Baking Soda Rust Removal, 1952 Logan 925 Resurrection

[Ranchero50]

Yes, another dang project... Answered a local Craigslist ad for a Logan metal lathe, fair condition for $375. Asked some questions and was first in line to check this thing out. Took a length of ground 1" round stock along and my dial indicator to check for wear on the bed ways and run out on the spindle. Got there and the lathe looked pretty rough, like it has sat outside for a few months. All the machined surfaces has a scum coat of rust at the least. The handwheels and where ever the paint was chipped the rust was pretty heavy. Wiped down the ways and using the dial couldn't get any measurable wear running the carriage along the ways. I checked both the front and bottom edges, nada. Checked all the functions out and everything worked. The crossfeed and compound slide leadscrews had some slop but looked adjustable. Gave the gentleman $100 to hold it until I could pick it up and away we went.

The next day at work I found the manual (for $25 to download), read that this beast weighs around 900lbs so I lined up a friend's lift gate truck and took the oldest and an engine hoist to get this beast loaded. An hours gentle grunting and swearing got the lathe loaded and back home, in the dark with the hoist hanging off the back of the liftgate...



One good thing about this lathe is the history, it was owned by the National Bureau of Standards, yep, US Govt. so it explains the minimum wear. From what I understand it was sitting outside to get auctioned off for a while, thus the rust and missing tooling. Looking at the rust I remembered the electrolysis rust removal thread and figured this was a good time to try it.




Luckily the lathe only had two extra coats of paint and they are chipping off easily.


The rust removal is working out well. Just do a Yahoo search for baking soda rust removal and read up. It actually works.


Finally a money shot of the crossfeed and compound slide in satin Navy Blue paint with the brite work polished and ready to reinstall.


I'l try to take some better pictures as I go along.

Jamie

[averagef250]

That looks great Jamie, I like the color you picked for it. I have always had a hard time with rocker toolposts, but it'll get the job done just fine. Keep us updated on the progress.

[Ranchero50]

Thanks, that's one of the things that sold me, it still had the original post so I figured it's been in storage for the last 30 years or so. Luckily Logan Actuator Company is still in business and still supporting these Lathes so I think I really lucked out. Another benefit is so far nothing is in bad shape. The compound has some dings but they filed out and I figure I'll add some as I get used to it. The color I like, especially since it's a satin so I hope it keeps the old school laquer look.

The electrolysis is really working well. Things like the knurled knobs I was looking at making new ones but this is taking the rust away and the black residue can be wire brushed off and the parts shine up nice. So far I've been using LPS #2 but may end up doing a clear coat on them.

Jamie