giving them some repairs and new wicks and suchlike only gives the steal some extra shine when we start turning metal.


----------



## silence dogood (Oct 24, 2019)

Check out Penn state Industries.  you can get a variable speed 1/3 horse dc motor for about $120.


----------



## jbltwin1 (Oct 28, 2019)

I've got a 38 workshop.  Dads lathe,  now mine.   Would like to see a pic of yours!   Mike.


----------

