South Bend or a Clausing

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Kroll

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Morning guys,well I got the job of restoring a 10"SB for pay which will help me fund either a SB or a Clausing lathe.So I will be going from a 12" Atlas(sold,added to budget) to a more heavy duty lathe.So guys what I'm asking is if you had a choice of either of the two which would it be and why,what is it that makes one better than the other?I been watching tubalcain and he has both and never really says which one he prefers,so maybe someone here has use both before.I really like the SB that has the cast iron base but those of that vintage has the QCGB tubalcain says has issues or the single lever is a pain(do they?)Guys not considering condition or tooling of the lathe just the brand,and if parts are still available to some extent, I know that several models are made of each but something that falls into my budget.I will be looking for 10"-13" x 36" I would like that the spindle can handle something up to 1 1/4 or 1 3/8,something bigger than my 12" atlas.Guys I would ask more questions but I don't know enough to ask the right ones,so please give your opinion.Thanks early Christmas shopping for me---kroll
 
Kroll said:
Morning guys,well I got the job of restoring a 10"SB for pay which will help me fund either a SB or a Clausing lathe.So I will be going from a 12" Atlas(sold,added to budget) to a more heavy duty lathe.So guys what I'm asking is if you had a choice of either of the two which would it be and why,what is it that makes one better than the other?I been watching tubalcain and he has both and never really says which one he prefers,so maybe someone here has use both before.I really like the SB that has the cast iron base but those of that vintage has the QCGB tubalcain says has issues or the single lever is a pain(do they?)Guys not considering condition or tooling of the lathe just the brand,and if parts are still available to some extent, I know that several models are made of each but something that falls into my budget.I will be looking for 10"-13" x 36" I would like that the spindle can handle something up to 1 1/4 or 1 3/8,something bigger than my 12" atlas.Guys I would ask more questions but I don't know enough to ask the right ones,so please give your opinion.Thanks early Christmas shopping for me---kroll
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Hey Kroll-

I can't say much about the Clauding besides availability of parts-- the Heavy 10's are all over the place, so that will never be a problem. Parts, accessories, even people making new printed replacement info plates etc... All over the place, and varying in price. Clausing is still in business, but the lathes are. It as prevalent, so used parts harder to get. But if you have $$, maybe parts are available new?

Also, almost all of the parts for the Single tumbler lathe swap over to the double tumbler (except for the geartrain of course).

I do LOVE the 10L. I love it enough to have gotten two! I have a double tumbler gearbox,
And I know you mentioned a single tumbler. There a are a bunch of single tumbler owners on this very forum. I haven't heard any problems with them- either gearbox takes two adjustments to pick a gear.

The spindle is 1-3/8 through- I have a pic of driving the lathe home in a trailer, and I could see through the spindle in the rear view mirror! Hah.. There is an insert for 5C collets (easy to get if your machine doesn't have one) which I pretty much use all the time. FANtastic repeatability.

I CANNOT say enough about the ability to use 5C collets, accessories, tools!!! I LOVE 5C!! So easy to work, swap work from machine to machine in the collet, into fixtures, and back to the 10L. This alone is a necessity for any lathe I would ever buy again. Even my mill has 5C collets!

I believe the Clausing spindle is 1-1/4 inches, and I don't know what collet it takes.
The Clausing uses V belts, which is nice. It also seems to have a lot of spindle speed options. Not a broader range of speeds really, but more speeds in between. I don't know how necessary this is, as it is never a problem for me. I can swap the belt over to a new speed from the top cover, without opening the bottom cabinet.

The outside geartrain can be a little noisy while feeding or threading at higher spindle speeds. I don't know if the Clausing is any better. But this is said of Heavy tens due to the straight gear teeth. A few machines, like the Monarchs etc, use beveled gears which are quieter. I don't know if any smaller machines like the Clausing or SB use them.

I keep wanting to say "whichever model is in better shape", because you can't go wrong, I think. Going to a big, heavy, V-way bed machine, you'll be a happy camper!

I had a beat up heavy 10 first, and loved that one too. Now I have one in great shape and I am HAPPY.
Geez, this turned into a book!

