# Logan Back Gear Lever Install Help??



## bobby light (Oct 17, 2014)

I am going Crazy.

Have a Logan model 820 Lathe. The bull gear and the large gear below the drive spindle had chipped teeth. I now have the replacement parts and have the head stock taken apart.

So here is my issue, every time I get it put back together, the lever to engage the back gear is backwards. In other words when I pull the lever towards me it disengages the back gear and when I press the lever away from me it engages the bull gear. This is backwards. 

 I think the design of this Logan is terrible, its extremely hard to get the eccentric shaft slid back into place with a blind key way. I tried to assemble this with the head stock on the machine and gave up and decided to just pull the head stock off so I could easily hold all the pieces and attempt to get everything lined up. 

I tried putting the lever all the way in. Holding the little gear in place with a punch then sliding the assembly together, but no matter what I always end up with it put back together backwards? I have rebuilt manu southbends and they are easy. This Logan Design Sucks and I am fed up and ****** of at the machine!!

Has anyone done this before and could you offer some advice or pictures please? Thanks in advance


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## gjmontll (Oct 17, 2014)

Bobby,

Yeah, the design is terrible, but here is the fix: see my "Greg's Logan 820 Restoration" thread in this forum. In particular, see my posting on 6-14-14. And also see Redlineman's thread about his Logan, that's where I got the idea. 

I see you are just 30 miles north of me. Maybe we can get together?

Greg


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## bobby light (Oct 17, 2014)

gjmontll said:


> Bobby,
> 
> Yeah, the design is terrible, but here is the fix: see my "Greg's Logan 820 Restoration" thread in this forum. In particular, see my posting on 6-14-14. And also see Redlineman's thread about his Logan, that's where I got the idea.
> 
> ...



So you cut a slot into the end of the eccentric shaft I see that.

Also when I install this, I need to make sure I have the Lever installed correct? As you can't install the lever without it catching the teeth of the gears.

I know that the slot will allow me to slip a screw drive through the side of the headstock and turn the eccentric shaft, I am so brain fried right now I think I need to relax and mull this over in my head how this will help me LOL

Seriously a poor ass design!

Of course all my mills are down and I just sold the one I had, will have to rig something up to cut the slot


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## Mister Ed (Oct 17, 2014)

There are instructions floating around for doing this without the screw slot. The design might be a PITA to line up, but, since many many of these lathes have been kicking around for 50-60 years ... it must not be too bad.)

When I did mine (a few years back) I got lucky and had success after a couple attempts.


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## bobby light (Oct 17, 2014)

Totally understand the logic behind the "slot" now. That's a great idea. If I had not already got the shaft into the gear I would have done this modification. That theory allowed me to understand what I needed to do. I rotated the eccentric gear to it's highest point and then a little more past towards the user and the slid the lever in bringing the gear back to the low point. Now it's correct. Been a long last 4 days for me. I was tired and irritated and knew I was over looking something simple.

Still a silly design in my opinion, which I am sure nobody cares about 

On a side note I need a bull gear with the 1.5 bore? Anyone have one for sale? Ebay looks empty. I had a spare but it's got the smaller bore dang it!


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## Mister Ed (Oct 17, 2014)

Glad to hear you got it. I have a gear for a 200, but I believe that would be the smaller bore.


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## Redlineman (Oct 18, 2014)

Hey;

Don't hate on the design jus cuz yur a bonehead!?!?! You are the absolute first dude EVER to have trouble figuring it out, so we can all laugh at ya cuz we all got it first time and ourz all work slicker'n snot on a doorknob.

:lmao:

OK... there is some truth in that! It is a pretty simple mechanism, and it does work quite well if you get it right. It is tricky to get set until you figure it out, and we have ALL struggled with it. The slot in the end is absolutely worth the effort, even if you have to tear the backshaft down to do it. I said ABSOLUTELY, and I meant it! I fiddled endlessly and got it right without it - headstock up on the bench - but with the slot it was no brain simple. I did mine on the mill with a slitting saw, but you could do it it on the cheap with a Dremel or a hacksaw even. Anything that works. Mine is adjusted nice and snug, and runs smooth and quiet. I can't imagine doing it with the headstock installed and no slot. OY!


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