# 11" 1957-2 Refurb



## Dmp2275

Hi everyone!  My name is Dustin and im located in south central Pennsylvania.  I just finished a refurb of a Logan 11" lathe a few months back and wanted to post the process here.  Some of you may have seen a few of these if you're a member of the yahoo group.

Story:  I had a small Atlas lathe that I refurbished a few years back and wanted to upgrade to something I could actually work with steel on (haha).  I picked up a Southbend 10k with a ton of tooling for a steal and planned to convert that over to a "toolroom" model by retrofitting the cabinet, bed, and headstock from a lathe in better shape.  Long story short, I found a cabinet/bet/headstock in Philly and drove out to get it.  I didn't realize it at the time, but I was actually picking the cabinet up from 611 machine sales who deal in tool resale.  To my surprise, they had a nice little Logan turret lathe buried in the middle of their lathe selection.  I had my heart set on a Logan for a while but just couldn't find one which is why I had settled on the 10k.  I made an offer and the owner was gracious enough to let me take the Logan (along with the SB cabinet assembly) and send a check in the following week as I didn't have enough cash with me.  I ended up parting the SB out, made a ton of money off the thing and paid for all of the Logan while managing to keep any interchangeable tooling (2 buck chucks, tons of tailstock chucks, steady rest, micrometer stop, etc, etc).  That's pretty much where this story begins so ill let the photos do the rest of the talking..  Photos coming shortly


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## Dmp2275

I guess I should mention that I bought this particular Logan because it was a turret model (1957-2 to be exact) and the bed looked pretty nice.  Ultimately, I probably wont ever use the turret so during the restoration process, I added a compound and converted it to a standard screw cutting lathe (ie, model 1955).  Still havnt decide what ill do with the turret but probably end up selling it.  It takes up a lot of space and I can get anal about having things laying around that I wont use.

The lathe was dirty as all hell as it seems to have been used w/ coolant all its life.  That was ok with me as it prevented any rust or major lube related issues.  As found:


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## Dmp2275

Packing up and ready to head down the turnpike.  This little trailer was sitting at max capacity so it was a nervous ride home, but we made it (with the SB cabinet as well).


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## Dmp2275

Once home, teardown began:


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## Dmp2275




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## Dmp2275




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## Dmp2275




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## Dmp2275

After full disassembly, next came cleanup in the parts washer and refurbishing any rough areas + paint. This included replacing all the sealed bearings in the drive unit, new gearbox bushings, new gearbox keyed shaft, clean/re-grease spindle bearings, new felts, new rubbers for the cabinet, etc.


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## Dmp2275




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## Dmp2275




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## eeler1

Very cool, nice progress.  Keep the pics coming.  I used to believe that turret lathes used for production would be totally worn out.  But I have a similar Logan 912 in process, and yes some things are worn, but the bed actually does not show hardly any wear at all.  I figure that once in place, the turret and cross slide don't move until re-set for another job, so actually much less sliding on the bed surface than with a conventional lathe.  Just my musings, nothing scientific.


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## FOMOGO

Looking good on the rebuild. Should be a nice machine when your done. That turret assembly could be very handy if your ever making a run of the same parts. Mike


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## Dmp2275

Sorry guys, internet took a crap (satellite + storms = no internet). 

Mocked cabinet up, made sure everything was square/level, and bolted it together.  Mounted casters (for ease of movement.. lathe rests on leveling feet when in place but casters are rated for 400lbs ea).  Picked up some really nice leveling feet from McMaster.


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## Dmp2275

Began reassembling everything after paint.. headstock first, made sure back gears were properly aligned and no runout in spindle (its dead nuts!).


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## Dmp2275

Next came the drive unit..  All new sealed Koyo bearings.  Just to note, the oem bearings on the drive unit had a metal casing which had allowed crud to get into the bearings over the years.  I replaced them with a corresponding part number that uses a rubber seal.  Hoping for better bearing life (not like it matters much considering this lathe is from around 1961' and bearings lasted this long).  Rubber seals will decrease rated speed a bit but doubt it matters much in this instance.  I didnt actually calculate speeds of the shafts but im sure they can handle much more than this lathe runs (max spindle speed 1238rpm).  Also note the 3/4hp peerless motor which is 120/220v capable and reversible.  If this ever bites the dust im probably going to move to a 1.5hp 3 phase motor with VFD as i think this lathe can handle more power.. plus itd be nice to use a 3400rpm motor and double my top end speed to 2460rpm (or more if i push the vfd past 60hz).  It would help with using carbides.  Im using a similar setup as described on my bridgeport and absolutely love it.  Worst part is calculating actual speeds but its managable.


