# Tos Sn40b Engine Lathe



## Gimpy (Jun 21, 2015)

i would like to find out if the bed ways on this lathe are hardened.i have not been able to goggle it and can,t see it in the pictures of the lathe. Iwould like to know before I commit to buying it.thanks gimpy.


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## 4GSR (Jun 21, 2015)

Take a file and try to file a small area at the end of the bed on top of the vee way.  If it's hard, the file will just skid over the surface.  If it is not hard, the file will take a bite and remove iron.  You don't have to apply much pressure or force on the file to find this out.  You can also file a piece of known soft metal with the same file for comparison, just to verify.

Oops! just notice, you do not have the lathe, yet!  Sorry.


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## 4GSR (Jun 21, 2015)

I will say this, most, if not all, lathes built after the late 1970's will have harden ways. Some of the hobby small size lathes do not have harden beds that I've seen.
The TOS brand of lathes as far as I know have always had harden ways.


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## Gimpy (Jun 21, 2015)

4gsr said:


> I will say this, most, if not all, lathes built after the late 1970's will have harden ways. Some of the hobby small size lathes do not have harden beds that I've seen.
> The TOS brand of lathes as far as I know have always had harden ways.


Thanks for your input.gimpy


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## samthedog (Jun 22, 2015)

I am ceratin the ways are hardened. They were popular lathes and common in many machine shops in Europe and used examples show far less wear than would be expected on non-hardened ways. I have seen quite a few in the flesh and given the size of the carriage and tailstock, if the ways were not hardened it would not take long until the ways would dish.

Paul.


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## samthedog (Jun 23, 2015)

Oh, and one more thing, if the condition of the lathe you are looking at is OK, then snap it up. They are excellent lathes. A friend of mine has one and they are no hobby shop toy. They are over - engineered and over spec. I believe the motor is about 7 HP and can be a bit of a strain on your circuit if it is a bit anaemic. Anyway, there is some more info here:

http://www.scribd.com/doc/22020535/TOS-SN40-SN50#scribd

Paul.


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## Gimpy (Aug 17, 2015)

I have purchased this lathe and am now trying to find parts and instruction manuals for it . Thanks gimpy.


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## FOMOGO (Aug 17, 2015)

The ways are definitely hardened. I recently purchased an  SN 32 and it is as said a very heavy duty machine. I believe there is a company in Canada that carries parts and manuals for TOS, but I've heard they are not cheap. I was wondering if we have any members from that part of the world that might be able to get better prices on  parts, manuals, etc.. The machines are made in Slovakia. Have started working on cleaning mine up and tightening up the lash on the cross feed, but it will probably be next year before I get to spend any real time on it. Mike


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## NitroViper (Jul 17, 2022)

Gimpy said:


> I have purchased this lathe and am now trying to find parts and instruction manuals for it . Thanks gimpy.


I bought the same lathe and I also would like some manuals and the threading info,


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## buckbrush (Sep 11, 2022)

Try Modern Tool in Calgary Alberta


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