Operating your South Bend safely

RF · Feb 12, 2012

I was watching a couple of American Guns epsiodes and noticed Scott would sit in front of the SBL while turning/threading. It also appeared that the operations were happening at eye level. Would you consider this safe? He was wearing eye protection.

I don't recall ever really sitting at a machine at my step-dad's shop. Other than deburring, gear cutting and some horizontal production milling, I always stood at a machine like everyone else.

The first shop I worked in after he passed away, several operators laughed at me for not sitting while running the turret lathes and drill presses. They gave me blank looks when I asked could they move fast enough when that part let loose or that drill shattered sitting on their butt. I had a slitting saw shatter on me and fly past my left ear just as I moved out of the way when starting the cut.

Just curious what others do.

RF

Conrad Hoffman · Feb 12, 2012

I'll sit at a jewelers lathe, but nothing else. IMO, it puts you at a hazardous level and prevents quick escapes. The chips also build up in your lap.

mcruff · Feb 12, 2012

In 30+ years of working in a shop I have sit down a few times. Never in front of a lathe, in front of a mill a couple times over the years when running corn cob cutters with power feed. I still do it when running a large automatic wet grinder or CNC if I need to stay around it for some reason but other than that no I don't sit down 98% of the times and yea to do it in front of a lathe or mill under most circumstances I would consider it an unsafe practice.
There are a few exceptiosn to my above staement, when doing handwork iIsit down obviously but when running a Pantograph sitting down was a necissity, no other way to run the machine and for several years back in the early 80's I ran one almost daily for around 2 years.

MyrtleLake · Feb 12, 2012

What did you think the recess between the cabinet legs was for?

Your knees! Of course, once you get into 13-14" swing, it disappears. Plenty of really large turret lathes have been run sitting down I don't doubt. For the record, I put a chair in front of my lathe anytime I am running a fair quantity of parts in a row. Can't say I'm exactly eye level, though. The chuck is more like middle to lower chest height. I vote not dangerous. If you are worried it is, it is easy enough to place a square lexan guard between you and the work. I do do that sometimes, but it is motivated by coolant spray more than by anything else.

Henro · Feb 12, 2012

Hi,

My GUESS is that if one thinks he can jump out of the way of a flying part he is probably fooling himself.

There are people who do not wear their seat belts on tractors because they think they can jump off and get out of the way of a tractor that is rolling over...one that has ROPS (roll bar) that is...I don't think there are statistics to prove this is true, but there are measurements to prove that tractor accidents happen VERY quickly, often faster than the normal person's reaction time.

My guess again is that if a flying part misses one of us, it probably would have anyway. The jump out of the way may actually have happened AFTER the part went zipping by...

If flying parts are a concern, probably better to install some kind of guarding than depend on one's perceived ability to be fast enough to see the part coming and jump out of its way.

While believing in one's ability to react fast is admirable, in the end it may simply be our position in space that protects us more than anything else. Perhaps sitting down could save us if the part when over our heads, at the height our heads would be if we were standing up.

Myself, I will either sit or stand depending on how I feel at the moment... Unfortunately, there is no room for a chair between my lathes...so I only have one choice...

kustomizingkid · Feb 12, 2012

I try and not sit as much as possible... it makes me more sore to sit for a long time than to stand.

Bruce Nelson · Feb 12, 2012

It is my opinion that the fat bastard in that television guns program is a damn poor representative of what behavior is desirable in a machinist.

Lord Byron

iwananew10K · Feb 12, 2012

one of the reasons i like small lathes is i can sit on a barstool and still reach everything- that puts the spindle just about chest level.

curioushooter · Feb 12, 2012

I never even thought or considered sitting by a lathe. I suppose it would have to elevated or something--on concrete blocks to get a good view. Also, it seems I have to move around too much anyway.

Though I sit at work where I work on a small bench doing fine work. The bench is elevated. I suppose it has more to do with comfort and ability-to-work than anything else.

I wonder if there are any wheelchair machinists? I would almost have to assume there are.

Anthony

cooncatbob · Feb 12, 2012

If you build a vintage bench for a South Bend lathe from the original plans you will find that your lathe is quite low, back in the day guys were either very short or they were sitting on stools while working at their lathes.

wb2vsj · Feb 13, 2012

In our shop, we offered the employees the option to sit or stand as this was production work. Stick a part in the collet, Move the cross slide, remove part, repeat all day long. Personally, I cannot sit at a machine, I need to be able to move around a bit.

mg81 · Feb 13, 2012

I think it is more of a comfort issue. I am above average height and I think I am well above the average height of the 1920's man who my SB lathe was designed for. I like a bar stool if I am going to be working on the machine for a long time mostly because it keeps me from being hunched over the top lathe looking into the top in an awkward position that I think exposes more, not less of my body to flying things.

I also don't have many (any) jobs that I think something sizable would come flying out at me. Perhaps a tool might break and fly out or a large chip, but nothing that my safety glass can't handle (nicks on my face just give me a story to tell at the bar to impress the ladies ;-)

The worst thing I thought that could happen was the overhead leather flat belt would break on my lathe and whip me in the face repeatedly (no guard). Then the day it finally broke (unexpectedly at full speed) it just went loose on the pulleys and the pulleys free spun, very anti-climactic.

