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Help me to solve the Mystery of my Heavy 10

fox32223

Plastic
Joined
Oct 13, 2012
Location
Jacksonville, Florida
Hi all, I bought a heavy 10 a few months back to do a full restoration. I think it’s a 1961 or 1962 based on a website with serial number registration. The serial # is 12449 RKL 16. The Catalog # is CLC 8187 Z. As I have been going through it I discovered that the chip tray is bent in the area under the quick change box. I thought no big deal I can straighten that, but upon closer inspection, I noticed that when you lower the lever to change gears it comes within a 1/8” from hitting the chip tray. Soooo now I understand why it was bent down. This where the mystery starts. What is causing this to have an inference between the levers and chip tray?

• Was the lathe moved to different cabinet?
• A replacement gear box was installed?
• Are there suppose to be some small risers between the chip tray and lathe that were lost?

I looked for documentation showing when SB changed the cabinet designs from year to year, but couldn’t find any. If anyone has this knowledge let us all know :-)
A lot of guessing has been going on in my mind, but now I’m looking for some definitive answers.
Has anyone seen this before?

Thanks in advance for your help!:)

Greg

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Not sure I have any answers for you, but this is my 1957 10L on what appears to be the same cabinet. Maybe the measurements will tell you something. There isn't a lot of room between the handles and the chip pan lip, but there is enough. Serial on mine is 9614 RKL 14.

I didn't have enough arms to really show it, but the 21 3/4" measurement is from the rear lip of the chip pan to the front, just in case for some reason you have a smaller cabinet, maybe from a 9" lathe. Other measurements are as pictured, just to give an idea where its supposed to sit.

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Don't have answer either as my ser 4443RKL11 older Heavy 10 has that style cabnite and has 1/4-3/8 clearance with the levers fully disengaged to shift. No bending either. As said cabnite off a 9"?
 
Thanks all for the great suggestions. I measured the depth of the chip tray where it is not bent and it measures the same as what gadget73 has in his photo. I did check for slotted holes, and they are no slotted. Also checked for additional holes (maybe from 9" being mounted to it), but not extra holes.

One thing I want to bring attention to is the clutch has than lever rather than the star. Does this make sense for a 61-62 model? when did they switch from one to the other?

Another thought.....Did someone put a newer heavy 10 lathe on an older heavy 10 cabinet? I see some images of the lever style clutch on a completely different cabinet where the chip pan is not under the gear box.
 
Last edited:
fox,

Can you see any evidence of the levers being repaired? It appears the rear of the left lever has a repair but it may be a combo of the photo and paint playing tricks. If the levers have been repaired, that could explain why the tray is bent out. Just a thought

rsal
 
My first thought was the lathe was swapped as that is an older style cabinet. Some early double tumbler machines were fitted on them but I thought they had stopped using that style in the 50s. Thats my 2 cents.

Would be easy enough to cut some riser blocks to put on top the cabinet. Those lathes are to low anyway.
 
Again, thanks for all the suggestions, I found no evidence of lever damage. I searched google images looking for my cabinet with the extended range gear box and the lever clutch, but didn't see any. I would like to hear from someone who knows more about the dates South Bend started and stopped making the cabinets, gear box types, and clutch lever types.
 
I know absolutely nothing about this lathe, but is it possible that the mounting holes are offset front-to-back and the tray is just mounted backwards?
 
The tray is actually welded to the top of the cabinet. Can't really assemble it backwards. There is also a big hole under the gearbox end of the tray where the belt passes up from the motor underneath.

I'm not totally sure about the foot under the headstock end of the machine though. I don't recall it having a particular shape that only allows it to fit one way but without having it off I can't swear to that. From memory here, it has 4 bolts up inside of the foot attaching the foot to the bed, and 2 more through the foot attaching the foot to the cabinet.
 
Again, thanks for all the suggestions! I have looked at it several times over the last few days and it looks like the foot under the head is symmetrical, but won't know for 100% sure till I take everything apart. I'm leaning towards someone put this newer lathe on an older cabinet, but it's still a guess until i have some conclusive evidence.
 
Dunno, even if it is a newer 10L, they didn't change that thing very much over the years. The lever clutch and the double tumbler gearbox are about the biggest visual changes, and the double tumbler gearbox does clear on that cabinet. Mine has the same gearbox as yours and I have no reason to believe the cabinet under mine hasn't been under it since the late 50s.
 








 
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