catalog no. 37, 15'' x 8'

so I recently purchased and began to restore to working condition apparently the second oldest 15 inch (37-E) recorded to date, and the 8th confirmed [of that model] date, shipped from its factory 12-30-14.

Here's photos, more as I go along:

SBL37

"Thats the view from the wrong side."
Its natural lighting, better when I get things arranged.

"Oh my god, its outside."
Thats where I found it, at least now its under a sturdy slip cover wrapped in bungee cord so as not to blow away.

"He doesn't know what hes doing, he should do this, that, or the other thing"
Right on the first part at least, but you'll get over it. I don't have nearly the time I want to devote to this project, and Ill ask for help as I need it, thanks.

"He doesn't have the apron/composite rest, that chunk of scrap was/is a huge waste of cash"
I do, the apron is in my local machine shop having a new worm gear cut. The rest I just got back from the machine shop as I didn't have the tool to free it from its oxide cake. So far the entire project is set to run me 400 USD, but I know there is more cost yet to find.


Now to the meat:

Everything that's supposed to move, moves. Save the motor, which I'll cover in a second, and possibly the handle that changes the requirement of back-gear engagement for running slow speeds, I didn't know that existed until after I had walked away from it the last time.

The current motor is 3 phase 120vac, at I think 1 hp, though I'm not in front of its plate at the moment. It does not move. I have yet to tear into it to see whats binding. I do have a replacement 1 phase 120vac 1 hp assuming I can pry the water pump off of the front of that.

I have only the one set of change gears, measurements or where to find them for other thread pitches would be appreciated. No, I don't know what pitch I have now.

The forward or maybe reverse gear for the feed screw is missing, I know I can do the math to find its size but if someone has those numbers, I'd appreciate that too.

More to follow

Verify your gears by counting the teeth, adding 2, then divide by the diameter to get the DP( diametral pitch>

T+2/diameter= DP

They will be 14.5 degree pressure angle(PA)

Example- a 30 tooth gear with a diameter of 2" is 16 diametral pitch
30+2 / 2.00" = 16 DP
Hope they don't end up as 14DP

The first thing I see wrong with this Lathe is, There is a concrete block laying on the bed. Of all things to put on Lathe bed, And outside of a tree falling on it, Which has happened to one person at least, that is probably The worst thing you could Put on your lathe. Carefully remove it, And please don't let anyone place anything like that on your Lathe bed.

Check your motor plate, can't have 120VAC and be three phase motor, needs to be 208-220 volt or 440 volt..

Thank you for the pressure angle, that'll help me find new gears. Do you know if its the same for everything in the lathe, or else which gears do you mean having that pressure angle?

Relax, the block was there for scale to show my buddies, and though you can't see them, there were rubber pads under it.

Your right, I mistyped that, 3 phase 220 vac, its late for me at 1030

ok,let's start with the missing gear on the reverser assembly.

That gear mates with the gear on the end of spindle when the lever is in the downward position...the age of the machine tells you it's 14.5 degree pressure angle as that is all South Bend used at the time.

To determine diametral pitch, take a good measurement of the outside diameter of the gear on the end of the spindle, or the gear that mates with the spindle when the lever is in the upward position(the one that is not missing on the reverser)count the teeth and use the above formula to find the diametral pitch of the gear.

Once that is known we can continue.

Hopefully this is making sense, much harder to explain than do.

The pitch measurement I knew how to find, I wasn't sure if the pressure angle was 14.5 throughout the machine. Long story short: gotcha.

zerito

I have a much newer 15 x 8 (1917). I also don't have any of the change gears except the ones on the lathe, I do have the reverse gear though. If you'd like I can measure it for you tomorrow. I also have the plate for the change gears on the lathe and can write down the numbers for you, I need to do it for myself so I can make the gears. I already have a set of 14.5 gear cutters so just need the time to start making them.

