I am getting a southbend lathe for my little at home shop, ya know got to keep tue welders grinders and handtools happy :) but would it be good for making calls on?
Luke95
As with everything, it is condition and availability of accessories for the lathe that will determine if it is worthy yo use for making calls. I am guessing it isn't 2011 stock? I am also guessing it is one of the lathes that Southbend made for school projects, as they are mostly into making machine lathes. Most likely from the 60's to 70's ... this is where the problems start, check the MT to see if it is 1 or 2 , most likely a 2mt, which will help you to find accessories as these are common, check the motor and speed rpm options, check the belt for replacing in the future if it is original. Also, most of the time Southbend did not plane the bed unless requested by the new owner, if it is planed by Southbend then it was a school lathe for sure. They didn't usually put their name on a wood lathe, so in order to identify it you would have to check school records of where it was purchased from.
As for call making on it, you'll need to accessorize according to what you want to make, pot calls would require at the least a good check, with several jaws, so check your TPI on the head spindle, turning between centers should be easy without additional stuff, just make sure your tailstock and headstock line up exactly or you won't be able to get true cylinders turned. Mount it on a work bench or table to where your elbow is level to the center line of the lathe this will give you a comfortable spot to turn from. If you want to talk turning just give me a holler at 5736882306....hopes this may help. pappy