Just picked up a 2H and need info.

[Chistech]

I’m strictly an amateur hobby machinist with a Alliant mill and a small Logan lathe. I restore old pre-war cars and have used both many times to make parts, jigs, and molds for the cars. The Logan’s capacity always left me wanting a bigger lathe but because I don’t use my lathe that much, spending lots of money didn’t make sense. My brother recently told me of a larger lathe available in Rhode Island in a old yarn mill that had recently closed. I went to look at it and it was real dirty, greasy, yet in some areas had light rusting. It had a 3 jaw, a 4 jaw, two tool posts, a steady rest, and a sump pump lubrication system. I really didn’t know much about SB lathes but this machine definitely was large and HD. For the price of $200 I felt I couldn’t go wrong.
Due to traveling to Florida for Christmas coupled with a tragic family event, I couldn’t go to pick it up until this past week. After getting it home and writing down the numbers I started doing some research to find I have what was originally a turret lathe but is now set up as a conventional which is what I prefer for my needs. I was told by the owner that there was two full cabinets of tooling and accessories but the new owners of the building had a crew demoing the place and they threw the cabinets along with their contents away! I’m willing to bet the turret and the lever collet assembly were in those cabinets.
Over the last few days, I disassembled the carriage off the apron, removed the end gear cluster, covers, etc., then started cleaning and painting. Found the lead screw nuts loose with the screw having a ton of end play so I tightened them up and replaced a missing 3/4” link pin in the motor lift handle linkage. The two apron wheels were rusty so I glass beaded the inside spokes, primed and painted them, then took them over to my neighbor to polish up the outsides of the wheels. Today I wired on a new cord cap and plugged it into my phase converter and fired it up. So far so good. I would like to get a collet setup if possible and I’m looking for any information I can get.

 

[texasgeartrain]

What you have is not really a 2H anymore, if it was to begin with. A 2H is a South Bend 16". The difference between it and an engine lathe are a power fed turret tail stock, compound with tool post, and the spindle uses a 3 step pulley, where an engine lathe uses a 4 step pulley.

I see a regular tail stock on the floor in one pic. And you have an engine lathe compound and compound rest now. I can't see what step pulley.

For all intents and purposes you have a regular South Bend 16" engine lathe now. If you post the serial number we can figure out what year.

I do have a 2H, if you want to see what it looks like, you can check out this thread:
South Bend No. 2-H Turret Lathe 16"x6' Restoration

Here's a couple pics:



The tail stock and its driving gear box are a beast, and heavy. Can't imagine they were in a cabinet. You'd need a couple 400lb gorillas to lift it.

As far as buying and selling, an engine lathe is more desirable/moveable. But I love the power fed turret, awesome for drilling.

Edit: It does appear you have the starting lever for a 2 speed motor, which the 2H came with. The 2 speed motor, if still in there is a plus.

 

[Chistech]

Serial is 140576 and it has the three step pulley, not a four. It has a newer motor in it and is no longer a two speed.

 

[texasgeartrain]

Serial is 140457 and it has the three step pulley, not a four. It has a newer motor in it and is no longer a two speed.

Based on Steve Wells data base, your lathe is from 1943. At this point serial numbers were still sequential. Scroll about mid way on the page:
http://www.wswells.com/sn/sn_db.html

If you get to a point where you want to add your lathe to the data base, post to the end of this thread:
Serial Numbers Wanted

But try to collect a serial card and post some relevant info and pics before posting.

If you want a copy of original serial card, go here:
https://www.grizzly.com/products/south-bend-lathe-serial-card

I can't see clear enough in pic, but if you follow the start lever arm down the back side of lathe. . . The mechanism at the end could have two drum switches. Though you have a single speed motor, if both drum switches are there, it would not be a huge leap to add a 2 speed motor. Two speed motors are a little more rare, and generally costlier, but if you keep a casual eye out, you might come across one. Original would be 2hp, 1800/900 rpm.

Your spindle speeds with 3 step pulley would "16 inch & 2H", but you don't have the "low" speed now with a single speed motor. Caveat being if you have about a 3.25" to 3.5" pulley on current motor:

 

[Chistech]

Thanks for all your help and info. I will do those things you mentioned. I will get some more detailed pictures too. My lathe has a single drum switch in a single enclosure. I saw a picture of the two drum switch and mine is not like it. It’s almost like they used two lathes and made one out of them. Perhaps if I can get the card, it might shed some light on it. My lathe also has PT3 after the serial and L.O.R. Which I understand is most likely the lathes builders initials.

 

[texasgeartrain]

I didn't catch it when first looking at your pics, and the handwheel is off in that first pic. . .But that large dial assembly for cross feed is 2H specific, including that circle hand wheel not in pic. Most have a smaller dial, and other large dials the style is different. I like this style a lot.

In your 2nd set of pics, the 3rd pic. That arm hanging out with nothing else on it. . .thats part of a collet closer, be real nice if you have the rest of it, with all the pieces. besides the lever, it would take a spindle adapter and spindle nose thread protector on chuck side.