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## Dmp2275

From here, more assembly..


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## Dmp2275

As noted before, i had to replace one of the gearbox shafts.  At the time, i didnt have a mill so i purchased a ground/polished and keyed 5/8" shaft from Mcmaster.  I didnt realize it but the OEM Logan shaft does NOT have a standard keyway cut for the shaft size.  The key way measured out to 1/8" while the standard keyway size is 3/16".  I ended up just using the shaft from Mcmaster and the larger keyway has had no ill effect.  Once the gears are fitted, the difference in size is barely noticable considering gear play.  I may end up going back and making a shaft from scratch now that i have a mill but i dont think its necessary.


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## Dmp2275

So here is where i ran into a snag.  I began assembling the carriage assembly and knew i wouldnt be happy with a rocker tool post.  I bought a phase II QCTP to fit onto the lathe in AXA size.  So i went to a buddies house to mill the T-nut.  While milling, his mini mill burned up the servo motor and control board (ouch $$).  I dont have any other friends with milling machines that im willing to ask for help, so i went and did the next most logical thing.. i bought a bridgeport. 

This also came from the Philly area.  Made in 62' according to the serial number, it has a mitutoyo dro, an updated servo powerfeed on the x axis, came with a bridgeport vice, has a mitsubishi VFD with braking resistor thatll run up to 5hp, and it came with a good bit of tooling including end mills, tool holders, and some other goodies.  This thing, in the 4 months ive had it, has been a god send.  Best purchase i ever made (along with the lathe)!!  So after i got the mill, i had to reassembly and clean everything (took about a week) and then 30 seconds into milling the T-nut, the top pulley bearings locked up.  I had heard the bearings making raquet when i tested the mill so i wasnt surprised but that put me down another week while i waited for parts and rebuilt the bridgeport head. Finally, I used the mill to finish up my T-nut.


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## Dmp2275

On with the lathe.. It was moved into its final resting spot and leveled up before i did much more assembly.  Got it close to level with a 4' framing level and finished up just insuring there was no twist in the bed by using a machinist level on each end of the bed and making sure it registered at the same spot.


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## Dmp2275

There were a few things i wanted to change on this lathe.  I didnt want the production collet closer mounted anymore as i couldnt open the gear cover.  Part of the collet closer was a long spindle take up nut so i found an original short one on ebay from a model 1955 (im not comfortable turning threads yet).  That allowed me to get the side cover mounted.  From here, the lathe was pretty much finished.  Then i had to make backing plates for the two chucks i kept from the SB i had parted out.. a 4 jaw buck and a 3 jaw buck set-tru scroll chuck.


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## Dmp2275

I may get blasted for this but after finishing the lathe, i had to tool up since i didnt have much.  Im a young guy with student loans, a mortgage, and a pending wedding so i didnt have the money to waste on expensive high end tooling.  Ill spend on the important stuff like drills, cutting tools, inserts, etc, but the tooling holders, collets, etc. all came from Shars.  It only cost a few hundred to completely tool up for most work and Shars includes accuracy guarantees on this stuff so i know what im getting.. if it doesnt spec out i send it back.  I have to say, ive been extremely impressed with the carbide tool holders and the XL AXA QCTP holders as well (using 5/8" shanks).  The collets are 5c and i modified my production closer to be used as a standard hand operated closer.


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## Dmp2275

And finally, here it is in action..
This is Heat Treated 4140.
Turning down to 1" diameter to use as table pins for a press im building.
-18.5" of total cut length
-CCMT carbide insert
-1238rpm (max speed)
-.005" feed rate
-roughly 500sfpm (gathered from feedback from other users turning 4140HT on practical machinist).
-around .020" DOC (.040" off total diameter)

The first photo is a video so click to see the cutting process


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## autonoz

Great job on the rebuild. How does the spindle break work on the Logan?


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## Dmp2275

To be frank, it sucks. It's basically just a little piece of leather that rubs the spindle. This lathe spins down quick enough that I don't think it provides much/any benefit.  If I can figure out a way to keep the chuck in place for quick stops, I'd much rather go to a VFD with a braking resistor. On the Bridgeport, I can stop and have the spindle come to a stop in fractions of a second.  It's marvelous for rigid power tapping and would be nice for threading too.


