# Just picked up my 13" Leblond Regal lathe now I need to learn to use it



## Chris Davis (Nov 5, 2018)

I picked up a 13" Leblond Regal lathe this weekend. Its my first piece of metal working equipment. I have been watching a lot of Pete222 videos for the past month and am excited about starting my first project. The problem is I don't know anything and I think I am going to flounder unless I start using the lathe, making mistakes, and learning. 

Any suggestions on a first project that has detailed instructions that I can follow? 

Thank you,
Chris


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## Technical Ted (Nov 5, 2018)

Well, Leblond is certainly a very nice lathe to start off with! How about a picture or two?

I would suggest thinking about making some tooling for you lathe. Don't know what you got with it so it's hard to suggest what to make. But, I think that might be a good place to start.

Ted


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## lordbeezer (Nov 5, 2018)

A lathe can hurt you real quick if you're not careful.please study up on safety precautions.a nice first lathe.


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## Mitch Alsup (Nov 5, 2018)

http://vintagemachinery.org/pubs/1617/3789.pdf


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## benmychree (Nov 5, 2018)

First get a copy of LeBlond's book, "Running a Regal".


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## markba633csi (Nov 5, 2018)

First project: make a wood cradle to protect the ways when you remove the chuck
Great first lathe!
mark


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## Nogoingback (Nov 6, 2018)

Instead of a specific project, just get some easily machined round bar and start working with it.  6061 T6 aluminum and 12L14 steel both
machine nicely for that purpose.  Do you have cutting tools yet?  You also need some basic measuring tools if you don't have them.
You can initially perform some basic operations like facing, turning, drilling etc.  Pick a diameter, and then try to turn to that diameter
accurately.  Pay attention to spindle speed, feed rates and depth of cut.  Make some spacers.  While you're doing this, you'll learn a
bunch about your lathe and what it can do.  Before you know it, you'll have a project in mind.

Oh, and by the way, if there are no pictures, it didn't happen...


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## Jim Huel (Nov 6, 2018)

I also have no experience and just got my lathe powered. So, I can't speak from experience, but can say what is fun for me.  And, this isn t my business, so it's mostly about fun.

I spent a couple hours experimenting on a $1 flea market steel rod.  Used a round nose HSS shaper cutter and played with feeds and feeds, and trying to hit target diameters.

I need a 3/16 - 32 machine thumb screw for locking the shapers depth of cut dial, so tried that.  I suspect that's not a recommended first project, but covers some different issues.  Knurling the head was surprisingly easy, probably due to having a heavy lathe.  I got the od pretty close, but not so great on lengths.  Threads were marginal, and I need to grind a better tool shape.  I was starting probably the last threading pass when the screw broke.  Some brief disappointment but no big loss and I'll do some things differently next time.

Trying to make something specific is a lot more interesting to me.  Even if the part is a fail, I'm no worse off than doing drills.  And definitely shoot for specific dimensions.  That seemed harder to do on a real part than when just practising. Real world "pressure". But, great fun.


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## stupoty (Nov 6, 2018)

mmmm leblond lathes  

(not just because I have one) 

Stu


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## Chris Davis (Nov 6, 2018)

Guys, Thanks for all the feedback. 

I will get me some round stock and start like NoGoingBack suggested. The lathe came with some tooling. The previous owner was a real nice guy that only lived 5 miles away. He had upgraded to a lathe with a DRO. So far, it looks like the lathe is in pretty good shape. 

Here are some more pics.

I am assuming that Pete222's "How to run a South Bend Lathe" series is different then the videos he has on You Tube. Any experience with the video series? 

Thanks.


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## Dabbler (Nov 6, 2018)

first:  Congrats!  I LOVE LeBlond lathes!  (I don't have one)

In order to get going safely and to preserve the machine, you need to obtain some kind of way cover, as above, but
the most important project I did for my lathe is: (drum roll please) a block or plate for your lathe chuck so you can position your chuck to put it on/take it off without the possibility of a 'ding' on the ways.

Here's mine:




Some people just use a hunk of plywood:




I know, you are asking for is a project - in metal- to _*turn *_on your lathe!

Problem is, I turn on my lathe 20 times a week for little 5 minute jobs.  I never do 'lathe projects' But  I couldn't live without it!

Do you have a hard or micrometer carriage stop?  - very handy!


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## pontiac428 (Nov 6, 2018)

You got yourself a nice lathe, there.  One of the suggestions was to make tools for your lathe, and I couldn't agree more.  I haven't reached the end of making tools.  Chuck keys, carriage stops, tool post things, cutting tools, radius cutters, taper attachments, post grinders, tailstock accessories...  Back when I was in high school shop class, we would have to perfect turning to prescribed diameters before moving on to other things.  This would involve turning a 1" bar down in 1/8" steps (or whatever) and if the instructor didn't like the quality of your work, he would destroy it before your eyes using one of the many, many methods available in a well-equipped shop class.  I was happy to move on to making knurled center punches after passing that test...


