ISO info about 1937 workshop 415

Thanks Steve for identifying my 1937 Workshop 415.

I'm trying to learn a bit more about the machine. Are there manual reprints available? I'd love to see what SB said about this machine when it was new.

I have a fair number of tools and accessories with it. A bunch of stuff I've identified, but some are still mysterious. There's a gadget which is meant to engage the feed screw, I think, but I can't see how it bolts on. I believe it's for aiding in thread cutting. There's also a couple of what look like stops, one which kind of fits the cross slide, one which is meant to clamp on the ways. I think.

I also have a wall-mounted box of tools for it. There's what looks like a complete set of gears, which I can't figure out how to use. There's also a set of small collets, but no apparent way to mount them.

I used this machine for years in my friend's shop. He passed without ever explaining what some of this stuff was for, so now it's mine to figure out

Here are a few pix. Any info appreciated.

The "manual" for the lathe is the South Bend publication "How to Run a Lathe." There are a number of versions of it available for download for free and you can also find printed copies of it on eBay. You need that book!

In your photos, the ones of the yellow objects show:

Top is a carriage stop that clamps on the lathe bed and makes a positive stop for turning up to a shoulder. If you're using power feed of the carriage you need to be careful with it because it will halt the carriage and possibly break things in the gear train if the power feed is not disengaged in time.

Center is a cross feed stop used in threading to make it easier to return the cross slide to its position in order to make the next thread cut. The tool point is advanced from this point using the compound slide. It's all explained in the book.

Bottom is the threading dial which tell you when to engage the half-nuts at the proper time to re-engage the thread you're cutting. It mounts on the right side of the carriage as you face the lathe and the gear engages with the lead screw. Again--it's covered in some detail in the book.

The rest of the photos show a whole bunch of accessories--collets, face plates, change gears, etc. Again look in the HTRAL book for information on what they do and how to use them.

A somewhat "newer" edition...

http://vintagemachinery.org/pubs/1617/17726.pdf

http://vintagemachinery.org/pubs/1617/17727.pdf

And a somewhat older edition

http://vintagemachinery.org/pubs/1617/5795.pdf

Thanks!

You're right, there's a ton of good info in there.

I think I may be missing some parts. There doesn't seem to be a way to bolt the thread dial to the carriage. There was probably some sort of bracket there which has gone missing. I may have to make one up. Also, the threading stop doesn't fit on the cross slide, even when I turn the bolt all the way in, it's loose. I wonder if the carriage came off a different lathe? That might explain why these parts don't fit.

Anyway, lots more reading to do. Thanks again!

Here is a list of 243 - some of them will be worth looking at

South Bend Lathe Works - Publication Reprints | VintageMachinery.org

more good info

But not on that list is my Catalog No. 50-A from March 1940 - 48 pages dedicated to the "workshop"

An interesting aside is the thread dial ($6.00) is an extra - shown stud mounted on a horizontal stud - with mating hole and set screw in right end of apron - though NONE of the assembled lathes in this catalog show the presence of such a thing - nor a threading dial at all

jrd-sb said:

Thanks!

You're right, there's a ton of good info in there.

I think I may be missing some parts. There doesn't seem to be a way to bolt the thread dial to the carriage. There was probably some sort of bracket there which has gone missing. I may have to make one up. Also, the threading stop doesn't fit on the cross slide, even when I turn the bolt all the way in, it's loose. I wonder if the carriage came off a different lathe? That might explain why these parts don't fit.

Anyway, lots more reading to do. Thanks again!

Click to expand...

The thread dial and the threading stop are for a Heavy 10, not a Workshop 9.
I can’t tell the size the carriage stop.
Ted

SBLatheman said:

The thread dial and the threading stop are for a Heavy 10, not a Workshop 9.
I can’t tell the size the carriage stop.
Ted

Click to expand...

Hah! That explains that!

The carriage stop fits. I also have a micrometer carraige stop, which seems more generally useful.

Reading through HTRAL, I now see how the collets are used. I think I see how the gears are used, but this machine has a pretty big (6") compound gear mounted. I infer that the feed screw is set up to turn way slower than if I were using it for thread cutting.

Time for more reading

I infer that the feed screw is set up to turn way slower than if I were using it for thread cutting

Click to expand...

A+ in perceptiveness