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## Steve Shannon

Dmp2275 said:


> Snip...
> I dont have any other friends with milling machines that im willing to ask for help, so i went and did the next most logical thing.. i bought a bridgeport.
> Snip..,


Words cannot express the hero worship I'm feeling...


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## MBfrontier

Hey, Dmp2275.

Nice job on your machine restorations. Very nice finish on your 4140 pins.

What kind of paint did you use?

I have a 1957 Logan 11 X 36. I replaced all the jack shaft and spindle bearings and I see you replaced some bearings as well. My strategy was to deal with any of the major components that needed attention and then disassemble and refinish what is left. Mine came with a 3 phase motor that needed new bearings as well. In addition, I decided to go with a VFD to run the three phase motor and wired the on/off forward reverse switch wired directly to the VFD. I added a potentiometer for variable speed which is wired directly to the VFD as well. The lathe came with the same collet closer set up you have for yours and 60 5C collets but I haven't had a chance to do anything with it yet.

Here's where the progress is on mine:


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## Dmp2275

MBfrontier,
I used an alkyd enamel from TSC (tractor supply). It's basically farm implement paint. Colors were IH white (basically a light almond) and MF grey.  I've had really good luck with alkyd enamels if they're done right. They take a long time to cure and really do best with a primer (but they're usable without).  I really like the grey as its dark with a lot of green in it and looks "vintage". I just finished my 20 ton press and did it in the same grey.  








I must say, I'm a little jealous of your Logan! It has everything that I'm missing: 55" bed, the cabinet I prefer, and a VFD! I also like that belt tensioning mechanism on the drive unit better. Mine seems a little hokey.


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## MBfrontier

Nice looking 20 ton press. I have one I bought from HF. It's one of those items that I hardly use but, when needed, nothing else will do.

I like your chip pan where it has a lower middle section. Looks like it will make it easier for chip removal. I see some 1957's with a chip pan like yours and others that are flat with a built in steel cup in the rear to accommodate liquid coolant like mine. I don't know if that is a generational design or some type of option where you could pick which chip pan came with the lathe.

My collet closer came mounted on my machine. I'm a rookie hobbyist so I won't be involved in repetitive machining operations so, like you, I took it off to be able to frequently open the cover. Here's a picture of my collet closer and collets that came with this machine:


  You mentioned in a previous post "The collets are 5c and i modified my production closer to be used as a standard hand operated closer." I am very interested in how you modified your collet closer to operate the closing by hand instead of using the lever. Any info you could post in this thread would be appreciated.

My next assembly to address is the QCGB. It runs fine without any issues although I won't know if any of the Oilite bearings are worn until I get it apart.

Good luck on using your machines.


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## Dmp2275

I do a lot of automotive work so the press gets used a fair amount.  I had a little HF 12 ton and i became tired of pumping the jack handle in short order so i built this 20 ton with an air/hydraulic jack.  I disassembled the jack and mounted a pressure gauge and put draw tubes in it so it can be used upside down.  Sure is nice just hitting a button!

Before i get to the collet closer, id recommend disassembling your gearbox asap.  mine seemed "fine" when i first checked it out but almost every  bushing was worn through and the 5/8" shaft that the levers ride on was severely worn.  Just a side note, McMaster Carr has every bushing and the 5/8" keyed shaft i needed.  total cost was like $25.  I did upgrade to the iron based Oilite bushings as they seemed to be rated for higher loads.

Collet closer mods:
1) remove the set screws and pull the old bearing blocks off the draw tube.  They may be a light press fit.




2) take a bunch of measurements and figure out where your new handle will sit on the draw tube.  There are steps where the bearings mount so if the handle will sit over these, youll need to turn them down to match the diameter of the rest of the tube.  Just a note on this, the center hole in my buck 4-jaw wasn't large enough to pass the draw tube back through the spindle so i ended up using a 3 jaw set-tru chuck.  I centered it as close as i could but it still a thou or two offcenter where i turned the steps down.  Not noticeable during use..







3) Make a handle for the draw tube.  I used a chunk of 3" aluminum.  Part stickout is pretty far on this but didn't have any issues.  I bored the center hole first for a snug fit on the draw tube.  Then i wacked the end off on my bandsaw (that i also restored).  Back to the lathe, created a step on the end of the handle that fits into the taper on the back of the spindle.













