# First Lathe. Good Deal Or Waste Of Money?



## Jmanb13 (Sep 8, 2016)

I just picked up my first lathe today.

It is a 1944-1950's Leblond Regal 15. The seller said he thinks its a 1946. Serial Number C7426

I think its a 15x40. The bed length is right around 75" end to end.
It came with 4 chucks. (3) 3 jaw and (1) 4 jaw.
It also has the taper attachment and a box full of tooling. I have not done an inventory but there is at least a dozen or 2 various cutting tools and a ton of bits.

It is a bit rusty, but nothing terrible, everything turns and moves without issue. I have not done a full inspection of the ways because they are covered in a very thick grease that I will need to clean before I can get a better look.

I have not seen it run, but was told it was running when the seller picked it up.

Price was $1600 delivered to my driveway.

Having trouble getting images to show. They show in my edit window but not when posted. Here are the links

https://www.dropbox.com/s/tu3ko9tfdqrhmra/leblond1.jpg?raw=1
https://www.dropbox.com/s/2a7l7uakzsiri9l/leblondtool.jpg?raw=1
https://www.dropbox.com/s/dyk2x5wfggej12z/leblondserial.jpg?raw=1











For those that can't see the files, I've uploaded them to the post. 4GSR


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## 4GSR (Sep 8, 2016)

Got to start somewhere.  Looks good to me.  Just needs a little TLC.

Welcome to the H-M forum.

Cracks me up how people can take a chuck wrench and literally turn it into a pretzel! 
I have the same chuck wrench I bought new, with the chuck that it came with, back in 1979.  I have yet needed to use that kind of force to bend the handle  into a pretzel.


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## Cheeseking (Sep 8, 2016)

Well.........I don't really want to be the downer here but man I dunno.  Looks like a project for sure.  Check it out and verify it runs first thing but before you do too much moving of slides/cranking etc,  I'd get after it with oil and scotchbrite asap! As long as the rust is just surface type and the ways aren't all pitted and scored it may clean up nicely.   Good luck and post a follow up when you have it fired up.


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## Wreck™Wreck (Sep 8, 2016)

You have failed to mention the intended purpose of the machine.


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## TOOLMASTER (Sep 8, 2016)

seen better for less


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## stupoty (Sep 8, 2016)

TOOLMASTER said:


> seen better for less



  Do the chucks that are no on the lathe have back plates? to attach them?

I had one little tiny spot of rust on the threaded nose of my regal 13" and I had to cut the chuck back plate off with a hacksaw and split it with wedges. I think the chucks like to get stuck on the threaded LeBlond Spindles.

I really really like my LeBlond though 

Stuart


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## Charles Spencer (Sep 8, 2016)

TOOLMASTER said:


> seen better for less



Yep, and worse for more.

A little cleaning makes anything look better.  Nice bunch of accessories too.

What kind of motor?


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## Paul in OKC (Sep 8, 2016)

I see you are in Norman. Don't have much time at the moment, but if I can be of any assistance.......


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## Jmanb13 (Sep 8, 2016)

Wreck™Wreck said:


> You have failed to mention the intended purpose of the machine.


I don't have a specific purpose at this exact moment. Over the years I have built or designed random things and I always run into something I need and can't find. With the lathe, I would be able to create many of them.



stupoty said:


> Do the chucks that are no on the lathe have back plates? to attach them?
> 
> I had one little tiny spot of rust on the threaded nose of my regal 13" and I had to cut the chuck back plate off with a hacksaw and split it with wedges. I think the chucks like to get stuck on the threaded LeBlond Spindles.
> 
> ...



2 of the 3 chucks that are not on the machine have a back plate. Hopefully the one that is on the machine isn't stuck 



Charles Spencer said:


> Yep, and worse for more.
> 
> A little cleaning makes anything look better.  Nice bunch of accessories too.
> 
> What kind of motor?



3 Phase. I'm going to need to get a VFD or something similar to run it.



Paul in OKC said:


> I see you are in Norman. Don't have much time at the moment, but if I can be of any assistance.......



Thanks Paul! I might hit you up sometime.


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## Jmanb13 (Sep 8, 2016)

Cleaned up the ways a little and made a video. From looking at the wear patterns it really looks like the previous owner used the carriage at the far end way more than close to the chuck.

There is the obligatory dents directly underneath the chuck from carelessness, but for the most part the rest of the ways look decent to my untrained eye. 

You can see the crazy gunk I had to clean off in the video.


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## eeler1 (Sep 9, 2016)

Question;  good deal or waste of money?

Answer;  yes!

Benefit of buying an older lathe is that you get to know it intimately as you clean up, fix, etc

But you don't necessarily make all the chips you want right off the bat.

Fair price really depends in large degree on location.  You may have gotten a better lathe at that price in a tool-rich environment, but would have expense of travel to go get it or shipping cost.  

Yes, you hate to overpay (not saying you did), but keep in mind that having a lathe is better than not having one.  And if I had minimum wage for every hour I've spent scouring for machine tools, I'd have been able to afford a decent new one.   something to be said for just getting one and starting to make chips.


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## silence dogood (Sep 9, 2016)

I have a neighbor whom has a lathe similar to yours in size,but newer and a different brand.  It has been sitting in his shop for over ten years and he has never fired it up.  If you use the lathe and enjoy it, then it's a good deal.  The only thing that I will add is to learn to use it well and safely, and that is what this site is for.


