Author Topic: True confessions of a toolaholic  (Read 11495 times)

Offline Lauri

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Re: True confessions of a toolaholic
« Reply #30 on: June 22, 2020, 05:54:27 PM »
Hello.

You have some really nice stuff over there.
Can you say something about the quality of the Levin Lathe? I've never seen one but I'm very familiar with Schaublin 70 lathes. How would they compare? Are Levins still being made?

Lauri

Offline Dan Rowe

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Re: True confessions of a toolaholic
« Reply #31 on: June 22, 2020, 09:19:14 PM »
Lauri, Levin is still in business.
https://levinlathe.com/

I have a very similar Levin only with a 3C headstock. It is a very nice lathe but Levin lathes are only 50mm. I have never had the chance to use a Schaublin lathe but I am interested in the comparison and how does the Levin compare to the Pultra lathe.

Cheers Dan


ShaylocoDan

Offline Mcgyver

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Re: True confessions of a toolaholic
« Reply #32 on: June 22, 2020, 09:53:33 PM »
Thanks Lauri.  They are both fantastic machines.  The Levin was the last one I picked up so haven't used it much as I'm just finishing reworking some of it.  The motor and controller were toast which is unfortunate as it was a nice DC unit.  I replace it with 3/4 hp 3p motor and VFD buried in the original control box.  I also replaced the spindle bearings with new matched P4's.  Final thing is to make the overhead drive for the mill and drill accessories. 

One of the small challenges with the Levin is that all the early round head stock models (and I believe some of the early square head ones, I have serial # cut off somewhere) use a now unavailable new departure shouldered angular contact bearing.  You can get around it, but it adds to the work of swapping bearings.   The vendor did not disclose the bearing issue, but I had my indicator with me - an interesting negotiation ensued that ended up with me coming home with the Levin, Huaser pivot polisher and the baby cylindrical grinder

On the whole, I'd say the Schaublin is preferable, but they are both so nice its a bit unfair to pick a loser between them.  The Schaublin of course is a little bigger which probably factors into my preference.  Feels like the right size when something bigger than an 8mm is wanted, and in truth I haven't used the Levin much as I've been working on it.  Levin's are still made, but take a seat before you look at the prices.

The Levin duplicates a lot of functionality of the watchmakers lathes and the Schaublins, but with the accessories I couldn't pass it up.    Bit of a creepy feeling thinking 'my god, I may be a hoarder', but I justify it as it has some unique accessories.

Dan the Levin and Pultra imo are very similar quality, just excellent little machines.  Both are 10mm.  The 3C would be a nice format, much  Pultra was Smart Brown of course who made some the nicest lathes ever. The collets shown with the Levin are actually 8mm, i'm kind of in the market for a set of Levin 10mm, but in the meantime the Pultra's do fit it ( but not the other way around).  I've a Levin 8mm lathe I'll use them  with.  I have I think the parts to make up a second 8mm headstock for the Levein as well - same headstock and an 8mm spindle shaft.   Pultra was Smart Brown of course who made some the nicest lathes ever.  Haven't conjured a good rational for both....different colours?  :D
« Last Edit: June 22, 2020, 09:57:21 PM by Mcgyver »

Offline Zephyrin

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Re: True confessions of a toolaholic
« Reply #33 on: June 23, 2020, 09:27:48 AM »
this is an amazing workshop, for sure, lot of the most famous tooling in all domains.
But I'm sure that everything is not here, a second floor, a barn, maybe ?

Offline Mcgyver

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Re: True confessions of a toolaholic
« Reply #34 on: June 23, 2020, 10:57:57 AM »
thanks, the larger stuff is in the garage. 

Online steamer

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Re: True confessions of a toolaholic
« Reply #35 on: June 23, 2020, 04:57:28 PM »
Hello.

You have some really nice stuff over there.
Can you say something about the quality of the Levin Lathe? I've never seen one but I'm very familiar with Schaublin 70 lathes. How would they compare? Are Levins still being made?

Lauri

I have a 1940 Levin 8mm    Spindle taper has "Broken indicator syndrome".....I'm guessing less than 50 millionths........
"Mister M'Andrew, don't you think steam spoils romance at sea?"
Damned ijjit!

Offline Dan Rowe

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Re: True confessions of a toolaholic
« Reply #36 on: June 23, 2020, 09:03:18 PM »
i'm kind of in the market for a set of Levin 10mm, but in the meantime the Pultra's do fit it ( but not the other way around). 

I thought the only difference with Pultra 10 mm collets and Levin 10 mm collets was the thread form.
Pultra has a M10 x1 V sharp thread and Levin D collets and Derbyshire Magnus Elect 10 mm collets have a M10 x1 buttress thread.

