# Need To Know More About This Lathe



## ballhogjoni (Dec 17, 2016)

I hope I posted this in the correct category. I am a complete noob. Never ran a lathe before. I just took a picture of this lathe. All i've been told about this is that its from the 1920's. I was told it's worth about $6k, is that accurate? Can I still find parts for this? Please see the picture attached.


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## JimDawson (Dec 17, 2016)

Welcome Aboard!

I could be wrong here, but it looks like a South Bend 9 inch.  $6K seem pretty high.

Hopefully someone else can jump in here and offer another opinion.


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## 4GSR (Dec 17, 2016)

It looks similar to a older 9" South Bend Lathe.  1920 maybe a little old for this lathe.  Late 1930's to me.  $6K minus 5.5K= $0.5K would be more realistic price.  He must be really too proud to sell the lathe.

Look for the "South Bend Lathe" name on the brass tags in the picture.  Also look for a serial number stamped on the bed out on the right hand end of the bed between the vee and flat.  Either a five or six digit number and may contain letters too.


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## Ed ke6bnl (Dec 17, 2016)

More like $1000

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk


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## FOMOGO (Dec 17, 2016)

Welcome to the forum. Ken has the price about right. Must be some pretty good drugs he's using. Mike


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## eeler1 (Dec 17, 2016)

If you ask, you might get it.  If you don't, it's a sure thing you won't.  Agree with the $500-1000 range, depending on condition and tooling.


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## ballhogjoni (Dec 17, 2016)

Awesome thanks for the answers. I was thinking it was high priced. I just looked and I can get a new grizzly 13" x 40" Gunsmithing Lathe with DRO for less than $5k.


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## 12bolts (Dec 18, 2016)

As you pointed out your a newb and never ran a lathe before. I would look around for someone experienced to hold your hand  and give you an appraisal on the condition of the lathe in question. It may be near on 100 years old. Unless it sat unused for 90 years thats a lot of wear there.

Cheers Phil


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## BGHansen (Dec 18, 2016)

Do a little Craig's List or eBay shopping and you'll find much better deals.  I live in the Midwest, we have lots of options around here.  Here are a few CL listings to wet your appetite:

http://carbondale.craigslist.org/tls/5886082089.html
http://dubuque.craigslist.org/tls/5923215538.html
http://buffalo.craigslist.org/tls/5894452305.html
http://milwaukee.craigslist.org/tls/5875380044.html
http://milwaukee.craigslist.org/tls/5885747096.html

I don't envy your quandary of buying new vs. old.  Old is generally cheaper and possibly tooled up, but might have wear issues.  I don't own a South Bend and am treading lightly here (trying not to offend anyone), but I'm not a fan of what I believe are plain bearings in the head stock for the spindle.  Also not a fan of the clutch knob on the apron for the power feeds.  Of course, they sold many, many of the lathes so they were doing something right!  There are most likely variations of South Bend lathes with over-center lever feed engagement and tapered roller bearing in the head stock if those are concerns for you.

I have a Rockwell 10 x 36 that came out of a local high school, needed a little work on the apron and taper attachment.  I could do the work on the Rockwell, didn't need to make the necessary parts on my Atlas 12 x 36.  It was completely tooled up (3-jaw, 4-jaw, 4-C collets, tool post grinder, centers, lantern style tool holders).  

Also have a Clausing 12 x 24 that came out of the high school shop my dad taught at.  No work needed on that lathe, and it was tooled up.  The only thing I did was replace the 3-phase motor with a single phase.  It came with a 3-jaw, 4-jaw, centers, and a complete set of lantern style tool holders.  I've since added a 5-C collet chuck and set of collets.  I have a total over under $1500 in those two lathes combined (bragging now, but picked up the Rockwell for a whopping $25 . . . ).

My main lathe now is a Grizzly G0709 14 x 40 model.  Paid around $4500 during a 10% off sale.  Since then I've added a DRO (~$400), taper attachment (~$400), 5-C collet closer and collets in 1/64" steps (~$550), at least 30 BXA tool holders (~$350), boring bars and other insert style tool holders (~$700).  So my new lathe at $4500 is at close to $7000 all tooled up.  There's not a lot I can't do on the old American iron at $1500 that can be done on my Chinese $7000 lathe.

