Question on a Le Blond Lathe

[cowjelly]

Good Morning!

I have not posted in a while have not made a pen in a few months but getting ready to start again. I was out yesterday talking with a guy who had a 10 inch swing Le blond metal lathe for sale it had a 36 inch bed, a three jaw chuck, lantern tool post, the ways looked in good shape from what I could tell. The only real issue I could tell was it needed a new gear in the head stock. It had a 220V single phase motor with it. The threading started out at 4 tpi and went up to, I think 56 tpi. I know it will take a little elbow grease but my main concern is coming up with replacement parts. He said he would sell it to me for $500.00 My question to you is should I grab it or keep looking?

Regards, Keith

 

[johnnycnc]

While that doesn't sound too bad, be careful.Parts have the potential
to add up to more than the lathe is worth,depends what it needs.
Does it run/is it runnable? at all?
I'm sure a quick search on the internet will tell the story on replacemant parts
availability and pricing.
If it won't run, I'd offer him scrap price at most for it.
You could be getting a large money pit, or an easy fixxer upper.
If it does not run, you are gambling.
If it does run, check parts pricing first.
My 2 cents worth.

 

[randyrls]

KKeith; I will concur with John. Some of the old American iron is excellent quality, but you need to check the bed ways for wear. If not worn it could be a good deal.

Do you need / want a metal lathe?

There are two different groups on YAHOO "Leblondlathe" and "10inchlathe" that may be able to help you decide about parts.

PS. My uncle has an old Clausing that I drool over every time I visit!
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Leblondlathe

 

[Paul in OKC]

Pulling the headstock apart to replace an internal gear is a tad more than elbow grease, but if everything else is nice. Still sounds a little high, IMHO. Is it ball/roller bearing, or babbet bearing for the spindle? The yahoo groups can be a good sorce of info.

 

[bitshird]

Keith, I think LeBlond quite making smaller lathes in the 40s, does this have a V Belt Drive on the left side of the headstock?? Some parts are still available from Le Blond Makino, Expensive as He##. I had to make a spindle to threading box idler gear and that was for a mid 60s 17 inch model, Makino didn't have one, there is a guy in England that has a lot of info and apparently some access to parts for LeBlonds, But if it's a part that is available and the but unless you know some one with a machine shop that cuts gears, (re) a milling machine ,involute cutters and an index head, forget it,

 

[NewLondon88]

I'll agree with the above.. there's some good machines out there, but I found LeBlond
to be so expensive that I got rid of the lathe. They wanted $2500 for a gear that someone
else made for me for $95. LeBlonde bought what was South Bend, so they're supporting
a lot of machines. I found the tech support to be great, but parts can get you.

 

[cowjelly]

Thanks everyone for the replys I have allot to think about before I take the plunge. I just got off a 16 hour shift so I'm a bit cloudy now. If I get a chance I might try and get a few pictures.

Thanks Again, Keith