What's new
What's new

Rebuilding a Logan 210...

RobDrech

Plastic
Joined
Sep 4, 2019
Hi Everyone,

Been lurking in the shadows for a bit and reading a lot of posts, figured it was time to get involved. About 30 years ago my Dad bought a (from the best of my research) Logan 210 for the house. It only got light use, and ended up sitting for most of that time. I have been borrowing other peoples equipment to make things for tinkering and finally got the motivation to get over to my mother's house and break down that lathe. So far, from what I can tell, it is nearly complete including the change gears and in fair condition. Things like rubber bushings and bumpers and some small hardware have disappeared along the way, but 98% is there and usable. A few of the hinge brackets are cracked and the counter staff pulley has a few cracked spokes. The previous owner had pimped it out with a pale lime green color applied via sloppy paint brush. It might even be house paint.

My first order of business has been getting rid of rust, cleaning and painting. I followed a guide on here about electrolysis rust removal (thank you) and have blown away at how fast I have been able to move. I have been bathing parts in a 24-48 hour soak at 0.5 - 3 amps and it completely blows the old paint off. With a bit of scrubbing and a clean up wash, the parts are ready for primer and paint or cold bluing. So far I have completely redone the tail stock and some collets and collet holders. The bed feet just came out of the bath and now I'm on to the drive cover.

I'll post pictures when I have a moment of the progress.

I do have one quick question:

My headstock as a small opening and it looks factory. It's just to the right of the Logan name plate. I don't see anything in the parts break downs or pictures I have been looking at. Anyone know what its for or the story?

Thanks.

-Rob
 
Last edited:
A smallish rectangular opening with 4 screw holes?

If so, it is for the power switch. I'm betting the 210 either is a FrankenLogan, made of random Logan parts, or else one built early, possibly in 1942, when they were apparently using anything they had to put together lathes for the military right after Pearl Harbor.

That style headstock was used on lathes Logan made for Wards, who was their original customer. Apparently Wards wanted a lathe because Sears had that unmentionable A---s lathe in their catalog. The Wards used the same bed as the later Logan branded units, so either headstock can fit.

My Logan is from Feb 1942, sold to the Corps of Engineers, and has that Wards lathe headstock (Logan made Wards first, then a slightly different version Logan branded) Serial is likely to be something around 12,000 if I am correct about yours.

Logan is still around, and supports the machines. Logan Home Page is the address. Logan Actuator is the company name, they make mine hoist accessories also. (your search will probably also come up with a law known as the "Logan Act", just scroll down to "Logan Actuator")

A picture of headstock, and also of the face of the carriage apron would be very helpful in identifying the things you asked, and interesting to any of us owners of what are probably the same type machine..
 
Here is a picture. The drum switch was mounted there before I took it apart. I can take another when I get home.IMAG3325.jpg
 

Attachments

  • IMAG3325.jpg
    IMAG3325.jpg
    93.2 KB · Views: 191
My Logan is from Feb 1942, sold to the Corps of Engineers, and has that Wards lathe headstock (Logan made Wards first, then a slightly different version Logan branded) Serial is likely to be something around 12,000 if I am correct about yours.

Thanks, where can I find the serial on the machine?
 
Here is the 210:

Logan Engineering Co. - Publication Reprints - Model 210 Back Geared Screw Cutting Lathe | VintageMachinery.org

They were along with the Wards equivelant very popular. The loagan lathes could be bought through Wards too. Yours is a bench model and was minimally equipped. Things like legs/chip pan, quick change gear box, lever cross slides, collet closers etc were bought as accessories.

There were two series; the 800 series and yours, a 200 series. They shared the same bed profile and many parts and accessories but very different. 200 and 800 series lathes had entirely different headstock and carriage. QC box had different castings but shared most of the gears. When searching for parts for the headstock, carriage, counter shaft, gear covers look for parts off the 200 series.

I have seen the switch as shown in the link and in front like yours. Logan’s were sold without motor. Drum switch was and still very popular. The switch mounting plate is an original Logan part.
 
