I like that question! Might be better in a new thread, but I've been curious for many years about the 'rumors' one hears that certain factories make one type of machine better than others but the others make another type better than the first factory.

Then there's the 'rumor' that there are only about four factories that make all the stuff!!

Interesting.........

Pete

i keep seeing people talk about chinese machines and south bend.....he stated that he will not be using china.

this is a non issue

Taiwan is known as the Republic of China (ROC).

The other commy China is the Peoples Republic of China (PRC)

so when people talk of china ...they mean Taiwan

all the best.markj

No, actually it is the other way around. When people say "China" they mean mainland China. Taiwan is never referred to as "China" even though officially it is called "Republic of China". Within all industries Taiwan is referred to as Taiwan. Some old timers even call it "Formosa".

Frank - your question is a good one and requires a proper answer, not a simple "China is bad", "Taiwan is good". I will respond to it, but when I have some time.

I think "China" may be getting a bad wrap here in the U.S. First off, let me say that I own a bunch of tools that were made overseas. I use them a lot. I own them because they were affordable. I know I could buy a wrench or screw driver made in the States, but I don't want to pay price.

That fact has led me to believe that foriegn producers cut on quality to make the sale. I'm sure that they could make things "higher quality" if they wanted, but then they would have to charge more, and loose the sale.

The other half of the conversation asks about the need for quality. South Bend lathes were built with extremely high quality, and they were made durable, made to last 80 years or more, but why? What percentage of them are still in use for the intended purpose? Many have been scrapped after 10 years or so, thus wasting all that durability and quality. What would happen if they were designed an built to last say....ten years, until the technology is obsolete. How much less expensive would it have been?

Bullseye! Thats just it! The saying "they don't make 'em like they used to" is true, beacuse they don't have to.

All I know is that I refused to pay leblond $50 bucks for my serial card , talk about gouging the little guy. But I'm glad to say at $25 I now know what year my little beloved 9" was built & where it was first shipped.

Thanks Papa




P.S Thanks to c.s. for remailing my card when i accidently deleted it before i even saw it!!!!

Papa Grizzly,
On the SBL web site the model SB1008 GS26LT 10-30 Lathe looks like a heavy 10 with maybe some improvements(hard to tell from the pic.) but there is also an inactive link that says Heavy 10 coming soon.

Are these two different models? or are you still sorting out the new web site?

When did they start charging you to learn what the history of your SB lathe was?

I submitted 2 serials to them and they were freely given, though probably 2 or 3 years ago.
Even then, I am sure an IT or support guy had a computer monitor in front of him. Punch in the number and your machine was made this day, sold to these people, my own were both school models.

Not a cent charge for the information.

Did I not know what the mfg date was, I would sooner ask Swells. He assuredly has dates on both sides of mine. I might not learn that my lathe was sold to Latrobe, PA high school, but I would know it was sold in Oct., 1948.

Good and bad, there. Some of you think that high school kids will abuse them. I think high school kids will nurse them, though they might have more crashes. They're afraid of them. Job shops will more likely run them to death. And, if they have crashes, probably more serious. They work them harder, under the whip.

I hope we get an affordable machine made under the SB banner. I doubt that, at my age, I can afford one.

Cheers,

George

I just received some part for my 10k and I am very satisfied with the service and price.

I was able to get a tailstock wrench and parts to repair my headstock from stock.

Apparently they have enough parts to build a lathe from scratch almost.

I think SB has a good home.....awaiting my birth certificate card!

Hi SB, as I am trying to find out all I can about the Hercus Company do you have any paperwork or documents that show that Hercus built these SouthBend lathes
As Hercus did not keep much of it's History I have to chase any one any where to find out as I know Hercus exported a lot to Canada

But what has me intruiged is how Hercus produced these machines 10 years after Production finished

Any comments or paperwork would be really appreciated as I was originally building a build up of paperwork and pictures of the SouthBend

I was Lucky?? to get the ok to starts the Hercus register as hercus made 15,000+ 9" lathes but nothing is said about the other machines that Hercus made

But would like some info on Hercus making SouthBend Lathes as it sounds a very unusal way for a Company that built clones actually made South Bends

Hoping you can oblige as any paperwork is better than non and this Hercus makes SouthBends has me very curious

all the best from OZ Derek bitza500

I don't think any of the info I have has the Hercus name on it. South Bend used the Hercus machines twice. Once in the 80's when they needed a small machine with roller bearings and a big spindle hole, (G26 was the model number made from the Hercus 260), and then in the 2000's when they needed a replacement for the HEAVY 10.

TED

I would also like to see re-issue of the castings that SB offered for projects and stuff. I think that would be pretty neat.

I took a quick gander of the South Bend site and the new version of the heavy 10 almost brought a tear to the eye. Those lines look soooo familiar.

Note to Pappy Grizz. The picture next to the specifications ain't near enough. TOOL PORN!

Looking over South Bend history, I ran across an article about Miles O'Brien's daughter, who was a successful inventor. She got $1 million for the rights to her baby diaper cover.

http://invention.smithsonian.org/res...il.aspx?id=300

http://www.nytimes.com/1998/11/18/bu...=&pagewanted=1

Please note the new banner ad for SB at the top. This only appears in the SB forum...."targeted advertising" to maximize bang for buck. OTOH, seems like "preaching to the choir" in a way, but I presume they know what they are doing and appreciate their patronage in whatever form it takes !

I like the new look with the SB banner at the top. I just wish the whole page would fit my screen w/out having to scroll right and left due to the ad column. And someone please tell me that the ad banner in the middle of the sticky section is temporary. If anyone knows how to view the entire page w/out the hassle please inform on how to do it, I changed the view from 100% to 75% just so I could see the whole thing but the small print hurts the eyes , m71.

Yep me also...

Would a wide screen monitor fix that ?

Don

It fits mine OK with no scrolling........Les

Its working fine on my Apple MacBook.
danny