Evaluating new south bend 8x18 lathe

[LoboCNC]

I've been thinking about getting one of the new Grizzly-version SB 8x18 lathes - thinking even harder now that they've lowered the price. Unfortunately, I can't find any reviews from someone who has actually bought one. I live in Bellingham (Grizzly Central) and have seen them in the showroom. I want to go back and do a more detailed inspection. I don't know that much about lathes and am looking for any suggestions for what to look for or measure. (I might bring a dial indicator with me.)
-Jeff

 

[stevecmo]

Jeff,

I don't know what you plan to use the lathe for, but 8"x18" will limit what you CAN do pretty quick. It's not much bigger than the mini lathes. First impression is even at the reduced price of ~$2300 it's a little steep. If you are making small parts I would look at the mini lathes for the price difference (Grizzly, LMS or Micro Mark).

Just my two cents.

Steve

 

[george wilson]

I think it's just an exploitation of the Southbend name. Southbend never made such a lathe.

 

[joe_m]

I have to echo what the expert above me just said. When I got my first grizzly catalog last year and saw all those southbend tools I got so excited to think they were back in business. Luckily I couldn't afford the prices - not even for the parts, let alone the entire lathe - but then I did some googling and saw it's just the name. And that's a LOT of money to pay for just a name. Depending on what you want to use it for, there might be some better options right there at the same place but under the Grizzly name.

But if you have your heart set on it, google/bing/yahoo/askjeeves for "SB001 lathe review" (or whatever the model is). There are a couple out there. I think there is one on amazon that said the back of the lathe chuck wasn't faced squarely and needed shimmed, and something about checking bore size because what you get might not be what you advertised.

Good Luck.
Joe

 

[george wilson]

Don't forget: The small South Bend lathes DO NOT come with steady rest,follow rest,or the stuff the Taiwan or Chinese lathes come with. I can't recall what all comes with the little SB,but maybe a chuck? You will get royally soaked for those parts.

Edit: I just looked it up. You do not get steady rest,follower rest,4 jaw chuck,or even a stingy face plate!! You get the 3 jaw and a couple of centers. Luckily,you get the threading dial!! Whoppie!!

What irritates me about Grizzly's catalog is they never give specs for the runout of their lathe chucks,drill chucks,ball bearing tailstock centers,etc.,which are normally shown in other catalogs. You don't know what you are getting.

Another thing you are NOT getting with the small SB is a quick change gearbox. Are we going back to the twenties???? I'd HATE to have to change gears from feeding to threading,etc.. I HATE those half a$$ed lathes that DO have a QC box,but you still must re arrange the gears to cut all the threads shown on it. Usually on a decently designed lathe,you only have to do that to cut metric threads. On a GOOD lathe(but only in the larger,more expensive ones),you don't have to change gears at all. One of the maintenance shops in Williamsburg bought a KENT lathe that was so worthless. It was a 14" swing. Tiny little V ways. A stupid QC box that I don;'t think you could select 10 threads from without having to re arrange the gear train. What a miserable piece of Garbage it was.

Another thing you are NOT getting is a power cross feed. What is this? a model "C" in a smaller size?(Model C had no QC or cross feed. Model B had power cross feed. Model A had both on the original 9" SB lathe.

I mean,WHAT are you paying for? The cute SB label? You can get a VERY nice original,larger SB lathe for that kind of money if you look around.

So,when you are buying a small lathe,be sure to find out how many times you have to change gears,even WITH the QC box to cut all threads indicated. The original 9" SB could cut 8 to 224 threads on the QC box,without a bunch of gear changing. The Atlas could,too. My Hardinge only does 27 threads. Fortunately,they seem to be adequate. My 16" Grizzly will cut more if I need them. It is a 1986 made in Taiwan,fortunately.