Unfamiliar with this system

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robsig

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Please forgive me, but this is my very first experience with any type of computer "forum". If I violate any rules, please know that it was only due to my ignorance and certainly not intentional! I am a complete beginner to any kind of machining (an aging blacksmith by trade). I recently got an old SouthBend 10 inch lathe(I know this because it says so on the side...). I am fumbling my way through books and "YouTube" videos trying to learn enough to keep from killing myself and family members (actually, I haven't plugged it in yet). I have so many questions, but right now I'm trying to figure out what type of lathe this is. From the attached picture you can see that it only has a single "lever" (?) in the front that seems to correspond to holes underneath it along with a chart that refers to some mysterious "sliding gears" and "back gears". In any event, from other pictures I've seen of SouthBend 10" lathes (I'm not pretending here to know what the " 10 inch" refers to, as this one seems to be much longer...), there appears to be two such levers where I only have one. Did one of mine fall off, or is it a different kind of lathe? Thank you for your kind patience with an old guy!
 

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10 is the max diameter of work that can be swung over the bed, your type of quick change box is the single lever type, later ones had two, but yours also has the sliding gear, which in total gives the same selection of feeds, no big difference. The Back Gears are a gear train that provides a slower set of spindle speeds. Best way to familiarize yourself with the machine is to buy a copy of SBs book, :"How to Run a Lathe".
 
So, the lever on the front at the top has 3 positions. Each position corresponds to the chart below it.
That pull knob thing, is a transmission (easiest easy to understand term).
It works with the lever on top to tell it what "speed" it will go.
The speed is related to that horizontal screw thing. It will turn faster or slower depending on the transmission speed settings.

That pretty much explains what you are showing in the picture. There's much more to it though.
 
robsig said:
I am a complete beginner to any kind of machining (an aging blacksmith by trade). I recently got an old SouthBend 10 inch lathe
Click to expand...

Wait, we need to know about your job as a blacksmith.

It’s 2024, and you can’t really be Amish. How old are you ?

As we say on the internet, pictures or it didn’t happen.

John
 
It's a SB Heavy 10. If the threaded spindle nose is slightly over 2" diameter, it's a Heavy 10L (large). I love mine, a damn fine lathe. You lucked into a great starter machine.
 
Welcome, once you get started you will love it.
 
Welcome!

Way back when that South Bend 10 lathe was manufactured South Bend put out a book to teach people that have never touched a lathe how to run a lathe. It is considered the standard for people wanting to learn.

I highly recommend you download a copy and read through it.

I learned a ton from this book when I bought my South Bend 13 lathe. The information is pertinent to any lathe... but they specifically use our lathes as examples.
 
Last edited:
benmychree said:
10 is the max diameter of work that can be swung over the bed, your type of quick change box is the single lever type, later ones had two, but yours also has the sliding gear, which in total gives the same selection of feeds, no big difference. The Back Gears are a gear train that provides a slower set of spindle speeds. Best way to familiarize yourself with the machine is to buy a copy of SBs book, :"How to Run a Lathe".
Click to expand...
Thank you for your response. I did order the SouthBend "How to run a lathe" book, which I am working my way through.
 
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