1929 South Bend 11-Inch Lathe With Quick Change Gearbox

What do we have here in the back of the pickup, a lathe? Yup. Not just any lathe though. This one was acquired by my wife's dad Jon 50 or 60 years ago.

Jon passed away suddenly back in 1984 but his legacy of the business he built lives on. The business is where this lathe has been residing since the 1970s. The business isn't a machine shop, so this lathe wasn't maintained very well after Jon's passing. It looked as if it hadn't been cleaned in, like, forever.

The current owner of the business decided they didn't want or need this old relic of a lathe anymore, and I had mentioned to them that if they ever wanted to get rid of it, I'd be happy to come pick it up. That day finally came. The lathe dates to 1929, based on the serial number and is a Model O according to SouthBendLathe.com's website. It has an 11-inch swing and a 5-1/2-foot bed.

This photo is of the lathe part way out of the truck using an engine hoist.

Here are some goodies that came with the lathe. Mmm, we like goodies, although I'm wondering why a plumb bob is there. Maybe it was made on this lathe? I'm glad a steady rest or two came with the lathe (the grey one fits this machine). Oh, and that little red steady rest? More on that later.

This next photo is blurry but the three-jaw chuck came with both sets of jaws, number-matched to the chuck. The chuck is from The Cushman Chuck Company, Hartford, Conn.

An ancient 4-jaw chuck made by the Oneida National Chuck Company (Oneida, NY) was also part of the haul. The patent date on the chuck is 1910.

This next photo shows the serial number of the lathe, and dates the lathe to 1929.

This next photo shows a date cast into the lathe bed, confirming its age. I always get a kick out of seeing a number or date that triggers something in my mind. This one says that the lathe bed was cast when my dad was 7 years, 8 months old.

These next few photos show the grime built up on the lathe.

These next two photos show the threading dial "before" and "after" cleaning.

Not done by any stretch, but a far sight better than before.

This tag (below) gives the particulars, 11 inch swing and 5-1/2 foot bed (longer than most lathes of this capacity), Catalog Number 84-S.

This next scan (from VintageMachinery.Org) is from the 1929 South Bend catalog. The 84-S cost $384 and weighed 845 pounds, which included the overhead line shaft and crating (but no motor).

The brass Threads Per Inch plaque is still in excellent shape for being 91 years old.

The motor that came on the lathe was made by U.S. Electrical Manufacturing Company. It is a 1HP, 3 phase, 220/440 volt monster. Not having 3 phase power at my house, the motor will have to go.

I swapped out the 3 phase motor for a more practical single phase 115 volt 1/2 HP Delta Milwaukee/Rockwell motor. Dad bought this motor I'm guessing sometime in the early 1950s to run a cement mixer when he was building his first house, from what I recall him saying decades ago. After the mixer project, the motor sat unused in either Dad's or my garage or basement for the next 60 or so years. I've always thought I needed something nice to put this motor on. The South Bend lathe is the perfect recipient.

Not too shabby, eh? I do think I need a slightly larger pulley on the motor shaft.

With the new motor, I was able to test things out and the lathe works as it should.

So, about that red steady rest I mentioned earlier. It is too small to fit the South Bend. It has some casting numbers on it so I did an internet search and found that the rest is for a Seneca Falls lathe. Hmm, I have a 1910 Seneca Falls lathe in the basement that I got from Jon's wife (my mother in law now) back in the 80s, shortly after he passed. Has the steady rest for my Seneca Falls been floating around with the South Bend all these years? Apparently it has, but now it's back in its rightful place.