FILENAMES: Southbend_10K.jpg Southbend_10L(heavy).jpg DESCRIPTION: "Dave Ficken" of Meridian Machinery posted these pictures of Southbend 10" lathes to help the newsgroup in seeing the differences between a 10K and a 10L (also known as a heavy 10). Dave wrote in the newsgroup: >This is in response to someones query that was not answered by >Southbend. I went into a slight rant about it and other complaints...it >was one of those weekends. I was not trying to defend Southbend in >particular, rather all merchants and vendors in general. > >Since a picture is worth a thousand words, I saved myself the trouble >of writing 2,000 words by posting 2 pictures at the dropbox at >http://www.metalworking.com. > >The first photo S009i003.jpeg is a 10K Southbend also known as a light >10. The machine is from the mid 60's > >The second photo S00ei004.jpeg is a 10L Southbend also known as a heavy >10. The machine is from the late 70's > >Neither lathe is for sale, They have gone to good homes already. > >I am writing this from home (where my computer is located) dimensions >if any are off the top of my head and not to be taken as the Gospel >truth. They should be close enough to help make a determination. > >Question: What's the difference between a 10K and a heavy 10 southbend? > >Ans: > >A 10K, or light-10, is very simillar to a 9" southbend. I hope I don't >confuse anyone by also discussing the 9" vs. 10K. The bed on the 10K/9" >is 6" wide (vs. aprrox 7" for heavy 10). The spindle thread is >1-1/2"x8thd. > >The 10K spindle has a 3MT internal taper as does the 9". The difference >is that the 10K has a collet taper for 6K collets built into the >spindle as well. The 6K collet was engineered so that it could be built >into the 3MT internal taper by adding a short, tapered mouth at the >beginning of the spindle taper. There is a key (actually a pin) in this >tapered section. The pin passes right through the spindle threads and >if slightly ought of place will make the spindle thread look damaged. >This is one way to tell a 10K from a 9" Southbend. Since the 6K collet >fits directly in the 10K spindle without an adapter, Southbend was able >to get a 5/8" collet capacity in virtually the same spindle as the 9" >with its 1/2" 3C collet capacity. FYI: a 10K can also use 3C collets if >you use the collet attachment from a 9" Southbend (with a 3MT to 3C >adapter), though I'm not sure why you would want to do this. 9" and 10K >Southbends have a spindle through bore of roughly 7/8". > >The spindle choices for a heavy 10 Southbend would be as follows: >1-7/8"x8thd. (prewar models) 2-1/4"x8thd (most common), LOO, or D1-4 >With the exception of the first choice, all of these spindles yield a >5C collet capacity with a thru-bore of roughly 1-3/8". > >There is also an oddball machine out there refferred to as a "heavy-9 >inch" it was custom made for the navy during WWII and seems to be a >heavy 10 in most dimensions, but swings 9". I have only seen one and >heard of 2 others, so it is unlikely that you'll encounter one. > >The 10K and 9" Southbends share the following same major parts >interchangeably: >The lathe bed, carriage, apron, saddle, crosslide, gearbox (if fitted), >leadscrew and leadscrew supports, gearing, back gears and bullgear, >parts of the compound that don't affect height, feed screws, rear >geartrain cover( as far as the casting goes) > >Differences between 9" and 10K Southbend: >Different tailstocks in terms of swing. 10K tailstock features >way-wipers on the base casting, and micrometer dial on screw feed. >Note: late model 9" adopted this style tailstock toward the end of >production. >Different compound in terms of swing, but those parts not affecting >height of compound are the same. >Spindles: Different in terms of collet taper, but could otherwise be >interchanged. >Headstock castings are different, motor drives on bench models are >different. >With the right parts, a 9" could be converted to a 10K and vice-versa. >This is not an uncommon conversion, so the serial number is not always >the last word on whether you have a 9" or 10K. Why would you want to >make a 10K into a 9" Southbend. Answer" it's tough to find 10K >tailstocks or compounds. If your 10K were missing these, you could >change the headstock to a 9" by changing part of the headstock. Now add >a 9" compound and tailstock (cheaper and easier to find), and you've >got a 9" Southbend. > >No major components are interchangeable between a 10K and a Heavy-10. > >Getting back to the original question of 10K vs. Heavy 10, the easy >way to tell is compare the spindles and bed width. > >A 6" wide bed w/ 1-1/2"x8 spindle thread and approx 7/8" spindle bore >will mean either a 9" or 10K Southbend (see above to tell the >difference.) > >Approx 7" wide bed w/ either 1-7/8"x8thd, 2-1/4"x8thd., LOO, or D1-4 >spindle and approx 1-3/8 spindle bore (smaller on 1-7/8"x8thd machines) >will mean Heavy 10 (10L) Southbend. As its name implies, the "heavy-10" >generally features more rugged and massive construction than the 10K. > >Southbend still makes the Heavy 10. It will set you back over $14,000 >today. Sounds outrageous, but consider that its price has remained >about the same for 50(+) years when compared to the price of a quality >new car at any point in time. > >If all this is confusing, don't forget the photos at metalworking.com >Many thanks to Steve Stallings for creating this valuable resource for >everyone on rcm free of charge. > >regards, >Dave Ficken >Meridian Machinery >http://pw2.netcom.com/~mermac > >PS: I spent over 2 hours this evening answering this question. That >means it would have cost Southbend fifty bucks or more to answer such a >harmless inquiry as "Dear Southbend, I was wondering if you could tell >me the difference between a 10K and heavy 10 Southbend...." >Goodnight!