Cool news - South Bend Lathes
I own a nice South Bend 9" metal lathe and use it regularly.
Rather than getting something that was bubba'd beyond all recognition (a LSO or Lathe Shaped Object), I waited until I found a unit that was purchased new by the guy's granfather and spent $1,200 for it with bench and a bucketload of tooling at the estate sale.
The only problem is that parts are next to impossible to get. The company was founded in 1906 but had gone through several reorganizations, buyouts, an employee stock purchase and was in business but not really. Until this year.
I just found out that
Grizzly Tools purchased the company plus all of the metal casting patterns and they are using an ISO-9001 factory in Taiwan to resume manufacture of these parts. They are also starting production of all of the classic lathes and mills using the original designs but using modern bearings, casting materials and electricals.
This is being run as a seperate company - check out
South Bend Lathes.
Welcome back!
Posted by DaveH at August 20, 2009 12:49 PM