What's this Logan Lathe worth?

[BombShelter]

Good luck with your purchase, to me it looks like a really clean machine and at $1500 it's on the low end of pricing around here. It should hold it's value if you decide to move it on.

This is a great time of year to buy this type of stuff, people want to clean house before Christmas but prices tend to be really low with less buyers looking. I've gotten lots of stuff heavily discounted, the sellers want it gone. Show up with a truck and engine hoist and you might be able to get an even better deal.

 

[paulsomlo]

I'd say go for it. Even if not perfect this is only your first lathe. Consider it a learning tool that you will hone your skills with and learn what features you will want in your next lathe. It will probably never be worth less than what you paid for it and when you outgrow it then sell it and recover your money. Keep the tooling that you will use on your next lathe and keep growing.

lg
no neat sig line

Good advice - I'm on my 3rd lathe now, the first two were just a warm up.

 

[isb cornbinder]

I had been buying and selling mostly tool boxes. Other machines, including a few lathes, wondered in and got rehomed.
An old lathe like that has more decoration value than it does as a reliable tool. Having that dust collector in your shop will impress your visitors and it will certainly make your ***** bigger. I would value it at no more than $500.
I paid $1000 for a really nice South Bend 16 X 120 lathe. It is for sale and there is little or no interest in it. The lathe has little or no commercial value and it is too big for most domestic home shops. I tried giving it to a local You Tube Shop Teacher.
I have used the South Bend to remanufacture spring perches and related parts. I even made a few stainless tanks, oil separators and several Hit and Miss engine mufflers.
The SB has been converted to single phase 240 volts. The Baldor motor is worth more than the lathe.

 

[Cruzan80]

Totally different things here. The 10ft long lathe has a much different client than the maybe 3 ft Logan (working length). Also vastly different power requirements between the two. Big machinery is hard to sell, ironically the smaller/lighter ends up costing more because people can move and power it.

 

[tarbellb]

Im back from doing a 2nd lookover

A few things popped up while running the machine through some gear changes and shining a light in the shadows:

BAD
_ major repair to the back pully bracket, clearly was snapped off and brazed back together. I couldnt see if there was much issue with the repair, looked to spin nicely and w no wobble?

_ lots of backlash in the main saddle wheel, I can see the gear move .015" in all axis

_ a few thousand play on the quick change gear shaft

_ brazed repair to the gear set "fork"? that allow the back gear to slide into position (see photo)

_ belt didnt want to stay on the high speed pulley set, belt is obviously old and loose?

GOOD
_ gears all seem fine, no chips, cracks, missing teeth

_ screws also seem fine

_ bed ways looked good, did not have the wear ridge near the head or along bed

_ seller will include the drawers of tooling and cutting tools


Q- Im a bit leary of the loose shaft for the gear set and backlash in saddle gear/wheel. Not sure how concerned I should be about the repaired items? Thoughts?

Q- I would think the belt issue could be solved with a updated belt.

Q- anything else I should be thinking about?

 

[alfadan]

That bracket is called the banjo and the repair is fine, though don't know how it could have broken. Maybe dropped at some point?

Any wear in the QCGB shaft can be fixed with a bronze bushing. My Logan box used all standard sized bronze sleave bushings IE, 3/8ths.

 

[alfadan]

lots of backlash in the main saddle wheel, I can see the gear move .015" in all axis

Can you elaborate? The backlash in the main handwheel? That is not a very precision gear.

 

[Steve from Socal]

The repairs are what they are, if there is no vibration or issues with the repairs then not a big deal on an old machine.

The shift fork works and stays in the gear selected? The backlash on the carriage hand wheel is a function of the rack/pinion gear not a big deal. The tooling is mostly old or inexpensive but useful and there is some value to that.

It sounds ike a fair deal and as noted a good starter lathe.

Regarding the heavy iron,

While I like the HLV-H and Condors I have an all Monarch shop. I started with a war baby SB heavy 10" the light lathes teach you how to turn witout power and heft, after that it's all down hill!

 

[GeoBruin]

The repairs are what they are, if there is no vibration or issues with the repairs then not a big deal on an old machine.

The shift fork works and stays in the gear selected? The backlash on the carriage hand wheel is a function of the rack/pinion gear not a big deal. The tooling is mostly old or inexpensive but useful and there is some value to that.

It sounds ike a fair deal and as noted a good starter lathe.

Regarding the heavy iron,

While I like the HLV-H and Condors I have an all Monarch shop. I started with a war baby SB heavy 10" the light lathes teach you how to turn witout power and heft, after that it's all down hill!