4) Drilled 2 holes in the handle (one on either side) and thread 5/16-18.  These are for set screws to hold the handle in place.  To prevent the handle from going anywhere, i marked the holes on the draw tube and milled flats that the set screws fit into on the draw tube.  I left the tube long at first until i could try it out, then i knocked like 4" off the end.  I left around 1.5" of drawtube sticking past the handle as i plan to make a spyder to hold long objects out the backside (thinking rifle barrel)


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## Dmp2275

Here's a project i started with collets:

Draw tube cut down:



-6al-4v titanium, turning to 1.125" to fit largest collet. 










Where it sits now:
On its way to being a wedding ring..


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## MBfrontier

Dmp2275,
I plan on purchasing a 20 ton air bottle jack for my press but many other projects to finish first. It is a pain to jack the handle especially on long throws so spacers ease the jacking for now.

I agree with your recommendation on addressing the QCGB as soon as possible. It's next.

Thanks very much for taking the time to post the info and all the pictures on what you did with your collet closer. It looks like a simple and clean solution.


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## Dmp2275

No problem!  I don't really know what the heck im doing yet but if i can provide help to any others, im all for it


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## MBfrontier

Not trying to hijack your thread but I just finished my QCGB today. The only issues I had was the LA-1222 shaft (The shaft with all the gears on it) was bent and the LA-1215-1 shaft (The shaft the levers slide on) was worn. I ended up straightening the LA-1222 shaft on my hydraulic press and I made a new LA-1215-1 shaft. I replaced all of the oilite bushings which I ordered from McMaster Carr. All the shafts took some fitting in the oilite bushings because they were too tight. In addition, I stripped the name plate and refinished with black enamel. The QCGB  looks much better and runs much smoother. There were no major issues like you had with yours but I knew there was an issue because you could hear a surge with it running. It turned out to be the bent shaft. Here's a picture of the finished QCGB:


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## Dmp2275

No worries about hijacking, I enjoy seeing what others are able to do!  Feel free to post as many photos as you'd like.  That gearbox turned out pretty nice.  Glad you got it all sorted.  What year is your machine?  Based on my serial, I think mine was made in 1961.  Im curious as you appear to have a brass speed chart while mine is aluminum.


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## MBfrontier

Thanks, Dmp2275.

My 1957 Lathe was built in 1953 according to the serial number chart on the Logan Website for serial number 60588.

The name plate is made of brass and I believe it is the original. Logan sells a name plate (item # LP-1785B) that is brass and would work OK but it shows 72 and 36 tooth stud gears and mine uses 48 and 24 tooth stud gears. The feeds are the same so I thought if I ended up trashing my name plate I could order and use the replacement without changing any gears. Fortunately, mine turned out OK and I like using the original parts and it matches my stud gears. I could have used red, blue, and black but decided to just use black which works fine for me. It appeared that someone long ago refurbished this nameplate with red and black as seen in a prior picture I posted on this thread. Therefore, there wasn't much left of the raised portion of the plate to work with while wet sanding to bring out the brass of the raised portion after painting.

Best regards.


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## T. J.

@Dmp2275 - nice job!

@MBfrontier - would you mind sharing the details about the paint you used on your lathe?  That looks very close to what little original paint is left on my lathe, which I want to restore someday. 

T. J.


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## MBfrontier

T.J.,

I used Benjamin Moore Alkyd Enamel color ID 2119-30 Baby Seal Black. I originally started using this paint on my Logan 200 restoration. I buy it a quart at a time from a local Benjamin Moore Dealer. It is documented on the Logan Lathe Website in the FAQ section here:
http://lathe.com/faq/index.html#_Toc95180279

I use a brush to apply the paint. It needs a small amount of mineral spirits mixed in to reduce the brush marks in the finish. It doesn't look as good as a spray paint finish but I like not having overspray in the shop during the winter months when I can't paint outside.

The paint I used on the nameplate is Rustoleum High Gloss Black.


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## T. J.

Thanks!
I had seen that reference on the Logan website. I'm glad to see you got good results. The sample color on the Benjamin-Moore website looks way darker. 

T. J.


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## RonRock

Great thread! You have inspired me to do the same to my Logan. Complete teardown yesterday. Started cleaning parts and ran out of time. Back to it today.

Couple questions. How did you get the leadscrew apart from the case? I can't figure out how to hold the screw while getting enough torque on the nut.

