# Southbend 14x40 - is $800 worth it?



## Taz (Jan 3, 2013)

Assuming his description is accurate and it IS in good shape, is there any reason this lathe wouldn't be a good first lathe at $800.00?  FYI: I have zero problem with a fixer-upper.

http://tulsa.craigslist.org/tls/3514229421.html


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## Taz (Jan 3, 2013)

Just got a call back from the owner.  Seems she may have an interested party showing in a few hours but she's not real confident he'll really show.  She doesn't know much about it except her husband purchased it new, and it's the last of his personal fabricating shop.  She says it has tons of accessories.  I'm going to view it in a few hours, when her son will be there.


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## OldMachinist (Jan 3, 2013)

Doesn't have a quick change gear box so ask if it has all the change gears. Other wise you won't be able to do any threading other than what pitch it set up right now. A set of change gears can easily run you several hundred more dollars if you can find them for a lathe that was made before WW2.


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## Taz (Jan 3, 2013)

OldMachinist said:


> Doesn't have a quick change gear box so ask if he has all the change gears. Other wise you won't be able to do any threading other than what pitch it set up right now. A set of change gears can easily run you several hundred more dollars if you can find them for a lathe that was made before WW2.



Do you think finding parts for this lathe will be an issue?  Is there some telling model or part info I should look for when I go to view to help me decide?


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## bvd1940 (Jan 3, 2013)

You can make most all the parts for that lathe and there is a whole bunch of new & used parts available, all you have to do is Goggle for them. If I was closer I would offer her $500 and restore it.
It will be the old style of machining as I think it has brass spindle bearings but for a home shop it would be a good machine if not all clapped out.) Just my 2 cents worth but what can you buy for 2 cents:thinking:


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## Taz (Jan 3, 2013)

bvd1940 said:


> ) Just my 2 cents worth but what can you buy for 2 cents:thinking:



If I get 2 cents from enough people, I'll be a millionaire!  Thanks bvd.  I'm trying to sort through photos online to try and get a fix on what it is.  Not seeing many with that overhead belt configuration, may have to wait till I get there.

What do you think the chances are of upgrading the bearings?


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## bvd1940 (Jan 3, 2013)

You will find all kinds of belt drive configurations, I have seen some with truck tranny,s converted to run them to get the desired speeds.
Look at the type of lathe, brand, serial #, condition of the ways and dont pay to much attention to the drive configuration as it can be modified with any number of combinations such as variable speed controller, transmission, DC motor, & on & on.

There is a few sites on the web that have all the info you ever wanted to know about that machine, manuals, parts new & old.
I had a 14 X 60 Le blonde  Lathe that was about that vintage and it had a truck tranny used in the drive train and it was called a drive all which was a redo after market fix for the line drive it used to have. I like running the old beast it was real heavy so it did not move much in operation. BUT it dose best with high speed steel cutting bits as the RPM on brass bearings has to be kept reasonably slow.
I could go on & on as I am a OLD retired & tired machinist & like the old machines.
 One thing to remember if given enough time and motivation anything can be fixed.
A lathe is capable of reproducing it self and there is not much on that lathe you can not reproduce and rebuild short of the ways on the bed and that can be worked around, anyone can run a new lathe it take a machinist to figure out how to work a clapped out lathe.)
I would not mess with Berngs unless they are shot but it can be done but I question the advantage of the mod.


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## Taz (Jan 3, 2013)

bvd1940 said:


> You will find all kinds of belt drive configurations, I have seen some with truck tranny,s converted to run them to get the desired speeds.
> Look at the type of lathe, brand, serial #, condition of the ways and dont pay to much attention to the drive configuration as it can be modified with any number of combinations such as variable speed controller, transmission, DC motor, & on & on.
> 
> There is a few sites on the web that have all the info you ever wanted to know about that machine, manuals, parts new & old.
> ...



Good words.  I too love old iron, ever since my grandfather gave me his old drill press, wood lathe, and table saw.  As luck would have it this one may have sold, they just received a call from the prospective buyer foot of town.  They'll be calling if he decides not to purchase.  As grandpa said, theres no best deal like this best deal till the next one.


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## AR1911 (Jan 3, 2013)

That thing is big and old enough that the number of buyers is limited. Personally, I would not offer over $500, and I would not be too disappointed if they did not take it.
Unless you know enough about it to know that's the lathe you want, I'd keep looking.


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## Taz (Jan 3, 2013)

AR1911 said:


> That thing is big and old enough that the number of buyers is limited. Personally, I would not offer over $500, and I would not be too disappointed if they did not take it.
> Unless you know enough about it to know that's the lathe you want, I'd keep looking.



Apparently the other buyer never showed, and my truck kicked a belt off on my way out to see it.  She is in a real hurry to sell it, so we'll see how it turns out tomorrow.  I'm not too worried, there are two other newer southbend's close by for 1000-1200.  This one however according to her son who worked in the shop with his father, has every accessory available during it's time, including all the change gears OldMachinist warned about, the steady rest (Name? The thing that supports long objects in the middle?), and according to him, too many others to mention.

I don't suppose that there is much a lathe like that won't do, I can be fairly sure it's capable of more than I need, if I can get her down to $500-$600.


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## bvd1940 (Jan 3, 2013)

Well tooled the tooling is worth as much or more than the Lathe. AND!!! ifin you crashed this machine totally you could scrap it out on fleabay and make a profit IMHO. 
And I repeat offer $500 for it, take 5 $100 bills and you should get it & go prepared to haul it home.)


