Lathe Serial Card

Greenlee52 · Apr 18, 2020

First time post from a Hobbyist. Bought a SB 13"x72" Lathe 2 years ago. I paid the $25 to find out some history on the lathe. Most of it makes sense except on the top line. It says: HARD , BED, SCREWS (LESS CONTROL). Does the less control indicate it didn't come with a on/off switch? All of the main parts that are numbered on the card are the same on the lathe. I am missing the collet tray and this lathe didn't come with a chip pan. It is a engine lathe CL 175 C, so is there a difference between the tool room version and the engine lathe version in quality or accuracy? It was sold by a company in Hammond Indiana to Calumet Steel Casting Corp. I remember seeing this company when I worked out of the Hammond Boilermaker Local back in 1995, we went by this business while looking around the area. Is anyone familiar with this company and what they made? I know it's long gone but I would like to know what this company might have used this lathe for and why no chip pan. Was the chip pan an extra cost as indicated in some of the South Bend Catalogs?
Is there a link on how to post pictures?
Please remember, I'm an nobody hobbyist learning how to machine and have fun. I hope I didn't ask any ignorant questions. From what I have been reading and learning on this forum you are all way ahead of me and I'm too old to ever be more than what I am now. I've been waiting 40 years to own a lathe. I found out after doing my first job that there are a pile of issues I am dealing with and I'm no longer able to run it but that's for another post. Thank you all for a wonder source of information.

texasgeartrain · Apr 18, 2020

A link for posting pics here, ask questions in that thread if you got issues. :
Posting Pictures on the South Bend Forum

They send those serials cards as a pdf. Post the pic. We are easily entertained, haha.

In general, toolroom lathes were regarded as higher quality, or higher accuracy. Pretty much regardless of manufacture, not just South Bend. But in talking about machines 30-70 years old, run hours, care and maintenance, all that is subject to vary per machine in my opinion.

Sure the chip pan was an extra cost. Depending on machine, the legs on tail stock side would be different to accommodate a chip pan. Large shops had a maintenance guy, floor sweeper type, that would make rounds keep things clean. So for those, no chip pan was more ideal I'm thinking.

Greenlee52 · Apr 19, 2020

I would qualify as an entertainer than a machinist so I should keep you all laughing. It does make sense not to have a chip pan after reading what you said. Less time for someone to clean around a line of lathes. It's funny I have a engine lathe that had all of the main options with it, Micrometer stop, Taper attachment, Collet closer, and Collet tray. In terms of quality what would be difference between both types of lathes? Different run out? Tool room to 0.0005 and engine lathe to 0.005? I guess the details and answers have disappeared the same as South Bend. I ask too many questions anyway, as long as it turns and has some degree of accuracy is all that matters. I was hoping someone would know about Calumet Steel Castings and what they made. I was working a shutdown at Bethlehem Steel welding the tubes on a electric furnace that blew up when I noticed this company. Anyway thank you for the reply.

texasgeartrain · Apr 19, 2020

Greenlee52 said:
I would qualify as an entertainer than a machinist so I should keep you all laughing. It does make sense not to have a chip pan after reading what you said. Less time for someone to clean around a line of lathes. It's funny I have a engine lathe that had all of the main options with it, Micrometer stop, Taper attachment, Collet closer, and Collet tray. In terms of quality what would be difference between both types of lathes? Different run out? Tool room to 0.0005 and engine lathe to 0.005? I guess the details and answers have disappeared the same as South Bend. I ask too many questions anyway, as long as it turns and has some degree of accuracy is all that matters. I was hoping someone would know about Calumet Steel Castings and what they made. I was working a shutdown at Bethlehem Steel welding the tubes on a electric furnace that blew up when I noticed this company. Anyway thank you for the reply.

I really couldn't answer with 100% surety, but usually a toolroom lathe will have all the bells and whistles, and generally better accuracy. But in a South Bend, I would not expect a large degree of accuracy difference. New they both could probably hold .0005"

South Bends were extremely popular due to their price point in cost. They were decent, and they sold a ton of them. But really serious machine shops probably would not use them as toolroom lathes. Monarch's and others offered higher end machines, but naturally at greater cost.

Its not to say South Bend's can't make good parts, they can. If you got good options on yours and it does what it needs, perfect. But I wouldn't sweat the model difference too much. If you get it working, and everything pointed at center, it'll be real handy, and I think holding .001" is very doable.

mcload · Apr 20, 2020

For what its worth, my Dad's 1946 9"-A was shipped without motor and switch to the
distributer in Dallas....says so clearly on the card. I don't know what your card notes
are about.

By the way, in case you wanted to try, this forum photo management system will
not accept/upload PDF files. Easiest to just print the PDF and then take photo with your phone.

Welcome to the dark side!

PMc

View attachment 285642 View attachment 285641 View attachment 285640

SBLatheman · Apr 20, 2020

Here is a link to the test card used at SBL.
Read post #12, 13,&14...ignore most of the other BS :smoking:

id'ing a toolroom lathe

Ted

Greenlee52 · Apr 20, 2020

Great reply, I'm learning and I know I ask a lot of questions. I had posted that my lathe even being a engine lathe came with a great deal of options that you normally see on a tool room lathe. I guess it doesn't really matter because I'm only a hobbyist with very little measuring tools to be accurate. I've made some threads playing around and some small pieces for practice. I watch some YouTube videos and try to duplicate what they are showing. Just having fun basically.

Greenlee52 · Apr 20, 2020

Beautiful lathe, my wife's grandfather had one that looked exactly like yours. I'll take a photo like you said. Thank you

Greenlee52 · Apr 26, 2020

There's no doubt now after seeing the test card, I didn't get a test card with mine from Grizzly but I don't need now after reading the one you posted. Mine is a Engine Lathe but it has some add on options like a Tool Room Lathe. So with the test card performed on each lathe at finish is what determined the class it would fall in, is that right? The lathes that held tolerance in the 10 Thousands became Tool Room and the ones in the 1 Thousands range became Engine Lathe and the options worked on both.

Greenlee52 · Jun 1, 2021

texasgunsmith said:
A link for posting pics here, ask questions in that thread if you got issues. :
Posting Pictures on the South Bend Forum

Thank you for the link to pictures, I'm sorry for being a little slow about all of it but I have read it

several times but didn't see how to edit them if they are turned incorrectly. I'll read it all again and try

and see what I missed. Appreciate the help.

Greenlee52 · Jun 4, 2021

texasgunsmith said:
A link for posting pics here, ask questions in that thread if you got issues. :
Posting Pictures on the South Bend Forum

They send those serials cards as a pdf. Post the pic. We are easily entertained, haha.

In general, toolroom lathes were regarded as higher quality, or higher accuracy. Pretty much regardless of manufacture, not just South Bend. But in talking about machines 30-70 years old, run hours, care and maintenance, all that is subject to vary per machine in my opinion.

Sure the chip pan was an extra cost. Depending on machine, the legs on tail stock side would be different to accommodate a chip pan. Large shops had a maintenance guy, floor sweeper type, that would make rounds keep things clean. So for those, no chip pan was more ideal I'm thinking.

I found my Serial Card for my South Bend 13" Lathe

chipss · Jun 7, 2021

Here's the card for my 9A

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