South Bend adds woodworking machines

[Paul F Franklin]

From woodshop news:

https://www.woodshopnews.com/news/south-bend-adds-woodworking-machines?utm_medium=email&_hsmi=109524625&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8f8Bksb3jbUm0BiF1W3Fv9VZoC5WCA49zLHNhG-xkfF4SF_g3WinD2yzMVWOURLSsw1sSi85X2xr1qQACQv1SAA2-C_A&utm_content=109524625&utm_source=hs_email

[Andrew More]

Noticed this a few days ago while shopping for a Planer. From what I can tell Grizzly owns the brand, and is likely using it to brand high-end versions of their existing tools. For example, the planer appears to be similar to their G0453Z with a digital depth guage, helical instead of spiral cutter head, and variable speed control feeder. The basic frames appear to be similar.

At this point I'm not sure if this is going to be like Black and Decker with DeWalt, or more like the current zombie brand Delta tools.

[Alex Zeller]

A month or two ago Shiraz posted a video of him making a box. In it there was a South Bend wide belt sander in the background. I wonder if the brand is going to replace the Shop Fox line? I'm not sure why you would want 3 lines of the same tools. I guess it's possible that it's from a different factory in China.

[Jim Becker]

South Bend is featured in the latest Grizzly catalog and is an addition to their brands, not a replacement. The blue tools are priced higher than the Grizzly and ShopFox lines.

[Tom Bender]

Back about 1966 my dad brought home a South Bend metal lathe with lots of accessories. It must have been 40 years old at that time. It was a good machine but I didn't get him to teach me much on it. A friend has it now.

[Alex Zeller]

I was given a 9" swing SB metal lathe a few months ago of unknown age. I haven't done a thing with it but at some point I'll It looks like it was out of a metal shop as it has a "5" spray painted on it. The bearings feel nice and smooth but I'm sure it'll need the felts and oil changed, which looks like $100 and then a ton of cleaning. The belt to drive it has to be split as it passes through a cast hole in the frame.

[Ryan W Taylor]

Having used a high end European sliding saw, the digital readouts on the SB tablesaw are....nice. As long as your numbers are banging (matching) between the analog and the digital...it's super nice to have a digital readout.