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## Taz (Jan 3, 2013)

As bvd1940 and AR1911 have said it, so it shall be.  $500, no more.  Let you guys know how it goes... 

Thanks for the help!


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## Taz (Jan 4, 2013)

I decided not to make an offer yet, really for just 2 reasons.  #1, they are still banking on this other fella making it up here this weekend and paying $800 for it, but they have a timeline that can't wait any longer.  #2, because although the ways were straight, with no evidence of wear or drop dings, there was some mild pitting.  Its very minor, and strangely, there is no rust, so I wonder if they weren't just voids from the casting.  95% of the pitting is 1/32" or smaller, with none bigger than 1/16", clean edges, and the ways are immaculate between. The heavy areas may have had pitting/voids as close as 0.25", and the lighter areas as much as 1".  Not sure if these are even a matter of consequence.

Here's what's good about it.



I really love it!  It's full of character, and has an enormous motor, and iron mount.
It runs, it's quiet, with no perceivable vibrations.
I couldn't muster any unwanted movement from the rotating or sliding parts.
Any visible rust is surface only, it seems to have been well protected by a dense layer of grease and dirt in the un-used areas.
It litterrally has every accessory, including 2 different steadies, the large 3 jaw chuck in the photo, and the smaller 4 jaw seen at lower left, and half the cabinet beneath is full of other stuff.
Slide is smooth in every direction, with no play.
All the gears are free from rust, chips, missing teeth etc... (And there are a bunch of them).

The plan is, to see if this fella is going to show or not.  He's promised them the full $800, but I made the case that I couldn't get up there with the trailer till monday, and they are not confident his plans to load it will work.  They're giving me first right to it now, and will be calling me first if he attempts to come up this weekend.  I doubt he will though, and all thoughts of a backup buyer will be out of their heads, so I'll have a better chance at them taking my offer.  Although it does function, it definitely needs a good hard scrubbing. Will be an incredibly fun and educational project I'm sure.

These were the only markings I could find, and I wiped grease off of anything I saw rivets on.


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## bvd1940 (Jan 4, 2013)

That sounds like it would be worth the price with the tooling but offer $500 & be willing to go up a little bit if it is real clean one owner with no major dings. Just my two cents worth)
I just sold an old friend Monday and hated to let go but I replaced it with a Powermatic Variable speed industrial grade drill press, I sold my old pristine Atlas drill press that I have bought from my pappy about 1970 and it was just like it was when I got it.:thinking:
If that lathe is in good condition as you said it would serve you well till you are old and gray & you can pass it on to your kids:man:


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## Taz (Jan 5, 2013)

I would certainly love to have it, we even found what looks like gold leaf on parts of it.  It's a unique machine for sure, a quality I really do love.  Now, time to exercise my patience.


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## OldMachinist (Jan 5, 2013)

If you do buy it be very careful moving it. Those old lathes with overhead drives are extremely top heavy and many have gone face down breaking all the handles. If you can remove the overhead drive before attempting to move it. The lathe without the drive likely weights around 1500 lbs.


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## GK1918 (Jan 5, 2013)

No 2cents how about $900 worth.  Id jump on that so fast Id spin ya.  Go get it just take off anything
you can, so bring your tool box.  Good chance it does have change gears, if not theres plenty around.
That era South Bends are as a Lincoln, Cadillac, Parkard class.  People will buy four tires for $800
which will wear out and dont think twice.  Got it!


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## Taz (Jan 5, 2013)

GK1918 said:


> No 2cents how about $900 worth.  Id jump on that so fast Id spin ya.  Go get it just take off anything
> you can, so bring your tool box.  Good chance it does have change gears, if not theres plenty around.
> That era South Bends are as a Lincoln, Cadillac, Parkard class.  People will buy four tires for $800
> which will wear out and dont think twice.  Got it!



Something came up late last night and may get in the way.  Wife's expedition may need a new transfer case/rear end.  My guess is, if it needs both, it's going to be right about $800.00.  LOL, life sure is ironic sometimes.  I'll know more once I crawl under it today, may not be in the cards.


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## Taz (Jan 5, 2013)

Well, the good news is, its just the transfer case, and some rear bushings.  The bad news is there's not a chance she's coming down any significant amount, and I just blew half of it on the truck!  Oh well, we'll see if she still has it next week.


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## Want a be machine and too (Jan 8, 2013)

bvd1940 said:


> That sounds like it would be worth the price with the tooling but offer $500 & be willing to go up a little bit if it is real clean one owner with no major dings. Just my two cents worth)
> I just sold an old friend Monday and hated to let go but I replaced it with a Powermatic Variable speed industrial grade drill press, I sold my old pristine Atlas drill press that I have bought from my pappy about 1970 and it was just like it was when I got it.:thinking:
> If that lathe is in good condition as you said it would serve you well till you are old and gray & you can pass it on to your kids:man:


 Buy old American or European and if taken care of will give many generations of good use...


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## Taz (Jan 10, 2013)

So the good news is, there must be a better lathe out there for me.  She called me today to let me know it sold at full price this morning.  The bad news is I fly back into Tulsa tomorrow and had agreed to come pick it up for the same if nobody had made a better offer by then.

Win some lose some, i guess.  Thanks again for the input everyone!


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## fastback (Jan 12, 2013)

I am a believer that what is ment to be is ment to be.  Yes, I am sure that there is one with your name on it.  Good luck.


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## Taz (Jan 13, 2013)

Thanks, I believe so too.


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