The Servo Shift Design Flaw Nobody Talks About
LeBlond engineers made one catastrophic material choice in the 1960s. Nylon seemed perfect for servo shift components. They were dead wrong. Every machine owner has been paying for it ever since. That clicking sound coming from your Regal? It's nylon disintegrating at...
Mashed Teeth On Lathe Apron Parts Are Probably Your Fault
"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...
Lathes Get Machining Done
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.
LeBlond In-Stock Machines Are a Winning Hand
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,...
Keep Your K.O. Lee Tool & Cutter Grinder Running Like a Beast
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...
7 Essential Lathe Maintenance Tips for Smooth, Accurate Machining
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.
Stop Wasting Time. Get the Newall NMS 800 DRO.
Your old lathe is bleeding money. Every second you spend squinting at grimy Vernier dials is profit walking out the door. The Newall NMS 800 Digital Readout changes everything. No more guessing. No more mistakes. Your Current Setup is Killing Productivity Cross-slides...
Your Vintage K.O. Lee Surface Grinder Just Lit $50k on Fire
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...
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,...