# New to me 11 inch logan



## Chris Hamel (May 2, 2021)

I just acquired a logan model 957 lathe.  Prior to this lathe, I have using a nine inch South Bend, so this is quite an upgrade.  Everything seems to be in good working order.  It has a three phase motor with a 220 v converter which seems to work fine.  Came with a bunch of accessories, including steady rest, follower rest, taper attachment and a six jaw  tru-set chuck  as well as a 4 jaw and a three jaw outside chuck.  The six jaw chuck seems to be pretty worn.  According to the serial number it was made in 1951.
I was curious if anybody out there is set up to make the adapter to convert the spindle taper to mt3.  Best I can tell my lathe spindle is 2 degrees taper.  If anybody out there can make one, I would pay for your time.  Logan actuator's site has one, but they want 157.00.

I am including a picture.


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## Nogoingback (May 2, 2021)

Nice!  Would love to upgrade to one of those.


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## eeler1 (May 2, 2021)

I dunno, why do you want a spindle adapter?  You don’t really use much tooling in the spindle.  If you want to use 5c collets, $157 for a spindle adapter that fits the proprietary spindle in that machine isn’t a bad price.


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## Chris Hamel (May 3, 2021)

Sometimes I turn between centers.  Also I like to clean up my tail stock centers by putting them in the spindle.


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## Chris Hamel (May 4, 2021)

Continuing to work with my "new" lathe.  Found a few problems.  I was checking on the headstock gears which seemed a bit noisy and discovered the 60  tooth idler gear that feeds onto the lead screw has several missing and damaged teeth.  Amazing thing is it still works without skipping or binding.  I am going to make a new gear out of aluminum.  I borrowed a set of 16 do gear cutters from a friend.  I have cut gears before, but 60 teeth is really going to take patience.  Decided to use aluminum in case the fit isn't perfect it will wear instead of the cast iron.

Other issue I am having is keeping the gibs adjusted on the cross slide.  They seem to want to loosen up by themselves.  I am thinking of buying longer set screws and adding jam nuts.  Anybody else have this problem.  Also is there anyway to take out the backlash on the crossfeed knob?


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## wa5cab (May 4, 2021)

You apparently have a taper attachment.  Why not just convert the spindle taper to 3MT and be done with it?

On the gib screw lock nuts, that is the obvious thing to do.  It probably came with them and some numbnuts changed the screws and threw the nuts away.


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## Chris Hamel (May 4, 2021)

I was thinking the same thing about the taper attachment.   Never used one so it will be a learning experience.


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## Janderso (May 4, 2021)

I'd like to see your method of cutting the gear!!


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## Chris Hamel (May 4, 2021)

Not going to do it for several days, but when I do I post some pictures.


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## Nogoingback (May 4, 2021)

As far as I know, Logans came with lock nuts on the gib adjusters.  Mine did.

On mine (Model 200), I can get some of the backlash out of the crossed by loosening the outer nut on the 
handle and adjusting the inner nut a bit.  It's a touchy deal, but I've improved it that way.   I'm not certain
that your's is the same design as mine however.


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## wa5cab (May 5, 2021)

Most of at least the older US made lathes without needle or ball thrust bearings have a functionally similar way to adjust the end float of the cross feed screw to nearly zero.


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## Chris Hamel (May 6, 2021)

thanks I'll try that


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## Chris Hamel (May 10, 2021)

Finally cut the 60 tooth gear today.  Installed it and there is little growl, but I'm not too concerned since it is made out aluminum it will wear in.


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## Chris Hamel (May 17, 2021)

Chris Hamel said:


> Not going to do it for several days, but when I do I post some pictures.


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## Chris Hamel (May 17, 2021)

Noticed something with this lathe.  You can back the cross slide out to a point where it covers up the numbers on the wheel.  Wouldn't happen often, but might if I was making a pulley.  Any suggestions?


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## T. J. (May 17, 2021)

Chris Hamel said:


> Noticed something with this lathe.  You can back the cross slide out to a point where it covers up the numbers on the wheel.  Wouldn't happen often, but might if I was making a pulley.  Any suggestions?



Well, you could put a DRO on it


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## Choiliefan (May 19, 2021)

Kluge something with a dial indicator and mag base.
I have a couple 1" travel DI's for finish work on my lathe.


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## Happycamper (Jun 2, 2021)

Do a search on eBay. There is a guy that makes the crossfeed nuts for Logan’s.


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## Chris Hamel (Jun 3, 2021)

Thx


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## Chris Hamel (Jun 28, 2021)

After making a new gear out of aluminum, I decided to make an adapter to go from the 2 degree  spindle to mt3.  Not sure if there is better way, but I set up the taper attachment by chucking  a piece of round stock.  I measured off exactly one foot.  Using a dial indicator I  adjusted the taper attachment until I got the correct number of thousandths per foot.  Worked great.  The adapter was a good fit.  Next I did the same thing for the taper of mt3.  I put the adapter in the spindle and bored with the mt3 taper.  When i was done and I put a mt3 center in it, it ran true.

Today I put a new cross slide nut in it.  (Got from eBay for about $50..)  Really helped to tighten things up.  Now I only have about .010 slack on my crossfeed knob.

Finally I put some extra long screws on my crossfeed ribs so I could put jam nuts on them.  Big improvement.


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