What's new
What's new

Oil Leak 13" SB

One fix I might consider. Make an oversized blind bushing to go into that bottom hole.

Measure those 3 holes, and the pin that drops into them. Let's say its 3/8". Drill that bottom hole bigger to 7/16 or 1/2". Now turn a piece of brass to fit the new hole snug, and maybe 5/8" or 3/4" long. Drill the new brass bushing 3/8 or whatever the original hole size was. But watch your depth, maybe 7/16 or a 1/2" deep. Then hammer the new blind bushing in.
I think from what I found that the leak is at the end of the drilled top stop pin. Looks like some type of epoxy was put in from being drilled too deep. Thanks for your reply
If the cracks become a bigger issue I'm going to do what you suggest. I don't have any tapered screws or taps for a Lock-n-Stitch and I can't afford a kit, too much money has been spent trying to fix all the issues. Hopefully this is the last one. It really runs good besides the leak
 
Last edited:
Haa! You're killing me! I went from a 16" toddler Southbend to a 16" ---7,000 lb Lodge and shipley! The Southbend unfortunately will the be the 'red headed stepchild 'around here for a while ! Lol!
 
Interesting;; my 16 started leaking down a year ago. Will check that lower hole location this morning and see if that could be the same scenario. Don't use the kid much as he hides in the corner amongst the hobby L & S's
I meant to mention that it's not the bottom hole, it would be the top hole across from the pipe drain plug under the Git. I don't think the reservoir holds as much oil as one would think. I thought it was only the cracks at the pin but when I removed the top pin I could see it was some kind of repair or broken through. Cracks might not be that deep.
 
Trust me; that kid gets me out of trouble more often than I'm willing to admit!! Ha
I checked those holes yesterday and I swear it looks like it has freeze plugs pressed in there. Very shiny !
 
New discoveries on the material that is off color compared to metal or cast color. My conclusion was correct, some type of 2-part epoxy mix with fine, fine metal particles mixed in. Very soft material, I had hardly started drilling when it went right through into the oil reservoir.

I honestly feel like this was one of probably many screw-ups that happen at a manufacturing plant and this one happens to be South Bend.

I'm going to raise the Headstock end of the lathe so the oil will drain back away from the repair area. Then clean it out with thinner, mix up some type of epoxy to shove back in the hole letting it set up. I'll buy a number drill or letter drill to fit the hole to clean it out.

Make a new pin with a small shoulder and shorter length and if I have to file a flat spot where the tumbler casting hits to it will still go in the 3 designated factory positions, reverse, neutral, and forward.

I'm open for suggestions. I've had a lot of sound advice from all of you and I am confident it will be repaired and running fine in short order. Thanks
 
Trust me; that kid gets me out of trouble more often than I'm willing to admit!! Ha
I checked those holes yesterday and I swear it looks like it has freeze plugs pressed in there. Very shiny !
It might have been drilled too deep as well. I just posted what I found, and it is some type of 2-part material. I won't report you to the Lathe Police for how you treat the Toddler. lol.
 
The last 2 days were busy days, my wife and I celebrated our 50th anniversary. Seems like yesterday.

I have been giving this some more thought. What if I used O-Rings? Now I have never machined a groove for an O-Ring, nor do I know how to size the depth of the groove.

I was thinking I could put the first O-ring towards the rear of the hole and a second one a little past halfway to the front. I could still put a 2-part epoxy in the hole letting it set up then cleaning it out so the pin will go as far as possible in the hole.

If need be, I could shorten the pin a little to make it all work. I don't think it as much stick out as it already has for a stop. That could have contributed to the pounding going on that ended up cracking the casting.

Being it was in a company that did castings it was used a lot and the operators probably were pretty rough on this old lathe.

I honestly don't believe the cracks are that deep, I have tried to see in the hole with a light but only a dye test would bring it out well enough to see. Do any of you have been looking at this post have any ideas about using O-rings? Thanks
 
Post #27 said "I checked those holes yesterday and I swear it looks like it has freeze plugs pressed in there", so maybe just press some freeze plugs smeared with the appropriate flavor of Locktite ? (there is a locktite just for sealing).

Locktite on the old pins should work too, unless the oil is seeping thru the cracks? I don't think you would gain anything by using o-rings and/or a 2 part epoxy.
 
Post #27 said "I checked those holes yesterday and I swear it looks like it has freeze plugs pressed in there", so maybe just press some freeze plugs smeared with the appropriate flavor of Locktite ? (there is a locktite just for sealing).

Locktite on the old pins should work too, unless the oil is seeping thru the cracks? I don't think you would gain anything by using o-rings and/or a 2 part epoxy.
Well it sounds like a good start. I guess I could take some brass and make a make shift freeze plug coated with sealing lock tight. Not knowing much about O-rings doesn't help so I would be trusting your experience, thanks. I could put some sealing lock tight on the pin as well. I'll pick some up tomorrow. Appreciate the advice.
 
Just seal the leak with epoxy. I think you're over-thinking this. I know that you don't want to have to pull your spindle, but I think the best place to put the epoxy is on the inside, in the oil reservoir itself.
 
Well it sounds like a good start. I guess I could take some brass and make a make shift freeze plug coated with sealing lock tight. Not knowing much about O-rings doesn't help so I would be trusting your experience, thanks. I could put some sealing lock tight on the pin as well. I'll pick some up tomorrow. Appreciate the advice.
 
Just seal the leak with epoxy. I think you're over-thinking this. I know that you don't want to have to pull your spindle, but I think the best place to put the epoxy is on the inside, in the oil reservoir itself.
I'm glad I took a look at new threads on this subject. You are correct, no need to over think. I took a small piece of JB Weld and rolled it into a small ball putting it in the hole.

I took the shank end of a 5/16" drill bit to push it in put couldn't do it by hand. I grabbed my lead hammer and tamped it in all the way to the back of the hole which had a 1/8" hole drilled through the existing material and exposed crack. It must have extruded through those areas.

I let it sit overnight and cleaned out the little pieces of JB Weld in the bore. Filled it with oil and it hasn't leaked a drop in 3 days now.

I'm going to cut a couple of rings on the pin maybe .002" deep and smear it with the sealing lock tight. The cracks had nothing to do with the leaking hole.

I can't explain how the cracks happened, but it could be from rough use by the operator.

If any of you have a 13" South Bend, could you measure the stop pins and see if they are .3133" in diameter?

It would help me out. Hard to understand why these 2 holes are odd ball sizes compared to everything else which are standard. Thanks so much for all the help.
 
Anything you wanted to know about O-rings and then some.


Page 89 for the start of O-ring groove dimensions.
Thanks for the link, it's a big help understanding more ways to get a job done. No doubt it answers all my questions about groove depth and O-ring size. Really appreciate you adding it.

The more I searched the more I realized how complicated the world of O-rings is. A lot to figure out. Thanks for the material and source.
 
Last edited:








 
Back
Top