Newbie needing help with 820

[Campfire]

A couple of years ago I was lucky enough to walk into a shop at the right moment after a terrible accident.



I stared at the carnage and knew the lathe had been used by a former employee a lot, but there was nobody left there that could operate it, and it seems that we just replace parts anymore and not really "fix" things. They were moving it out of the shop to "storage" and making more room.
Being the opportunist that I am, I jokingly asked if anyone had dibs on it. The manager stated that "It's scrap now, if you want it, get it out of here now."
"Can I borrow your fork lift please?" And I moved it right out of their way for them.

I picked up the pieces that separated, and stashed it out of the way until I could get my trailer to haul it off.



I retired in December and now have some time to get back and start re-learning machine shop from long ago. I took Machine shop in High School, and one class in college, but after looking for parts and researching lathes, a few things have changed in the last 38+ years.

I've cleaned it up, replaced the belt, fixed and welded the cracks in the belt cover, made new hinges and a pin for the belt cover, and played a little on it with polishing some things, and facing off some aluminum. Traced out the numbers and it's a 1947 model 820.


BUT.....

In the fall, it landed on the three jaw chuck and bent the spindle about .006".

I've researched it and found that need a part # LA-660 which is now a LP-1303.

QUESTION;

Will a Model 200 spindle work in this 820 headstock? Or what spindle will interchange with a 820?


It now sits in my garage awaiting the transplant from a donor.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

 

[eeler1]

Question; how did you determine the spindle was bent?

What a great find! Can't help with your questions, but you are fortunate to know about the accident and that it wasn't worse.

 

[Billh50]

wondering how you checked the spindle to say it is bent.

 

[Campfire]

The first indicator was the scuff marks on the three jaw that came with it.



Then I tried a smaller three jaw and then the 4 jaw that came with it.
Borrowed a magnetic base dial indicator and place it at about a 45 degree angle to measure the end of the spindle, but trying to avoid the edge of the threads. Then I also measured the base of the three jaw chuck rotating by hand.

Ordered a spindle off of Ebay for a model 830, but that's a turret lathe and the spindle was 2.25" longer. I've seen a couple of 820's on there, but they have been pretty marked up or look like they were bead blasted to get the rust off. Even saw one that had weld marks on the front bearing flange.
Just found a 200 spindle, but it shows a different part number (LA-109-3) but that model looks identical except for the quick change gearbox.

I'll be calling Logan in the morning to see if they can help also. Just thought someone here might real world experience replacing one.

 

[Nogoingback]

There's a good chance that the 820 spindle is the same as a 200, though of course Scott Logan will know the answer.
Did your new spindle come with bearings, and if so how do they feel? A blow hard enough to damage the spindle could have damaged
your bearings as well. Logan sells them.

I recently replaced the bearings on my Model 200, so if you change the spindle out, don't hesitate to ask questions.

What a shame about the lathe: it makes me cringe to see it upside down like that.

 

[Chuck K]

I don't think the 200 spindle will work for you. If I remember correctly it's a different length. If you're patient, you'll be able to find a complete headstock for that machine. They're always being parted out. I probably have a spindle for that machine, but without being able to hold it in my hands and match it up, I would just be guessing. I really should lable parts when I store them away. As you already found out, there are differences in some of the spindles.

 

[Campfire]

Well, took a little time this Sunday afternoon and tore down the head stock a bit. And thanks Nogoingback, I was thinking the same thing about that bearing, and will be replacing it too when I find a spindle someday. The bearing had a lot of wax residue and not a lot of oil or grease. The maintenance might have been skipped a little.

 

[Nogoingback]

There a couple of model 200 spindles on eBay right now. I'm curious about the part number you have for the spindle: my Logan Model 200 parts book lists the spindle as
p/n LA 109-1 for both early and late headstocks. Where did you get the number from?

Some folks have had luck washing the old grease out of their bearings and repacking them, assuming the bearing is smooth of course.

 

[eeler1]

I'm still not convinced that the spindle is bent. The cast iron headstock doesn't bend, and I'm pretty sure the spindle is hardened, so more likely to break or crack perhaps rather than bend The bearings are the usual victim to take the blow, as they are replaceable. While you have it off the machine, maybe take it to someone who can test it for you. I don't have a suggestion on who to do the test, maybe a cylindrical grinding shop. Can always try Tom Lipton at Oxtools in Benicia, he's big on measuring stuff on his youtube channel.

My reasoning is that you don't know what the replacement spindle has been through over the last 50 or 60 years. Unless you can test your existing spindle and the replacement, you don't really know if you will be making things better or worse.

So on the one hand, you could be spending money that may not be getting you any improvement, on the other, for what you paid for the machine, you are already using house money.

 

[Campfire]

Just got off the phone with Scott Logan and he has confirmed that the 200 Series spindle will NOT work in a 800 series lathe.
The 200 is smaller in diameter, with different bearings also. He said that most of the 800 series will interchange with the 820 along with most of the 1800 series with the majority of the difference being the length of the spindles. The 800 & 1800 series lathe have that custom dual race front bearing.

And... I think eeler1 has a great idea now that I have that spindle out. I'll start checking that bearing and see if I can start measuring the run out of the entire shaft.
And a great big thank you to everyone for the ideas and advice. But I have to get this Honda engine overhaul out of my hair first before I get to involved with this lathe again.

Off to the garage I go.