Southbend 9 inch model A lathe

[flyer1]

We had a garage sale around here this past weekend and stumbled across a 1945 9 inch southbend metal lathe. Here is a picture.



It comes with the tooling and bench. I got a basic lesson today. I gave 1100 for it. Seemed reasonable to me. I have not run a lathe in 40 years and have no idea what they are going for now. The industrial lathe my dad had didnt cost near this price.

Now, I could use some ideas where to start learning. Consider me having zero knowledge and go from there.

Thanks to everyone in advance.

Mike

[Nueces]

There will always be some guy who can crow about getting one like yours for a song. Good for him. Good for you, too, as this one appears to be a peach and has the quick change gear box. What little too much you 'may' have paid, when spread over the years you will enjoy this little jewel, vanishes into nothing. You have your machine and will spend no more time pining for a 'better deal.' I'd have jumped on it myself and I already have a lathe!

Good on you.

As for learning, see if you can find a nearby machinist or modeling club.

[fast ronnie]

Looks like this one has had a lot of TLC.
Nice find.

[DougGuy]

Very nice and no you didn't overpay at all. Not for what you got, and it does look well taken care of.

I got a 1947 9x18 Logan that runs really good, for $400 and had to buy a chuck, tailstock tooling, quick change tool post (you will want one of these) and a bunch of cutters and stuff. Mine did not have a stand with it.

The 9" takes a size B or 200 series tool post. I found the Asian made tooling to be quite acceptable and have zero issues with it so I can recommend it if you are on a budget it is good value for the money. I think mine is a Phase II and I have some Phase II and some AXA holders that worked well. Generally don't care for Asian tooling but this stuff is not bad at all so I give it a thumbs up. Shars tool co. sells a lot of it and their stuff is decent.

[tim338]

Great buy on a good little lathe. I have a 9A Southbend and it does everything I need it to do. Get the book "How to run a Lathe" by Southbend lathe works. It will help with the basics.

[ph4570]

Looks like a very good machine in nice shape.

Learning -- a lot of good info on the web. Look at youtube videos. Monkey around with machining scrap rods of different materials and get a feel for speeds/feeds of materials and depths of cuts.

If a quick change tool post is not in the kit I suggest getting one sooner rather than later. The "lamp post" tool holder is ok but a quick change unit is well worth the cost in terms of rigidity and setup time.

[AZBronco]

Ditto ''How to run a lath book""....Take a look at MrPete222 on You Tube, you can learn something new each time you watch this teacher,I know I have.

[scarry scarney]

My local Community College still offers machine shop classes. I've taken them and the welding classes. I got to learn the stuff that wasn't shown to me....Was well worth the time.

[flyer1]

The orginal "How to run a lathe" book comes with th lathe. I will look into the quick change tool post. Thanks guys. Please, keep the ideas coming. Maybe a few beginner idea projects.

[Nueces]

Some perfect beginner's projects would be custom dimensioned M-die stems or sizer/seater top punches. Log onto Speedy Metals and order some sticks of steel, so you know what you are cutting.

[DougGuy]

I would suggest a sampling of 01 tool steel rods, can get from Speedy metals, and some cold rolled steel rod. Lowe's has the cold rolled rod.

[flyer1]

Great ideas. I would not have thought of them. Please, more ideas.

[runfiverun]

start with stuff like sizers.
you learn outside turning and inside cutting and how to polish and measure.
it also let's you figure out center points and such pretty quickly.

[Ole Joe Clarke]

If you buy cold rolled steel, try to get some with lead in it. Machines so much better and is good for a lot of reloading projects. Regular old 1018 is a stringy mess. Try for some 12L14, 1117L, or something like that. Hot rolled steel such as 4140, 4150 is good for parts that have to be heat treated. Aluminum is easy to machine in the 2000, 6000 alloys, but it can get pricey.

[ricksplace]

Here's my southie...


Born in 1947, she's older than me.

I recommend dumpster diving at your local garage. When someone asks where you got the snazzy muzzle brake, you can tell them you made it from a tie rod off a truck. 12g inserts are fun and easy to make too. Quick change gearbox makes threading setup quicker. I use mine quite a bit with a milling attachment using the power feeds. New manufacture milling attachment/center rest/follow rest are available on ebay.

Notice I changed the leather drive belt to a laced automotive serpentine belt. Runs smoother and quieter. Feels like it's gear drive, and no more tick,tick,tick. Google for how to lace it. Some folks are using one piece serpentine belts. In my opinion, it's not worth dismantling the headstock bearings to install it. The laced version on mine is going on 10 years use with no change in performance. The belt in the photo was rescued from the neighbourhood garage dumpster.

[flyer1]

Wow guys, these are all great ideas. Most of them would never have occured to me. Please, keep them coming.

[KCSO]

Mine was a 49 and I used it in the gun shop for years as it was used in a gun shop by the previous owner. South Bends How to Run a Lathe is available on line and if you do You Tube try Pete222 for instructions and tips. You can do any gun work you want on this although you will have to do some jobs outboard.

[jumbeaux]

Great machine tool and a great price sir. Make friends with your local scrap dealer...a good source for aluminum, brass, copper and steel at reasonable prices. Have fun and be safe.

rick

[Alstep]

$1100 for a well taken care of SB 9A that's well equipped is a most reasonable price. Ditto on "How to run a lathe", and a Quick change tool post. Nothing wrong with the Phase II, get the wedge type rather than the piston design. The wedge type will be repeatable and maintain it's "zero" when you take it off and put it back on again. A lot of projects will require different tooling setups, and the convenience and time saved over the old "lantern" style tool post is money well spent. Got mine from Travers Tool Co, www.travers.com , good people to deal with, courteous and quick shipping. The shop I retired from got most of their tooling there.

A lot of machining skill has to do with the "feel" of the machine, and only time and experience will get you that "feel". Machinery is always "talking" to you, it let's you know when the speed and feed is right or you're over heating the tool bit, maybe the tooling is getting dull, bad vibration, poor surface finish, etc. That's where the quick change feed comes in handy, you can easily change the feed. A good bench grinder and some stones are essential to keeping your bits sharp. Many times just changing the tooling geometry will vastly improve cutting and finish. This is something that can't be explained but must be learned by time making chips.

Look for a model engineering show or club in your area. People there will freely exchange ideas there, you can learn a lot. Most shows have venders selling tooling & materials. Get yourself some good quality measuring instruments, be careful of used stuff as a lot of mics and gages are worn out. Same thing with chucks and other tooling.

And most important, WORK SAFE!!! Always wear safety glasses, Always!!! Never wear gloves while a machine is running, a chip will grab your glove and tear your finger off, especially on a drill press. And never grab a long chip to get it out of the way, it'll either burn you or cut you bad, or both! The time to wear gloves is when cleaning up to save your hands from cuts. Long sleeves and loose clothing can get you hurt too.

Good luck with your South Bend. You'll have many years of enjoyable use with that machine.

[ricksplace]

Here's a pic of my other lathe:



It's a Canadian made Moody 11X48, made in 1945. It has an interesting provinence. During WW2, a plant in my home town, now Thunder Bay, made Hawker Hurricanes and Curtis Helldivers for the war effort. (the plant is now a Bombardier railcar plant). Parts for the fighter planes were sub-contracted out to citizens in the area with the skills and machinery to make them. This lathe was purchased for that reason in 1945. Then the war ended. It sat in the back of a bowling alley and was used to make the occasional part for the pinsetting machines when I gave it a new home. It still has the swirl marks on the ways.