Your Vintage K.O. Lee Surface Grinder Just Lit $50k on Fire
That's what happens when you ignore 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 countless times....
Tips for a Smooth Industrial Lathe Installation
So, you’ve taken the first steps in preparing for a lathe installation—you’ve identified the equipment weight, contacted a rigging company, and confirmed that disassembly and fluid drainage are (mostly) optional. Great! But the process doesn’t stop there. A successful...
Lathe Tailstock Parts Are Tougher Than an Abrams Tank (But These 8 Parts Will Eventually Break)
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,...
LeBlond Stands With Machine Tool Schools
May 28, 2025 Dear Machine Tool Leaders, Last month, President Donald J. Trump announced his administration’s intention to halt $3 billion in research grants and redirect them to trade schools and other institutions in the United States. This policy initiative is...
5 Easy Tips for Extending the Life of Your Lathe
When the first explorers of America set out to find the Fountain of Youth, they never would have expected it right in the middle of a machine shop. The key to a lathe’s long life is through sticking to five easy lathe maintenance tips. An experienced machinist must...
Lathe for Beginners
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 happening. ...
Lathe Headstock Parts Explained: Inside the LeBlond Regal Servo Shift
Need parts for a lathe headstock? While machinists focus on the finished workpiece, it's the headstock parts hidden within that truly determine performance. The LeBlond Regal Servo Shift—a machine that bridged the gap between manual and CNC lathes—contains...
Mastering Chip Control
Metalworking lathes are versatile machines used primarily for shaping metal and other solid materials. They are essential in various industries for machining parts using techniques such as: Turning, Facing, Drilling, Knurling, Parting, Taper Turning and Thread Cutting.
From Delivery to Operation: Complete LeBlond Heavy-Duty Lathe Video Guide
You're thinking of buying a LeBlond heavy-duty lathe. How do you set it up? What are all the controls? How do you maintain it? LeBlond Service Manager Christopher Smith has something better than an old Yellow pages-sized manual. A VIDEO GUIDE where you can practically...
Lathe Tooling Insert Shapes, Uses, Pros & Cons
Picking the right tooling insert for machining metal isn’t always easy—there are so many shapes, coatings, and materials to choose from. The wrong choice can lead to rough finishes, worn-out tools, or even scrapped parts. Tooling inserts are essential in machining, offering versatility and efficiency for various applications.