Southbend metal lathe find
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woodtickgreg
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So correct!Kevin said:LoneStar said:
This is a labor of love.
woodtickgreg
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Just so you guys don't think I have been slacking, heres some pics of the progress I have made. Work has been insane and I have been really busy with both jobs but work on it when I can.So this is what I started with, the apron assy.
[attachment=11365]
This is what the back side looked like before tear down.
[attachment=11366]
When I removed the oil sump cover there was some metal chips in the sump but it wasn't to bad. I have seen some just packed with chips.
[attachment=11367]
In this pic you can see the aluminum sump cover off to the left side.
[attachment=11368]
In these next 2 pics you can see the apron completely stripped of all parts and readdy for a trip to the parts washer for a good cleaning with wire brushes for a good inspection.
[attachment=11369]
[attachment=11370]
Everything was in great shape so I wire wheeled all the paint off and did some buffing on the handles to get ready for painting. I masked everything off as before.
[attachment=11371]
I did the first coat of paint today, It will take 4 days to get these parts painted, 1 coat every 24 hrs. 2 days to paint the back side of the apron casting, then flip it and 2 days for the front side.
I should have some finished pics for you guys next weekend, I hope!
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woodtickgreg
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Well I had a great day in the shop today, full cup o coffee, radio on, and I got a lot accomplished. As promised here's some pics.Some of the painted parts ready to be assembled.
[attachment=11826]
These next 2 pics are why I decided to do a full restore on the lathe. To replace all of the felt wicks that supply oil to all the moving parts.
[attachment=11815]
This is a view from the top and shows how the wicks are tied into post in the oil wells. The wicks work by cappilary action.
[attachment=11816]
This is a gib clamp that holds the half nuts in place, when I tightened the bolts the half nuts where binding in places so I took the clamp off and and mounted it in a vise and took a very fine flat file to them. This revealed high spots on the ends.
[attachment=11817]
A few more strokes with the file held dead flat and the gib clamp was true and flat. when I reassembled everything it worked very smoothly. The point is that on any restore you will find things that do not work as they should, now is the time to fix them, once you assemble everything you will never go back and fix things. Do it now!
[attachment=11818]
Here's how everything turrned out.
[attachment=11819]
The large hand wheel on the left is only on for photo purposes. I am going to do a modification for better oiling that will require drilling a hole in the casting and installing a oil cup, waiting for the cups to come in the mail. I'll post pics of the procedure when they come and I do the mod. This was recommended in the rebuild book I bought on ebay, it's an excellent book and a wealth of information. This modification makes perfect sense. The book is like an owners manual on steroids.
[attachment=11820]
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Greg, your work is top notch. I love watching it come together. I need a metal part made (for real) and have a local machinist buddy who is also top notch and has one of those fancy schmancy Siemens enclosed monster "HAL 2000" lathes but I want you to make my part on your old new lathe if you will.
If you will do it I'll send the drawings when I get them done. I just think your lathe is much more than a lathe. It's a work of art from the standpoint of old American iron and a work of art as to restoration. Lots of history there and you breathed a second life into it.
Tops all the way around.
If you will do it I'll send the drawings when I get them done. I just think your lathe is much more than a lathe. It's a work of art from the standpoint of old American iron and a work of art as to restoration. Lots of history there and you breathed a second life into it.
Tops all the way around.
woodtickgreg
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This pic shows everything reassembled, all parts work smoothly by hand. The oil sump cover is ready to be installed at this point.[attachment=11821]
A new gasket and sealer was used to instal the sump cover.
[attachment=11822]
I then moved on to tearing down the saddle, this is what the apron attaches to. It came apart with little fuss, I did find some round brass gibb shoes where missing. I will make new ones when I reassemble the saddle.
[attachment=11823]
Some one has been into this lathe before as I found out earlier with the head stock bearings. The saddle has been repaired befor, this is an accepted repair by machinery rebuilders, I talked to one. Many new lathes come with this modification, teflon strips that ride on the ways reducing friction and wear.
[attachment=11824]
A close up view of the repair, it was done right.
[attachment=11825]
And know for much work stripping paint, cleaning parts, and polishing the exposed parts, then painting and reassembly.
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woodtickgreg
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They say a machine is only new once, but I think that people that restore them make them new again!Kevin said:
Kevin, thanks for your appreciation of a.i.r. I would take a look at your drawings but if you need this soon I would have your friend do it. I have a long way to go on this yet, and I have no tooling for it yet. :sad: Tooling is costly and will take some time to aquire.
woodtickgreg
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Ooh I like those kinds of time lines.Kevin said:woodtickgreg said:
You're not getting out that easy. I have a 5 year plan for this project.
