# Need Help identifying lathe



## Slatewear (Dec 10, 2015)

I was offered a free lathe. Because it's free, I said sure. Going to pick it up next week. Still haven't seen it in person. I have never owned a lathe before. can anyone identify it?
http://i1175.photobucket.com/albums/r635/brianigielski/th_351DDF50-BB45-4916-BA91-B2029D7648BE_zpsslgkve3x.jpg

http://i1175.photobucket.com/albums/r635/brianigielski/th_D7D5A007-B7EC-4A11-9FD2-24B633B9C62D_zpsumwdp4fr.jpg


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## MrUnix (May 18, 2012)

Can't tell for sure, but it looks like an old Atlas metal lathe or maybe even a older South Bend that has been modified to use a v-belt instead of flat belts, and might be missing a few parts (the saddle has been removed for one… but it might be in pieces behind the lathe). It was a metal turning lathe, but looks like it's been used for wood. Not really great for wood though, although it can be done within limits.

You can go over to the Vintagemachinery site and browse through the photo index to see if you can find a similar one to match against.

For the price, it's well worth it… even if you can't get it working right, many of the parts are pretty valuable to those restoring them.

Cheers,
Brad


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## Ripthorn (Mar 24, 2010)

That is actually an old metal working lathe that has been converted to be used for wood. It looks to be a nice old Atlas or similar. They have removed the carriage and cross slide and installed a tool rest. It will have a much wider range of speeds than a wood lathe with pulleys, likely going from about 200 to 2500 RPM or so. Be warned that it will be very heavy. If you got the correct carriage and cross slide, it would probably be worth $1000 as long as it's in reasonable shape.


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## tomd (Jan 29, 2008)

Very nice metal lathe.


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## MrUnix (May 18, 2012)

I really hate photobucket, so here is the image:










The more I look at it, the more it looks like a South Bend… although there were several clones made that are quite similar… but the feet, gear cover and tailstock scream South Bend. It also looks like a taper attachment laying in front of the lathe. And who knows what may be in the drawers and in all those parts laying behind the lathe. You got pretty lucky… it may be worth $1000 if fully restored, but even in it's current condition, I've seen similar ones being sold in worse condition for several hundred or more.

Cheers,
Brad


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## SirIrb (Jan 12, 2015)

+1 for atlas. Headstock swooshy look tells the tale for me.


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## MrUnix (May 18, 2012)

> +1 for atlas. Headstock swooshy look tells the tale for me.
> 
> - SirIrb


Ok, I'm going with a SB9 Model B (auto carriage and cross feed, manual change gear) v-belt version (aka: catalog number 544) or a very, very close clone - unless proven otherwise 

Here is a model B, but with flat belts instead of V-belts:








(Photo from the vintagemachinery site)

I have a model 415 (pre-cursor to the SB9 model C), and the similarities are just too great.

Cheers,
Brad

PS: Plus, I've never seen an Atlas that had a rounded apron like the South Bend has… they are all sort of square looking.


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## Slatewear (Dec 10, 2015)

Thanks to all who replied. Very good information. I will be picking it up tomorrow, and will spend the weekend getting to know her a little better. If anyone is interested, I can post more pictures and/or solve her identity.


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## BillWhite (Jul 23, 2007)

You'll be pickin' it up? NOT! Maybe you and two others. 
Hernia time's a'comin'.
Bill


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## Slatewear (Dec 10, 2015)

> You ll be pickin it up? NOT! Maybe you and two others.
> Hernia time s a comin .
> Bill
> 
> - Bill White


Getting it loaded into the pick up with a fork lift. However, there will only be two of us when it gets to it's destination. How much do you think that would weigh? 400 lbs.?

It's going to stay in the garage. If I needed to, I would use a hoist to unload from the truck


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## SirIrb (Jan 12, 2015)

The more machines I rebuild the more I know that my next needs to be a nice metal lathe. There is just to much round steel that needs to be fabricated or remade or just spun at high RPM and hit with 800 grit to make it mice and polished to not have a lathe.

I need one. Oh no, I dont want one (what I will tell the senorita) I need one. [spends an hour talking about how I can amortize the price of a lathe in the span of one year compared to getting parts made] "Shut up, Steve. Dont you have a machine to rebuild?"

