Help w/ 1929 SB?

zatch · May 26, 2012

Hello All,

I recently purchased a 1929, i believe 9", at an auction and i am trying to put it together. From what i can tell it has raising blocks in the cross slide and the tailstock but nothing under the head. My problem is that the banjo has like a hook on the end of it that hits the gears before the rest will mesh up. Is this because i need the raising block in order for it to work with this banjo? Are these ever available if that is my problem? Can i remove the other blocks and change the banjo and be up and running until i come across/make a block? Any and all help is appreciated as i am not even sure what model i have at this point. Serial # is 44557 S if that helps to answer any of my questions.

Zach

Todd... · May 26, 2012

i have no idea on the "correct" way to fix that, but what seems logical to me is to alter the gearing on the banjo by using a larger gear to access the tumbler gears. and then in conjunction using another smaller gear to regain the correct gear ratio between the headstock and gear box

kitno455 · May 27, 2012

I would bet the banjo was originally rotated to the front side of the reverser. I see a couple choices- 1. replace the banjo with a normal one (perhaps from a 10L) and remove the spacers or 2. make a new spacer for the headstock. I would probably try the latter first, even though some precision work would be required. Where in VA are you?

allan

OldMachinist · May 27, 2012

In pictures I've seen of other South bend lathes with riser blocks, the block under the headstock had a bracket with a idler and the stud gear.
I would remove the other risers and then find a chart showing how many teeth the stud gear should be on a normal 9". There would also have been a seperate block mounted on the end of the back way with a tapped hole for the banjo slot.

zatch · May 27, 2012

Many thanks for the responses so far, I really appreciate all the help. I have purchased a 10l banjo, but i would prefer to put it together with a raising block. Does any one have some pictures they would share of the gear/banjo setup on a lathe with the raising blocks in it?

Allan- I am located in Yorktown

Thanks,

Zach

Harold Mulder · May 27, 2012

Zach any chance you could go to where the auction was and root around you might find the riser sitting there. The bolts look to shiny and new to have been there to long. Maybe somebody quickly put a disassembled lathe together quickly and missed the riser. Can't hurt to go back and look around or talk to the people who held the auction.
All the best

Harold Mulder

kitno455 · May 27, 2012

There is a good chance you have the only one of these still around. You will probably have to make up the riser block yourself. Maybe you could find a picture of a 10L with the 12.75- here: http://www.practicalmachinist.com/vb/south-bend-lathes/question-about-my-63-12-75-sb-237158/

allan

zatch · May 27, 2012

Harold- I wish that it was possible to go back but all the equipment was moved from an estate to a farm. The bolts look new because they are and I put them on it. There is no chance in finding it, at least from where I got it, because lots of machines and parts sold for scrap.

Allan- thanks for link to those pics

Thanks to all, any more info, help, and possible pic of gears on a lathe with raising blocks is greatly appreciated.

Zach

Ohio Mike · May 27, 2012

Finding a riser block is going to be next to impossible. But making one is certainly doable. I'd suggest getting the dimensions and make a wooden one as a pattern so to speak. Much cheaper and easier to do it in wood first. The added bonus is this would allow you do have the head correctly setup with in a reasonable tolerance to assist in determining what is missing. If there is another idler in there then on this lathe the fwd/rev would be backwards. If I recall correctly the 10L with riser installed didn't require any change to the gears.

Have you requested the build information from South Bend? I would think on this lathe being a 1929 you'd at least get a catalog number.

zatch · May 28, 2012

I had a feeling that it would be impossible to find a raising block and my plan of attack was to make a template out of wood first. If anyone has one or comes across one please email me at [email protected]. I have yet to contact South Bend for a copy of the build info but will be soon.

Does anyone know what the hook on the banjo attached to? i am guessing that there is some sort of peg or threaded rod out of the block, is this correct? If anyone has a pic of this please post.

Thanks to all for your help so far and as always any additional help is greatly appreciated.

Zach

zatch · Jun 2, 2012

Just wanted to update everybody who put some input into this. I purchased a banjo from what i was told was a 10l but once i pulled the old one off i knew it was way to big. So i then pulled one off a 9" that i have and its to big as well. The center hole on the old banjo is only 1 7/8" and its only 3/4" thick. So i guess its back to making a raising block unless anyone knows what a banjo of that size could come off of?

