My first post

Hi!

This is my first time posting on this forum. I've been a big South Bend fan since the early eighties when I purchased a new 10k for my home workshop. Unfortunately, I sold it when I had to move cross country in 2001, and I've been regretting it ever since. But I was going to be living in an apartment, so I didn't have much choice.

The good news: I've recently purchased a house, and am slowly getting back into the metalworking hobby. In fact, I just bought a 9" Model A from a nice man who also happens to be a member of this forum. It's a pretty old machine, but in very nice condition. I'm picking it up this weekend! In case anyone is curious, here a link to the auction:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v470/haplesspeanut/EBAYAD.jpg

What I like about this machine is that it has a 4' bed, and it shows almost no wear. Any opinions?

I'm looking forward to participating here on this forum in the near future. I'm sure I will have questions in getting this vintage machine set up, and maybe at some point I could even offer advice to others.

Paula

[ 05-19-2007, 09:03 AM: Message edited by: Paula ]

Looks like a winner Paula. Welcome to the forum!

John

I saw that machine while the auction was running.
The bed does seem to be in remarkable condition.

It's clearly been loved by the former owner,
small things like the clamp bolt for the gear
banjo for example - which was replaced with
a much easier to use allen head screw.

The two things that strike me about the machine
that might bear some attention are 1) the
wiring to the motor, and 2) the crossfeed screw.

You might want to take a good hard look at the
wiring when it arrives and be sure that the
rubber covered S cord is in decent shape. I've
found that machine owners tend to make poor
electricians as a rule so consider replacing
the old wiring with liquid-tite conduit between
the drum switch and the motor, with individual
THHN conductors inside the conduit.

The crossfeed dial is the small diameter,
non-direct reading type. This means you need
to divide your cut depth by two before dialing
it in - I know it's a big expense but IMO the
single biggest upgrade to a machine like that
is a brand new leadscrew if the existing one is
badly worn (and of course I cannot tell if this
is the case) and if you do that then see if you
can spring for a direct reading (large dial)
type. Even if it means purchasing the replacement
screw from Miller Machine, and buying the large
dial used.

Another nice upgrade would be 3C collet setup.
My old 9A had this (lever version) and while the
setup is limited to 1/2 inch diameter stock it's
still handly. Consider a 5C setup that thread
onto the 1.5-8 thread on the spindle too.

Nice purchase. The price was steep but the
condition of the ways easily justifies the
value IMO.

Jim

Thanks for the detailed reply, Jim.

Don't worry, I will definitely be taking a hard look at the electrics before powering up. And I agree with your comments on the feed dials. I got really used to the larger dials on the 10K, so I'm wondering how happy I will be with the smaller ones. We'll see...

Some kind of collet setup is definitely in the cards for this machine. My first impulse is to build the MLA 5C collet chuck (since I've so enjoyed building other MLA accessories in the past), but I really like the design of a system that's enclosed in the spindle. Just seems more ~solid~. My 10K had a complete set of the 6k collets (by 32nds, and including the nifty rack!), so I'm a bit spoiled in that regard. Looking at the cost of a good 3C collet setup nowadays is very discouraging, however.

Yes, the price was a bit steep for this lathe. But if the bedways are in as good a shape as they appear to be, and if that is at all indicative of the condidion of the rest of the machine, then I think it is certainly worth it. Based on what I've read of Walt's posts on this forum, and talking with him on the phone, I do think I made a good buy. I guess I'll know more after this weekend!

Thanks again for the comments!

Paula

Hi Paula, this is Walt, the guy you bought the lathe from. I inend to deliver the lathe to you on Sunday as we talked about. I am going to Bay City, Mi. today for a reunion. The reason I am replying to your post is I will be going with my daughter whose young son is driving. I am 81 and don't do much long distance driving anymore and never had an accident in 65 years of driving. So if for any reason I don't get home for Sunday it will be for an accident or other reason. My daughter Carol Sleeper and son in law lives directly back of me and he should be able to load your lathe from my walk out basement. Its already on a heavy duty cart and easily pulled under my hoist beam. The 1 ton chain hoist is in the basement also. I expect there is ony a slim chance I can not be there but after a long trip I do not want you to be disapointed. See you Sunday I hope.
Walt

Don't get me wrong - if the leadscrew is
unworn, it is certainly possible to 'split the
divisions' and get 0.001 inch diameter resolution
from the small dial setup. It's been done for
years.

Just that as one gets older, anything to
help the eyesight here is helpful! I find
myself taking my distance glasses off, more
and more in the shop now.

Jim

Walt,

Thanks for checking in. Have a good time at your reunion! I'm looking forward to meeting you on Sunday, so I hope that you can make it back in time.

_________________________


Jim,

I find
myself taking my distance glasses off, more
and more in the shop now.

Click to expand...

I hear ya! It's been quite a while since I've been able to do closeup work with my regular glasses on. I'm hopefully quite a ways from needing bifocals, though. I will try running the lathe with the smaller dials, and "see" how it goes.

Paula

If the small dials are a real pain to read(or inaccurate), you could set up a plunger type indicator to be certain of your position/movement. A temporary solution, but might keep or get you running until new screws/nuts and dials are obtained.

I've used the dial indicator on a magnetic way base off and on for years. For me, even with bifocals, the biggest advantage is not the easier to read numbers, (which ARE nice), but the ability to see if the cross slide is drifting, which is especially apt to happen on a worn machine. Enjoy your new toy!
Chaz

Just following up...

Arrived home last night with my new (old) toy, after a round-trip journey of nearly 650 miles.

Walt had the lathe prepared and in position for easy loading. He's got a nifty overhead chain hoist setup in his back yard, and we had no problem placing it inside the truck. Walt is a great guy: He threw in a copy of "How To Run A Lathe", some toolholders, and auxiliary way oilers for no extra charge! I also purchased a neat South Bend bench-type drill press from him while I was there. Walt is a very interesting man, and we could have spent the rest of the day discussing lathes, machining, etc.

Since this thread was mainly intended to introduce myself to the other members of the forum, I thought I would start a new thread with more details on the lathe.

Paula

[ 02-05-2007, 05:57 PM: Message edited by: Paula ]