Rob Keeble
Member
- Messages
- 12,633
- Location
- GTA Ontario Canada
Well given my recent windfall my tool budget just got replenished lol.
So prior to my windfall and regardless of the windfall I have been eyeing a piece of old iron .
This time it’s a metal lathe.
Looked at the mini tai chi metal lathes and could not come to think of buying one. Not when I could see good old iron at the same price.
Well I lost the last one in spring but in hindsight for the right reason, it did not meet my spec.
So I have been keeping an eye out since well spring last year. Around oct nov dec all I could see was machines at way too high a price and needing work.
I got enough projects.
So the other day I spotted a Southbend Model 9a with a quick change gearbox for thread cutting and cartridge that has powered feed and cross feed all in really great condition for $1000 Canadian. That’s like $800 US $
I pounced like a tiger abandoning any plans for the weekend. Fortunately for me the seller was a real nice guy and has two other lathes so he knows how to take care of a machine and was available this weekend.
Well had a early morning client meeting first and then my New Canadian adopted son (Domenic) and I drove down in -25 Celsius temps to the Welland Canal and picked it up.
Here is the evidence all tucked away in the garage.
I can’t find the words to describe how happy I am to own a piece of American manufacturing history that’s in this good a condition.
This actual machine was made in 1947 can u believe it. I get extremely emotional about this.
The stuff we buy today won’t make it that long.
What a tribute to those factories but also the folks that worked in them to produce a product like this.
We just recently had a series on Tv about the auto industry that took the viewer back to the beginning days of Ford Chrysler and GMC.
In my view South Bend was in the same league.
I have a promotional document of 30 odd pages I found on web, where hey in 1934 the brochure had a listing for the freight cost of a lathe like this all the way to Cape Town or Durban South Africa.
It was a global product IN 1934.
$16 Dollars US to either port for shipping.
Machine sold for $75 up at that time.
So now I have another workbench to make , thinking maybe Brent’s Husky tool cabinet may be a good stand for it.
Owner supplied a table but it’s too low for me.
Also got the drop tray with it.
So now my shop is nearly complete.
Needs to warm up for me to get a better handle on it.
So prior to my windfall and regardless of the windfall I have been eyeing a piece of old iron .
This time it’s a metal lathe.
Looked at the mini tai chi metal lathes and could not come to think of buying one. Not when I could see good old iron at the same price.
Well I lost the last one in spring but in hindsight for the right reason, it did not meet my spec.
So I have been keeping an eye out since well spring last year. Around oct nov dec all I could see was machines at way too high a price and needing work.
I got enough projects.
So the other day I spotted a Southbend Model 9a with a quick change gearbox for thread cutting and cartridge that has powered feed and cross feed all in really great condition for $1000 Canadian. That’s like $800 US $
I pounced like a tiger abandoning any plans for the weekend. Fortunately for me the seller was a real nice guy and has two other lathes so he knows how to take care of a machine and was available this weekend.
Well had a early morning client meeting first and then my New Canadian adopted son (Domenic) and I drove down in -25 Celsius temps to the Welland Canal and picked it up.
Here is the evidence all tucked away in the garage.
I can’t find the words to describe how happy I am to own a piece of American manufacturing history that’s in this good a condition.
This actual machine was made in 1947 can u believe it. I get extremely emotional about this.
The stuff we buy today won’t make it that long.
What a tribute to those factories but also the folks that worked in them to produce a product like this.
We just recently had a series on Tv about the auto industry that took the viewer back to the beginning days of Ford Chrysler and GMC.
In my view South Bend was in the same league.
I have a promotional document of 30 odd pages I found on web, where hey in 1934 the brochure had a listing for the freight cost of a lathe like this all the way to Cape Town or Durban South Africa.
It was a global product IN 1934.
$16 Dollars US to either port for shipping.
Machine sold for $75 up at that time.
So now I have another workbench to make , thinking maybe Brent’s Husky tool cabinet may be a good stand for it.
Owner supplied a table but it’s too low for me.
Also got the drop tray with it.
So now my shop is nearly complete.
Needs to warm up for me to get a better handle on it.
