Is It Possible To Accurately Grind Lathe Ways At Home?

Susan_in_SF

Wood and Metal Goddess
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Hi guys,
Quite awhile ago, I bought a South Bend 9A that was used extensively by the previous owner, until he passed away. I was told that he made a lot of guns with my new old lathe. When I bought it, I was a super newbie who didn't think about bed wear. I was blinded by the "South Bend" brand, and ignorant of basically everything.

After buying this lathe, I honestly did not plan on getting anymore lathes (lol). Then, a month later, on craigslist, I saw a just-posted ad from a guy eager to empty his storage unit that day since he was going on vacation the next day. I met him at the storage unit, and bought a South Bend 9C, along with a pair of steel workbench pedestal cabinets whose drawers were filled with supplies from the 1950's. I find it interesting how old timers used glass jars, coffee tins, and prescription bottles to store their screws, taps, etc. Anyways, I paid $120 for everything, and that's how I ended up with 2 South Bends (before I later got the free Logan lathe).

So, after a machinist friend suggested I keep the 2nd South Bend for spare parts, I decided to keep it instead of selling. I am glad I kept that 2nd lathe since I now know that my 9A lathe's ways are seriously worn. You can easily see the wear a few inches in front of the headstock. As for the older, 1930's 9c lathe, the ways are in really, really good condition. So, I plan on just swapping beds. I read online that I just need to drill an additional hole on the 9C bed to enable it to take the quick change box.

I am not sure what I am going to do with my worn bed after i swap it with the 9C bed.

Is it feasible to build a sliding table long to use on my little 612 surface grinder and 48 inch worn bed?

It just seems to be a shame to toss out this old bed. I read online that if the ways were ground, then the apron must be shimmed in order for the lathe to be accurate.
Despite my original plan on keeping the 2nd lathe for spare parts, I was thinking about selling the 2nd lathe, with the swapped 9A bed.

Is my idea of using my surface grinder on a 4ft bed crazy? If it is possible to McGyver a way to make it work, how?

Or should I just sell the 2nd lathe as is, with a worn bed (after I swap the beds)?

Thanks,
Susan
 
Possible? Yes.
Probable? Very highly not...

Susan, if the lathe is too worn, simply sell it and get a different one that serves your needs better. Some (very few) people enjoy scraping in an entire machine for their hobby shop. Others enjoy other means of self flagellation. Be ready for the very high learning curve and immense amount of work, time, and patience it will take to do the job properly. I would guess that 99 of 100 machines that are torn apart by amateurs for restoring to functionally new condition (not just made pretty again) are eventually put back together unfinished or sold as basket cases or as replacement parts. Keep in mind that hobbyists do things for enjoyment.
 
Three ways to approach this.
1. Junk or sell the bed.
2. Try scraping the bed as a learning experience before junking it.
3. Use it as is as a learning experience. I've seen some of the nicest work done on the most clapped out machines because the operator knew it well and worked with it's flaws rather than against them...............Bob
 
Would it be possible to flip the bed around so the headstock is now at the less used tailstock end?
 
ON A LATHE WITH FLAT WAYS, THAT MIGHT BE THEORETICALLY POSSIBLE, BUT THE south BEND LATHES ARE NOT MADE THAT WAY, THE A VEE AND FLAT WAY FOR BOTH THE CARRIAGE AND HEAD AND TAILSTOCKS, THEY WOULD BE REVERSED AND NO WAY TO GUIDE AND ALIGN THE RESPECTIVE ELEMENTS.
 
Agreed. The South bend has a Vee, and a flat on the front side, and 2 vees on the rear.lathebed004.jpg
 
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