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South Bend Model A

nash ranch

Plastic
Joined
May 3, 2018
I traded a 1947 Ford 2N tractor today for a Model a SouthBend lathe. I know nothing about metal lathes. I plan on putting it to use occasionly for little projects as needed. It is a Model A with a catalog # of 644A. The lathe runs good..the auto feed works in the different speeds as expected. I'm really curious about what year of a machine I got. I have googled south bend lathes and have not seen one like this yet. Any info would be greatly appreciated.
 

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All the gears belts and pulleys. It all works good but somebody did an excellent job fabricating that box. Any info on its age from the info i posted?
 
Interesting machine.

That's what we call a Frankenstein lathe. The headstock does not look right, and the tailstock is definitely wrong as well. Maybe it's off a woodworking lathe. The right hand foot looks like it was off of a 9C, and it's on the wrong end. The hole in it is for the control wire to go through. Not used on a 9A. And I don't recognize that steady rest. All 9N, and 10K's have a 1.5 x 8 thread spindle nose. I am not sure what kind of spindle nose that machine has. It would be interesting to find out. And it may be the angle that the pitcher was made at, but something doesn't look right about that compound rest.

Granted if done correctly, it would probably work fine. But getting parts for it might be a challenge at best. Hopefully the person who did the modification, was a professional machinist. And knew what they were doing.

There's a tag on the headstock, what does it say. It might give you a clue to where the headstock came from.

Give us some more pictures, if possible. Maybe we can help you ascertain whether it's worth anything. And give us the measurements from the center of the spindle to the bed. That will tell us what kind of swing you actually have.

Stay safe and have fun.

Joe.
 
We'd need the serial number off the top side of the right end of the bed to date it, but it would only be the age of the bed- who knows about all the other parts.

What is the two position lever on the front face of the headstock cover for? How do you reach the bull gear pin with that box over the headstock? Any chance of a pic down into that box?

allan
 
We'd need the serial number off the top side of the right end of the bed to date it, but it would only be the age of the bed- who knows about all the other parts.

What is the two position lever on the front face of the headstock cover for? How do you reach the bull gear pin with that box over the headstock? Any chance of a pic down into that box?

allan



6" from center of spindle to the bed as requested

A few pics of the inside of the box and the spindle...looks like 1 1/2-8 spindle

The two position knob on the front is a spindle lock for removing the chuck

Round knob on top front adjusts speed of spindle by way of variable speed pulleys20180504_065441.jpgSerial number.jpg20180504_065930.jpg20180504_070018.jpg20180504_070307.jpg
 
I think the decal is just an owner add on...Ferret is a automotive speed parts supplier.

I bet the spindle is 39x4mm...it looks like a modified headstock from one of those early 3 in one machines.
 
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That could be quite a good lathe, if the person who assembled/built it was as meticulous as he was creative.


Did it come with any MT tapers or collets for the spindle? What size?

smt

yes quite a few #2 MT live centers and cutter bars. The spindle measures 1 5/8 but maybe somebody thought it might be metric

20180505_203105.jpg
 
I'd say that two position lever is for back gear, NOT a spindle lock. There must be some other control that releases the bull gear from the input pulley.

allan
 
yes quite a few #2 MT live centers and cutter bars. The spindle measures 1 5/8 but maybe somebody thought it might be metric

View attachment 227854

You might have misunderstood.
I meant MT tapers and/or collets that fit in the spindle, not the TS. Need to know what the taper is in the bore of the spindle. So you can begin to watch for a collet set. Plus you need a spindle center for doing a lot of work that is best done between centers, rather than in a chuck. Using centers allows you to take work like shafts and threaded parts out of the lathe. So long as you do not remove the drivr/dog attached to the work, and put the tail back in the same place, you can try the work in say a larger assembly, and then put it back in the lathe "perfectly" if it needs a bit more lathe work.

A 4 jaw chuck and a set of centers with dogs and a face plate to drive the dogs will be your most versatile work holding methods.
A true running collet insert and good collets would be next, for smaller diameter work. Way down the list, a decent 3 jaw chuck would be fast for things that can be done in one chucking, or that aren't particularly precise or critical.

smt
 
You might have misunderstood.
I meant MT tapers and/or collets that fit in the spindle, not the TS. Need to know what the taper is in the bore of the spindle. So you can begin to watch for a collet set. Plus you need a spindle center for doing a lot of work that is best done between centers, rather than in a chuck. Using centers allows you to take work like shafts and threaded parts out of the lathe. So long as you do not remove the drivr/dog attached to the work, and put the tail back in the same place, you can try the work in say a larger assembly, and then put it back in the lathe "perfectly" if it needs a bit more lathe work.

A 4 jaw chuck and a set of centers with dogs and a face plate to drive the dogs will be your most versatile work holding methods.
A true running collet insert and good collets would be next, for smaller diameter work. Way down the list, a decent 3 jaw chuck would be fast for things that can be done in one chucking, or that aren't particularly precise or critical.

smt

Stephen Thomas...I measured the Spindle diameter...approx. 1.25" on the big end which I believe is a #4 MT. I do not have and #4 Morse Tapers or collets to fit it. I did get three jaw and 4 jaw chucks plus a 6" face plate with this lathe and all the tooling you see in a previous pic

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I wonder if under all that extra stuff in the headstock, if the original spindle and headstock casting is still there? If so, you could put it back to being a regular Southbend (with the help of Ebay for what's missing). Not that the current set-up is bad, but if it was OEM it would be easier to find parts for and service.
 
Unfortunately, That spindle eliminates the chance of the original headstock could be used. Although a 12 inch swing machine is very useful, on that bed/cross slide assembly, it is just marginally useful. Yes you could work on a larger diameter part, But it would be difficult to face anything over approximately 11". And with the tool out beyond the apron that far, the rigidity is greatly diminished. You would be much better off trying to find a 9 or 10K headstock/tailstock to put on it.

If the machine runs, and produces decent work on small parts, (Parts under 10"), then use it as it is. If you have trouble with it, consider replacing the headstock and tailstock. You will also need a drive assembly as well. And you may need to replace the chucks as well depending on the size and the type of backplate they use. It may be more than you want to spend on the machine.

Contact the person you got it from, and see if he has the original parts for the machine.

Stay safe and have fun.

Joe.
 
I would leave it if it works...how bout a better pic of the headstock internals that includes the spindle?

fwiw- if it is what I think there is no back gear and you have two speed "ranges"..high and low
 








 
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