One more South Bend 9 rebuild

[scooter65]

Hi, I am a new owner of a 1960-1961ish South Bend 9A lathe. The seller also threw in a 1947 9A for parts. The parts lathe was sitting outside under a tarp so it has quite a bit of rust but it has some salvageable parts also.
The one I will be refurbishing looks to have been painted "John Deere Green". I am still undecided whether to repaint it. The lathe came with what I believe is a collet setup but no collets. It also came with a box of tools including a new set of steel metric change gears.
One other item it came with that is pretty cool is an original South Bend table. The table has a South Bend plaque on the leg and it is in great condition.
Once I am able to post pictures, I will add them.

 

[scooter65]

Well, The first part I restored is the tail stock lever. I wanted to try out a new experiment. I wanted to try DIY electroplating with Nickle and I thought these handles could use some corrosion/rust protection so off I went.
Started out with this rusty thing


Wire wheeled it and sanded it down a bit (turns out maybe I should have sanded it a little more). After that it got a quick dunk in Muriatic acid to etch the metal.


Dunked it into the electroplating bath for 40 minutes


Here is the result. Lever has a nice nickle coating. I think it turned out OK. Maybe needs a little polish to brighten it up but it should be a lot more resistant to rust

 

[francist]

Nothing wrong with that. Not bright-bright but still really acceptable especially for a first attempt. Good job.

 

[brino]

@scooter65

It is good to see old machines in the hands of someone that respects and cares for them!

Please keep posting your progress.

Brian

 

[scooter65]

Just to show where I am starting from. Here's the lathe and table at the sellers house

 

[RandyM]

Just to show where I am starting from. Here's the lathe and table at the sellers house
View attachment 514728

OOOH, it has the quick change gearbox. She's a beauty.

 

[woodchucker]

Try evapo rust, or electrolysis (cheaper) to remove the rust.
Are those ways flame hardened? I thought the later ones were. I also thought they went to V belts, but I guess I was mistaken.
Enjoy the rebuild, it really teaches you about the lathe and how it works.

 

[Jake M]

South bend did offer flame hardened ways going well back. Somewhere in the 40's I think, but don't hold me to that. But it was optional.
The "laziest" way to test for that is to look along the ways. If there's flaking marks, it's not hardened. If it's all worn out, look up by the head, just past where the carriage can reach. Those don't get worn away. Hardened beds would not be flaked at all.

V belt pulleys did come along at some point, and they're out there, but they don't' show up every day. I think it was later in production, as they seem to be (by my observation only) "new" enough to all have the spring detent reverse lever. Although new enough for that reverse lever does still include mostly flat belt drives. The V belts worked just like the flat belt version, but they had four step pulleys instead of the 3 flat belt positions.

 

[woodchucker]

I just noticed, both cross slide and compound have the large dials.
It really is a nice machine. And as Jake mentioned quick change reverse lever. Boy I wish I had the quick reverse lever. Not difficult, but it is a more positive engagement, and you know you are in.

 

[Jake M]

... more positive engagement, and you know you are in...

No worries. If you lock it down with the gear teeth standing on each other, it'll tell you....