George

George,

I would like that measurement, thank you for sparing me the math. Also, I know its a terrible headache, but if you wouldn't mind, I need the size for the cross feed gear(s?) in the apron, I have the gear on that selector 'L' shaped arm, and the longitudinal drive gear, but I'm missing the gearing between the 'L' and the cross feed screw.

zeritou

zerotou,

I'd be happy to. I do have the carriage off the machine so should be no trouble to get to. I'll go back out to the shop when it cools off some, very hot right now!

George

zeritou,

How does the drive work on your lathe? Mine came mounted solid mounted to the motor which is a two hp single phase that weighs about 200 pounds. The only way to change the belt was to lift the drive motor along with counter shaft. Too much work, so I bought a new 2 hp 3 phase off ebay and am designing a mount that will work much easier.

George

Awesome, thank you again. Fortunate timing for me.

At the moment, it doesn't. There is some sort of additional home brew looking setup where from a platform on a shaft above the spindle, a motor drives a pair of v-belts, drives a large pulley, shaft drives a stepped pulley, which flat belt drives the stepped pulley on the spindle. The motor and that setup platform is dismounted and on the driveway, closer to the camera in the first picture. Its speed and transmission ratio can both be changed (assuming old electrical works). Speed via some kind of dial (not shown), Transmission ratio via a different step on the pulley, which is easily done with the whole home brew setup being on a hinge. I'll take pictures when I get there Thursday, wont be posted til Thursday evening.

zeritou,

Thanks for that. I went out and took some pictures. I realized that I wasn't quite sure which gears you were looking for. Maybe you can point out which from the pictures? Let me know the ones you need for sure and I'll get what you need.







George

I've added photos of the motor mounting, and decided to label the photos since I'll need to reference them as things go on. Also, I've added arrows to the photos you posted, George, to point out the gears I need measured. In the apron it looks like the gear I need is actually two on the same shaft. I need both measurements please.

All new photos are uploaded to the same gallery.

zeritou,

I did a quick measurement on the gears in the apron and came up with ~3.83 and ~2.765 on the 2 gears. I'll need to remove them from the apron to get a tooth count and better measurement. The reverse gears on the tumbler are the same. If you have one gear you have them both.

I like the solution for the counter shaft and motor drive. Where does it lock the belt from the counter shaft to the head stock? Thanks for the pictures,they really help to get the idea of what's going on.

George

There is no reason to assume that a later 15" machine will have any commonality with such an early one. I would suggest that you work out the size of all missing or worn parts from first principles: center distance, wear marks, etc. Even a later machine's threading chart may not be useful, unless it has the same pitch leadscrew.

allan

Yes, you could buy 15" Series N as of '31 - not much like an old Series O - especially in apron

http://www.wswells.com/data/bulletin/bulletin_200/bl_200.pdf

Thanks to Mr. Wells for hosting this for me

kitno455 said:

There is no reason to assume that a later 15" machine will have any commonality with such an early one. I would suggest that you work out the size of all missing or worn parts from first principles: center distance, wear marks, etc. Even a later machine's threading chart may not be useful, unless it has the same pitch leadscrew.

allan

Click to expand...

Kitno and johnoder, according to scoopy, its not just another model with a 15' swing. His is the same model from 3 years later, I'm sure its close enough.

George, I don't understand your question.

Kitno455, I didn't realize the same same model was that much different in 3 years, although mine is 1000 serial numbers newer.

johnoder, they are catalog number 37 not model N. No quick change gear box?

zeritou, I was wondering how the belt is locked tight up top at the pivot?

George

The flat belt between stepped pulleys is currently held in tension by the weight of the motor, which I know is a terrible idea. It looks like there is some sort of lever on a screw that can do the same function less dangerously, but I don't have that screw moving now. More info after I get things broken free, which may not be soon.

My bull gear engage/disengage lever is missing, so my next step will be tearing into the head stock to figure that out, any photos if you have them would be appreciated. Or, if you happen to have it torn apart already, if you could hold off putting it back together in case I need measurements, that'd be nice too. But please don't feel you need to open it up just for me.