What keeps a Levin collet from being used in a Pultra lathe with the correct drawbar?

Cheers Dan
ShaylocoDan

Offline Mcgyver

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Re: True confessions of a toolaholic
« Reply #37 on: June 24, 2020, 12:00:15 AM »

What keeps a Levin collet from being used in a Pultra lathe with the correct drawbar?


the keyway, much narrower on a Levin 10mm collet.  Won't fit in the Pultra.  The Levin is a buttress, however there is a enough thread clearance the Pulta's will screw in ok with the Levin drawbar.  That's sub-optimal, which is why I'd like to get set.  I've made buttress thread drawbars before and may end up there, but have so many projects i'm sort of waiting to trip over a set to avoid adding to the list...and its nice if each lathe has a set

Not even sure about Derbyshire/Levin any more.  I've always thought they were interchangeable but a recently a post on a watchmakers forum of someone who purchased Levin 10mm collets says they won't fit his Derbyshire 10mm. 
« Last Edit: June 24, 2020, 12:06:19 AM by Mcgyver »

Offline Dan Rowe

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Re: True confessions of a toolaholic
« Reply #38 on: June 26, 2020, 04:47:58 PM »
Not even sure about Derbyshire/Levin any more.  I've always thought they were interchangeable but a recently a post on a watchmakers forum of someone who purchased Levin 10mm collets says they won't fit his Derbyshire 10mm.

I have both Derbyshire and Levin 10mm collets and machines and the collets are interchangeable. I even have a Clement 10mm arbor and it fits both Derbyshire and Levin 10mm machines.

I have the adaptors for my 3C Levin headstock for 10mm and WW collets. To use the adaptors the 3C quick closer as to be removed and the plain 3C drawbar installed.

I needed a bunch of new drawbars that were longer and some so I could use Pultra arbors. I got lucky and found a tube that makes it simple. The tube is 16mm OD and you can get it with a 9mm ID and a 6mm ID. The 9mm ID tube is perfect for 10mm drawbars simply tap and cut the OD of the tube to what is needed and cut a shoulder for the handwheel.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/High-carbon-Steel-Seamless-Steel-Pipe-Tube-High-Pressure-Lowest-Price-/312757254193?var=&hash=item48d1c8f831

Now I have long adaptors for the headstock and I made a short version so I can attach it to the faceplate or any of the 10mm chucks and then simply pop them into the headstock with the 3C quick closer.

Cheers Dan
ShaylocoDan

Offline Ginger Nut

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Re: True confessions of a toolaholic
« Reply #39 on: June 27, 2020, 11:31:36 PM »
Wow I need to show the wife & family all of whom say I have enough tools n machines .

I like what you have done with the BCA I am on restoring a similar unbranded machine with a hex slot Sigma rotary table. The drive shaft & motor had been altered  by the previous owner he removed the yoke lay shaft n pulley and made it direct drive. I'm hoping to improve greatly on that.

Thanks for the tour.

Sent from my SM-T580 using Tapatalk


Offline Mcgyver

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Re: True confessions of a toolaholic
« Reply #40 on: June 28, 2020, 03:22:47 PM »
thanks....the bca has been quite a project and isn't over yet.  The spindle is done, but I've been building a soft bearing dynamic balancer and wanted try balancing the spindle before final assembly.  The plan is to also get the BCA hobbing gears.  Toward that end there's an arm support as part of the new spindle and an encoder mount.  I also recently finished and successfully used an EDM sinker head on it....was making a fancy tube bender to get the bends on a model engine just right and broke a bit of carbide tooling in a piece.  Common theme eh?  make a tool to make a tool to make part for a machine to make a part for model.  This bloody tube bender has taken a while, changed out the mill bearings in the big mill in the middle of it, endless chores but getting there.

Today's task is painting the BCA and all the EDM parts.  I had been painting with an airbrush which works, but you have to dilute the paint quite a lot because of the small nozzle....going to try one of the cheapo offshore air guns today.  I'm also adding power feed to the Z (for boring) and probably to the X as well so needed a rework of the feed screw and its mount.  While in there, I figured i'd convert the feed screw mounts to angular contact bearings - i dislike a plain thrust there.

I also thought to make a vertical slotter and a drill head, but its way down the list.  I've milled and drilled oil passages to every bearing surface, something that  is disappointing more factories didn't do.  Its an easy mod that greatly improves the machine.

The basic bones of the machine are still there, but there's been a lot improvements done on it. 

btw, mine is also a Sigma Jones, never really knew what the difference was  clone?  license?  firm name change?























« Last Edit: June 28, 2020, 04:54:10 PM by Mcgyver »

 

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