MilGunsmith · Feb 14, 2012

My 9A has 3" riser blocks between the bed and the bench. The previous owner installed them. I kept them in after three moves, because I dont have to bend over as much to work, I'm 5'6". Makes for easier chip cleanup also.

mg81 · Feb 14, 2012

Mine is on cast iron legs, not a cabinet.

If it were not for the overhead drive that makes the lathe over 6' tall I probably would have poured a 6-10" thick concrete pad for the lathe to sit on to bring it up to a good height for me, but my shop ceiling height does not permit that much additional height and it does not bother me that much, so a bar stool has become my lazy man solution.

But I would recommend to anyone who is on the taller side, put some serious thought into raising the height of your machine. These lathes seem to be designed to work for the shortest person they thought might be an operator. If you are 6'+ you are really having to hunch over to get a good viewing angle for your work. Not fun if you are at it for hours at time.

autofrite · Feb 14, 2012

i keep a barstool beside the lathe.i figure its better all around to sit than lean on the lathe,as there isnt anything safe about leaning on a lathe,not to mention causing some unplanned imperfection by leaning against the lathe.
my back issues wont let me sit or stand for any extended amount of time.so i gotta move.
i havent tried a lower chair,but may try it,but it would need casters,easier to adjust for visibility

Avrgjoe · Feb 14, 2012

cooncatbob said:
If you build a vintage bench for a South Bend lathe from the original plans you will find that your lathe is quite low, back in the day guys were either very short or they were sitting on stools while working at their lathes.

Right along with this discussion, I thought this picture speaks volumes. 1 guy setting, several standing, and look closely there is a stool beside one of the guys standing at the lathe.

Cole2534 · Feb 15, 2012

I find that drinking beer keeps my hands out of the spinning parts.

promacjoe · Feb 15, 2012

Avrgjoe said:
Right along with this discussion, I thought this picture speaks volumes. 1 guy setting, several standing, and look closely there is a stool beside one of the guys standing at the lathe.

It should be noted that no one is wearing safety glasses. Nor does the gentleman that is sitting down operating a lathe. I cannot tell what he is operating but I don't believe it is a lathe.

Also note the gentleman sitting down has a long beard. I don't think a company today would allow someone with a beard that long to operate A Manual lathe.

I know someone Who installed alarms years ago and got his hair caught by a Long flex bit. It took a 3 inch chunk of hair off his head, Pulled it out by the roots. and his hair was short.

Obviously safety is not a Big concern in That shop.

Safety measures from 75 or 100 years ago Does not teach us good safety.

When I Had a very small six-inch swing lathe, I would sit in front of it while using it. But it was about the size of a watchmaker lathe, may be a little larger, but not much.

Now that I have my South Bend 9" , I rarely sit down while using it. Only while taking a long very fine feed finishing cut will I sit down. And even then I will get up frequently to inspect It.

I will sit in front of my mill drill to use it. If I did not I would not be able to see what I was doing, my back would not allow it.

obviously, Whether you stand or sit, comes down to a personal preference for what you are doing. it is safer to do some job sitting and other jobs it is safer to stand. You have to be the judge.

stay safe And have fun.
promacjoe

Bruce Nelson · Feb 15, 2012

The old guy with a beard is operating a shaper. He is sitting down, and he has a lot of gravy. (gravy is a large amount of stock to be removed in the form of chips created by machining.) Usually, shops with old people with seniority, will naturally assign "gravy" to the old heads. You will naturally spend a lot of ass time on these tasks. In these cases, a comfortable seat is appropriate. I have known these senior employees to make roughing cuts last the entire shift, with the intention that the finish cuts would be taken on the next shift by someone else. In this manner, the senior employee maintains his perfect record "I ain't never screwed anything up."

Lord Byron

iwananew10K · Feb 15, 2012

Bruce Nelson said:
The old guy with a beard is operating a shaper. He is sitting down, and he has a lot of gravy. (gravy is a large amount of stock to be removed in the form of chips created by machining.) Usually, shops with old people with seniority, will naturally assign "gravy" to the old heads. You will naturally spend a lot of ass time on these tasks. In these cases, a comfortable seat is appropriate. I have known these senior employees to make roughing cuts last the entire shift, with the intention that the finish cuts would be taken on the next shift by someone else. In this manner, the senior employee maintains his perfect record "I ain't never screwed anything up."

Lord Byron

i tried that.(leaving the last cut for someone else)

but i`m the only one here... :nutter:

Operating your South Bend safely

Cast Iron

Diamond

Stainless

Stainless

Aluminum

Titanium

Stainless

Diamond

Plastic

Hot Rolled

Hot Rolled

Aluminum

Stainless

Aluminum

Hot Rolled

Cast Iron

Attachments

Diamond

Stainless

Stainless

Diamond

Similar threads