Really nice lathe to get. Keep us updated.


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## MrUnix (May 18, 2012)

The lathe itself (bed, headstock, tailstock and carriage) is probably close to around 300 pounds give or take…but by the time you add in the countershaft, motor, cabinet and other odd bits and pieces, maybe 500 or more. You can break it down to move easier though…. even just removing the lathe from the stand will probably allow two people to move it, although the countershaft will have to remain as you can't take the belt off without either pulling the spindle out or disassembling the countershaft. If the belt looks like it might need to be replaced, it would be easier to just cut it.

Cheers,
Brad


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## Bluepine38 (Dec 14, 2009)

That is definiteiy worth picking up and bringing home. Make sure you take plenty of straps to hold those 
drawers in and keep the lathe steady. Once you get it home, you can take the worst of it apart to get
it unloaded. Please keep us posted on what you have there. You will probably find name plates and
model info on it somewhere.


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## Slatewear (Dec 10, 2015)

Pickup the lathe today. Lots and lots of stuff with it. It's a South Bend. model 89w it looks like. If someone has a better way to post pics, other than photobucket, I'm all ears. Got a bunch of pics.


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## MrUnix (May 18, 2012)

89W? AFAIK, they never used a "W" in any of their designations (or 89 that I'm aware of)... where did you get that?
Pretty sure it's a SB9 ("Workshop") series B… it has the front oil cups under the spindle unlike previous versions where they were on top of the bearing caps, the gear cover door has the little tab on front, and it is lacking the quick change gear box, but does have the cross-feed engagement lever on the apron. If you have the threading guide or any other data plates on the lathe, post a picture… it should tell you the swing (eg: 9") and bed length (eg: 3 foot) and maybe a catalog number. You can post them directly here using the "Img" button above the reply box. You may need to resize them to meet the size requirement, and 800×600 works well.

I wouldn't run it at all until you give it a good going over. They are oil hungry beasts, and the spindle should be just a plain bearing bore in the cast iron (ie: there are no bearings per se, it just rides on the machined cast iron). If you run it for any length of time without proper lube and adjustment, you will toast the spindle bearing surfaces and score the spindle. It is designed to run with a thin layer of oil between the spindle and cast iron bore, and clearance is critical. First thing to do would be to pull the spindle and check the bearing surfaces, give it a good cleaning (including ensuring all the oil passages are not clogged up from sitting idle) and then adjust the bearing blocks for proper clearance.

Cheers,
Brad

PS: There are a lot of South Bend resources out there if you look, including a Yahoo! group devoted to them. You can also find the serial number stamped into the bed… front right between the V-ways. That will help you date it… it was most likely built in the early to mid 40's, but the serial number will help narrow it down a bit.


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## Slatewear (Dec 10, 2015)

Brad, I'd plate says 
South Bend 
Precision Lathe
model B9W. 
Catalog no. 577A. 
Bed length 4, 
chart no. 5


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## MrUnix (May 18, 2012)

Cool.. I was right, it's a SB9 series B with v-belt horizontal drive. A 4 foot bed is a bonus as well, as most were shorter (3 and 3-1/2 were pretty common).

I originally guessed the catalog number 544, but I was mistaken, as that is the "A" model…
South Bend lists both as:



> 544 9" Model A, 8-Speed, V-belt bench lathe, Horizontal Motor Drive
> 577 9" Model B, 8-Speed, V-belt bench lathe, Horizontal Motor Drive


(from the link I provided above to south bend)

Nice lathe… only one that would be better is one with the quick-change gears, but the manual change gears work just fine if you don't do a lot of threading. Did you get any extra gears in the drawers?

Cheers,
Brad

PS: Can't find any thing listed as a 89W, but I didn't go through all the catalogs… I'll leave that up to you


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## Slatewear (Dec 10, 2015)




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## MrUnix (May 18, 2012)

Holy crap! You have pretty much everything you would ever need… Take your buddy out to dinner… several times 

Cheers,
Brad

PS: I missed that it's a "B" not an "8"  Model B, 9" swing, no idea what the "W" stands for. But there is another B9W known as FrankenLathe that you might find interesting.


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