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LeBlonde Regal 15C5 help

I am setting up a new (to me) lathe in my shop and I am having problems finding the release for the half-nut/feed lock-out feature. I suspect someone on the list has ample experience with this machine. The manual mentions the presence of an interference device to prevent the engagement of the half-nut and the feed at the same time AND warns not to force the locked-out lever when the other is engaged. I have found the neutral position of the feed control level and have tried disengaging the leadscrew at the sliding gear. No combination will effect the release of the lock-out feature. Currently the longitudinal and cross feed are in while the half-nut is disengaged. The half-nut lever is free and will rotate easily about a degree before encountering a positive, solid stop in either direction. When I look at the half-nut behind the apron, I can see it move ever-so-slightly within the limited movement now available. I remember inspecting the half-nut prior to purchase and I cannot remember being unable to engage it...so i think I am just stumped for a simple answer. The only thing I can think of that I may have done to affect the mechainsm is removing and then replacing a 4" or so bolt on the tail stock face of the apron while searching for the oil drain plug. Suggestions solicited and appreciated. Regards, HA Bruce

Reply to
hitt cues
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Disengaging the leadscrew doesn't affect anything inside the carriage. It just stop the leadscrew from turning. I really don't know why that feature exists.

There are three levers on the front of the apron. The lower-left reverses the carriage and cross feed direction. There is no neutral position.

The middle lever engages carriage or cross feed. The center position is neutral.

The right-hand lever engages the half nut. It should move freely when the feed lever is in the neutral position. If the leadscrew is not turning you may have to move the carriage to get it to engage the leadscrew threads.

I don't know what the interlock mechanism looks like but it should be decipherable on the exploded view drawings in the back of your manual. I can't think of anything else.

Bob

Reply to
Toolbert
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Is that the tumbler gears feeding the leadscrew, or a lever on the apron?

The *sliding* gear? The one on my Clausing simply adds an extra stage of gear reduction in the feed from the spindle to the leadscrew. It just barely can be put in a position to not feed the spindle rotation on, and that is not how it *should* be set up.

Umm ... "in", to me, suggests that they are enaged, and that you really want them *both* to be *out* to enable the half-nuts.

The first test is to try turning the handwheel crank (to move the carriage), and the cross-feed crank (to move the topslide across the bed). If you can turn both of these far enough to have visible effect, then the feeds are disengaged. If you can't turn them very far at all, then the feeds are enaged, and the half-nuts should be locked out.

Try running the lathe, with the gearing connecting through to the leadscrew (probably the slowest feed you can find, to give you time to observe and try things before the carriage crashes into the chuck or the tailstock. If the feeds are *not* engaged, neither the carriage handwheel nor the cross-feed crank should be turning. If they *are* turning, then it is *right* for the half-nuts to be locked out.

Hmm ... depending on how the apron is designed, that *may* have allowed part of the linkage to fall out of position, and perhaps permanently lock out the half-nuts.

Ideally, you should find a copy of the manual, one which gives a drawing of the internals, and hope that gives you enough information to be sure how things work -- and how to set that interlock back in the proper configuration.

Good Luck, DoN.

Reply to
DoN. Nichols

I also just got a leblond Regal 15 x 42 lathe. I know the interlock you're reffering to.

There are 2 levers. The fee lever and the half nut lever. The feed lever is at neutral in the center, up to engage. For cross feed you slide it right and then down. If that lever is not in the center neutral position the half nut lever won't move and if the half nut is engaged, the feed lever won't leave neutral.

At least that's how mine works.

I had a hell of a time figuring out that I had to slide the gear on the leadscrew by hand to engage it.

I'll gloat about my lathe later.

Reply to
Philippe Habib

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