Probably the best advice is to watch sales for a few months and get a good idea of what going prices are.  Consider what's there tooling-wise as it can add up quickly.  Jump in too quickly and you might have buyer's remorse.  Also, the seller is selling the machinery for a reason.  We have a local farmer that for about 5 years straight was selling yet another pick up with a Western plow on the front.  I was tempted but wondered why he was flipping them year after year.  He has two newer trucks with blades now, was probably dumping his old junk because he was tired of working on it.  Good luck with the shopping and welcome to the forum!

Bruce


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## unioncreek (Dec 18, 2016)

The OP lives in UT, I live in WA. Machines are few and far between in the west and the prices are higher. I keep telling my wife that I'm going to buy a lathe in Indiana where my son lives and then we'll drive back.

The price on the SB is really high for anything in WA that I've seen.

Bob


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## Eddyde (Dec 18, 2016)

Location does indeed play a part in the price of a machine but $6k is way too much for a 9" South Bend, even in a machinery desert. You could buy a comparable used lathe from the rustbelt for less than a grand and have it shipped to you for a few hundred.


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## brino (Dec 18, 2016)

Welcome to the site!

I'd drop one zero from that $6k price tag, then it would be about right......depending on condition.

It does have some pluses:
-it looks in fairly good shape and complete (reversing switch, two-lever quick change gearing, all hand-wheels present)
-it has a collet closer
-it appears to have a taper attachment
-it has a tailstock drill chuck
-it has the threading dial
-it has the full set of recommended lubricants

I'd ask does it also come with:
-3 and 4-jaw chucks
-a faceplate
-live and dead centres
-how many collets?

I do not recognize that tool post either.......

-brino

EDIT: one of the tags should have a model number, and the serial number will be stamped on the front right ways, right on the top surface. With those we could dig up an age and possibly some catalogs. There is good SouthBend book here:
http://www.hobby-machinist.com/resources/sb-how-to-run-a-lathe-1966-27th-edition-56-pdf.2909/


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## ballhogjoni (Dec 21, 2016)

Ok so I took a picture of the brass label on the machine. Hopefully you can make it out.


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## 4GSR (Dec 21, 2016)

Yep, it's definitely a South Bend lathe.  In fact, second look at the first picture, that's a heavy 10 or 10L. But, I'm wondering if that is a 1-7/8" threaded spindle for 11/16 collet capacity or if it's actually a 2-1/4" threaded spindle for 1" collet capacity?


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## brino (Dec 22, 2016)

Is that catalog number "CL187ZB" ?
......and bed length 3-1/2 '?

I'll see if I can find it in a catalog.

-brino


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## kingmt01 (Dec 22, 2016)

I'd go for the G0709. I have one & no regrets.


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## brino (Dec 22, 2016)

if it is a "CL187", then here are some other threads with similar machines for reference:
http://www.hobby-machinist.com/threads/sb-heavy-ten-info-search.44217/
http://www.hobby-machinist.com/threads/sb-heavy-10-cl187a-just-getting-started.21947/
http://www.hobby-machinist.com/threads/using-collets-in-a-sb-10l.18895/

-brino


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## ballhogjoni (Dec 22, 2016)

brino said:


> Is that catalog number "CL187ZB" ?
> ......and bed length 3-1/2 '?
> 
> I'll see if I can find it in a catalog.
> ...


Yes i believe so.


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## brino (Dec 22, 2016)

okay I found something in a 1967 Southbend catalog.
I uploaded it here:
http://www.hobby-machinist.com/resources/south-bend-machine-tools-1967-catalog-6801.3145/

See catalog page 13 or PDF page 15 (of 53). It shows:




Note however that Southbend did use these catalog numbers for a number of years.
The serial number is the best way to get an accurate date.

The trailing "B" in the number means it originally shipped with the "bench" or floor cabinet.

-brino


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## Scruffy (Dec 28, 2016)

Theirs 2  monarch's on eBay one for 1800.00 one for 2200.00 . Their in tipp city Ohio which is north of Dayton.
Thanks ron


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