Think this one out carefully.
A 14 1/2 south bend and it's first cousin, the 16 inch South Bend (a good many parts are intercangeanbe) is huge compared with the 9 inch machine.
The spindle bore of the larger machines will clear 1 3/8 inch.
The 16 inch machine will go as fast as 980 rpm, the 14 1/2 machine - 875 rpm.
These lathes are always very smooth running and very quiet, especially with the end gears disengaged or when running slowly.
If you are running a craft shop, repair shop or home shop where there is seldom the burden of heavy cutting or production schedules don't overlook these lathes.
They are good, steady lathes and they don't have all the gearshift levers and other complicated stuff sticking out all over. They are just as heavy in the bed and saddle and tailstock as many of those off shore lathes of greater complexity and lesser dependability.
I have seen 16 inch South Bend lathes working right alongside LeBlond Regals and Clausing Colchester 17 inch lathes in the various printing machine reapir shops that I have worked in.
The South Bend will do most of the work the more expensive and more complicated lathes will do. They just don't have the power for the high speed heavy cuts. However in the repair shops that kind of cutting is not an everyday occurrance.
The South Bends reamin virtually maintenance free - just oil them up and go. This is not so, especially with the Colchesters.
Large as they are, the 16 inchers are free running and responsive, they are sweet natured machines, you don't have to crank your shoulder off to move the saddle or cross slide around. You won't cuss and moan if you change over to a 5C collet and want to turn off some small work.
There are some of these lathes on the used market that are in very nice condition and the price won't break the bank.
You can get one and then if you need a bigger lathe than that -
Come over to the General Forum and we'll talk about Pratt & Whitneys and Lodge and Shipleys and Big Monarchs.