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## Tozguy (Sep 9, 2016)

Jmanb13 said:


> Cleaned up the ways a little and made a video. From looking at the wear patterns it really looks like the previous owner used the carriage at the far end way more than close to the chuck.
> 
> There is the obligatory dents directly underneath the chuck from carelessness, but for the most part the rest of the ways look decent to my untrained eye.
> 
> You can see the crazy gunk I had to clean off in the video.



Seems like you have already started to enjoy your lathe. 
There is a lot of satisfaction to be had from reviving good old machines.
Looking forward to seeing the results. Hope you also enjoy the great bunch of folks here.


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## Billh50 (Sep 9, 2016)

Considering it was delivered to your driveway and it cleans up well I think you did ok. I know some have gotten better deals but with all the tooling I see and delivery included I think you did well.


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## tomh (Sep 9, 2016)

For the size and what came with it and delivered YOU did just fine!
Wipe it down,  get used to it and enjoy it as is !
I have ran a lot worse lol,     *its not the lathe that makes the machinist   its the machinist that makes the lathe*!
Most of the ways on older and some newer lathes are dinged up so I don't see any thing to be alarmed about and you got enough tooling to get started so go for it.


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## Jmanb13 (Sep 9, 2016)

Thanks all. I have been watching CL for a couple months now and the pickings have been pretty slim. I see 1 lathe show up every 2 or 3 weeks, and everything I find is either extremely overpriced , 300+ miles away, or totally destroyed.


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## martik777 (Sep 12, 2016)

Ways look decent, definitely more visible wear further down the bed which is a good thing if you are making short parts but the wear doesn't look excessive. A rotary VFD is dead easy to make, all you need is another 3 phase motor with approx 50% more HP, a switch or 2 and a capacitor. There's a how-to in the electrical section here.

Also check: https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Leblondlathe/info

Looks rough  but if there are no major problems I think it's good value. It's one heck of a "starter" lathe!


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## TakeDeadAim (Sep 13, 2016)

The LeBlond are good lathes,  I can still see factory flaking on the rear way, Id say you did just fine.  You do have a project to get it cleaned up and working.  All that black dried grease and oil on the front of the front way, Vertical surface has to go but a liberal application of that purple cleaner from auto zone, wal mart just name your "mart" works great then a good putty knife works great to remove it.  Citra-strip works well on the paint.  Liberal coating let it soak a long time covered in plastic then a putty knife and wire brush work well.  Change all the fluids in the head and other gear boxes, make sure the oilers works well and your ready to make chips.  VFD works great as a phase converter and can add some top end to those lathes which are a bit slow.


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## Jmanb13 (Sep 13, 2016)

martik777 said:


> Ways look decent, definitely more visible wear further down the bed which is a good thing if you are making short parts but the wear doesn't look excessive. A rotary VFD is dead easy to make, all you need is another 3 phase motor with approx 50% more HP, a switch or 2 and a capacitor. There's a how-to in the electrical section here.
> 
> Also check: https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Leblondlathe/info
> 
> Looks rough  but if there are no major problems I think it's good value. It's one heck of a "starter" lathe!



Thanks for the info! I've joined the yahoo group to see what they have.



TakeDeadAim said:


> The LeBlond are good lathes,  I can still see factory flaking on the rear way, Id say you did just fine.  You do have a project to get it cleaned up and working.  All that black dried grease and oil on the front of the front way, Vertical surface has to go but a liberal application of that purple cleaner from auto zone, wal mart just name your "mart" works great then a good putty knife works great to remove it.  Citra-strip works well on the paint.  Liberal coating let it soak a long time covered in plastic then a putty knife and wire brush work well.  Change all the fluids in the head and other gear boxes, make sure the oilers works well and your ready to make chips.  VFD works great as a phase converter and can add some top end to those lathes which are a bit slow.



I finally got the chance to open up the headstock and all the gears have all their teeth fortunately.  
I'll grab some of the Purple cleaner. I got a couple plastic putty knives to scrape off some of the crusty crap. I also picked up a gallon of Evaporust to clean up some of the rusty parts that I can submerge.

In addition to that I have some Mobile Vacuoline #1409 for the ways on the way as well as a Hitachi WJ200 VFD to power it. 

As far as fluids, is there recommendations on good fluids to use in the gearbox etc?


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## TakeDeadAim (Sep 13, 2016)

I know they have a manual for your lathe at vintagemachinery.org so you could get the definitive answer on lubricant for the head and gearboxes.  Usually some sort of hydraulic fluid.  I have a hitachi WJ200 on my mill, nice unit.


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## markamerica (Sep 14, 2016)

Tozguy said:


> Seems like you have already started to enjoy your lathe.
> There is a lot of satisfaction to be had from reviving good old machines.
> Looking forward to seeing the results. Hope you also enjoy the great bunch of folks here.



This is undeniably true. Recently, I fetched out of storage a little 8" bench top Craftsmen drill press I bought more than 20 years ago. It had been sitting in a bad spot for a decade(really don't know why I put it there except expedience at the time,) so it had thick surface rust, the column was pitted, the chrome on the handles and so on was flaking, and I just shook my head at my own foolish neglect. I disassembled it completely, cleaned it all intensively, painted, polished, and reassembled and now it looks better than showroom new. That made me happy. Didn't have need of it at the moment, could have bought a new one almost as cheaply as the hours I poured into it, but maybe in stubborn rejection of the predations of time, or because it just pleased me to overcome my own neglect, I enjoyed the heck out of fixing it up. So yes, good job, and enjoy the lathe!


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