LeBlond Regal 13 x 30

[Scruffer]

I recently bought a LeBlond Regal 13 x 30 lathe. It's a manual shift machine. It does not have a DRO. I've been just basically doing simple stuff on it like turning, facing & parting on aluminum. The cross slide is diameter reduction. My newbie question is: the various charts usually state how many thousands to cut depending on a bunch of factors but they are radius cut values (I think). So, on my cross slide dial, I should double the value?

 

[Karl_T]

yep 2 times radius equals diameter.

But DOC speeds and feeds depends on so many things. Just use the data as a start point. Nothing beats experience here.

 

[MrWhoopee]

I always calculate SFM, even if only roughly. Depth of cut and feed rate are done by ear and eye. Does the machine sound like it's straining? How do the chips look? Does the finish look acceptable?

 

[Scruffer]

Right now, my chips do not look like C's or 6's. Long curly strings.

 

[Karl_T]

The Cs are a production thing. Only get them with carbide inserts with chip breakers. You got to push your machine REAL HARD to make that happen. I often have a bucket full of long strings at the end of the day.

You are new, stay with HSS tooling. Learn to sharpen them and get good finish with accurate diameter. This is SO MUCH BETTER way to go for the hobby guy.

 

[markba633csi]

Pictures! (please)

 

[projectnut]

The Cs are a production thing. Only get them with carbide inserts with chip breakers. You got to push your machine REAL HARD to make that happen. I often have a bucket full of long strings at the end of the day.

You are new, stay with HSS tooling. Learn to sharpen them and get good finish with accurate diameter. This is SO MUCH BETTER way to go for the hobby guy.

Chip breakers can also be ground on HSS tooling. Here's a link to a video by ABOM79 grinding one. Note the last minute or so of the video. The object of the groove is to redirect the chip stream to break it into small pieces rather than let it form a continuous ribbon.

 

[benmychree]

Chip breakers can also be ground on HSS tooling. Here's a link to a video by ABOM79 grinding one.

I was taught to grind chip breakers (or curlers) like that in high school machine shop class, I still use them on smaller machines because they cut freely and do not produce long stringy chips if the correct speeds and feeds are used.

 

[Scruffer]

The SN list it as a 1960 model. It is a 3 hp, 3 phase motor and 3 ph fractional hp on the coolant pump. I am single phase at my home and I installed VFDs for both motors. I like the lever controls and still utilize them for start/stop, forward/rev. It came with the braking option but I couldn't make it work so I am using the VFD for emergency braking. I am a maintenance electrician by trade (retired) so the VFD part was a no brainer. The lathe probably needs a paint job but it appears to be really tight. It's really enjoyable getting into machining. Thks for all the advice from everyone.

 

[benmychree]

Very nice! I have a 19" round head Regal from 1943, also in nice shape, I bought it from a rebuilder, it came off of a liberty ship that was scrapped back in the 1980s, of course, the square heads are a lot nicer in design.