What's new
What's new

KO Lee Grinder Identification. serial number location?

dieselfitter

Plastic
Joined
Sep 22, 2015
I purchased this grinder at auction last summer and am getting it cleaned up and ready for use. It was listed as model BA960. I am repairing the planetary gears for the x axis and am considering purchasing parts instead of making them. After spending time making a cart for it, I am anxious to get it operational quickly. I've looked all over inside the base for a stamped number, been to the LeBlonde/KO Lee website, spoken with them by phone, searched the web and forums and still cannot nail down exactly where to find the serial number. Any help would be greatly appreciated. FWIW,the manual that came with it states all grinders with the exception of B300/B360 series have adjustable leveling pads/screws. This grinder base does not have leveling pads/screws.
DSCN3928.jpg
DSCN3929.jpg
DSCN3930.jpg
DSCN3931.jpg
 
Nice work.

Thank you for the kind words. I felt obligated to follow up. I had started a thread years back on a different, yet to be completed grinder restoration and didn't want to establish a bad pattern.
FTW I started this one with a cart for the tooling and the cart for the grinder so I can move it around. The grinder cart has threaded rod screw jacks to level it off.
There is a 2 speed transmission to traverse the bed. It was broke. I made a new shaft, replaced bushings, seals and drive pins. The motorized work head received new shaft and the bushings were replaced with needle rollers. The Massey Ferguson paint is a fairly good match when viewing from far away in the dark.
I have never operated one of these grinders and have no formal machinist training. The repairs helped me learn quite a bit about the machine in a short time. Likely, I will have some stupid questions to post as I learn.
 
The serial number was stamped on a tag that was affixed on the front of the machine, on the cover, between the two hand wheels. Obvious, it was removed as it is not showing up in your pictures. Yours looks very similar to mine, same paint job. Mine was built sometime in the mid 1970's. They went with the blue looking paint sometime in the early 1980's, and used that color until it's end. Ken
 
Nice looking piece of work. Here is a link to my B360.

http://www.practicalmachinist.com/v...rters-and-vfd/k-o-lee-b360-vfd-choice-321799/

Work commitments have kept me from finishing it, needs only power and lubrication. Did you relubricate the spindle and if so what did you use?

I also lack formal training in the use of these grinders and am looking forward to answers to all of your questions.
Wow, your B360 looks great. I chuckled reading the thread about guys buying a cheap vfd and then putting it in an enclosure with a window. Just did that exact thing a few months ago. I bought a $150 6kw vfd and have it wired to supply power to all my 3 phase equipment. I also wired a remote to control speed directly at the machine. I am very happy with how the project turned out. I sold the 7.5hp rpc for $400 while it still had some value.
As I understand, the motor and cartridge bearings are sealed and permanently lubricated. I think earlier models may have required lubrication. Included with the grinder was a manual that with instructions on the use of tooling for various operations. The manual covers many models and list the various tooling that was offered. I see them listed on ebay. If you don't have one, I recommend it. If you want some specific info, I could get a page or two to you.
 








 
Back
Top