"The teeth start to mash a little bit." That's how Christopher Smith, LeBlond's Service Manager, describes what happens when operators slam their lathe feeds too hard. Those expensive gears you depend on? They're getting destroyed one careless engagement at a...
Your K.O. Lee tool and cutter grinder is a precise monster of a machine. It's built to sharpen end mills, cut gears and handle demanding tooling work day after day. But like any workhorse, it needs the right parts to keep performing. When critical components...
Complex machined parts often require multiple steps for turning, boring, facing and finishing for final part production or assembly. Thankfully, lathes can handle many of the different cutting processes from start to finish.
An in-stock LeBlond machine is the best card for Phil to play, even if he doesn’t realize he is gambling. Phil is a machinist who supplies parts for the automotive industry. Uptick in Business? He expects business to pick up with a flurry of recent trade deals,...
A well-maintained lathe doesn’t just run better—it lasts longer, performs more accurately, and reduces downtime. Whether you’re operating a manual machine or a CNC lathe, implementing a structured maintenance routine is critical.
The manufacturing world is facing a crisis. As veteran manual machinists retire, companies are struggling to replace them. Schools eliminated manual machining from curricula for years, and now companies are paying the price. But there's a resurgence...
That's what happens when you ignore surface grinder maintenance until it's too late. You have to buy new equipment in the neighborhood of five figures. I dunno — maybe you should just burn stacks of money instead. LeBlond Service Manager Christopher Smith has seen it...
Do you have what it takes to ace our machinist terms quiz? Test your lathe knowledge.
Here's the scorching truth about lathe tailstocks: They're built like tanks, but even tanks need maintenance. After five years selling LeBlond parts, Tim Fuller has seen it all. Dropped tailstocks. Beaten spindles. Parts thrown away by mistake. The carnage is real,...