You will find serial numbers and model numbers here and a lot of very useful Logan information. Including how your lathe was originally configured.

Logan FAQs
 
The hole is standard, just NOT standard for model 200 or 800 series units. Here's mine, which is a real post pearl Harbor FrankenLogan. You can see that the boss for the switch plate is "in the iron", and was a design feature. You can also see the two holes where the Wards nameplate would have been. Not sure about the other hole at left. Looks added later, but I never checked... I just use the thing..



If yours is also a "FrankenLogan", the configuration info may be lacking. Basic stuff, sure, but details, no.

Mine has several interesting features... First, the Wards headstock.. Then also, the carriage on it when I got it was a 9 1/4" long carriage, having the halfnut cage attached with two machine screws, AND it was a stamped metal halfnut cage. Later carriages are 10" long, and the halfnut cage is a cast part, attached with 4 hex head cap screws, and I subsequently replaced the original with one of those.

Logan did not seem to have much if any information on the early war years machines, and Scott did not recall the short carriages and stamped metal parts. Obviously, the machines from that time were put together to fill urgent war orders, and since Wards was not going to get any more of them, the parts were available for use in the war orders.. I understand it was pretty much a zoo, with every department of the government wanting stuff now, so it is hardly a surprise that records are a bit sparse. But Logan did know that mine had been shipped to the Army in Feb 1942, just a couple months after declaration of war.

Yes, mine does not have the "drive box"... It actually has a Southbend countershaft assembly, which I much prefer to the drive box. it came to me that way, and may originally had a similar countershaft, because the Wards units did not use the drive box.
 
Yup, Looks just like that... My SN is 13773, so sometime in 1942. Here are a few pics. My parts are just piled into the corner of my garage at the moment. The finished tail stock has been painted and any parts my hands would touch have been blued. Keeping it clean and simple.IMAG3345.jpgIMAG3346.jpgIMAG3343.jpgIMAG3344.jpg
 
I'm seeing some differences with my machine versus the parts diagrams. For one, the head stock cone pulley does not have any oiless bearings and the cone gear is attached to it some how (maybe pressed in?). Also, my counter staff bracket has two smaller oiless bearings in it instead of one (or what appears to be one) on each side.

So the counter shaft on the non-drive end is pretty beat up. Looks like it was running for some time without lube. I will probably have to make one. My counter shaft drive pulley doesn't really run true. I don't remember this being an issue, it's just annoying to see on a precision machine, the pulley drunkly wobbling around.

Also, I can't seem to get the pin out of the half-nut handle. I don't really want to just pound on it, but it's driven in there really good.

Lastly, luckily, I got the head stock completely apart last night and was glad to see that the front bearing was still in great shape and running tight and smooth. The bearing for the back of the headstock was dry and crunchy. I don't mind buying a $35 bearing versus a $260.00 one.
 
Some progress. I had a chip pan made at a local sheet metal place because I don't have access to a break that would do the job.IMAG3347.jpgIMAG3348.jpgIMAG3350.jpgIMAG3351.jpgIMAG3355.jpg
 
I have a Model 200 that I picked up three years ago from a local retired machinist. I also had a good main spindle bearing (after I cleaned and re-greased it), and replaced the tail bearing. They're good small machines if you don't push them too hard.

I've tricked mine out with an electronic lead screw of my own design, and it's really nice not having to deal with change gears.

At some point I figure I'll pick up a Harbor Freight tool cabinet and mount the lathe on top of that. Looks like your local shop made you a nice chip pan for yours.
 
Drive box is done outside of the two collars that hold the shaft in place. Now on to the saddle, which sadly has a broken cross slide nut, buggered up threads on the hand wheel side of the cross slide acme threaded shaft and the nut that holds/guild the compound acme thread is fairly seized.

And I still can't get the half nut handle off the damn apron.file1-4.jpgfile1-5.jpgfile-42.jpgfile-43.jpg
 
A few pictures of the head stock painted up, the cabinets and chip pan painted, and everything in it's final resting place.

file1-6.jpgfile2-1.jpgfile-44.jpg
 








 
Back
Top