South Bend 10k Lathe User Manual
Good afternoon everyone, We sincerely appreciate everyone's input and feedback on the original Rebuild Manual for the 9' South Bend Lathe that we did back in February. A new expanded edition has just been issued so we thought it appropriate to thank everyone on the PM board who took the time to correspond with us and made this reference even better.
We took quite a few words of advice from the folks here when we put the new edition together (link below). The Upgrades include: 1. Sprial Plastic Binding on this edition so that it will lay flat on the workbench. Book now includes the 10k in addition to the 9' A,B,C (21 pages). Reformatted to allow sub-assemblies to be rebuilt in modules without going completely through the lathe. Section added: Purchasing a used South Bend Lathe - what to look for and how to evaluate (6 pages). Section added: refinishing tips (3 pages) 6.
Index added so it is easier to find sub assemblies. All of the basic rebuild information and reference material on the 9' model A,B & C is identical to the first book so most of the upgrade is just convenience related. Overall the revision added about 30 pages to the manual and a bit more to the cost but the feedback so far has been very encouraging. It appears that the SBL manuals are also a big help to Hercus lathe owners (South Bend Sibling) as we've been shipping quite a few manuals to our friends in OZ as well. Link: We're still working on manuals for the larger lathes plus some other tools. We got a bit distracted for a short time while we did this upgrade but we're back on track now.
If there is anyone that had already purchased the first edition but would really like the newer edition, let me know by private message and I'll get one to you at a substantial discount. Thanks again to everyone for the input and the support. Best Regards, Steve.
I am seriously considering the new South Bend 10K. It is certainly not a bargain and I feel it should come with more at the current price. Nevertheless, it looks like an excellent small lathe. I would definitely need to add a DRO. Has anyone recently put a DRO on a similar lathe?
What kind of DRO should I be looking? Magnetic or other? Can anyone give some specifics about attachment points for the encoders? I will also probably add a brake. This may be self designed or I may swap out the motor for a motor with a brake. Any thoughts appreciated! I don't know anything about the new SB 10 lathe.
As far as a DRO, I'm installing iGAGING scales on my SB 9A. Since I've installed them on my mill as well, I'm adding the Yuriy's Toy DRO display. There's a thread on here somewhere that discussed the new SB 10K, but not sure where it's.
Was a lot of interest at the time it came out. Like you, most thought the price was an issue. Haven't seen anything since.
If you get one, I think there would be a lot of interest in pictures and a review of the machine. The new South Bend lathes according to Grizzly are made in Taiwan not in China. The particular manufacturing shop that built these are up to a higher standard of quality than most. I don't care what all of the guru's out there say about the 'cost of quality' it does cost. And guess who pays for this quality, anyone whom buys a new South Bend Lathe! Not to put anyone down here, one notable person most of us know over here in the States.
Helped put together a program in one of the factories, if not several, over in Taiwan. To doing a nicer job in fitting up machine tool assemblies for higher accuracy's. And you think that didn't add cost to the bottom line. Thanks Mark, I think most of those are too heavy, especially the 13'. That Enco 12 x 36 weighs 1250#. I thought about finding an old SB 9'. I do not really want a threaded spindle.
I think the cam lock is a big improvement. I also want to be able to do metric threads. I know I could make a conversion gear for the older lathe if I had to. I will keep looking for an old 9' or 10K and probably buy one if I find a really nice one.
Most of the nicer machines are in the northeast. Hopefully this will be my last lathe purchase so I don't mind spending a little more. Thanks Mark, I think most of those are too heavy, especially the 13'. That Enco 12 x 36 weighs 1250#.
I thought about finding an old SB 9'. I do not really want a threaded spindle. I think the cam lock is a big improvement. I also want to be able to do metric threads. I know I could make a conversion gear for the older lathe if I had to. I will keep looking for an old 9' or 10K and probably buy one if I find a really nice one. Most of the nicer machines are in the northeast.
Hopefully this will be my last lathe purchase so I don't mind spending a little more. Well, I guess this thread is as good an any for a first post. The only reason being all of the research I've done on these new SB lathes from Grizzly. I was looking for a lathe just a step up from the typical Chinese version. It proved to be a pretty tough job as there's not many that fit this description. It's either super cheap or super expensive.
I think that's where these new SB's shine. I guess I've owned the 8k for over a year now and been very happy with it. Spinlde bearing issues (can't use grease. Spindle oil only) where reported with the very first version of these lathes but that's seemed to be worked out by the time I came around (32009xp5 ABEC 5 came in mine) There's a very good reason why these SB lathes are more expensive. It's what better quality costs. Now it's certainly not perfect but it's a far and away better than any other new lathe in it's size range IMO (except probably it's German copy, the Wabeco.) However, the 10k seems to be the first truly quality lathe in the new South Bend selections.
The 8k would be an excellent HSM lathe but the 10k has been show to perform great in a work/production type environment. There's a complete thread reviewing this lathe in a work/production type environment which would be an interesting read for you. The 5' 3 jaw that comes with it has been shown to repeat in the millionths in more than one thread. The two biggest drawbacks reported are the low RPM range and spindle bore size(60-1200 rpm,.86' bore w/MT# 3 taper. The 8k excels there w/ a 1.5hp DC (50-2300rpm) & 1.125' spindle bore, it a MT# 4.5 taper though and I don't like that at all. I've heard there's enough meat to take it out to MT#5 but haven't looked into it.
The bottom line is quality IMO. If you want quality then you're going to have to pay more. If don't mind dealing w/ hand ground gibs, cast iron dust in places it shouldn't be, and working around the errors we typically find in Chinese made lathes, then this might not be the lathe for you. That goes for used lathes as well.
