Lathes/Mills in Canada

Compare it to this one from another thread for just about the same price.

Seriously, it looks like a pretty decent deal. I might even beat you to it if I figured I could get it into my basement (and have room for it when I got it there).

Edited By Bandersnatch on 05/08/2015 18:16:51

Logan lathes are generally very good and $1000 for a good used US made lathe is very reasonable. As pointed out, if you do go see it, ask about change wheels. Some parts for Logan machines are still supported by Logan Actuator Co in the US. If you are interested, I would not hang around, call them ASAP and get over to Barrie to see it.

Before buying, check spindle bearing play, take a piece of 1" or 3/4" dia 12L14 steel with you and turn a test piece if they will let you. Check both ends of a long cut with micrometer to see if it is turning parallel. Take a 2 or 3" dia short piece of bar to do a facing test. Use a ruler across the facing cut to see if it is radiused or is flat. Look for bed/ways damage. Lots of tiny dents and dings are normal on old machines especially near the headstock but any serious gashes or cracks are not good. If the scraping marks (frosting) still shows all along the ways, that's best case. If there are wear marks through the frosting, run your fingernail along the boundary between the wear and the frosting - if theres a detectable ridge, that's heavy wear and will affect accuracy to some extent. Examine the leadscrew all along its' length while it is turning. The thread should be in perfect shape all along it. Check for backlash in the carriage feed nuts and cross feed nuts. Excessive backlash can be fixed but less backlash/free play the better. Check the tailstock barrel for excessive free play - if you can feel any while the barrel is extended that is not good. Check all chucks are free moving when open or closed. There should not be tight spots or visible free play in the jaws while opening and closing. Drill a hole with a drill in the tailstock drill chuck and listen for thrust bearing noise in the headstock. Check the condition of the wiring. Ask what oil has been used for the oiling points, and check for presence of oil all around the machine. There should be some around all moving parts, but things should not be sopping wet with oil. Grease or dried up oil on the lathe is not a good sign. (There may be grease on long-stored tooling items - that is OK) Look for rust patches under any fresh paint. Run your finger along ways and feel for grit - especially if there is a grinder for lathe tools sitting nearby. If there are woodworking machines nearby, check for sawdust. There should be NO grit or sawdust anywhere on the lathe. If there is, it is a sign of neglect, and other important things may have been neglected too. After the lathe has run for a while under load check bearings and motor for excessive heat. Nothing should be hotter than warm to the touch.

In my opinion new and shiny means nothing regarding machine tools. An old well built US or Canadian made lathe in decent condition is designed and built better and will last longer than any shiny new Chinese made machine. This is based on many years' observation in industry and with home use machines.

JD

Edited By Jeff Dayman on 05/08/2015 19:05:36

Edited By Jeff Dayman on 05/08/2015 19:08:10

I owned a Logan when I was a kid in the early 1970s. As far as I'm aware they're pretty rare in the UK. It was a very nice lathe, although to be honest I was in no position to judge due to inexperience. Unusually it had power cross feed. I paid a tenner for it to a developer who was knocking down some old buildings in the centre of Bedford and wanted it gone. I bought new half nuts in 1973 from what was then Powermatic Houdaille; I've still got the invoice. Looks like the total cost was $12.17, including shipping. If I remember correctly payment was a real pain involving international bank transfers. At the time I was working at Texas Instruments as a summer job, so I asked their finance people for advice about money transfers.

One bad thing about the Logan is that the tailstock locking via the enclosed nut is a right royal PITA.

I'd certainly be happy to have another Logan.

Andrew

The Logan looks like a superior beast, with ball / roller bearings, power feed, double flat-vee bed, proper drive / covers etc - assuming it passes muster of course. The superRealm looks like a large Super Adept or worse. Even if it goes for the starting price, it doesn't sound like much of a bargain unless you are planning to make a load of clothes pegs with it before using it as a sea anchor. Perhaps at half the price it would do as a child's starter lathe.

Murray

So what I am hearing is that providing the Logan over here is in as good a shape as the pictures suggest....and that it has change wheels, then its a good buy???

I might check with Logan US for spares availability first.

Thanks

P.S. Bandersnatch....I get first dibs!!

Uh, yes, that is what I said in the first sentence of my posting.

In my opinion you should call the sellers and check the Logan out ASAP - it will not be for sale for long.

I should state I have no connection at all to this lathe or the sellers - I only encourage you to consider it, as US built lathes in apparently good condition per the pics do not come up for sale every day in Ontario.

Regarding the remark about the locking nut being a pain- there is an easy fix for that minor inconvenience. If you buy an impact socket (wrench) that fits the nut, and weld a short piece of flat bar on it, no more inconvenience. I did one years ago for my South Bend lathe and never looked back.

JD

Edited By Jeff Dayman on 05/08/2015 22:44:59

Edited By Jeff Dayman on 05/08/2015 22:47:20

yeah .... I was kidding, Matt - I wouldn't do that to you. Although, how I'd feel if I actually could get it down to my basement, I don't know .

Seriously though, I wouldn't hang around.

Incidentally, you can set up a search in Kijiji and have them email any hits to you once a day. You can limit the search by price, distance etc. I've been doing this for "Myford" for some time now - it's how I turned up a Myford dividing head for a decent price a few years ago.