Those teflon strips are brilliant. Less oil on the ways is probably good when turning wood.
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I talked to a retired machinery rebuilder and he said that is a standard practice when rebuilding lathes for sale. He said a lot of manufacturers are even building their machines like this new right from the factory. I have no idea when this was done or why, I do know that someone has done a half a$$ kinda restore on the lathe, I have been repairing all of the screw ups to make it right. The teflon on the ways would explain why they where in such good condition for a lathe of this age. The real test will be when it's all done and I do a test turn over the full length of the bed and see if it holds a tolerance. Oh and sawdust is bad for a metal lathe, when I am working wood in the shop I think a bbq cover will be just the trick to keepin the dust off, the dust will stick to the oil like flys on poop!LoneStar said:
Much enjoying this restore, thanks for posting it.
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I'm really loving this restoration job. It looks fantastic and I'm sure that you will be so pleased when it is finally done. There has to be a huge amount of satifaction to see the original state of the lathe compared to the stage you have it at now. I'm blown away so I can't even fathom how you must feel. Keep it coming. This is awesome.
woodtickgreg
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Kenbo said:
Yeah, I was showing a coworker what I was doing the other day and showed him and my boss the thread from the start to where I am now. I do feel pretty good about the progress I have made, looking at the begining it was pretty rough. My boss said I should restore cars, I said I cant get them into my basement. :rofl2:
Greg, I think you could get them in-It's the getting them out that would be tough............
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I got the gits oil covers in the mail and did the mod today, here's the pics. The original install of the wick was very close to 2 gears and if it moved at all it could get cought up and severed and starve the shaft of oil and you wouldn't know it. This modification ensures direct oiling. This shaft is one of the most used on the apron and lubrication is critical.[attachment=12050]
These first 2 pics show the 1/8" drill bit drilled through the casting and into the slot for the felt wick. That's not a key way slot but it is for the wick only.
[attachment=12051]
The next thing I did was to drill a 1/4" counter bore 3/16" deep, the oil cover is just slightly larger than 1/4" for a press fit.
[attachment=12052]
I used a brass punch and carefully seated the new cover, it has a small ridge around it to show that it is fully seated. I also chose to mount it towards the front so that I could reach it through the hand wheel to fill or from the top behind the hand wheel. the oil will travel through the wick no problem.
[attachment=12053]
I installed a new wick, lubed and inserted the shaft, and installed a new taper pin in the hand wheel. The apron is now complete!
[attachment=12054]
I have been working on the saddle, cross slide, and compound. Everything is stripped and all paint removed, I started painting today.
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I used to live in south bend and my grandfather was a tool and die maker for south bend lathe. He used to build these machines as well. Fun trivia.
I also watched them tear down the building.
True story.
I also watched them tear down the building.
True story.
woodtickgreg
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I got to work on the lathe again today and made some good progress with the assembly. Here you can see all the painted parts that I worked on after work, now they are all ready to be assembled with the completed apron assy.[attachment=12415]
This is what the dials looked like before I restored them, I disassembled them and cleaned everything thoroughly. Then I wire wheeled the handles and sanded lightly with 220 and then hit the buffer.
[attachment=12416]
This is the saddle with the new felt bed wipers installed, the clamp is on but hidden in the back underneath. All bare metal parts are now coated with oil.
[attachment=12417]
This is what the dials look like after I finished working on them, everything is oiled up and ready to install.
[attachment=12418]
Here's the completed saddle with the cross slide and compound installed, the gibs are adjusted and I had to make some brass gib screw clamps to go under the lock screws as they were missing.
[attachment=12419]
Now to do the final install of the apron, lead screw, and gear case.
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GREG!!!! GREG!!!!!!---It is going to be way too pretty to use................ :dash2::dash2::dash2::dash2::dash2::dash2: Maybe you could move it up to the living room so you could admire it!!
Greg, this is why I said I want you to do the machine work for me. You show extreme pride of ownership. The men that made the machines, that made your machine, would be proud of you. I'll just go ahead and tell you what my project is. It's not going to be simple but at least you can advise me along the way of the process.
I want to get the carriage of my 1947 Oliver 270D running like new again. It won't be cheap but I am willing to pay. That's why I told you I had a long term plan. I see what you are doing to your gorgeous lathe and with the pride and skill you have, I know you are the man for this job.
Can't wait to see a video of this restored AIR.
I want to get the carriage of my 1947 Oliver 270D running like new again. It won't be cheap but I am willing to pay. That's why I told you I had a long term plan. I see what you are doing to your gorgeous lathe and with the pride and skill you have, I know you are the man for this job.
Can't wait to see a video of this restored AIR.