Did you happen to save a parts list of the bearings and bushings you replaced?

Nice job, looks great!


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## MBfrontier

RonRock,
I wrapped cardboard around the collar on the outside and held with a pair of channel locks while unscrewing the nut on the inside with a box wrench.

QCGB:
Below is a list of the items I ordered from McMaster Carr in addition to where they go, qty, and whether they needed to be cut to length. I ordered some bearings from McMaster Carr longer than needed because they did not offer the exact length required and didn't want to place several orders with multiple vendors. In addition, some of these (if not all) needed to be fitted because the ID was too tight on the shaft after installation into the housing. I hope this is helpful but recommend you measure the bearings in your housing to check against this list before you make a purchase.

Line    Product Ordered                                                                                                                                            Shipped
1           6391K241 Oil-Embedded Sleeve Bearing, for 5/8" Shaft Diameter, 3/4" OD, 1/2" LG.                 2 Each

2           6391K119 Oil-Embedded Sleeve Bearing, for 7/16" Shaft Diameter, 9/16" OD, 1" LG.                  3 Each

3           6391K172 Oil-Embedded Sleeve Bearing, for 3/8" Shaft Diameter, 1/2" OD, 3/8" LG.                 2 Each

4           6391K253 Oil-Embedded Sleeve Bearing, for 5/8" Shaft Diameter, 13/16" OD, 3/4" LG.             2 Each

5           6391K259 Oil-Embedded Sleeve Bearing, for 3/4" Shaft Diameter, 7/8" OD, 1" LG.                      1 Each

Line item 1 bearings are for the selector shaft. (1/2 length instead of .578)
Line item 2 bearings are for what I call the gang gear shaft (2) and inboard small dia. of the input shaft (1). (1 inch length cut to 3/4)
Line item 3 bearings are for the two selector gears.
Line item 4 bearings are for the input shaft. (1 inch cut to 3/4)
Line item 5 is for the lead screw.

Spindle:
I purchased these bearings from Applied Industrial Technologies. Be sure to check your bearings to make sure these are the proper replacements.

Qty. 1             SKF 6010 2ZNRJEM
Qty. 1             SKF 6009 2ZJEM

Good luck with your project.


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## RonRock

Very helpful Mike B. Thank you.

I tried holding the collar with a pair of channel locks. Collar twisted on the shaft. So I removed the setscrew and checked, there is not a flat on the leadscrew for the setscrew to seat to. I'll try tightening the setscrew down a little tighter. I don't mind a few burrs on the collar, it will be easy and cheap to replace. Don't want to take any chances with the leadscrew though.

Thank You,
Ron


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## Silverbullet

THANKS I TOO HAVE AN 11" LOGAN . ITS BEEN USED BY ME OFF AND ON FOR OVER THIRTY YEARS AND ITS BEEN A GREAT LATHE FOR ME. ID LIKE TO GET ANOTHER LATHE IN THE 14" OR 15" RANGE. BUT WITH ME I MAY NOT EVER BE ABLE TO AFFORD ONE. BEING DISABLED AND WHEELCHAIR BOUND . MY ONLY INCOME BARELY COVERS LIVING EXSPENSIVES. SO IM ENJOYING THE MACHINIST SITE AND YOUTUBE. 
THE REBUILD YOUVE DONE IS REALLY GREAT LOOKING . BETTER THEN NEW I THINK.. IF YOUR GOING TO SELL THE TURRET COULD YOU LET ME KNOW I MAY BE INTERESTED.  THANKS AND BE SAFE , NO FUN BEING HURT. GREAT LOOKING LATHE YUPP


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## Silverbullet

COULD YOU SEND ME THE DIMENSIONS OF THE PART OF THE LEVER CLOSER THAT HAS THE SLOTS CUT ON THE LARGER DIAMETER PART THAT GOES ON THE BACK OF THE LATHE TUBE. I HAVE A LEVER ONE BUT AM MISSING THAT PART .IN THE MIDDLE OF YOUR PICTURE OF THE CLOSER TAKEN APART. IF YOUR NOT GONA USE IT ID LIKE TO BUY IT IF ITS NOT TO MUCH. THANKS AGAIN.


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## RonRock

Mike, can you tell us anything about the link belts? I am considering them for my lathe. I don't use it often enough and am thinking that the link belts may be a good option considering how long between running my belts may set. I put them on my table saw years ago and they are still doing the job. Just wondering what your thoughts are. As well as where you got them. 

