SB 13x40 6ft Bed, Did I get a good Deal?

nbratt · Mar 28, 2014

Hey guys,
I bought a SB 13x40 6ft lathe at an auction the other day. It has a 2hp, 220v, single phase motor. It is in fantastic condition as far as I can tell. It has no noticeable wear on the flame hardened ways. I have run the carriage from the headstock to the spindle and it does not change in feel from one end to the other. It came with the taper attachment, tail stock, steady rest, 3 four jaw chucks of various sizes, 1 3 jaw chuck, 1 twelve inch face plate, 1 eight inch face plate, 1 six inch face plate, lantern tools post, armstrong tool holder, quick change tool post, 4 quick change tool holders, QC knurling tool, 5/8 indexing knurling tool, 2 live centers, 2 Jacobs chucks, 5c collet set from 1" to 3/16 with all the necessary pieces to mount them in the lathe, Palmgren milling attachment, and some other things I can not think of right now. It was purchased from a machinery company in 96 for $2600.00 without most of the accessories that I got with it. I paid $2600.00 for all of it. It runs great and turns out very accurate work. I was just wondering if the price I paid was high or low for what I got. I had been thinking of getting a used Grizzly G4003G for $2500.00 that had been on Craigslist for a while but really didn't want to go with the import lathes. So tell me, did I do the right thing? I am in tech school right now and am trying to buy my machinery a piece at a time in hopes of having a small engine repair/fabrication shop someday.

Thanks

JohnEvans · Mar 29, 2014

I'm not a SB fan but for that price with the tooling included I myself would be tempted. Ya did good.

timvercoe · Mar 29, 2014

You need to ask? People will climb over each other for such a find.

Tim

Bruce Nelson · Mar 29, 2014

This post is obscene, and does not merit any consideration.

nbratt · Mar 29, 2014

Bruce Nelson said:
This post is obscene, and does not merit any consideration.

I guess I am confused as to what your comment even means. How is this post obscene? The question is legit and was intended to determine if this older machinery with tooling is a better deal than something newer like the Grizzly lathes that don't include much in the way of tooling.

old_dave · Mar 29, 2014

nbratt said:
I guess I am confused as to what your comment even means. How is this post obscene? The question is legit and was intended to determine if this older machinery with tooling is a better deal than something newer like the Grizzly lathes that don't include much in the way of tooling.

The way I read it, Bruce is being funny in an envious sort of way.

Just to clarify, this is the "classic" flat belt drive South Bend, right?

David

Cheeseland Dan · Mar 29, 2014

You got a damn nice lathe. Whether it cost too much or not is a matter of opinion and you could find plenty of those here. Compared to the Grizzly piece of shit for $100 less with no tooling you got a great deal in IMHO. Bruce is probably envious and that's why he called your post obscene, I'm guessing.

nbratt · Mar 29, 2014

Yes, it has the 4 step spindle cone with the flat belt. I will post some pictures soon.

nbratt · Mar 29, 2014

More Pictures

nbratt · Mar 29, 2014

old_dave · Mar 29, 2014

I think you did very very very well.
David

traditional-tools · Mar 29, 2014

I always like these threads where the new owner has to ask if he got a good deal or a bad deal...if you need to ask someone, it must have been a bad deal...WTF, you don't know if you are happy with it or not ?

Looks like a decent assortment of chucks, the lathe looks ok...it is a South Bend, so you basically bought 100 year old technology. It must have fit your budget, and you must have felt comfortable enough to buy it, and you got it home...the price is approaching what you could find a Monarch 10EE for...these days...

GenePoole · Mar 29, 2014

I don't know. We got essentially the same lathe for $600 but with very little tooling. We spent maybe $1000 more to get it to where we needed tooling-wise so still a better deal.

nbratt · Mar 31, 2014

$600 bucks is sure cheap. I live in Springfield MO and deals like that are never available. The best I have seen was a South Bend 10" with no tooling for $1500. The guy knew nothing about it and yet he said he had refurbished it himself; I kindly passed on that one. I will say that after running this lathe for about a week, I am thrilled with it. We use Jet 14x40's in class which run about $17,000 and weigh twice what this one does, but the South Bend is smoother and gives me a much better finish. I am very happy with it. I'm getting ready to use the milling attachment tonight with the collet chuck to bore some 3/4 holes. Thanks for all the good info everybody. Just curious, what did you guys pay for your lathes of the same make and model and what condition was it in?

aametalmaster · Mar 31, 2014

nbratt said:
Just curious, what did you guys pay for your lathes of the same make and model and what condition was it in?

Bought a 15x72 for 300 bucks not in the same shape as yours and not running but the price was right and it was 6 miles from my house...Bob

PaPaMitch · Mar 31, 2014

I see it also has the taper attachment (another plus). I think you got a good deal.

Mitch

Richard King · Mar 31, 2014

If you want to sell it I will give you $3500.00 :-) As I have said before machine's like that one and other vintage American, UK, German, Swiss made machines will be running in 50 years and those Chinese made fake South Bend's in my opinion will have long been scrapped. You stole that machine and should be proud of it. Rich

metalbender · Apr 1, 2014

I'm looking for a flat belt like the one on your lathe can any one help with that thanks BB

nbratt · Apr 1, 2014

metalbender said:
I'm looking for a flat belt like the one on your lathe can any one help with that thanks BB

Grizzly.com has them for sale. You can also use a car serpentine belt which many people swear by. The South Bend "How to Run a lathe" book has a diagram for lacing the belt. I followed there diagram and mine is running great.

wgnrr1 · Apr 1, 2014

I am not a SB fan myself. I prefer much heavier machines(Monarchs). I bought a fully tooled 18CU Monarch for $3500, and a 25N Monarch, tooled with 3 chucks for $2500. Personally, I don't think it a good deal at all. But for the home hobbiest, sure. You have no need for anything as heavy as I do.

But, to even consider the crap grizzly over American iron is redundant. So in that respect, you bought the better lathe.

Josh

SB 13x40 6ft Bed, Did I get a good Deal?

Good Deal?

Overpaid

Good Deal

Great Deal

You Stole It

Should have bought the Grizzly

13's suck

13's are great

Should have got a heavy 10L

Should have got a new South Bend 8k

I would buy that lathe and tooling for twice that!

Plastic

Attachments

Titanium

Hot Rolled

Stainless

Plastic

Stainless

Aluminum

Plastic

Plastic

Plastic

Stainless

Diamond

Cast Iron

Plastic

Diamond

Cast Iron

Diamond

Plastic

Plastic

Hot Rolled

Similar threads