Is this Logan Powermatic a good lathe?

Bloodwashed · Oct 2, 2018

I saw this lathe on craigslist and was considering buying it. I am wondering what you guys think of this machine, and is the price reasonable, or is he asking too much?

Logan Powermatic 12' Lathe - heavy equipment - by owner - sale

thermite · Oct 2, 2018

Bloodwashed said:
I saw this lathe on craigslist and was considering buying it. I am wondering what you guys think of this machine, and is the price reasonable, or is he asking too much?

Logan Powermatic 12' Lathe - heavy equipment - by owner - sale

Among hobby lathes, if a South Bend is a 1936 Chevrolet, a Logan is a 1939 Ford is about how I view them. I think it was '39. The last Fords before hydraulic brakes, anyway.

Worth about $500 to $1,000 depending on condition vs better choices, such as almost any industrial lathe, even a light one.

EX:

The older of my two 10EE was under $1,200 in running condition and with wear not so bad it could not be worked-around. The Cazeneuve HBX-360-BC was under $4,000, not enough wear to worry about, just motor wiring issue and hydraulic leaks..

OTOH, I didn't have to get my machinery down basement stairs or such, so...

2CW

Bob-J-H · Oct 2, 2018

It is way overpriced.

lazz · Oct 2, 2018

Im jumping on the previously mentioned WAY :willy_nilly:

over priced bandwagon.

Bloodwashed · Oct 2, 2018

If I can get another opinion from you guys, comparing that Logan to this Emco:
Emco Maximat Super 11 Metal Lathe - tools - by owner - sale

And to this Grizzly: 12" x 36" Gunsmithing Lathe with Stand | Grizzly Industrial

What is a better lathe, and is that Emco also over priced?

lazz · Oct 2, 2018

I will mention some of the reasons it is over priced...

On the gear box one handle has been replaced.
The cross slide and compound handles have both been replaced.
Those symptoms could be signs of a fall.

The lock for the tailstock quill is MIA
The bolt on tailstock end of the bed is weird as well...

The one thing not too many folks mention is a variable speed is kinda nice.... but REAL noisy!

JohnEvans · Oct 2, 2018

L00 spindle but model # has a "H" hardened bed. I really like Logan's way better than a SB IMO. But agreed with issues noted over priced !!

PS Thermite 39 Ford was THE first year for juice brakes and the last year for the wide 5 wheels!!

thermite · Oct 2, 2018

JohnEvans said:
PS Thermite 39 Ford was THE first year for juice brakes and the last year for the wide 5 wheels!!

Yah, '38 wudda been the last of the "strength of steel" adverts, then!

And yazz. Logans may not have that nostalgic 1870's line shafter cone-head look, but they were better value-for-money than a South Bend if one had to try to actually MAKE sumthin' more quickly than not.

TDegenhart · Oct 2, 2018

I rebuilt an older version of that lathe, one before Houdaille bought them. Overall, not as good as a SB heavy ten. Has some good points, can replace drive belts without disassembling the headstock, variable speed, ball bearing spindle. Carriage design poorer, does not use tapered gibs, oiling points very poor, had to replace a number of parts and bearings because of this. Feed clutch sensitive to wear, there is no adjustment. Gear box mounting cannot accommodate bed and saddle wear.

History has it that when Houdaille added Logan to its mix, Logan was not treated well and wound up being closed down mid 1980's(?).

In Logan's favor is that Logan is still in business as Logan Actuator and can supply repair parts.

The one I rebuilt I finally sold for $1650, that was after redoing everything including regrinding the bed. $800 to $1000 would be reasonable.

Tom

thermite · Oct 2, 2018

TDegenhart said:
I rebuilt an older version of that lathe, one before Houdaille bought them. Overall, not as good as a SB heavy ten. Has some good points, can replace drive belts without disassembling the headstock, variable speed, ball bearing spindle. Carriage design poorer, does not use tapered gibs, oiling points very poor, had to replace a number of parts and bearings because of this. Feed clutch sensitive to wear, there is no adjustment. Gear box mounting cannot accommodate bed and saddle wear.

