ANOTHER Whacheon Lathe Inquiry (sorry)

As you can tell from the number of my posts, I read much more than write.


I'm looking for maybe some simple answers (advice) on a Whacheon lathe. I've used the search here and elsewhere, but haven't found too much information on these "size" of lathes. I'm looking at a Whacheon 15 3/4 x 40" lathe. Yes - 15 3/4 (see pic attached below). It does seem a bit similar to many of the other inquiries on the Whacheon lathes, but it's different enough for me to ask. It's been written that these lathes come from China, Korea, Taiwan and probably other places. Also, different "importers" such as Webb, Cadillac, and Royal to name a few. I've looked at a few 16" and 17" lathes, but this is my first 15 3/4". It's appearance would probably make some shy away, but I've got the time to clean. It appears to be in really good condition and sounds good while running. I will not trying making money with this machine - just tooling around in garage.


Whats throwing me off are the handles for the gear selecting (see pics). Much shorter than what I've been typically been seeing from Whacheon. If these lathes are "clones" of the Mori Seiki lathes, I'm not sure which one it would be. I've read that one would be "happier" with a EARLY 1980 machine from Korea. The one I'm looking at built in 1980 and is from Korea, so I'm hoping someone has a point of view on this. I've attached a few pics, so if anyone has remarks, suggestions, criticism, or warnings, PLEASE let me know. I would welcome any insight to this machine that I can get.
Please - let the remarks begin!

First, I applaud you for being the last person on Earth to still use a 1992 vintage cell phone to take your photos.

It's a Webb lathe which was imported by the Webb family. It's a Whacheon, but for some importation reasons they could not use that name at the time so they used Webb.

15-3/4" probably equals a metric MM dimension. Of course, no one has yet discovered a way to convert inches to pure evil so there's is not way of knowing for sure.

Other than that, it is what it is...

I am not completely sure but I believe some of the early Webb/Whacheon lathes were clones of the LeBlond Regals. At least that is what a machinery dealer told me many years ago when I was looking at a similar lathe and made the comment that it looks like a LeBlond Regal. Sorry I don't have any answers to your questions.

Greg, my "woodpecker and slate" camera are in the shop at the moment.... hahaha To be honest, these were the pictures I uploaded from the ad. I didn't care for the quality, but they were accurate enough to get the description across.

jbacc - Now that makes sense. Again, my apologies for being such a novice at this. I honestly have been trying to read up as much as I can. And there are just as many opinions on these lathes as there are importers. The pictures I have uploaded do closely resemble the LeBlond 15" lathe. Which in fact, MAY be the reason he has a turret from Regal going with the lathe... (Greg - Sorry, about the quality - see pic)

Anyone care to make me feel warm and cozy about this? Does anyone have any experience in these "clones"? If not, I'll accept remarks on the real thing... Time to go back and read a little more! I would LOVE to have a LeBlond 15", but unless I wait around for the right price, which might be awhile, I think I'd have to pay a little more than my budget allows.

Thanks!!

As I understand it, most of those lathes were copies of a Mori lathe. Yours doesn't have the gear change setup that my Hwcheon does, or even cloe. You could call Webb machinery in Temecula C for more info as they're the Webb people.

Find a picture of a Mori MS850, if the clone doesn't look like an MS850, then it's not a Mori clone. Whatever the OP is looking at it's not a Mori clone. Looks like a Leblond Regal clone.

I had a Webb TSL-800, that is a clone of a Takasawa TSL-800, outstanding lathe. If it's a clone and it came from Korea or Taiwan I wouldn't hesitate to buy the machine, assuming it was in good mechanical condition.

No Whacheon info, but my YAM lathe came with a turret just like the one you pictured.

That’s my Mory MS850, no mistaking it for what you have. Yours is definitely a Leblond Regal copy an previously mentioned.

Just go put your hands on it. Take a piece of stock with you, and run it. If you like it, buy. We're not in high school anymore, Fuck everyone else.

woodsrider845 said:

Fuck everyone else.

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Sounds like a more HONEST position than the NY Governor you have NOW.

Can I have your truck if you win the election?

As usual most those commenting have never used this machine, and in some cases any machine.
The brilliant peanut gallery failed to realize, this model is a copy of later leBlonde regal, a real dork machine in my opinion.
The better machine is the larger swing ones, that are laid out like Moriseki

thermite said:

Sounds like a more HONEST position than the NY Governor you have NOW.

Can I have your truck if you win the election?

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Then how would I cart around the tons of bullshit that is politics?

....and donie, that hurts. You're just plain old mean.

As others have said, it is a copy of a LeBlond Regal. I looked at buying a similar vintage Webb like the one in your pictures a few years ago. Decided against it based on amount of bed wear that it had, along with the A1-6 spindle that it had. I change chucks often enough that I would prefer the D series. All in all it seemed pretty well made - maybe a little more rugged than the Regal in places and I thought that it would make a good general purpose low to medium duty shop lathe. If I remember correctly the asking price on the one that I looked at was around 2.5k with chucks, steady, and QC tool post. If it is not too far from you, I would take a look as only you can decide what you like/want. One last piece of advice, if you get serious about buying it, would definitely insist on popping the top to inspect the gears in the headstock - same goes for a Regal.

woodsrider845 said:

Then how would I cart around the tons of bullshit that is politics?

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That's what government-subsidized rail and Corps of Engineers maintained river barge routes are for. Pickup truck wouldn't carry the daily coffee creamer needed for the parasitical office staff, wide-house alone.

....and donie, that hurts. You're just plain old mean.

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Nah. Just weird. And as usual, he's about HALF right.

LeBlond themselves considered them "only a G-Damned REGAL" - their mass-market have-to-have entrant by the time they hit the squarish slab-sided years.

Hard to say whom it was that inspired the move OFF curved castings to "boxes", but If yah look more deeply at the timeline, it was probably none of US, Japan, or others in Asia.

European makers did that s**t earlier, yet.

If yah like older LeBlonds? Go for a "heavy duty". It was a true statement.

LeBlond-Makino, present-day? Do your own due diligence.

Well, it looks like I purchased the lathe noted in my original post. I KNOW the owner could have gotten more for it, but we settled on an agreeable price. I think the biggest thing I am "concerned" is it being an A1-6 chuck. I honestly don't see me changing out that often, but it would have been nice (I think) for the D series camlock).

So, what I will be in need of is someone setting up a VFD for me. after reading some more, I think I am going to have it done. There's a few posts regarding how and what to hook up and NOT hook up to VFD (pump), but I just don't feel comfortable doing this.

Does anyone have recommendations for the Orange County / L.A. / Riverside area? I'm located in Anaheim, Ca., so kind of in the middle of everywhere. I will probably go by Greer in H.B. and see if they have someone, or can recommend someone. I appreciate the responses.

I'm also looking for a manual. Webb (Whacheon) 15 3/4" lathe..... See pic of badge in first post.