It's most probably a single phase motor. I suggest you put on a plug and give it
a spin. It sounds like you're about to scrap the motor anyway, so you have
nothing to lose.

Old cracked motor wiring can often be nursed along by judicious use of heat
shrink tubing.

Doesn't the motor have a nameplate? A couple of motor nameplate tricks: if you
cannot read the nameplate, first thing to try is to see if you can maneuver a
digital camera down and take a picture of it. Once on your computer, you may be
able to make out the lettering. Second trick is to take some modeling clay,
reach way over down and back (or whatever) and smush it onto the nameplate, then
carefully peel it off and try to read it even though it's mirror-image reversed.

I've done both of these with success.

GWE

Gigs wrote:
Hello,

I've come into posession of a South Bend Model A, Catalog Number
CL644A.

The motor does not have the standard nameplate one would expect, so I'm
not sure if it's three phase or one phase, or what voltage it might
take. There's a red plate on the motor that says "For higher voltage"
and then some connection scheme like T1-T5, etc.. then below that "For
lower voltage"

The cable feeding the motor comes from the wall assumedly (3 wires,
green/white/black, about 16 gauge stranded), to a roundish box with a
lever switch that has 3 positions, and then to the motor with the same
sort of cable.

The wires had no plug on the end, and the insulation is decomposed and
brittle beyond the point where I would consider using the wires.

Inside the wiring box on the motor itself, several wires are electrical
taped together and connect to the various green/black/white from the
cable. The wires coming from the motor windings themselves are cloth
braid shielded but crunchy inside too.

So I guess my questions are, does anyone know if this is one phase or
three phase, voltage, and if it's even worth messing with the old
motor.

If I am to scrap the old motor, would this lathe take a standard modern
motor? i.e. is the motor footprint compatible with what they use
today?).

Thanks!