New bronze bearing for old South Bend Model O Heavy 9 Lathe

[skipd]

I have owned a Model O 1930 Heavy 9 South Bend Lathe for about 9 years. I love it and has performed many great and accurate projects. I have noticed that the bronze bearings and spindle have considerable wear and I would like to find someone that can replace and bore new bronze bearings and hopefully clean up and polish the spindle as well. I don't know if this even economically viable, but I am willing to entertain significant cost to keep this great Vintage lathe in good condition.
I would like to know if there is anyone out there that does this kind of work. Any help with this is greatly appreciated.
Thanks

Skipd1

 

[benmychree]

I have done this before, with the old South Bend that I had years ago made in the late 1920s I found that the spindle took most all the wear, and I had the spindle hard chromed and reground to it's original size and remade the bronze bearings, another one that I had more recently, I made a new spindle and refit the bearings; those original spindles seem to be pretty soft steel. I am not interested in doing any more of that, but thought this may give you some idea of the possibilities.

 

[silverhawk]

I actually purchased a chunk of Oilite bar so I could bore new bushings (with a second headstock). I never did get to it, as I think I'd have to use a press to remove the old Oilite material, and use that for dimensions. I am not sure i am ready for that challenge (possibly when I get my heavy 10 done and can make new bushings on that, then do a between centers boring bar to get the secondary headstock done right). If you do this, i would like to know.

My spindle was okay. If the spindle is rough, the other-mentioned hard chromium may be the best option.

joe

 

[Norseman C.B.]

Was there not a roller bearing conversion kit available for SB's at one time if memory sreve me correctly ??
Or is staying all original the idea here ??

 

[benmychree]

Oilite is not suitable for a lathe headstock bearing, composition 660 is the better choice. In making a split bearing, you rough the bearing oversize, then split it, and soft solder the halves together, then finish them, being very careful to set the split as close as possible to center. Oilite would not be able to be soldered.