I wouldn't be surprised if the belts on my Logan now are original equipment. I know that I have owned it for at least 20 years. Bought it from the high school I went to after they closed the machine shop.


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## MBfrontier

I first used a link belt after restoring my Logan 200 Lathe. I was noticing a pulse when running the lathe and traced the cause to the splice on the belt from the motor to countershaft. That's when I first used a link belt and it seemed to run quieter and eliminated the pulsing.  As you can see in my pictures, I used all link belts on my 1957 Logan Lathe. It allows me to make the belts any length I want and keeps me from having to remove the spindle to change belts if and when needed. So far, they have been working well for me.

I purchased the link belt for My Logan 200 Lathe from Harbor Freight. I purchased the belts for my 1957 Logan Lathe from a local hardware store.


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## RonRock

Thank you again for the helpful information Mike. I'm leaning towards link belts myself. I kinda thought that they are a little noisier than V-belts, but not enough to outweigh the benefit of the missing bump/bump/bump when first started after setting for some time.

Cheers,
Ron


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## MBfrontier

Ron, you're probably right on the noise. I really didn't run my 1957 much with the v-belts before I rebuilt the headstock and changed everything over to linked belts. It just runs very quiet but perhaps it would be quieter with a v-belt. I'll never know.

One thing I left out on my last post is I didn't have any issues regarding matching the two spindle belts. I just made them up with the same number of links and they were the same size.


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## RonRock

Dmp2275 said:


> After full disassembly, next came cleanup in the parts washer and refurbishing any rough areas + paint. This included replacing all the sealed bearings in the drive unit, new gearbox bushings, new gearbox keyed shaft, clean/re-grease spindle bearings, new felts, new rubbers for the cabinet, etc.
> 
> 
> View attachment 219658



Can you tell me where you bought the rubber bushings?

How did you size the brass bushings? I'm trying to decide if I should replace mine now. They aren't "that" bad, but as long as I'm doing the job I figure I might do them. But I don't want to open a Can-O-Worms that I will regret.


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## Dmp2275

Wow, I missed a bunch of replies here... I don't think I was getting the email notifications!

Just to comment on some of the past posts, the extra parts for the collet closer went to the scrap yard (nobody seemed to want them on eBay), the turret was sold for peanuts, and I use an impact gun to remove the lead screw nut as it'll whip the nut off without marring the shaft.. not really any need to even hold it. 

Regarding the rubber bushings for the motor mounts, I didn't have to replace those but I saw new ones on eBay. I believe there was a gentleman reproducing them. I had to replace all the small rubber parts like the door bumpers and headstock cover bumpers and I also got those off eBay. 

The bushings I picked up from McMaster and I didn't actually have to size any of them. They were just about perfect fit width and diameter wise for the shaft which I also got from McMaster. Hope that helps!


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## ZSK

Dmp2275 said:


> ......Also note the 3/4hp peerless motor which is 120/220v capable and reversible....
> 
> 
> View attachment 219690
> 
> 
> View attachment 219691




THANK YOU!!!  Thank you for posting these detailed photos in your build thread.  (You did an impeccable job by the way)  I was given a Peerless 1/2hp and couldn't find the proper wiring diagram for 120v "LOW VOLTS".  I wired it in the "HIGH VOLTS" configuration and put 120v to it and it worked so I knew that I had the wrong "LOW VOLTS" diagram.  You saved me some money and a bunch of time by not having to run 240v in my garage.


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## dcsims

Dmp2275 said:


> MBfrontier,
> I used an alkyd enamel from TSC (tractor supply). It's basically farm implement paint. Colors were IH white (basically a light almond) and MF grey.  I've had really good luck with alkyd enamels if they're done right. They take a long time to cure and really do best with a primer (but they're usable without).  I really like the grey as its dark with a lot of green in it and looks "vintage". I just finished my 20 ton press and did it in the same grey.
> 
> View attachment 185787
> 
> 
> View attachment 185788
> 
> 
> 
> I must say, I'm a little jealous of your Logan! It has everything that I'm missing: 55" bed, the cabinet I prefer, and a VFD! I also like that belt tensioning mechanism on the drive unit better. Mine seems a little hokey.



What jack are you using that will work in an inverted position?