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## Nogoingback (Nov 6, 2018)

Great looking lathe and well tooled it appears.    Make sure you understand the controls on your machine and what
they do.   If you have LeBlond specific questions, the the LeBlond sub-forum is the place to ask them. 

Don't know about that video series, but "How To Run A Lathe" was a book published by South Bend Lathe Works.
Another older reference is the Manual Of Lathe Operation (MOLO) published by Atlas Press.  Both are full of useful
information and are available at http://abebooks.com.


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## Chris Davis (Nov 7, 2018)

Nogoingback said:


> Instead of a specific project, just get some easily machined round bar and start working with it.  6061 T6 aluminum and 12L14 steel both
> machine nicely for that purpose.  Do you have cutting tools yet?  You also need some basic measuring tools if you don't have them.
> You can initially perform some basic operations like facing, turning, drilling etc.  Pick a diameter, and then try to turn to that diameter
> accurately.  Pay attention to spindle speed, feed rates and depth of cut.  Make some spacers.  While you're doing this, you'll learn a
> ...



Thanks, good suggestions


Dabbler said:


> first:  Congrats!  I LOVE LeBlond lathes!  (I don't have one)
> 
> In order to get going safely and to preserve the machine, you need to obtain some kind of way cover, as above, but
> the most important project I did for my lathe is: (drum roll please) a block or plate for your lathe chuck so you can position your chuck to put it on/take it off without the possibility of a 'ding' on the ways.
> ...



Dabbler, good suggestion. I was planning on making something similar. The chucks are way heavy. Fortunately, a micrometer carriage stop was included in the tooling. I imagine I will be like you, using the lathe in support of other projects. Thank you for the feedback.


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## Dabbler (Nov 7, 2018)

> Fortunately, a micrometer carriage stop was included in the tooling



That's great!  Have a lot of fun with your new purchase!


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## Jimsehr (Nov 7, 2018)

I would look to see if there is home shop machinery group or a mentor near you.


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## Asm109 (Nov 7, 2018)

Also watch the videos and make some of the projects on Thatlazymachinist.com
His hammer project is a good beginner lathe project.


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## Splat (Jan 10, 2019)

Nice machine  and tooling you got there! That Jacobs collet chuck is a sweet piece. Good luck with the lathe. Have fun but BE CAREFUL.


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## T Bredehoft (Jan 10, 2019)

I don't see than anyone's mentined it, You can thank your lucky stars your lathe has a "Quick Change Gear Box!"  This will allow you to change the feed rate  (and thread pitch) just by moving levers. Many of us have to manually "change gears." take out the  wrong gears and put in the correct ones, in the correct position. We generally have to change 3 to 5 gears for any change.


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## cwooten5 (Nov 26, 2020)

Jim Huel said:


> I also have no experience and just got my lathe powered. So, I can't speak from experience, but can say what is fun for me.  And, this isn t my business, so it's mostly about fun.
> 
> I spent a couple hours experimenting on a $1 flea market steel rod.  Used a round nose HSS shaper cutter and played with feeds and feeds, and trying to hit target diameters.
> 
> ...


Hello! Congrats, man!
What an envious looking pile of tooling. Lol
I just got a round head regal 13 for 400 bucks in providence forge, va.  The catch is that it came with no compound rest. 
Can you maybe give me some dimensions on it, maybe couple close pics?
Thank you so much!


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## Chuck K (Nov 26, 2020)

Chris Davis said:


> Guys, Thanks for all the feedback.
> 
> I will get me some round stock and start like NoGoingBack suggested. The lathe came with some tooling. The previous owner was a real nice guy that only lived 5 miles away. He had upgraded to a lathe with a DRO. So far, it looks like the lathe is in pretty good shape.
> 
> ...


Very sweet machine. I had one like it.  You can do some serious hogging with that.  Very stout. I loved the feel of that machine. The carriage glided so smoothly. Definitely a keeper.


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## Winegrower (Nov 26, 2020)

The first thing to make is some money so you can buy a mill.


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## davewatkinsimortal (Mar 30, 2021)

Wow my gosh am I impressed with your first lathe man! That's a great looking setup I mean those collets lol. I'm also picking up a leblonde 13" regal for my first lathe and it's a little dirty but I'll clean it up I'm not sure how to do any of this either so I'm following what your doing as well


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## benmychree (Mar 30, 2021)

There is a publication by LeBlond; "Running a Regal".  See if you can find one.


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## Dabbler (Mar 31, 2021)

PM me fi you can't I think I have a digital copy from 1948.  My copy wasn't copyrighted (or no copyright was declared).


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## MrWhoopee (Mar 31, 2021)

Wow, color me jealous. You're starting out well up on the food chain. Most beginner's can only dream of bringing home a package like that. 
Congratulations.


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## cwooten5 (Apr 1, 2021)

I just got myself a LeBlonde regal 13" trainer myself. It is truly a monster for a hobbyist, lol.
Haha, mine is prob 54 inches center to center


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## Dabbler (Apr 1, 2021)

@cwooten5 Some pictures would be appreciated...


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## MrWhoopee (Apr 3, 2021)




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