Need advice on leblonde lathe please

[Earp69]

I've been in need of a lathe for quite sometime. I cut my teeth on a leblonde regal just a bit larger than this one I'm looking at. It's a 15" swing and 30" bed, I wish the bed was longer but it is what it is. The seller claims 6/12 gears don't work as the head stock gears have broken teeth. He's asking 1000 which is high I think. I'm wondering what you guys think is a good price and also how hard will it be to buy/replace the gears needed to get all the speeds back going?

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[cvairwerks]

Broken gears in the headstock are a bad sign. Run away rapidly unless you want a project.

 

[MushCreek]

Could be a good machine; could be a disaster. I'd consider it for that, but I'm an expert, and would give a thorough inspection. Lathe prices are stupid high around here. Other parts of the country you couldn't give it away. I'd do some deep searching to see if parts can be found, and at what cost. It also depends upon how the gears got damaged. I've seen that done trying to remove a stuck chuck. If it's the result of a heavy crash, though, there should be other signs of damage. I would plan on a total rebuild of the spindle, which could cost a lot of money, depending on parts availability, and whether you have the ability to DIY.

 

[APEowner]

Where are you located? Machine tool pricing varies dramatically with location.

 

[Earp69]

Where are you located? Machine tool pricing varies dramatically with location.

In the middle of Ohio, so in a good location for industrial tooling I beleive.

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[Maui]

Run fast, run far unless you want to spend the better part of a year hunting down all of the spare gears and other parts you will need to get this lathe back up and running correctly.

 

[American Locomotive]

I'm not exactly sure where you are located, but I regularly see completely functional lathes show up for $1,000-$1,500. To me, that lathe essentially has no value with a completely blown up head-stock. I'd basically be willing to pay whatever the scrap price would be.

I would fully expect you to spend another $1,000-1,500 to rebuild the headstock, assuming you can find the gears.

 

[Whitworth]

Parts machine.
It may well be worth $1000 as such.
But it's a big restoration project should you try to take it on.

 

[Earp69]

I appreciate the replys guys. I'll keep looking for something better

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[Mgdoug3]

I believe you can still get parts from Leblond but you have to pay dearly. You might get lucky and find parts on Ebay. I would try to price some gears so you could know a ballpark figure to get the machine running again.

Regal lathes are known be the economy version where as the heavy duty series is beefed up. I just bought a 17x54 round head. It has some wear but I'm able to make parts and with only 0.001 taper over a foot.

 

[toolchaser]

I have a 17" Regal. The advice above is solid, parts are expensive used & REALLY expensive new. Since your in a region thats got a manufacturing history, I'd keep looking, especially if you want a longer bed. Good hunting.

 

[dr_clyde]

Hard pass. Not the last Pepsi in the desert.

 

[matt_i]

I fixed a Clausing Colchester Master 2500 with similar issue once.

Plan on:

1) needing full complement of Knipex snap ring pliers especially with 90 degree bent tips and the "medium" sizes for ~2" snap rings

2) each gear you need to cost $1000.

There isn't a typo above. Spares are available for classic American iron but the business model is to research, pull out, send the drawing for quote to a job shop for qty = 1 that matches your serial number, bascially a prototype gear, hobbed, hardened shaved, ground, some have internal splines....you get the idea about how many precision processes are needed to produce the same part that was once mass-produced at a significantly lower price point.

 

[rsanter]

Long shot, but I would look for the same machine or a machine someone is parting out.

If you can find the same machine with rust or bed damage and make a deal on both at the same time then I say ok give it a shot.

Otherwise keep looking