MeyerFittings Posted December 29, 2011 Report Share Posted December 29, 2011 Chet I sent you a pm. I've got a 38 S.B. 9" you might want to look at. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Yacey Posted December 29, 2011 Report Share Posted December 29, 2011 Chet, It sounds like your lathe doesn't have the quick change box. This gearbox selects different speeds for the power feed enabling you to cut various different thread pitches. If your machine is as I think it is, you have to swap gears to select the screw speed relative to the speed of the chuck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
COB3 Posted December 29, 2011 Author Report Share Posted December 29, 2011 Chet, It sounds like your lathe doesn't have the quick change box. This gearbox selects different speeds for the power feed enabling you to cut various different thread pitches. If your machine is as I think it is, you have to swap gears to select the screw speed relative to the speed of the chuck. I think you may be right--The change gears are there, but if that "box" I was asking about is the "quick-change" box, then this lathe does not have it. In fact, I saw an online article about how to upgrade a "model C" to a "Model A". I am wondering whether that quick-change thing was the main difference. Glad to have what I have, even if I have to phyisically change gears to make it go through its paces. Once I get it assembled, and cleaned up, leveled and useable, I'm sure I will think of things I'd like to improve. Thanks, Chet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brad Dorsey Posted December 29, 2011 Report Share Posted December 29, 2011 ...The change gears are there, but if that "box" I was asking about is the "quick-change" box, then this lathe does not have it... The only thing you need either the quick change gear box or the change gears for is to run the carriage and cross slide power feeds. If you are content to feed them manually with the hand wheels, you don't need either gear system. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carl Stross Posted December 29, 2011 Report Share Posted December 29, 2011 I think you may be right--The change gears are there, but if that "box" I was asking about is the "quick-change" box, then this lathe does not have it. In fact, I saw an online article about how to upgrade a "model C" to a "Model A". I am wondering whether that quick-change thing was the main difference. Glad to have what I have, even if I have to phyisically change gears to make it go through its paces. Once I get it assembled, and cleaned up, leveled and useable, I'm sure I will think of things I'd like to improve. Thanks, Chet I think yours came with a Norton box. Not a problem to find one. Also a metric gear set so that you don't have to rely on "transposing" gear. A bussines with a whirling machine can spit up a new (metric ) lead screw for you in SECONDS. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
COB3 Posted December 29, 2011 Author Report Share Posted December 29, 2011 Sorry, what is a Norton box? I do know that this was not the better of the two lathes available about that time. The better one was a little later, and involved an addition of something...I don't know what...that made it more versatile, or something. From the photos I've seen, what I have is pretty much what it came with, somewhat worse for wear. And the metric lead screw is just so you can do metric threading? I can see where that could become important. There evidently was once printed a series of pamphlets on running a lathe, and lathe projects, all for the south bend lathe hobbyist. Those are now reprinted by Lindsay Technical books, for a reasonable cost, so I sent for a catalog, and will probably order all of 'em (not that I really need to build a gasoline engine from scratch, which is one of the projects...). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carl Stross Posted December 30, 2011 Report Share Posted December 30, 2011 Sorry, what is a Norton box? I do know that this was not the better of the two lathes available about that time. The better one was a little later, and involved an addition of something...I don't know what...that made it more versatile, or something. From the photos I've seen, what I have is pretty much what it came with, somewhat worse for wear. And the metric lead screw is just so you can do metric threading? I can see where that could become important. There evidently was once printed a series of pamphlets on running a lathe, and lathe projects, all for the south bend lathe hobbyist. Those are now reprinted by Lindsay Technical books, for a reasonable cost, so I sent for a catalog, and will probably order all of 'em (not that I really need to build a gasoline engine from scratch, which is one of the projects...). It's a gearbox with two shafts. Gears are engaged by a lever which moves diagonally and locks with a pin in the coresponding hole. It's usualy right under the headstock. It controls feed and pitch for screwcutting. If you cut mostly metric threads, a metric leadscrew will avoid the use of a conversion gear. If the threads are SHORT it might not matter but errors compund quicky on long threads with the result that passed a certain point inner and outer threads won't match. Don't waste money on Lindsay books. In 2-3 days I'll pm you with all the info you might need. Most of the stuff is free to d/load. You've got a fantastic machine there ( very collectable ! ) and worth quite a few bob in restored condition. With your talent ( I saw your cello...) you'll do a fantastic job. The 1st and most important thing you'll need is a CUP stone ( recessed centre ) lathe tool grinder with a decent tool rest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carl Stross Posted December 30, 2011 Report Share Posted December 30, 2011 I think you may be right--The change gears are there, but if that "box" I was asking about is the "quick-change" box, then this lathe does not have it. In fact, I saw an online article about how to upgrade a "model C" to a "Model A". I am wondering whether that quick-change thing was the main difference. Glad to have what I have, even if I have to phyisically change gears to make it go through its paces. Once I get it assembled, and cleaned up, leveled and useable, I'm sure I will think of things I'd like to improve. Thanks, Chet And here it is : http://www.lathes.co.uk/southbend9-inch/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brad Dorsey Posted December 30, 2011 Report Share Posted December 30, 2011 ...In 2-3 days I'll pm you with all the info you might need... Please send it to me, too. I need all the help I can get with my lathe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carl Stross Posted December 30, 2011 Report Share Posted December 30, 2011 Please send it to me, too. I need all the help I can get with my lathe. I will. Meanwhile register on PRACTICALMACHINIST forum. I actualy think they have a South Bend area. And PM me re any question you might have. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
COB3 Posted December 30, 2011 Author Report Share Posted December 30, 2011 Thanks, Carl. I can see that I am missing the whole mountain of change gears, if indeed the machine was supposed to have had that many. I did go ahead and register on the practical machinist forum. I'm going to need all the help they can offer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carl Stross Posted December 30, 2011 Report Share Posted December 30, 2011 Thanks, Carl. I can see that I am missing the whole mountain of change gears, if indeed the machine was supposed to have had that many. I did go ahead and register on the practical machinist forum. I'm going to need all the help they can offer. Good ideea, it's a great bunch of people and most of them make a living out of this. You'll find change gears, don't worry about that. In the end you'll need only 3-4 feeds at the max and MAYBE 10 pitches. That tower of change gears was intended to cut millions of pitches nobody uses for 100 years by now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
COB3 Posted December 30, 2011 Author Report Share Posted December 30, 2011 Here are some photos of what I have, in the condition it came...I have done nothing, so far. Maybe this will give an idea (to those who know what they are looking at) of what I have on my plate. Serial number 74108, if that helps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Yacey Posted December 30, 2011 Report Share Posted December 30, 2011 I had a closer look at my lathe today. It's actually a model A, but with a 10" swing. For all intents and purposes, it's the same machine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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