Levin Lathe parts

[edsalberg]

I hope this is OK to post here. I inherited a bunch of Levin Lathe parts and would like to sell them. But before I can list them, I need to identify them.
Can anyone tell me what these parts are called?

Thank you.

 

[dalmatiangirl61]

Why not just sell it as a complete set, I'm no expert, but it looks to a fairly complete lathe.

 

[edsalberg]

That's a possibility, but I still need to be able to list what it includes

 

[jim rozen]

First 2: regular tailstock
3rd: tip-over T rest
4th: grinding spindle (?)
5th: lathe bed, headstock, lever-acting tailstock for live tooling
6th: detail of lever acting tailstock (adjustable in some way)
7th: bed clamp, assorted bits (maybe tailstock stop?)
8th: levin collets
9th: toolmaker's compount for lathe

 

[edsalberg]

Thanks - any idea what they are worth, or should be listed for a fair price?

Thanks again

 

[L Vanice]

Consider them listed.

Conversation sent.

I have been running Levin lathes for about 60 years and still can use more.

Larry

 

[jim rozen]

(were my descriptions close?)

 

[Screwmachine]

#6 is a Micro Drilling attachment.
You are missing the drawbar for the tailstock.
Both the micro drilling attachment and the slide rest are graduated in inch.

Best is to list them on Ebay starting at a buck, there are folks actively seeking Levin lathes and tooling, the price will set itself. Just get "Levin" and "lathe" in the description, they will find it. You can get a feeling for prices checking completed listings, but don't go by asking prices for what may be currently listed- and forget Levin catalog prices.

 

[jim rozen]

Micro-drilling attachment - what are the two micrometer adjustments for? One clearly is side-to-side alignment, what's with the one at an angle to horizontal?

 

[L Vanice]

Micro-drilling attachment - what are the two micrometer adjustments for? One clearly is side-to-side alignment, what's with the one at an angle to horizontal?

The two slides provide alinement adjustment between the headstock spindle and the tailstock spindle in horizontal and vertical planes. The attachment also has an adjustment for how it fits the sloping sides of the bed because Levin lathes have variations in some of their dimensions. The attachment is capable of drilling very small holes, so alinement has to be very good. The lever feed gives manual feedback, but tiny drills have almost no "feel" so there is supposed to be a dial indicator (missing) next to the screw depth stop. The depth stop can be slowly turned while the lever does the feeding, allowing a slow and controlled feed rate and the ability to clear chips and return to the previous position in the hole.

For comparison, Derbyshire was quite confident of their ability to build a small lathe with the stock tailstock and headstock very well aligned after fitting to the bed by hand scraping. Derbyshire followed the American Watch Tool Co. precision manufacturing methods for interchangeability. Fred Derbyshire was employed there for years before leaving to start his own company. I think the ad below originally dates to around 1950 and shows an Elect model 10 mm ball bearing head lathe with the stock lever feed collet-holding tailstock drilling a very small hole (.0006"). They have the combination of lever feed and screw depth stop to control feed rate and an ohmmeter to detect when the drill contacts the part.

Note the "Here's the lathe" section of the ad shows a larger model 750 equipped as a turret lathe, not like the one that drilled the little hole.

Larry

 

[jim rozen]

Ohm meter, interesting. Pure platinum would be a tough drill job. My question still stands - iif the second micrometer adjustment is for vertical, why not put it purely in the vertical plane? Why at an angle?

 

[rivett608]

I think it is at an angle so it gives the attachment a much finer adjustment on both Y and Z axis. the straight one acts as a course and the angled is the fine. Similar to the way old microscopes were focused. Mike Garber showed me one of these he had tweaked to do his micro drilling. I think there is a old post about him here.

 

[L Vanice]

Ohm meter, interesting. Pure platinum would be a tough drill job. My question still stands - iif the second micrometer adjustment is for vertical, why not put it purely in the vertical plane? Why at an angle?

Well, the drilling attachment was shown in the 1954 catalog, so Louis and Sam must have designed it. I think they may have wanted to keep the envelope compact and avoid any interference with the overhead belt, so came up with the slanted slide for the vertical adjustment.

Larry

 

[Screwmachine]

Wow, 0.0006" is pretty darn small! I wonder what they used to make the drill? A friend of mine, ex- Bulova/Hamilton, did some 0.001" holes in the side of hypodermic needles back in the 90s. That's about double the diameter... but he did make the drill; single lip in carbide. On a Bulova made grinder. I was as impressed with the drill as the hole.

 

[jim rozen]

Still it must have been tough to line that up, the vertical setting also moves it in horizontal. I am reminded of the story about the tiny hole drilled by some company, they sent the part and the drill used to show off to another company. The other company returned the drill, with a hold drilled cross-wise through the shank. =)

 

[Golfman1]

Consider them listed.

Conversation sent.

I have been running Levin lathes for about 60 years and still can use more.

Larry

Consider them listed.

Conversation sent.

I have been running Levin lathes for about 60 years and still can use more.

Larry

Hi Larry,
I’ve read several posts and you seem very knowledgeable on Levin - would you have any leads on a chrome model collet closing tailstock? I have the body and locking lever but all other parts are missing. TIA chris

 

[john.k]

Rolls Royce and Packard in WW2.

 

[L Vanice]

Hi Larry,
I’ve read several posts and you seem very knowledgeable on Levin - would you have any leads on a chrome model collet closing tailstock? I have the body and locking lever but all other parts are missing. TIA chris

Possibly, but you need to state which collet type and whether you want push or rack and pinion type.

Larry