We are now offering two brand new soft cover manuals as a resource for refurbishing two of the more common used machine tools that we all see on the market.

1. The 9" South Bend Workshop Lathe. Link below:

Rebuild Manual for 9? South Bend Lathe - Model A, B & C - eBay (item 150414785593 end time Mar-17-10 20:52:16 PDT)


2. The Bridgeport Series 1 J Head. Link below:

Rebuild Manual For Bridgeport Seris 1 "J Head" Mill - eBay (item 150414366866 end time Mar-16-10 13:07:57 PDT)

These two books were just published. They are originally produced works and they are NOT just copes of pre-existing manuals floating around out there on the web. If you already have one of these fine machines or if you are looking to refurbish one, please take a look. Thanks for the consideration. SWBrooks

Excellent idea!

Any plans to do the same for Vari-Speed Bridgeports and Monarch Ser 60/61 lathes?

Hi Michael. Thanks for the note. We have a V-speed in the works but it will be a few months before we publish. We may just add it to this manual and make it larger. Have not decided yet. Regards, Steve

Please do one for the Heavy 10 (10L). I will certainly buy one and there are many others who will too. Tiny

I ordered the bridgeport book earlier this week and have already received it.

The bridgeport book is very well well done. It is easy to read and the order of items is well thought out.

The text and the picutrs are relevant to it are all on the same page. The pictured themselves are very clear and well labled, both with arrows to items mentioned in the text, part names, and at times the direction of rotaton needed.

I am impressed- a lot of work went into this- and it is going to save me a lot of time and effort. It is well worth the price.

The only suggestion I have for Mr Brooks would be to have it spiral bound- so it will lay flat on a workbench, as that is where it is going to be when in use. Also- does anyone make oil resistant paper? This is going to end up with oil smudged margins!

Hi, I just found that on ebay, and sent a question. I guess I'll ask it here, too. I just got a 1936 model 415 9" lathe, is that included in this manual?

+1 for a Heavy 10 (10L) manual. I would definitely buy one

Mike

Thanks for the feedback Jeffrey, it is much appreciated, and thanks to everyone else for the many suggestions. If we keep getting this kind of interest in the SBL 10L we may have to put one together as we do not have one immediately available. Any other questions, please drop me a note. Regards, Steve

I have Steve's manual for the SB 9 and it is very well done. I second the idea of a spiral binding. Nice job Steve!!

Thanks for the suggestions on the spiral binding. I will look at that the next time we print. I checked and my current publisher does not offer spiral except possibly through a 3rd party so I may have to do some digging. "Grease proofing" the paper may be a challenge but I know what you're talking about. It's a pet peeve of mine as well. I have a suggestion though... on my workbench I always keep a 1/2" x 12" dowel rod with a soft rubber cap cemented onto the end. If I'm reading through anything at the bench, I just use that to turn the page and then lay my little sand bag on the page. No greasy fingerprints on the edges. Steve

You can buy a do-it yourself kit for spiral binding. Staples is one place. If books were available unbound that would allow individuals to bind up their own. it is a handy way to buildup your own booklets of reference material for home/shop use. Including some useful parts lists, etc, now posted on the web.

Now, In no way, am I suggesting any criticism on JR, spiral bound does lay flat for easy use. I know he is right. It is handy. When I say something, I mean it.

The down side too spiral bound or loose pages, is the ease to scan or copy. Nothing wrong with making a 2nd working copy for the dirty shop - - But, others ....Could post/host copies on the web or distribute numerous freebies copies. With these yahoo groups, only one person need spring for a legit copy, then all the buddies get copes. It is easy to remove the spiral binding and run off a few dozen zerox copies.

It is a difficult situation. I purchased a CD and wanted to print a paper copy. The CD had a block built in. I complained loudly! I only got the CD so I could print it out. My complaint was that this blocking feature should have been stated up front in the ad. Otherwise, I don't blame him. I sure his earlier works were pirated. It is like terrorism security BS. Now, we all suffer due to the bad behavior of a few.

Actually heard someone was scanning Connolly's Machine Tool rebuilding book. That is all 1000(+/-) copyrighted hard bound pages!

The 415 and 9c are very close to being the same. The book will be the best info on the 415 you will find.

Thanks for the feedback everyone and I apprecaite the comments I've received so far. I've had several questions about the eBay aspect of the sale. If anyone does not have access to ebay or just doesn't want to use them or PayPal, I'll be glad to work with anyone to get them a copy. Check, MO, whatever is fine. I've done quite a few transaction with the folks on the PM board over the years and it works just fine. Send me a message and I'll respond as soon as I can. Assuming my box doesn't fill up again. 50 messages is the limit evidently. Regards, Steve

For all of those who transmitted payment for manuals by PayPal up through midnight last night, your pacakages went out first thing this morning by USPS first class mail. Thanks very much ! Steve

Steve, Thanks for the fast response and shipping. I can't wait to check out the book. This should make it a little easier to repair my Bridgeport than just looking at parts diagrams.

Thanks Kevin, I sincerely apprecaite the feedback. Let me know how it works out for you.

Note to all who transmitted payment by PayPal as of midnight last night: Manuals shipped this morning. Have not recevied any checks / MO's yet so presumably we should start seeing some of those today. Thanks to everyone who has purchased. Steve

Steve -

Very good book for my 1952 9A. I give it an "A". I do have a couple of suggestions though.

1. +1 on a "lay flat" book, but understand the piracy issues.
2. I would like to see a table of contents and/or an index.
3. Perhaps a little different organization. I understand the purpose of the book, that being a full restoration from beginning to end. But I think I would prefer specific sections for the major components. One for the QC gear box, another for the apron, another for the saddle, cross-slide and compound, etc.. That way, if I just wanted to work on the apron, for example, I could very quickly go to that section/chapter, starting with the procedure to remove only the apron, rebuild it, and re-install it.

And speaking of the HMD, this is the only reason I did not give the book an "A+". The book doesn't mention the HMD that doesn't have bushings. Mine is all cast iron and not a bushing in sight. I'm not really sure what you could say about this type other than it exists. I guess you can't get all the different permutations, huh.

Still an excellent resource for the price. Thanks.

Wayne

I just found and bought a very early M Model, the round type, so I bought your book and feel it is very timely for me.

Hi Wayne, I very much appreciate the comments and will look at what it will take to incorporate some of them in the next eddition. Good point on the HMD. The only thing to replace there are the two strips of felt and that's only if your drive was broached to accept them. I've seen some that didn't have those slots either so that's just one of those areas where product development evolved at SBL. Sorry I didn't point that out. It was the same case on the apron. On some of the older aprons there were no oil retention felts on the shafts for the traverse gear and the crossfeed drive gear so we simply pointed out what to do in the cases where there was an item to address. You are right in your assessment though because in that case I think we noted that difference in the text. Best Regards, Steve

All manuals purchased by PM members through this posting have been shipped as of this morning. Check / MO / PayPal payment included. Let me know when they are recevied and that everything is satisfactory. Thanks to everyone. Steve