Here are links to Tony's site for both machines:m

http://www.lathes.co.uk/southbend/page4.html

http://www.lathes.co.uk/clausing/page4.html

Bernie
 
Sounds like you have a preference - the South Bend. Grizzly.com is a distributor, they are easy to deal with in the U.S. Plus the internet is loaded with good used.
 
Guys last few days I posted on the net in other states looking for a good american made lathes cause just could not find one local or so I thought.Well very nice person had responded to my ad and he has a Clausing Colchester 13"x36" lathe with chucks and a taper attachment and its a plug and play.But its 3phase so I will have to deal with that,hoping I can get a 3hp VFD or change the motor out.But what sold me on this is the person is very honest,I just could tell that he is a honest sincere person AND when he comes into Houston he will drop by my house and drop it off.Its dirty,will need a cleaning,and he said that there are no broken parts or crack casting.So my search is over and I should have it by Dec. when his next trip to Houston,I'm a happy camper and said that he would be willing to come down off the 2K but he's bring it by the house,how can I ask for a cheaper price.Any thoughts on this Colchester????----kroll
 
Kroll, congratulations on finding your lathe so quickly. Fun times.

When I got my big mill, it had a 4 HP,440 volt 3-phase motor on it. I bought a new 3HP single-phase that cost a few bucks more than I paid for the mill. A VFD, if the Clausing motor is the same voltage you have available, should be cheaper than that.
 
What year mfg is that colchester? The 13" is the smallest they made them in what I would consider "industrial" duty. If its a colchester geared head I would go for it hands down over ANY Sb belt machine. JMO. My little 11" x30 colchester geared head has been a truly awesome machine for home use and i have a 15"x50 at work. Obviously night and day difference going back and forth working on em but they are both very nice. Yep parts are all still available from clausing. Yep bend over before seeing the prices they charge. Hopefully the one your are considering was made in England vintage vs the newer chinese versions being hawked as colchesters

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Good luck and IMO it is well worth getting a phase converter and running it 3P. Instant start/stop/ reverse repetitively is no problem.

3y9a7y5y.jpg

7etajugy.jpg
 
Thanks,it is a gear head the retired machinist told me cause I don't know the difference.But I also think that its for the late 50's,I wish I had pics but he's like me very little computer skills,he just got a smart phone but right now don't know how to use it.He receive it via a trade from a friend,he decided to retire never move it into his shop.The spindle I think is 1 1/2,he was measuring,3hp motor and I hope a tool post w/tooling and I think it may have a set of collet set.He knows I'm a beginner,he's going to put togeather a care package,hoping for some goodies----kroll
 
Kroll said:
Guys last few days I posted on the net in other states looking for a good american made lathes cause just could not find one local or so I thought.Well very nice person had responded to my ad and he has a Clausing Colchester 13"x36" lathe with chucks and a taper attachment and its a plug and play.But its 3phase so I will have to deal with that,hoping I can get a 3hp VFD or change the motor out.But what sold me on this is the person is very honest,I just could tell that he is a honest sincere person AND when he comes into Houston he will drop by my house and drop it off.Its dirty,will need a cleaning,and he said that there are no broken parts or crack casting.So my search is over and I should have it by Dec. when his next trip to Houston,I'm a happy camper and said that he would be willing to come down off the 2K but he's bring it by the house,how can I ask for a cheaper price.Any thoughts on this Colchester????----kroll
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Holy crap you are hooked up!!! That is a different league of machine!!
Good for you man!
3PHase is an advantage, believe me. VFD and you'll never look back. Variable speed at the turn of a knob.

Bernie
 
If it is one of the geared head Clausings like cheeseking shows, then you are one lucky soul, that is a serious lathe. The earlier Clausings were more light duty lathes in the class of 9A & 10K SBs. This is sounding like a GLOAT!!

I tried to buy and missed a 13 Clausing like the one in the pic for $5000 a couple years ago...:angry:
 
Sounds like you did well.

To the original question for those reading this later:

I have a 9A south Bend in great condition. It's a nice lathe, quite accurate. I would trade it for a comparable Clausing without hesitation.
THE SB is a consumer lathe, the Clausing is a professional tool.

I'm in Fort Worth TX if anyone wants to take me up on that swap.

<crickets>
 
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