Ohio Mike · Jun 3, 2012

My question is still what is this lathe? Has anyone identified it? Getting the build info could be a complete bust however it could be the jackpot and the description could be s something like "Model 123-XYZ on 2" riser". The biggest problem besides it being on the riser is since its a 1929, if in fact it is, then it predates the 10L and Workshop 9" machines out there. Very likely no parts will fit. The "modern era" (for lack of a better term) machines that we're all familiar with came into being right about WW-II. I have a number of catalogs dating back to at least 1930. BTW do you have the counter shaft drive unit?

Mike

zatch · Jun 3, 2012

Mike

It does not have the countershaft, it has the mount where the motor, pullies, and flat belt spindle are all together on one base. The drive system is similar to the one on my 1945 but the flat belt pieces are wider. The old man that passed away whom these came from could have had my raising block part laying around the shop but the auctioneer did not have them. I will try to get the card from southbent this week and hopefully it will have some useful info on it. Thanks

Zach

kitno455 · Jun 3, 2012

zatch said:
The center hole on the old banjo is only 1 7/8" and its only 3/4" thick.

I have a single tumbler 10L here, and the boss on the gearbox is 1 7/8" diameter. It's about .9" long, however. How big is the hole in the 10L banjo you bought? What is the OD and tooth count of one of the gears?

allan

zatch · Jun 3, 2012

The banjo that i purchased has a 2 1/4" hole and i had planned on using the gears that were on the old setup (pics at top) and just switching them over to a banjo without the hook on the end of it. when you lift up the banjo now the hook at the end runs into the gears before the others on the banjo can mesh up. I am guessing that the hook on the banjo once hooked to something on the raising block that is missing but i may be completely wrong.

I am waiting on the info card from grizzly (south bend) so i will soon hopefully know what i have. I hope the records include all of 1929 and not start sometime in 1929 after mine was made.

kitno455 · Jun 4, 2012

Sounds like you got a banjo from a double tumbler 10L, mine has a 2.25 inch hole. You need a single tumbler unit, with the gears already attached. They are kind of a pain to remove, so best to get one with good gears if you can. How thick are the gears you currently have?

allan

zatch · Jun 4, 2012

I got a call from Grizzly today and the gentlement informed me that with a lathe this old that the only info that South bend would have would be in the ledger and would contain absolutely no useful information besides what i could use a tape measure to figure out. It would not contain anything on accessories (raising blocks). The only new information i would gain would be the date it left the factory and to whom it was purchased by, not exactly information i am in need of at this time.

Allan: Do you happen to be located in Richmond? I am not sure which gears you are asking about but the ones on the banjo are .375" thick.

kitno455 · Jun 4, 2012

I am just NW of Richmond.

The single tumbler 10L used the same gears on the banjo. Can you show a pic of the one you got? Does it have a long slot, or holes for fixed studs?

allan

Karl_Kunkle · Jun 4, 2012

try south bend users group on yahoo

I have a 1927 south bend wide 9. With the help of the users group I was able to get in fair working condition for little out of pocket expense. The people on the group have all kinds of knowledge and spare parts.

Here is the link

southbendlathe : All about South Bend Lathes: All Models

I would aslo contact Dennis Turk [email protected]
he is a south bend historian and owns turk manufacturing and has restored many south bend lathes
Welcome to Turkmfg, Inc.

He talked me through rebuilding by apron over the phone.

Hope this helps

zatch · Jun 5, 2012

Karl -Does your 1927 happen to have the raising blocks in it? If so can you send me some pictures so i can get an idea of what i might be missing and need to make? And especially thanks for the information on the user group and Dennis.

Allan - I was talking to a gentleman today that gave me a phone number for an Allan Weber in Richmond and didn't know if it might happen to be you? Just a chance. Anyways the banjo has the holes with studs and here are some pics of the banjo and one with a banjo from a 9 and the one i got from a 10.

Thanks again for all the help so far!

Help w/ 1929 SB?

Plastic

Aluminum

Titanium

Cast Iron

Plastic

Hot Rolled

Titanium

Plastic

Titanium

Plastic

Plastic

Titanium

Plastic

Titanium

Plastic

Titanium

Plastic

Titanium

Aluminum

Plastic

Similar threads