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South bend 13 HELP

Couell

Plastic
Joined
Feb 20, 2021
Hey guys I’m new to the forum and I need some help. I recently acquired a south bend 13 inch lathe. It is overall a good machine but I had an issue today. It has a 2 lever quick change gear box, and as I was turning a piece of metal today I start making odd noises and broke a few teeth off one of the tumbler gears. Now my question. I’ve found a few 2 lever QC gear boxes on eBay that come off heavy 10s. Will they fit on my 13? The gear box on mine has some wear and I am not good enough to start tearing it apart so I was wondering if I could just use one of the ones I found on eBay. Any info would help. Thanks in advance!
 
...I am not good enough to start tearing it apart so I was wondering if I could just use one of the ones I found on eBay.

Yeah, this is something that you're going to have to learn to do. First, what caused your gears to shear their teeth? That's a pretty serious issue. There's no "sending it out for repairs..." You're going to have to tackle it yourself. If you don't already have it, get the book by Ilion Industries on restoration of your particular lathe - it is a valuable reference guide on tearing down individual parts of your lathe. They also have a "felt kit" that you will also want.

As for Heavy 10 gears, the Diametrical Pitches are different, so only a 13" gear box will have the correct gears.
 
Hey guys I’m new to the forum and I need some help. I recently acquired a south bend 13 inch lathe. It is overall a good machine but I had an issue today. It has a 2 lever quick change gear box, and as I was turning a piece of metal today I start making odd noises and broke a few teeth off one of the tumbler gears. Now my question. I’ve found a few 2 lever QC gear boxes on eBay that come off heavy 10s. Will they fit on my 13? The gear box on mine has some wear and I am not good enough to start tearing it apart so I was wondering if I could just use one of the ones I found on eBay. Any info would help. Thanks in advance!

I have replacement gears for the 13”
Send me an email
Ted
[email protected]
 
Don't be afraid to learn how to take it apart - and make some mistakes along the way. I've recently rebuilt the QCGB on my 13" - and to say it was easy would be a lie. It gave me a lot of resistance to get apart, but I am glad I did. It had problems that needed fixing.

Get the book from Illion on eBay (with the rebuild kit - might as well) and it has great photos on how to take it apart - step-by-step. And put it back together.
 
Yeah, this is something that you're going to have to learn to do. First, what caused your gears to shear their teeth? That's a pretty serious issue. There's no "sending it out for repairs..." You're going to have to tackle it yourself. If you don't already have it, get the book by Ilion Industries on restoration of your particular lathe - it is a valuable reference guide on tearing down individual parts of your lathe. They also have a "felt kit" that you will also want.

As for Heavy 10 gears, the Diametrical Pitches are different, so only a 13" gear box will have the correct gears.

It is 100% my mistake, this is my first lathe and I was very anxious to try it. It hadn’t been used in a few years and was pretty gunked up. I slapped some oil in the caps and started using it with inspecting it for problems. My expensive mistake.
 
I am not good enough to start tearing it apart

The first thing I did when I acquired mine (after having not touched a machine tool in 6 years) was tear it completely apart one assembly at a time, clean everything out and put it all back together. As long as you have the tools, consumables, a rebuild kit and an abundance of determination & patience you can do it. The biggest tool you'll need for that gearbox is a big arbor press or small hydraulic press, as there are a couple of press-fit parts - at least in the single tumbler version. A 3 ton arbor press and Harbor Freight's little 12 ton hydraulic did everything I needed for the whole machine. You probably want a full set of pin punches and some skinny wrenches too - 1-1/4" I think? Maybe? Can't remember.

Just be patient when you start working on it. A machine like this will take 3-6 months to rebuild in your spare time. Half the battle is just figuring out what tools you need before you need them, so you don't end up waiting for some oddball pin wrench or a drag link socket to show up. The book doesn't really do a good job in that respect.
 
It is 100% my mistake, this is my first lathe and I was very anxious to try it. It hadn’t been used in a few years and was pretty gunked up. I slapped some oil in the caps and started using it with inspecting it for problems. My expensive mistake.

Yes, that was not a good move. But even bone dry, I can't see the gear box shearing any of the gear teeth. At least you can get replacement gears from Ted (SBLatheman).
 
Yes, that was not a good move. But even bone dry, I can't see the gear box shearing any of the gear teeth. At least you can get replacement gears from Ted (SBLatheman).

Any idea what could have caused it. I’d hate to fix it and have it happen again
 
Any idea what could have caused it. I’d hate to fix it and have it happen again

My guess is that something is jamming somewhere. Untension the belt and turn the spindle by hand, feeling for jamming. If it's not in the gearbox, then look in the carriage drive. That much of a jam should be fairly obvious.
 
I'm glad I chose to tear mine apart first. Two of the gears in my QCGB had seized together (the pressed on gear and the short pinion that is doweled to the shaft). Took me hours to get them apart and off.
 
Unless you live under the sea those gears should not have broken like that.

Only 2 possibilities, the gears in the gearbox are somehow locked up or your lead screw is jammed so you need to find out why.


Your reluctant to take it apart, have you ever taken the gearbox apart before?
 
Hey guys I’m new to the forum and I need some help. I recently acquired a south bend 13 inch lathe. It is overall a good machine but I had an issue today. It has a 2 lever quick change gear box, and as I was turning a piece of metal today I start making odd noises and broke a few teeth off one of the tumbler gears. Now my question. I’ve found a few 2 lever QC gear boxes on eBay that come off heavy 10s. Will they fit on my 13? The gear box on mine has some wear and I am not good enough to start tearing it apart so I was wondering if I could just use one of the ones I found on eBay. Any info would help. Thanks in advance!

to eco SLK001's statement, you'll have to do it your self, but it's not as hard as you think and you'll learn a ton about your lathe while you do it, these guys have been helping me with a 14 1/2 i started on about a year ago ( to be clear min was in terrible shape) but it's up and running now and it was a great project. there is also a book I got from Amazon, worth every penny. not sure if i pasted that link properly. at any rate If I can do it, you can.
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Only 2 possibilities, the gears in the gearbox are somehow locked up or your lead screw is jammed so you need to find out why.

Third possibility: tumbler positions were shifted while the machine was under power.

a) do not shift tumblers in gearbox while lathe is running.
b) bonus warning: do not operate reversing tumbler level while lathe is running.
 
Third possibility: tumbler positions were shifted while the machine was under power.

a) do not shift tumblers in gearbox while lathe is running.
b) bonus warning: do not operate reversing tumbler level while lathe is running.

Grind’em till you find’em I suppose! I’ve shifted mine while running (mans gotta experiment once in awhile) and at most the only thing that happened was a tiny amount of skipping until it clicked right in, I’m skeptical he blew his gear box by shifting while running, I’ve seen worn boxes get sloppy and caught between gears, he was interested in replacing the whole gear box and doesn’t want to take the old box apart. I get the vibe the box really is toast.
 








 
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