I hope you're really in socal, because I need someone to help turn some parts to get my lathe in shape

 

[Steve from Socal]

Sorry,

Sold the house in Feb,

Been in Hutchinson for many years

 

[RoninB4]

-As others have noted some of the repairs are odd but not unacceptable. More important to evaluate for excessive vibration, bearing noise, or heat in the headstock/spindle. As also noted, backlash in the main handwheel for saddle travel the length of the bed isn't critical either, critical saddle travel will be in the lead screw when cutting threads. Belt replacement can be a fairly simple affair with a joined belt or a much more involved task with an endless belt that requires spindle removal and resetting the bearing preloads. Fellow member isb cornbinder appears to have a nice SB lathe for lower cost but the larger footprint and transport cost may just rule it out. What's available in your local is always important. There has been plenty of machinery from old aerospace firms on the West coast at decent prices but hauling to the East coast made me pass. Machinery prices vary quite a bit depending upon location and your time/trouble should always be figured in. No bed-way ridge is a good thing. As others have mentioned:

1) Does it stay in gear or does it jump out?
2) Can the high speed pulley keep the belt in position or does it want to throw it? The belt can get premature wear on the side if it's rubbing on the pulley lip. The fork repair may/may not be responsible for misalignment and it may be something that can be lived with or demand immediate attention. Only you can evaluate this since we can't see it in operation.
3) Does the pulley set rotate on bearings or does the shaft rotate with the set? If the shaft rotates then how is it lubricated. For that matter how is the spindle lubricated? I've got several lube cups on mine that require spindle oil every time I use the lathe. If you have lube cups do they show the presence of spindle oil? Bone dry cups indicate a careless owner.
4) Tooling is just ok. nothing special, but good to have.

 

[tombell572]

Re-read Ronin's advise in post #40--all excellent suggestions. A quick and simple test you can do although it will give at best only a general idea of the condition of the ways: with the power turned off, run the carriage up and down the entire length of the lathe bed using the carriage hand wheel. In general, most wear to the ways often occurs close to the headstock when doing chuck work. If the carriage moves freely at the headstock but begins to require more force on the hand wheel or begins to bind up as it moves toward the tailstock, this usually indicates uneven wear at the headstock end. Ideally, you want the carriage movement to feel smooth with even force as you turn the hand wheel through the length of the lathe bed. It may not be an issue if most of your work is on short pieces held in a chuck or collect but you may end up cutting an unwanted taper on a longer piece held between centers.

Tom B.

 

[tarbellb]

I was able to talk the seller down in price. Was almost easy

I'm definitely on the fence w this one, I don't need it right now but know that it will be a welcomed addition once I have my new shop in order.

Feel free to talk me INTO or OUT OF this purchase, cheers

 

[alfadan]

Go for it!

 

[WillyBoy]

I've read all the posts above. I say "why not" If it's a starter lathe for you, it may end up being the only lathe you'll need.
I have a Logan 820. I'm at least the second owner and maybe the third. It needed some things repaired and replaced, but it came with chucks, faceplates, live and dead centers, and a big pile of tool bits. I got the parts I needed from Scott Logan. I'll never need to make parts for NASA to .00001 tolerance but I have fun with it. For me it's a major step up from chucking something in the drill press and holding a file up to it, LOL. From the descriptions I've read, there aren't any insurmountable problems and parts are available.

 

[Fixr]

I've read all the posts above. I say "why not" If it's a starter lathe for you, it may end up being the only lathe you'll need.
I have a Logan 820. I'm at least the second owner and maybe the third. It needed some things repaired and replaced, but it came with chucks, faceplates, live and dead centers, and a big pile of tool bits. I got the parts I needed from Scott Logan. I'll never need to make parts for NASA to .00001 tolerance but I have fun with it. For me it's a major step up from chucking something in the drill press and holding a file up to it, LOL. From the descriptions I've read, there aren't any insurmountable problems and parts are available.

I have a beat-to-snot SB Heavy 10 with ridges on the front V-way taller than a Starrett 6" rigid rule is thick, and spindle bearings that were screwed up by a PO who didn't read the manual about the bearing spreaders. And it still does what I ask it to do. (No NASA parts here, either).

 

[RoninB4]

If on the fence about purchasing this perhaps you should have a good look at the availability of lathes (or any machine) in your area. Some regions have plenty of available machinery, some have very little to none. The area I'm in has next to none and those that do are quite "proud" of what they have (read that way overpriced). A real estate agent once commented "If it's priced right and shows well it won't stay on the market". This applies to most everything for sale/rent. If there's plenty of machinery in your area then it's up to you. If there isn't then this one won't be available for long. Don't really need it right now? Do you really feel a reasonable priced one will be available when you do need it? Only you can answer these questions. JMO