The rear pinion seal on my Jeep has been leaking for a while – like, maybe 3 years 😬. The Jeep isn’t a daily driver, so I’ve just been ignoring it. Still plenty of fluid in the axle housing. But, I got tired of the spots on the garage floor. Time to replace it. Rather simple job, if you cheat a little.
South Bend Lathe Restoration – Start to Finish
I took clips from the videos that I recorded while restoring this 13″ South Bend Lathe built in 1941 and strung them together to show an example of the whole process. I had a lot of fun doing this restoration. There were some frustrating moments, but it feels good to have to “done.” Of course, for me, it’ll never really be done. There is more I could do to improve the lathe, such as having the ways ground and then scraping the saddle, but those things will have to wait. On to other projects!
Full videos:
Part 1 – Unloading https://youtu.be/yy-pogxmvws
Part 2 – Tailstock https://youtu.be/iw6OCAe_AEU
Part 3 – Three Jaw Chuck https://youtu.be/PzQa8ohTpFk
Part 4 – Thread Chasing Dial https://youtu.be/7gDcYqL_b_o
Part 5 – Compound Disassembly https://youtu.be/Qj_ulUO5c44
Part 6 – Cross Slide Disassembly https://youtu.be/pB4AeCUQwfk
Part 7 – Gear Train Disassembly https://youtu.be/HbZFitKRB40
Part 8 – Gear Box Disassembly https://youtu.be/Zqp8GGB4LUg
Part 9 – Apron Disassembly https://youtu.be/CyhednhJy0Y
Part 10 – Headstock Disassembly https://youtu.be/ly2VoyIfQr8
Part 11 – Bed, Legs, Motor and Chip Pan Disassembly https://youtu.be/MEXbe5jQBU0
Part 12 – Motor and Bed Assembly https://youtu.be/dmVBvkL6qT4
Part 13 – Saddle, Cross Slide and Compound Assembly https://youtu.be/HhUEEd_-g9M
Part 14 – Gear Box Assembly https://youtu.be/IAxK-WCSrOw
Part 15 – Headstock Assembly https://youtu.be/UREdBLno4ac
Part 16 – Apron Assembly https://youtu.be/leW-H07fvSQ
Part 17 – Motor Wiring https://youtu.be/1wNQQliJviI
Part 18 – Primary Gear Train https://youtu.be/7PwuKs95lsY
Quick Change Tool Holder Storage
I used Fusion 360 and my 3D printer to make a bunch of these little wedges that my quick change tool holders can set in, keeping them organized on a shelf above the lathe.
Repairs to the Gear Train of my 13″ South Bend Lathe – Part 2/2
The primary gear train on my 1941 South Bend lathe makes a lot of noise. I was hoping that replacing the spindle gear would have helped, but the results were disappointing. It may even be worse than before. I decided my next step would be to replace the sliding gear and its shaft. It is obvious the shaft is bad (I had no idea just how bad!) and the teeth on a couple of the gears have worn to a point. In this video, I take apart the gear bracket and replace some parts. Did it make a difference?
Repairs to the Gear Train of my 13″ South Bend Lathe – Part 1/2
The primary gear train on my 1941 South Bend lathe makes a lot of noise. I believe the biggest culprit is the sliding gear, but the spindle gear is also very worn. I can’t find an exact replacement, but found something that is the correct tooth count, diametral pitch, pressure angle and diameter. But, it’s not as thick (1/2″ vs 11/16″) and has a smaller bore at .750″ and I need 1.437″. So I decide to modify the new gear to see if it helps with the noise.
Installing the Milling Head on my Bridgeport Mill
The Bridgeport mill I purchased as a project was partially disassembled. The quill housing and motor had been removed from the ram by the previous owner when the motor shaft failed. It’ll be easier for me to take an inventory of any missing parts once the head is back on the ram adapter. Using the installation tool I made in a previous video, I get the head lined back up on the ram. Plus, I needed to make a couple spacers on the lathe for the lower bolt holes.
Making a Bridgeport Head Installation Tool
I recently bought a Bridgeport vertical mill that is in need of some work and repairs. It’s missing a couple parts. Plus, the milling head was not attached to the base. I wanted to get it put back on, but it weighs over 100 pounds (without the motor) and the bolts are tricky to line up. I have seen other videos from Mr. Pete and H&W Machine where they used a special tool to make removing and installing the head much easier. I decided to make my own version of the tool.
Fixing slack in the compound of my 13″ South Bend Lathe
After assembling the compound on this 1941 South Bend lathe, I noticed about .025″ of slack. A lot more than what I would like. I attempt to fix it by using the lathe itself.
Spring 2021 Jeep Trip to Windrock Offroad Park
Some friends and I try to get out of NE Ohio at least a couple times a year to get some much needed trail therapy. This spring’s trip took us to Windrock Offroad Park near Oakridge, Tennessee. I’ve been to Windrock several times before and it’s a fun place with a lot of trails. We mostly did blue and black rated trails, like Trail 16, over the three days we spent there. Toyed with the idea of running some reds, but in the end, decided to come back another day for those.
1941 South Bend 13″ Lathe Restoration – Part 18 – Primary Gear Train
I reassemble the reverse lever and the primary gear train on the lathe and test the power feeds. I still have some fine tuning to do to the lathe itself (leveling it for example) and some gears to replace in the primary gear train due to wear. But the lathe is technically operational at this point!