Southbend SB1049 - Manual (Page 5)

For Machines Mfg. Since 5/11 13" Heavy 13 ® Gearhead Lathe
-3-
I N T R O D U C T I O N
About This Machine
Foreword
"The screw cutting engine lathe is the oldest and
most important of machine tools and from it all
other machine tools have been developed. It was
the lathe that made possible the building of the
steamboat, the locomotive, the electric motor, the
automobile and all kinds of machinery used in
industry. Without the lathe our great industrial
progress of the last century would have been
impossible." —How To Run a Lathe, 15th
Edition, South Bend Lathe.
The lathe represented in this manual is a
modern day version of the screw cutting lathes
that trace their roots back to the 1700's, which
were themselves technological improvements of
the bow lathe that can be traced back thousands
of years to the ancient Egyptians.
Now, almost 300 years later, these modern
"screw cutting" lathes are not just a piece of
refined machinery, but a culmination of human
ingenuity and knowledge embodied into the
design and synergy of thousands of interworking
parts—some of which represent the life's work
and dreams of many inventors, mechanical
engineers, and world-class machinists—including
the likes of Leonardo da Vinci, Henry Maudsley,
and the founders of South Bend Lathe, John and
Miles O'Brien.
And now the torch is passed to you—to take
the oldest and most important type of machine
tool—and carry on the tradition. As the operator
of a South Bend Lathe, you now join the ranks
of some very famous and important customers,
such as Henry Ford, who used the machines he
purchased to help him change the world.
Capabilities
This Heavy 13 ® Gearhead Lathe is built for daily
use in a busy industrial setting. Loaded with
many nice features and high-precision parts, this
lathe excels at making fine tools, dies, thread
gauges, jigs, and precision test gauges—however,
it is by no means delicate. Thick castings, heavy
weight, and quality construction throughout
provide the necessary brawn for demanding
production and manufacturing tasks.
South Bend Precision Toolroom Lathe
( Circa 1958 )
Features
These Heavy 13 ® Gearhead Lathes are packed
with standard features and equipment, such
as a complete coolant system, easy-to-clean
chip drawer, one-shot way lubrication system,
included steady and follow rests, chuck guard,
adjustable work lamp, foot brake, powered
cross feed, 3- and 4-jaw chucks, faceplate, and
premium Allen-Bradley contactors, thermal
relays, and fuse system.
Spindle speeds are controlled by convenient
headstock levers, which allow the operator to
quickly set the spindle speed within the available
range of 80–2000 RPM.
The beds of these lathes are constructed with
Meehanite castings that are hardened and
precision-ground in the traditional three V-way
prismatic design—long used on South Bend
Lathes for its accuracy, durability, and rigidity.
The headstocks feature quick-change gear levers
and the carriages include an adjustable clutch
that disables automatic carriage feed when it
contacts the included feed stop or in the event of
a crash.
To further ensure a high degree of accuracy,
these lathes are equipped with Japanese spindle
bearings. The spindles are D1-5 camlock with an
MT#5 taper and 1.57" bore. The tailstocks have
an MT#3 taper and 4.5" of quill travel.