# New Logan 2555V Owner



## Wobbles (Jul 21, 2014)

Hi -

Had an early model Logan (maybe 200 Series) 20 years ago and always  regretted selling it.  A local opportunity came up, and I decided to buy  this nice looking 2555V. It runs great (it's got a 3-phase converter on  it), and I love the motor being built into the underside of the  stand/table, but it's missing *a lot of tooling*... a lot more than I  initially realized.  So the hunt is on !!

• First thing to fix is that the 2-1/4 thread 3-jaw will not thread all the way onto the spindle. It gets about 1/4" from seating and stops! The adapter plate (removed from the chuck) threads on nicely when it's reversed. Go figure. Any ideas ?? Metric thread? Bad adapter?

• Second, the auto-indexing tailstock has got to go, especially since it's not MT friendly. So is the 2555 considered a 10" or 11" lathe?  And where's the best place to find a "standard" Logan tailstock to fit the 2555?  

I guess the first order of business is to buy the manual from Logan.  Thanks for any suggestions.

Photos on their way. 


Wobbles
NE Georgia


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## Jon In Tucson (Jul 22, 2014)

Wobbles,
Welcome to the forum!:thumbsup:
You sir, are the proud owner of a 12" variable speed lathe that weighs in at a little over 1000 lbs.  I understand that the beds for the 10", 11", and 12" lathes are the same. So I deduce that an 11" tail stock would work. I can measure the height and width of mine if you want to see if an 11" tail stock would work. God bless.
Jon In Tucson


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## JR49 (Jul 23, 2014)

Wobbles, Thank you for giving me a chance to finally answer a question! As a total novice in machining, I have done nothing but ask questions since I joined this  forum a few months ago. Don't be affraid, however to take advise from such a novice, because, although I'm still learning the basics, I had the same problem with the adapter plate not turning all the way on to the spindle of my Logan 2557VH ( basically the same 12" lathe as yours), and I spent a long time researching it.
If you look at the inside of the adapter plate, that starts to thread onto the spindle, there is a short smooth surface before the female threads start. that short (about 1/4") area is the adapter plate "register".   Now look at the spindle's  male threads, and follow them going towards the headstock. Where the spindle threads end, there is a short (again about 1/4") shoulder. This shoulder is the spindle "register". For the chuck to run as true as it is capable of running, the female "register" of the adapter plate must be a tight slip fit on to the male "register" of the spindle. NOW, for the results of my research. All other makers of lathes with 2 1/4 X 8 tpi spindles use the same diameter register on their spindle. Logan, however, saw fit to make their spindle register, on some(not all)  of there 12" lathes , a few thou. larger. This is why your adapter plate stops before sliding on to the spindle register (thats the 1/4" that you are seeing) To fix it just screw the plate on the spindle backwards, so that the female register is facing out and turn a few thou. off the ID of the plate NOTE: be very careful that you don't damage the threads!!!  And, of course, measure everything first so you don't take too much off.  My 6" 3 jaw had about .005" runout before I did this fix. Now its only a tad over .002". I'm sure most threaded adapter plates are made to fit the common majority of 2 1/4" X 8TPI spindles, so I wonder how many 12" logan lathes are out there, not running as true as they could. Sorry this is so long, but I wanted to be sure I explained it corectly. Hope this helps. JR49


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## Wobbles (Jul 23, 2014)

Jon In Tucson said:


> Wobbles,
> Welcome to the forum!:thumbsup:
> You sir, are the proud owner of a 12" variable speed lathe that weighs in at a little over 1000 lbs.  I understand that the beds for the 10", 11", and 12" lathes are the same. So I deduce that an 11" tail stock would work. I can measure the height and width of mine if you want to see if an 11" tail stock would work. God bless.



Jon -
Thanks. 1000 lbs wow!! I knew it was heavy, but....  You should have seen us rolling it down the trailer ramp the day it arrived. The seller had it on 4 "piano dollies", and it was a bugger even though we were only going down 12" or so onto the floor. 

I have since mounted it on 4 casters rated at 500 lbs.  That's just to shove it to it's final resting place. I should probably chock it up once in place. 

I'm ordering the manual tonight.  Thanks for the info.

- - - Updated - - -



JR49 said:


> Wobbles, Thank you for giving me a chance to finally answer a question! As a total novice in machining, I have done nothing but ask questions since I joined this  forum a few months ago. Don't be affraid, however to take advise from such a novice, because, although I'm still learning the basics, I had the same problem with the adapter plate not turning all the way on to the spindle of my Logan 2557VH ( basically the same 12" lathe as yours), and I spent a long time researching it.
> If you look at the inside of the adapter plate, that starts to thread onto the spindle, there is a short smooth surface before the female threads start. that short (about 1/4") area is the adapter plate "register".   Now look at the spindle's  male threads, and follow them going towards the headstock. Where the spindle threads end, there is a short (again about 1/4") shoulder. This shoulder is the spindle "register". For the chuck to run as true as it is capable of running, the female "register" of the adapter plate must be a tight slip fit on to the male "register" of the spindle. NOW, for the results of my research. All other makers of lathes with 2 1/4 X 8 tpi spindles use the same diameter register on their spindle. Logan, however, saw fit to make their spindle register, on some(not all)  of there 12" lathes , a few thou. larger.



