Got My First Lathe... Logan 1875 - With Restoration.

[Bob Korves]

The really best thing is that your take down, cleanup, inspection, and polish of every part of the lathe gives you really intimate knowledge of what it is, how it works, and exactly how it was assembled and adjusted. When you are using it you will know and feel everything going on with the machine, good or bad, or just how it is. It is part of you and you are part of it. That is a very different experience from buying a machine, plugging it in, looking at the green start button, and saying "magic happens here."

 

[Mr Mike]

I checked the Serial Number 71619 stamped on this Lathe against a date range at the Logan Lathe store to find the date of manufacture, If I'm reading it right then this lathe was built in 1957 - Which means it's 60 years Old..? Logan used Blue Gray paint till the 60's which is the color this lathe was before I electrocuted it. Hmm...

Edit: I ordered some parts today from Logan Actuator Co, While talking to Scott ( Parts and tech support ) I asked if he could verify the age of this lathe. Yup.. it was manufactured in 1957.

 

[Mr Mike]

Time to assemble the back gears.. The following photos are for part identification and orientation.
Additional text only if an explanation is necessary. Parts are in their proper orientation, look closely.



During some previous assembly of the small gear that was pressed on, it galled and scraped
the metal which was pinched between the gear and shoulder - always use an anti-Seize.

The small gear is pressed to the shoulder and will leave about 3/16" of the quill end exposed,
Notice the portion near the end of the quill that steps down, press small gear on this side.

So your wondering or maybe not... The tube says aluminum - which is the main component,
color and heat range for this anti seize, it can be used on many alloy types.

Another popular anti seize is called Never Seez -


When parts need to be pressed past the end of a shaft I'll use a socket just larger then the
shaft - without a press you can use an all thread bar with nuts and washers to pull it on.
If you have never used a press watch lots of videos, Don't be in a rush, Don't use a hammer.



If the play between the Oillite bearing & shaft is greater than .004 press in new ones.




The before and after -

Easy Peasy.. Done.

The bonus photos below show how the alignment should be to the Bull Gear and Spindle
Pulley when installed in the Headstock.

The Large Back Gear should be flush to the outside of the spindle pulley gear.


The small Back Gear should be flush with the back side of the Bull Gear, Note the Bull Gear
teeth protrude past the small Back Gear by about an 1/8".



The spindle assembly will be a different set of photos, although simple there are a couple things to be careful of, Spacing.
Thats all for now, have fun Mike.

Disclaimer - This is how my lathe is assembled, yours could be different so you should defer to your parts break down located in your manual.

 

[RandyM]

Mike, I find it interesting that the shaft has set screw marks on it.

You are obviously experienced at doing this sort of thing. I greatly appreciate that you are not taking any short cuts. You do quality work.

 

[Mr Mike]

Mike, I find it interesting that the shaft has set screw marks on it.

You are obviously experienced at doing this sort of thing. I greatly appreciate that you are not taking any short cuts. You do quality work.

Hello RandyM, Yes..! those Marks are a conundrum on that piece. This is my very first lathe restoration project - fortunately the same skill set, methods and procedures apply to most machinery across the planet, I could have been an engineer in school but I chased after the girls instead, then later in life I learned machines just make more sense..! Who would have guessed

 

[Mr Mike]

This Is the Eccentric Shaft that raises and lowers the back gears on many Logan laths.

This short series of photos show all the parts in their proper orientation.
Note that the short & long Bushings have oillite bearings, The shaft rotates but never spins
so the play between the shaft and bearings should be minimal, Pre-Oil the assembly
when Re-installing - there is no access to the right bearing after installation but the left
bearing can be oiled by removing the reversing lever if needed.


Notice the key is offset slightly on the shaft.. The pinion gear is slip fit, If needed use a socket
and not the bushing to convince the gear to fit flush to the shoulder.


The back gear assembly rides on this eccentric shaft which raises and lowers the back gears
to the spindle pulley & bull gear.


The left and right bushings are held in the headstock with an allen head set screw at each end,
These bushings control the alignment of the back gears to the spindle pulley and bull gear &
Rack shifter and should allow very little lateral movement ( side to side ) of the back gears.
Refer to Post #173 in this thread to see the alignment of the back gear and spindle pulley.
In this photo you can see the eccentric shaft, back gears and bushings as an assembly.

In the photo above with the back gears engaged there is a 6 to 1 gear ratio between the
spindle pulley and the bull gear.

More information and photos will be posted when these components are re-installed in the
headstock. Mike.

Disclaimer - This is how my lathe is assembled, yours could be different so you should defer to your parts break down located in your manual.

 

[RandyM]

OK, now you are just showing off.

But that plastic stand for the gear train is a beauty. Sometimes it is nice to see an assembly without the surrounding hindrances. It can really let you see what is going on without mirrors and body contortions.

 

[Mr Mike]

OK, now you are just showing off.

But that plastic stand for the gear train is a beauty. Sometimes it is nice to see an assembly without the surrounding hindrances. It can really let you see what is going on without mirrors and body contortions.

Hi RandyM. Thats why I'm building it, to show people how back gears work as a system, but the stands not done yet..

 

[Mr Mike]

I love the easy ones - just surface rust mostly and scattered areas of missing & loose paint.


This headstock cover was put in electrolysis, cooked over night and pulled out 16hrs later,
sprayed off with the hose then sprayed with 50/50 phosphoric acid, lightly scrubbed then I
let that stand for 2 minutes.. rinsed and dried.


20 minutes of scrubbing with a Scotch Brite pad and wallah - Done.

 

[Mr Mike]

The change gear cover has minor surface rust and tones of scaling paint.
It sat in the electrolysis tank over night and cleaned up with ease, I didn't remove the hinge pin
because of the angle it sits at... trying to drive the pin out without a press could damage the
casting so I left it in place and will work with it.



After being pulled out of the tank it was hosed off and sprayed with phosphoric acid.. it sat
for about 4 minutes and scrubbed with a brush, then patted dry.


I used Scotch Brite to polish it up.. Done.!


Guard was literally just pulled out of the electrolysis, You can see some paint still on the
part but its no longer adhered to the guard and is removed with the garden hose. I don't
show these photos because who wants to eat after seeing this.


Same as above just hosed off.

Up next is the change gear assembly, after that all thats left is the Quick Change Gears, Carriage & Apron - then paint and reassemble - Woot getting closer every day... Mike.