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my new SB9A seup w/ metric gears (lots of pics)

pavt

Stainless
Joined
Jun 30, 2013
Location
20 miles north of Buffalo NY
As promised here's a bunch of pics of my new-to-me 9A. Ser. no. 167360, the card says late 1945. It was originally shipped with the full metric change gear set and 12-speeds rear drive. It has almost no wear, it seems like it was not used: The spindle is like a mirror, with .0015 clearance, half of the original scraping/flaking is still there, and there is no detectable wear on the ways. I'll be doing a test bar sometime in the near future. Meanwhile there's going to be a bunch of pics posted. Click and zoom.

lathe-overview.jpglathe-overview-2.jpgmetric-gears.jpgGearChart.jpg
 
Detail pics: saddle/apron, tailstock, headstock.saddle-apron.jpgtailstock.jpgheadstock.jpg

The cross and the compound both have about .015 play, the screws and nuts are new. You can still see the marks on them. So the play must be in the bushings. I'm strongly considering a large dial ball-brg upgrade in the future tho.
 
The seller was extremely generous, including both the three-jaw and 4-jaw with extra jaws; both work flawlessly. He also included a pair of faceplates/drive plates. I got the JH Williams dogs on eBay for $30. The seller also included a genuine SB collet setup and milling attachment.


chucks.jpgfaceplate-dogs.jpgcollets.jpgmilling-attachment.jpg
 
documentation

Included in the sale was *all* of the literature: the parts list, the motor tags, the leveling tag, the maintenance booklets, the belt splicing instructions, the setup drawings, the motor wiring drawing, the lube chart, et. etc. etc. etc..... Needless to say, I was absolutely thrilled! There's a lot more that I didn't post.


booklets.jpginstallation-dwg.jpgmotorCard-beltCard-manual.jpgoilChart.jpg
 
It gets even better: theres no wear at all on the leadscrew or the gears. The edges are still crisp and sharp, no pointing or rounding over. It runs quieter than the vacuum cleaner. I have it setup with an one-piece automotive belt in the spare bedroom. The bench top is 1.5" thick hardwood plywood (doubled up), 30x48 was perfect. Glued and screwed on 6" centers.
 
Great visual report Patv. Thanks for update. The machine looks
great and sounds even better. Wow...lucky you! It's nice to hear
about a well-maintained and carefully used machine for a change.
I noticed you have the same tool post as the one in the "tool Post" thread.
Interesting.

More pics please.
Is this the machine with the old GE motor issue?

PMc

View attachment 289143
 
Great visual report Patv. Thanks for update. The machine looks
great and sounds even better. Wow...lucky you! It's nice to hear
about a well-maintained and carefully used machine for a change.
I noticed you have the same tool post as the one in the "tool Post" thread.
Interesting.

Thanks, it was such a relief to get something functional. I'm not interested in doing another restoration (I've done a few already), sometimes you just want something that "just works" and this is it.

Yes about the tool post, As an alternative that people maybe not considering, but they should take a look because that style works pretty good. Its amazingly solid.

Dunno what do you mean about the motor issue? it works fine anyway, I'm just amazed the cap is still OK. Fingers crossed.

Anyhow, far as I'm concerned I got damn lucky on this deal, it was a one in a lifetime thing.
 
Pics of leadscrew about a foot from the spindle shows basically no wear or use. Shot with macro mode, no flash.
leadscrew.jpg


And a close-up pic of the end gears, nice and crisp with no wear. I use the recommended oil on them.

gears.jpg
 
Thanks, it was such a relief to get something functional. I'm not interested in doing another restoration (I've done a few already), sometimes you just want something that "just works" and this is it.

Yes about the tool post, As an alternative that people maybe not considering, but they should take a look because that style works pretty good. Its amazingly solid.

Dunno what do you mean about the motor issue? it works fine anyway, I'm just amazed the cap is still OK. Fingers crossed.

Anyhow, far as I'm concerned I got damn lucky on this deal, it was a one in a lifetime thing.

Sorry, but yes, I did get you confused with someone else in regards to motor.

BTW, your photos would improve greatly with lots more light. And make sure you are in focus before taking the shot.
Sometimes you can get too close and the phone can't focus. Take a step back, then use the zoom in feature on your phone.
Just saying.

PMc

View attachment 289181
 
Sorry, but yes, I did get you confused with someone else in regards to motor.

BTW, your photos would improve greatly with lots more light. And make sure you are in focus before taking the shot.
Sometimes you can get too close and the phone can't focus. Take a step back, then use the zoom in feature on your phone.
Just saying.

PMc

Thanks, yeah the pics aren't the greatest. I'm not using a phone, I'm using a camera. There is a 75-watt bulb in a light, plus 2x 60 watt bulbs in the ceiling, plus the window. I dunno how to get any brighter than that, but I do turn the flash off because it just screws things up. Using an Olympus FE-170 cam from OfficeMax, its about 10 yrs old.
 
Thanks, yeah the pics aren't the greatest. I'm not using a phone, I'm using a camera. There is a 75-watt bulb in a light, plus 2x 60 watt bulbs in the ceiling, plus the window. I dunno how to get any brighter than that, but I do turn the flash off because it just screws things up. Using an Olympus FE-170 cam from OfficeMax, its about 10 yrs old.

Okay, but any kind of spotlight (even LED) fashioned on a stand would be great help. Maybe keep an eye out for a used work light.
Yes, flash sucks. I don't mean to sound critical.

PMc

View attachment 289186
 
Okay, but any kind of spotlight (even LED) fashioned on a stand would be great help. Maybe keep an eye out for a used work light.
Yes, flash sucks. I don't mean to sound critical.

PMc

LOL nah its OK, I do want to get better pics and gotta learn it. Only work lights I have are the clamp-on type that take normal screw-in bulbs. I tried that but the pics came out all yellow and dark. The biggest difference was from painting the room white -- that changed everything. You can actually see in there now. EDIT strange thing is, the pics make everything look darker than it actually is.
 
Just to update the thread a bit, I finally broke down and got one of the genuine, original thread dials off eBay for a price that would have been a weeks pay not too long ago.

Also an AXA tool post with several holders. The lathe performs best with CCGT-32.51 inserts. Even though they are meant for aluminum, I use them on almost everything. For threading it likes HSS better though.

Cutting an initial test bar per HTRAL gave me .0004 taper at 6" from the chuck. Turning a 14" bar between centers is just barely a thou out. I think that's OK for a 75-yr old machine.

I got some Logan 820 dials and some ball thrust bearings, so now it has large dials with a much more sensitive "feel".

I do oil it -- a LOT. Everything is drenched in oil and that's how it like it.
 








 
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