Thanks for the info.  I suspected that, and my micrometers told me as much, but I thought the adapters would be hardened and hadn't attemped any repair until I heard back. 

Looks like I got my first turning job cut out for me !! 

Thanks again for your time and *expertise *!

:thumbzup:


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## Wobbles (Jul 23, 2014)

JR49 said:


> Wobbles, Thank you for giving me a chance to finally answer a question! As a total novice in machining, I have done nothing but ask questions since I joined this  forum a few months ago.




JR -
I got home and did what you said.  By Jove, it worked !!

  :man: 

I hereby confer upon you the title of "Novice First Class", with all the privileges, powers, and properties associated with said rank.   Look for a good increase in your next pay check too.  

The 3-jaw now runs smooth and straight.  Now I can trim the new bushings to re-work my carriage handle.  Many, many thanks!

Wobs


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## Wobbles (Jul 24, 2014)

Here's the photos I promised earlier....













2555V still with the auto-indexing tailstock. Previous owner just had it painted. 

That tailstock either has to go bye-bye, or I'm going to need to find some 5/8 adapters to fit those holes.  I'm most familiar with the Morse Taper tooling.  What's the straight 5/8" called ??


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## hvontres (Jul 24, 2014)

A lot of screw machine tool holders have 5/8" shanks. I have been seeing a few lots of these going by on ebay, along with some knurling tools and other more specialized setups.


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## wa5cab (Jul 25, 2014)

Wobbles,

That isn't a tailstock.  It's a bed turret, common on some screw machines.  It is an option on many makes of engine lathes, albeit rather rare.  As you've found, it isn't a particularly good substitute.

There isn't that I know of any other common name for 5/8" straight shank tool holders (or 3/4". 1", 1-1/4", etc.) than 5/8" shank tool holders.

BTW, I need a bunch of 3/4" shank tool holders for my Atlas.  I have a bunch of 5/8" available.  I mostly want what are commonly called "drill holders" or "Adjustable drill holders".  Which is what I mostly have in 5/8".  About all that ever turns up on eBay are the more complicated types.

Robert D.


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## Wobbles (Jul 25, 2014)

Thanks for the speedy replies, guys.  I've considered reaming the 5/8 hole to #2 MT, which might work, but then how to pop the tool back out ??!!

The search goes on.  )


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## wa5cab (Jul 25, 2014)

Wobbles,

I don't know what the flat-to-flat dimension on your turret is but looking at the photo showing it, it appears to be too small to convert to removable 2MT.  And I think that we would all agree that saying that having a 2MT socket with no removal capability would be undesirable would be an understatement.  A quick perusal of the Morse Tapers table in one of the dozen or so Atlas MOLO's I have gives 3-3'8" as the required depth of the tapered hole plus removal slot.  Double that and add 1" allowance for the axle and you have 7-3/4" as the minimum flat to flat dimension.  

Plus, although I don't know the depth of the 5/8" dia. holes in your turret, I would expect probably 5/8", same as in a 5/8" turret I happen to have sitting here.  If you drill the hole deeper and ream or otherwise cut a standard 2MT taper, you will not clean up the existing hole.  The diameter of a 2MT socket 5/8" down from the large end is about 0.60".  That you could probably live with, but I don't think your turret is large enough for the other requirement.

If your Logan were an Atlas, I would be offering to swap a tailstock for your bed turret.:whistle: 		

Robert D.


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## Wobbles (Jul 26, 2014)

Robert -
Many thanks for the thoughtful reply. Please forgive me. When I say "MT2" I'm really simply daydreaming in generic terms. What I'm trying to convey is that the idea of reaming the existing part to except more common tooling has occurred.  And leaving a center drill, Jacobs chuck, and a live center mounted full-time in some kind of 'fancy-fied' tail piece is not a repulsive idea to me.  Especially when one considers that Logan wants $1K for a new tailstock, and a ream is only $100! 

Secondly, I have also explored the idea using other brands of tailstocks, but none I can find use the Logan method of the V-groove. That groove would be nearly impossible to add to a flat-bottomed tailstock and still get the height correct. Is there another brand that's similar ?

I've contacted several equipment sellers with Logan 12" lathes to see if they would be interested in a swap to increase the value of their machine. To do that I'm having to give up on the idea of selling the turret at a profit to offset the initial expenditure. 

Add to that... thought I'd do a quick re-bush of the carriage today.  The apron had already been bushed once before, so it was going to be a "knock out the old and press in the new" 15-minute job.  That was before I discovered the handwheel shaft was .020" under and scored. 

Argh!! More time and money. :think1:


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## wa5cab (Jul 26, 2014)

Wobbles,

I'm not familiar with lathe brands other than Atlas except in general terms.  So I don't know whether anyone else used the Logan V-bed pattern or not.

Another option is that I have seen, although they must not be common, drill chuck arbors with straight shanks.  Maybe they were for screw machines.  And yet another is that because the 2MT male is longer than the socket, you should just be able to regrind the taper to 5/8" diameter (and cut it off).  For the center-drill, just find a 5/8" shank drill holder in the proper diameter.  Or with a bushing just a little smaller than what you need and bore it out.  The live center might be the worst challenge as most of the smaller ones seem to have the arbor made as part of the center.  Grinding it would be difficult because the only thing you could chuck on is the taper.  You might get a straight sided 2MT socket and shorten it.

Robert D.


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