Logan lathe vs Seneca falls lathe

I’ve wanted a practical lathe for a long time and recently found a Logan 920 and a Seneca falls lathe for sale. Both lathes sale for about 1200 which I know is too much. With that said I would really like some opinions on which would be the better shop lathe. I presume the falls lathe has bushings also?? Comments appreciated guys. Thanks

The Logan appears to be an 11" machine. If so it can be adapted to 5C collets which is a tremendous advantage down the road in addition to a large spindle through hole. You also have a quick change gearbox and power cross feed. Later machines also have ball bearings rather than bushings on the countershaft (jack ahaft) as well as V-belt pulleys. $1200 isn't out of line for the Logan if it's complete and usable. Your pics are small but you appear to have the drawbar for collets and an additional chuck.

I don't know anything about Seneca Falls lathes so can't comment.

The ad said that it did take collets so what you said is spot on. Thank you for the price conformation as well. It is a three phase 3/4hp motor with a base convertor on it though would that affect your decision?

A phase converter is a good thing. Looks like a good deal to me.

I just knew they robbed a little hp. Thank you so much for your insight!

In this case I believe the Logan would be a better machine. I have a Seneca Falls Star #20 machine and I do like it BUT: The top speed is about 650 rpm. Rather than a quick change gear box it uses change gears. That means with every threading operation you'll probably need to change gears. There are over a dozen gears and dozens of combinations. If you don't have a complete set of gears it could be a problem. In addition the through hole in the spindle is only 7/8". The machine was originally sold as a 9" machine, but the actual throw is 10 1/8".

In all likelihood the Seneca Falls machine is about 100 years old or older. It's far more likely to have bed and bearing wear. The spindle bearings are plain bearings (bushings) or hard cast into the headstock. In either case they are shimmed for proper tolerance to the spindle.

There are several Seneca Falls catalogs available on the Vintage Machinery website.

Seneca Falls Manufacturing Co. - Publication Reprints | VintageMachinery.org


Personally I believe the price for either is a bit high unless they come with all the accessories originally sold with the machine. I love my machine, but again I didn't pay nearly the price this seller is asking. Mine does have the complete accessory package which the machine much more versatile. It was my only lathe up until a few years ago. At that time I purchased a Sheldon MW-56-P. It's a much more modern machine with speeds up to 2200 rpm and a variable speed drive for spindle speed changes. I do use both regularly although the Seneca Falls machine is generally used for smaller parts.

Thank you for the information. It’s doubtful that the Seneca would have all of the gears needed for threading. Also I also agree about the bed and bearing wear as a result of its age. Thank you very another situation in which I haven’t thought about

The Logan has a ball bearing spindle and can run faster. It can utilize carbide, though maybe not to the max. Either one will almost certainly need a rebuild to one degree or another.

So carbide wouldn’t be practical on the Seneca due to the spindle speed?

You can use carbide at any speed, you just don't get the advantages of carbide over HSS. As an example, I machine grade 8 bolts down in the center to have a shank free of threads from about 1/2" in from the end to the head. That means interrupted cutting through the hardened thread and the shank. HSS will do it, but it wears quickly. Carbide picks them up and sets them down like no tomorrow, and at 600 rpm on a 1/2" diameter bolt.

Tom

With a lathe that maxes out at 650 rpm, you wouldn’t get the optimum speed needed to run carbide inserts. I see. Thank you for that example

Seneca falls lathe is a very good machine.. With 3 and 4 jaw , taper atchment ,a steady and gears if no quick change...*Still the Logan likely would be more useful for making parts and It has quick change. And you can find parts and accessories for the Logan.

3 phase......not an issue to buy it. Most Logan’s were single phase, motors did not necessarily come with the machine, buyers added the motor based on what kind of electrical service they had.

Three phase can be good or bad just depends on what kind of power you have available. If you found out you didn’t like the three phase setup or if not electrically in good shape the motors are very easy to change. Some folks would love the 3 phase. Others like myself prefer single phase. Either way on a Logan the motor phase is not a deal breaker. Price is not too bad. I’d take the $1200 and start at $800-$900.

Used Logan parts are everywhere and many parts are available from Logan Actuator.

I lean toward the three phase for most older Logan machines. It gives smoother power and tends to make the most of the drive system, which can be a little weak in the older flat belt units (not so much in the "underdrive" types).

I definitely prefer 3 phase for any lathe in the somewhat lightweight class, which most 10" and 11" machines are.

Price is not bad, the machine has full feeds and QC threading box with the "automatic" apron. Some of those had hardened beds, it does not look as if it has anything other than a threaded spindle, but some did.

A couple of things to consider.

Carbide tooling is a fine thing, but costlier, and less versatile than HSS.

Nobody is running high volume production work on a 920 Logan, ... so all the meaningless chatter about spindle speed, and tool life needs to be placed in the proper perspective.

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Unless you're a moron, who goes around reversing the spindle at high speeds, the 3 phase motor has the added advantage of making your machine easily reversible. Which is a marked advantage when tapping or running threading dies.

Personally, I've never been in so much of a hurry that I couldn't wait for the spindle to stop, before reversing.

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There are also many Logan Lathes "out there", ... making parts and accessories easily obtainable.

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I wouldn't even consider the Seneca Falls machine, at that price.


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Thank you, I greatly appreciate heads up on the price and I understand about the spindle speeds and tool life as you were saying. These are home shop lathes so tool life wouldn’t be a huge concern. Thanks