History has it that when Houdaille added Logan to its mix, Logan was not treated well and wound up being closed down mid 1980's(?).

In Logan's favor is that Logan is still in business as Logan Actuator and can supply repair parts.

The one I rebuilt I finally sold for $1650, that was after redoing everything including regrinding the bed. $800 to $1000 would be reasonable.

Tom

Cheap as they were originally, I'd have called them "disposables", actually.

Kinda like rebuilding Bic lighters...

TDegenhart · Oct 2, 2018

Frankly, I tend to agree with you. Ok for hobby or maintenance shop, not much else. They did sell turrets for production use. Has a reasonable good headstock design for production, carriage not so much.

Tom

cranium · Oct 2, 2018

The Houdeille years were not good for Logan or Burgmaster.

DON'T BLAME THE JAPANESE : The Rise of Burgmaster Corp. Was a Typically American Saga--andUnfortunately, So Was Its Fall - latimes

thermite · Oct 2, 2018

cranium said:
The Houdeille years were not good for Logan or Burgmaster.

DON'T BLAME THE JAPANESE : The Rise of Burgmaster Corp. Was a Typically American Saga--andUnfortunately, So Was Its Fall - latimes

It was worse yet for Houdaille. America's most notorious serial rapists got their knickers of:

HOW TO KILL A COMPANY - The Washington Post

KKR have gone on to f**k-up US Healthscare. Wotta nightmarish krew.

Onepass · Oct 3, 2018

I am with the way over price crowd. I’ve seen that lathe or similar go at auction for 350 American...

Newman109 · Oct 3, 2018

Onepass said:
I am with the way over price crowd. I’ve seen that lathe or similar go at auction for 350 American...

It's definitely overpriced. I'd say no more than $500 or so.

I looked at it carefully. I see where Enco got the design specifications for my former Enco 13 X 40. The Enco is a dead-nuts copy of the Logan in question.

James H Clark · Oct 3, 2018

JohnEvans said:
L00 spindle but model # has a "H" hardened bed. I really like Logan's way better than a SB IMO. But agreed with issues noted over priced !!

PS Thermite 39 Ford was THE first year for juice brakes and the last year for the wide 5 wheels!!

John, I thought that hydraulics were optional in '39. my Dad had a 39 with hydraulics, but was told that they were optional. He drove it to work in the strip mines, but couldn't keep the grill teeth in it. In cold weather, the Fords were more dependable to start.

JH

JST · Oct 3, 2018

Newman109 said:
It's definitely overpriced. I'd say no more than $500 or so.

I looked at it carefully. I see where Enco got the design specifications for my former Enco 13 X 40. The Enco is a dead-nuts copy of the Logan in question.

Maybe $800. That Enco have back gears? Most asian units do not.

Newman109 · Oct 3, 2018

JST said:
Maybe $800. That Enco have back gears? Most asian units do not.

Yes, the Enco did have back gears and 8 speeds as I recall.

Bloodwashed · Oct 4, 2018

Thanks for the input. I've been having issues with posting replies, so if you see a bunch of the same replies over and over, sorry in advance.

Just wondering how this lathe will compare to a new Grizzly G4003G?

thermite · Oct 4, 2018

Bloodwashed said:
Thanks for the input. I've been having issues with posting replies, so if you see a bunch of the same replies over and over, sorry in advance.

Just wondering how this lathe will compare to a new Grizzly G4003G?

Oh... guess you could use PM's search function?

Or Google's search with:

site: "practicalmachinist.com" "Grizzly" "Grisely"

A few mentions do sneak in now and then despite PM banning even the discussion of low-end Asian "LSO" AKA "Lathe Shaped Objects".

Is this Logan Powermatic a good lathe?

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