Straight VS angled bed ends?

I just picked up serial # 2638, a 12" with power feeds, compound slide, no gear guards or oil pan. http://www.practicalmachinist.com/v...umbers-wanted-128483/index70.html#post2056513

The ends of the bed are straight up and down yet catalogs contemporary with this lathe show only bed ends that taper up and out. What's the deal? Was that a change South Bend made around 1913~1914?

Nice, I have a 1917, and only the v portion of the ways are angled - as in your close up.

Going to restore it?

Look at the side views in old catalogs or on Tony's site. The ends slope up and out from the legs, unlike this one. I haven't seen any old South Bend catalog images of lathes of this age with vertical bed ends.

The Sears 10 inch lathe, made by South Bend, had straight bed ends. Not sure if there was a similar 12 inch.

If it's a "Sears Bend", that could be quite rare. Any way to tell? Are the serial numbers of the ones made for Sears in the same line as the regular production or were they a separate number line like the Montgomery Ward lathes made by Logan?

I didn't find any trace of the South Bend name on the lathe. The apron is identical to South Bends and the half nuts in the SB box are identical to the ones on the lathe.

The lathes made by South Bend but sold by Sears Roebuck in their catalog were called the Expert, The 10 inch did not have the South Bend name on the thread plate, but the plate is similar to the South Bend which had the name on it. I’m not sure why they did not have the South Bend name on them. Under the headstock there is an E stamped on the bed of the 10 inch.

Maybe if you can take off the headstock, or another way, to loosen the bolts, oil the ways, and slide it forward, you can see if there is an E stamped on the ways under the headstock (or maybe some other letter since it is not a 10 inch).

It may be that your lathe was also made by South Bend, but sold by Sears Roebuck in their catalog, or maybe some other seller that South Bend produced for but did not put their name on.

It is curious why these lathes had no South Bend name and had straight bed ends. I think the serial numbers followed in line with that years production as with the named South Bend lathes.