1915 Southbend ? 13"

Jim Kehler

Plastic

Joined

May 25, 2012

Location

Steinbach, Manitoba, Canada

• Jan 18, 2013

• #1

I had this on the antique machinery sub-forum to ID it but thought I'd move it here as it seems it is probably a Southbend. I found a # on the tailstock base (to the extreme right in the pic).4371.
I'm posting a pic of a doo-hickey that came with the lathe and fits on to the bedway, I'm guessing its to hold the missing gear cover? Would anyone have a pic of the gear cover of this age of lathe so I could fab-up a new one?
Thanks.

On edit, still to be determined if it is a Southbend, but it is a pretty close copy.

 

Last edited: Jan 18, 2013

R

RF

Cast Iron

Joined

Feb 27, 2007

Location

Philly, Pa.

• Jan 18, 2013

• #2

Good looking lathe. Sure appears to a South Bend. First pic seems to be a tailstock base place, yes second holds the gear case cover. Not sure how to post links but check out Steve Well's South Bend website The SBL Workshop - Home. Serial number seems to place it in the 1915 range. Site also has lots of catalogs so you my find a photo or two there. Sometimes the lathe size is on the bed wall near tailstock end hidden by lead screw. Not sure if all the early lathes had it there or not. Hope this helps, I'm sure others will chime in.

RF



Cool the website auto populates, did not know that.

 

Last edited: Jan 18, 2013

C

catalytic

Cast Iron

Joined

Feb 4, 2010

Location

Boston, Los Angeles, and Cleveland

• Jan 18, 2013

• #3

Jim Kehler said:

I had this on the antique machinery sub-forum to ID it but thought I'd move it here as it seems it is probably a Southbend. I found a # on the tailstock base (to the extreme right in the pic).4371.
I'm posting a pic of a doo-hickey that came with the lathe and fits on to the bedway, I'm guessing its to hold the missing gear cover? Would anyone have a pic of the gear cover of this age of lathe so I could fab-up a new one?
Thanks.View attachment 67506View attachment 67507View attachment 67508

On edit, still to be determined if it is a Southbend, but it is a pretty close copy.

Click to expand...

The legs are the giveaway to me -- they are identical to a pair of legs from a South Bend 13 from 1916 that I have in front of me. They should have "13" cast into the cross bar that's about 7 inches off the ground. Of course, I don't know enough about the rest of this model to identify anything but the legs...

 

aametalmaster

Diamond

Joined

Jan 11, 2005

Location

Salem, Ohio

• Jan 18, 2013

• #4

I have a 1919 15" SBL and here is what mine looks like. The lathes aren't mine just pics i got off the web for future ref...Bob

 

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Jim Kehler

Plastic

Joined

May 25, 2012

Location

Steinbach, Manitoba, Canada

• Jan 19, 2013

• #5

Thank you for the pics, that should be a real help.

Jim

 

Z

Zad

Plastic

Joined

Dec 10, 2012

Location

P.G. B.C. Canada

• Jan 19, 2013

• #6

I have a 1912 and it has no cover,i dont know when they put covers on but i dont think mine ever had one..it looks like a southbend,cool find,i love my old machine..i posted a few pics in my thread titled 1912 southbend..

 

aametalmaster

Diamond

Joined

Jan 11, 2005

Location

Salem, Ohio

• Jan 19, 2013

• #7

Back in the old days the covers were an option so some might not have had them...Bob

 

Jim Kehler

Plastic

Joined

May 25, 2012

Location

Steinbach, Manitoba, Canada

• Jan 19, 2013

• #8

Nice lookin lathe there Zad

 

johnoder

Diamond

Joined

Jul 16, 2004

Location

Houston, TX USA

• Jan 19, 2013

• #9

Series "O". The smaller star knob on the apron is loosened and then shifted up or down to select long or cross feed. Larger star knob is feed clutch. My 13" X 5' I had in 1966 was dated 1923 inside bed casting

 

Jim Kehler

Plastic

Joined

May 25, 2012

Location

Steinbach, Manitoba, Canada

• Jan 20, 2013

• #10

Hi John, where inside the casting was this date cast?

 

johnoder

Diamond

Joined

Jul 16, 2004

Location

Houston, TX USA

• Jan 20, 2013

• #11

Upside down on one of the inner "shear" walls nearer tail end.

If I Recall Correctly after 47 years

My girl born that year is now a grandma, and you know what that makes me.

 

Jim Kehler

Plastic

Joined

May 25, 2012

Location

Steinbach, Manitoba, Canada

• Jan 20, 2013

• #12

I'm guessing it makes you interesting to talk to

Thanks

 

S

ScubaSteve

Cast Iron

Joined

Aug 19, 2011

Location

New Bern, NC

• Jan 21, 2013

• #13

Nice lathe...I restored a 1919 SB 14.5" that also used change gears but had the power feed apron....had a hard drive crash last week and I think those pics were on it. That is definitely a SB, the copies didn't really start cropping up until later. I can tell you this...that lathe is worth saving if the bearings are still in reasonable shape....maybe even if they're not. The castings on those models are perhaps the best South Bend ever made. In later years they began to cut costs and the increased production resulted in less quality control.

As stated, you have the bottom plate of the tailstock and the gear cover clamp. It clamps right behind the headstock at the left end of the bed, and the gear cover has a large pin that drops into the hole. Very simple arrangement.