Dennis


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## Dmp2275

ZSK said:


> THANK YOU!!!  Thank you for posting these detailed photos in your build thread.  (You did an impeccable job by the way)  I was given a Peerless 1/2hp and couldn't find the proper wiring diagram for 120v "LOW VOLTS".  I wired it in the "HIGH VOLTS" configuration and put 120v to it and it worked so I knew that I had the wrong "LOW VOLTS" diagram.  You saved me some money and a bunch of time by not having to run 240v in my garage.



Glad to be of help!



dcsims said:


> What jack are you using that will work in an inverted position?
> 
> Dennis



Hey Dennis,
I saw the conversation you sent over but wanted to give feedback publicly to help anyone else looking around. I used a harbor freight 20 ton air over hydraulic. The purpose for using this jack was the super low cost and ease of availability. I had to modify it to function inverted and didn’t want to ruin a more expensive bottle jack.. in order to use it inverted, you basically have to disassemble the jack and insert tubes into the suction ports that are found in the jacks base plate. I drilled the orifices out enough to press fit a section of brake tube, reassembled, and refilled the jack. It works fine inverted afterwards. You can find instructions on this modification online and most any brand of bottle jack is constructed similarly. Your mileage may vary considering the origin/quality of these. 


I also wanted to add an update correcting one of my earlier comments during the lathe refurb.. I had mentioned how bad the hand brake sucked.. after replacing it with a proper piece of quality leather (3/4” strapping from McMaster) it actually works really well! Apparently some grease had leaked out of my rear spindle bearing (since the caged bearings aren’t fully sealed and I had repacked them with a bit more grease than necessary) which ended up soiling the first piece of leather. I ended up replacing the spindle bearings with sealed units last fall (skf front and nochi rear) and haven’t had any issues with the leather brake, since!  It’s turned into a handy feature as I use the lathe more.


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## dcsims

I thought you must have added a dip tube to pick up the oil with the jack inverted but wanted to be sure. I saw where Harbor Freight said they would work either vertical or horizontal but that doesn't apply to inverted.

I built the frame for a press over twenty years ago but balked at the cost of hydraulic ram when I priced them. I was shooting for 50 to 75 tons. Now that I am old and retired I don't think I would need that much pressure. I will go for the 30 ton HF jack and be happy. Now the frame will get some use other than just being in the way and collecting dust.

Thanks for getting back to me. 

Dennis


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## Dmp2275

dcsims said:


> I thought you must have added a dip tube to pick up the oil with the jack inverted but wanted to be sure. I saw where Harbor Freight said they would work either vertical or horizontal but that doesn't apply to inverted.
> 
> I built the frame for a press over twenty years ago but balked at the cost of hydraulic ram when I priced them. I was shooting for 50 to 75 tons. Now that I am old and retired I don't think I would need that much pressure. I will go for the 30 ton HF jack and be happy. Now the frame will get some use other than just being in the way and collecting dust.
> 
> Thanks for getting back to me.
> 
> Dennis



Welcome!  Not sure if you’ve had one of the bottle jacks apart but It really Is a fairly simple assembly. I forgot to add that I think (it’s been 2+ years now) that I had to add 2 pickups to the jack, one for the manual operation and one for air over hydraulic. I believe this one had 2 different suction ports. 

I’ve used mine a ton and I’m always pretty impressed with how much work you can do with 20tons of pressure. I even made a 30” wide press brake and have bent some 1/4” plate for various projects. 

Just a side note, I also took the time to drill and tap into the high pressure port and install a 10k psi gauge. This allows me to judge tonnage by calculating the pressure reading by piston diameter.  Because my frame is so beefy and I work on some fairly large stuff, I figured the possibility was there to overload the jack. That being said, I rarely see over 2k psi when pressing bearings and normal stuff. Even using the break I don’t seem to get near 20 tons for the stuff I’m working on.


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## dcsims

Thanks for the further explanation, I watched a couple of U-Tube videos and figured there must be two ports on the air over hydraulic. That is the route I will most likely take also. I just don't like pumping the handle that much but it would be nice to use air to move the ram down and load up the pressure then use the manual handle to ease up on the pressure. 

I built my frame years ago and used I-beam that has 1/2 to 5/8 web so the frame would stand 100 tons but when I priced the hydraulic ram that was designed for a shop press it would break the bank so I just stopped at that point. Now years latter I will settle for the 20 ton HF jack which will be more than enough to press on bearings.

Thanks for all your help,

Dennis


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