South Bend 14 Speed control system

Hi all! I just got a Southbend 14 lathe, I was reluctant to buy it but the price was really good so I decided to get it and but all the parts of the speed system are missing so right now it is a 2 speed lahe (low and high), Does someone know how to repair the system or where to buy the whole speed system for this lathe? I have searched for diagrams but I haven't been able to find them. I would really appreciate any help, thanks a lot, have a nice day !


(This is not my lathe but the model as reference)

Hi Gem, welcome to the forum. I worked at an optical manufacturing plant one time and we turned a 14 like yours into a vertical lathe. The speed system as I remember consisted of a small motor that operated a linkage to move a Reeves type pulley in and out. It was actuated by a spring return switch on the control panel. Left for slower, right for faster. Might be easier if some of the parts are missing to calculate what pulley sizes will give you the most useful speed and put a VFD on it. I stood our lathe on end and bolted it to a 4 foot square 1" thick plate as a base and fabbed a counterweight that was connected to the carriage. We used it to bore precision optical housings and collimate the lenses,that way the lenses could be mechanically aligned as well as optically without sagging. I will look and see if I saved the manual but I don't think I did. That machine was used when we got it and we used it for 20 years after we modified it with very few problems. Wish I had taken some pictures now that I think of it. Jim

Send Ted an email...if anyone has parts its him..

[email protected]

Gem, I have a PDF file of the manual, I am not sure how to get it to you if you want it. Jim

hi I just got a 14 myself. I live in Gainesville, fl. I knew there was something wrong with the speed control when I bought it. there was no speed controls just forward and reverse switch. I wasn't concerned I figured I'd be able to fix it, I was thinking of using a car window motor to replace the control that was there. I got it home and there was a extra wheel at the end of the lathe that had been attached to the speed control with a shaft and a couple of knuckles and the speed is adjusted using direct input instead of the electric motor that was there. I am lucky in it's a 14x 60 a very rare breed from what I can find. great machine