Photo Index - South Bend Lathe Works - CLC8175C 13" Toolroom from Hensley & Gibbs

Machinery Photo Index

Manufactured/Badged by:
South Bend Lathe Works
South Bend, IN

Machine Specifications
Machine Class:	Metal Working Machinery
Machine Type:	Lathe, Metal
Machine Size:	13" Toolroom Lathe
Submitted By:	Steve Foster

Machine Specifications
Description/Model:	CLC8175C 13" Toolroom from Hensley & Gibbs
Date of Manufacturer:	1965
Serial Number:	10407TKX14
Last Updated	8/4/2019 2:36:31 AM

Comments:

Sold by Star Machinery out of their Portland, Oregon branch in 1965 to Mr. Jim Gibbs of Hensley & Gibbs Bullet Molds in Murphy, Oregon.
Details:
Serial Number - 10407TKX14
Catalog Number - CLC8175C
Bed Length: 6'
Extras/Options - D1-4 CamLock, 1800 RPM, Fine Feed, hardened bed, large dials, handwheel collet attachment and rack, handlever collet attachment, large faceplate, telescoping jaw steady rest, telescoping jaw follower rest, handlever bed turret that is serial numbered to lathe, handlever turret (tailstock style), square turret, taper attachment, thread indicator, and an unused full set of metric transposing gears.

Have serial number card form Grizzly Industrial

The back story to this machine is that is was sold by Star Machinery out of their Portland Oregon office in 1965 to Mr. Jim Gibbs of Hensley & Gibbs Bullet Molds. The lathe was used by Jim (and probably his son Wayne) to cut cherries for their bullet molds until 1972 when Jim (semi)retired. At some time in the late 70's early 80's, my father had become very good friends with Jim and spent quite a bit of time with him learning about precision metal working as he had always had a keen interest in metalworking, but had never done much precision work on lathes or mills. According to my Dad the fact that he (like my grandfather) worked on guns and was the go to guy for gun work in the local Oregon State Police office where he was a Senior Trooper really seemed to put a smile on Jim's face. During that time, while I was in high school I had the pleasure of working for Jim as his "grounds keeper" as he was getting on in age and needed a bit of help around he and Mrs. Gibb's property (her name was Olive). I very distinctly recall seeing that lathe in Jim's shop on the occasions when he and I would take a break there and he would show me his machines and tell me about what each one had been used for. As some years went by, Jim decided to start selling some of his machines he had kept, and at some point, he graciously offered this South Bend to my Dad (as he had eventually started a small side business doing prototype work). Pop jumped on the offer and once he had it, ran a lot of one-off jobs on it...
To make along story short(er), Pop has gotten on in years and has not touched or run it for many years and has moved into my shop. It's pretty dirty but is in great mechanical shape and run like a dream. Needs a little cleaning and some paint here and there, but with it's history I may just leave well enough alone...
Thanks for letting me share...

R.I.P Jim... You were and always will be the finest kind...

Photo 1:

Comments: 13" Toolroom from Hensley & Gibbs
Source: Self

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IMG Code

Photo 2:

Comments: Cat. No. Plate
Source: self

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IMG Code

Photo 3:

Comments: Cover w/ metric plate and Star Machinery plate
Source: self

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IMG Code

Photo 4:

Comments: Serial Number
Source: self

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IMG Code

Photo 5:

Comments: Turret attachment serial numbered to lathe
Source: self

Direct Link
IMG Code

Photo 6:

Comments: Serail Number Card
Source: Grizzly Industrial (PDF)

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IMG Code