I'm in Texas though.so those $500 heavy 10's with no wear don't exist.I'd have to buy the lathe for more and spend another few thousand getting it as accurate as a new 10k would be. If this thread proves anything, it's why all these cheap lathes exist. When a quality one is introduced, no one wants to pay for it.:lmao: Now, having said all that, If I was looking for a lathe right now with a budget around the new SB10k, I'd take a hard look at the PM1340gt. Seemingly another well made Taiwanese lathe. I notice Grizzly's about to release the South Bend Heavy 10 Gearhead lathe (10X30).
1.358' spindle bore & 55-2500 rpm motor. Looks really nice but takes a couple thousand dollars more to get. Anyway, I hope this helps a little.
I would have posted links to all my references but I haven't read the forum rules yet. Not sure if that's OK? Y'all have a good day. Interesting that you posted this, as I too have an 8k (almost 2 years now) and the quality, fit and finish and accuracy is WAY above the other asian imports in this size range. I put drip oilers on the spindle bearings and a 5' set-tru three jaw chuck on it and it is quite rigid for it's size (6' bed width and 8' swing = ratio of 80%). You don't get that on a typical 12' lathe.
Anyway, I was looking for a larger lathe to do long-gun work on and considered the 10k but the spindle bore was a killer for me (figured I could take care of the speed limitations with a VFD/motor change) So, I have a PM 1340GT coming this month and after reading all the good reviews about it am looking forward to working with a good quality lathe large enough to do what I want, but in a size/weight I want to deal with. I looked at the new heavy ten but I don't think it will compare to the 1340 feature wise, and certainly not price wise. Well, I guess this thread is as good an any for a first post. The only reason being all of the research I've done on these new SB lathes from Grizzly. I was looking for a lathe just a step up from the typical Chinese version. It proved to be a pretty tough job as there's not many that fit this description.
It's either super cheap or super expensive. I think that's where these new SB's shine. I guess I've owned the 8k for over a year now and been very happy with it. Spinlde bearing issues (can't use grease. Spindle oil only) where reported with the very first version of these lathes but that's seemed to be worked out by the time I came around (32009xp5 ABEC 5 came in mine) There's a very good reason why these SB lathes are more expensive.
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It's what better quality costs. Now it's certainly not perfect but it's a far and away better than any other new lathe in it's size range IMO (except probably it's German copy, the Wabeco.) However, the 10k seems to be the first truly quality lathe in the new South Bend selections. The 8k would be an excellent HSM lathe but the 10k has been show to perform great in a work/production type environment. There's a complete thread reviewing this lathe in a work/production type environment which would be an interesting read for you. The 5' 3 jaw that comes with it has been shown to repeat in the millionths in more than one thread.
The two biggest drawbacks reported are the low RPM range and spindle bore size(60-1200 rpm,.86' bore w/MT# 3 taper. The 8k excels there w/ a 1.5hp DC (50-2300rpm) & 1.125' spindle bore, it a MT# 4.5 taper though and I don't like that at all. I've heard there's enough meat to take it out to MT#5 but haven't looked into it. The bottom line is quality IMO. If you want quality then you're going to have to pay more. If don't mind dealing w/ hand ground gibs, cast iron dust in places it shouldn't be, and working around the errors we typically find in Chinese made lathes, then this might not be the lathe for you.
That goes for used lathes as well. I'm in Texas though.so those $500 heavy 10's with no wear don't exist.I'd have to buy the lathe for more and spend another few thousand getting it as accurate as a new 10k would be.
If this thread proves anything, it's why all these cheap lathes exist. When a quality one is introduced, no one wants to pay for it.:lmao: Now, having said all that, If I was looking for a lathe right now with a budget around the new SB10k, I'd take a hard look at the PM1340gt. Seemingly another well made Taiwanese lathe.
South Bend 10k Lathe Manual
I notice Grizzly's about to release the South Bend Heavy 10 Gearhead lathe (10X30). 1.358' spindle bore & 55-2500 rpm motor.
Looks really nice but takes a couple thousand dollars more to get. Anyway, I hope this helps a little. I would have posted links to all my references but I haven't read the forum rules yet. Not sure if that's OK?
Y'all have a good day. I just got it in my shop and it arrived with no switch, no centers and no chuck, oddly enough. Not even an owners manual. Supposed to have been a test/demo model.
At least it came with the stand. So now I am waiting for parts. I wired it 110V temp. To test the motor. But the fit and finish of the machine, in general, looks pretty good.
Very little back lash on all slides. I will have to measure the exact amount later. Otherwise Quiet and operates smoothly. It did not come with a splash back, as well. Easy fix, but would have been nice. The one thing that did throw me a bit was the cross feed direction. For some reason I was thinking forward would cause the cross feed to operate cutting toward the center.
South Bend 10k Lathe Review
But this one operates away from center in forward gear. I really don't remember which way the vintage 10k I had went. Thanks for the link. A particularly aggravating thing about Grizzly is they seem to NEVER provide ANY information about the accuracy of most things they sell.
This is especially annoying when it comes to lathe chucks,drill chucks,live centers,etc. Makes me wonder if they are trying to HIDE this info from the customers. I guess their customers are just supposed to be too ignorant to think to want info about these things. I,for one,refuse to buy any such products where tolerances are a consideration. When I buy a chuck,I want to know if the expected runout is.003'(average Asian accuracy),or more(or,hopefully LESS!). When I have bought lathes with D type spindles,I have sometimes gone over them with a good toolpost grinder,to make them perfect IN SITU,like Hardinge did with their taper nose HLVH's. But,that is not possible with threaded noses.
The best you can do is buy chucks with separate back plates,and turn them true and to press fit diameter in the lathe. You could grind the tapered bore. That's about it.