Hardinge Identification help

[Julian taylorParticipant @juliantaylor20573]

HLV or KL1 – Any one have schematics or info on this model 🙂

[Julian taylorParticipant @juliantaylor20573]

Hi All

I've acquired a British made Hardinge HLV or KL1 and wondered if there were any knowledgable people out there who could help with its identification.

The serial number stamped behind the headstock says HLV 0512. It's badged as made in Feltham UK.

I bought it as a project and want to convert it to CNC. As such I'm looking to sell off the ancillary parts. If anyone needs spares for theirs then drop me a line. Anything not needed for CNC will be going.

 

But mainly I'd like to start getting info on it if possible and connect with any UK HLV owners too.

 

Some pics are here      model-engineer.co.uk/albums/member_album.asp?a=53387 in my private album. I'll update as the conversion moves forwards.

Thanks in advance

Jools

Edited By Julian taylor on 27/05/2020 10:59:58

[Thor 🇳🇴Participant @thor]

I assume you have had a look at this page?

Thor

[KWILParticipant @kwil]

The question of changing a lathe such as the Hardinge HLV to CNC should no doubt be viewed as a heinous change to such a desirable and precious item.

[Julian taylorParticipant @juliantaylor20573]

Posted by Thor on 27/05/2020 14:07:58:

I assume you have had a look at this page?

Thor

Yeah I've rooted through google for the last month or so, I've contacted Hardinge too.

Lol Kwil
I would love to keep it as is but the last owners weren't great parents and she's on life support. She's had a hard life but with a bed regrind and a CNC conversion she'll at least stay alive

Jools

[KWILParticipant @kwil]

[Pete RimmerParticipant @peterimmer30576]

I don't know what makes the difference between a HLV and a KL-1. The lathes site seems to suggest that KL-1 is the UK name for a HLV-H but I have a Feltham HLV-H parts manual and KL-1 isn't mentioned in it.

[JGParticipant @jg22384]

I've seen a couple of designations for the HLV from different years and place of manufacture. For practical purposes the options are generally wide bed HLV-H or narrow bed HLV. The handwheel speed change is early, but I can't remember more than that. The lathes website has some information but there's also a lot on an American forum.. I think CNC conversion has come up there as well.

[Mark RandParticipant @markrand96270]

It's an HLV (no -H). had a hard life, but most of them have, bearing in mind that the youngest of them is 60 years young and most will have had no TLC for the last 40 of those years if in industry.

If you've still got the shaft/pulley assembly from the Reeves variable speed drive, I may well be interested (why not, my 1952 HLV already has parts from five different machines!)

[Julian taylorParticipant @juliantaylor20573]

Posted by Mark Rand on 05/06/2020 22:17:27:

It's an HLV (no -H). had a hard life, but most of them have, bearing in mind that the youngest of them is 60 years young and most will have had no TLC for the last 40 of those years if in industry.

If you've still got the shaft/pulley assembly from the Reeves variable speed drive, I may well be interested (why not, my 1952 HLV already has parts from five different machines!)

Hi Mark

Yes those are available. I'd just need to get them off the machine but that shouldn't take long.

Jools

[Julian taylorParticipant @juliantaylor20573]

@mark rand I've just sent you a PM

[Barry Stone 1Participant @barrystone1]

Hi Julian taylor. As confirmed above, your Hardinge is an HLV (no -H) and was superceded before I left school in 1965 to become a Hardinge apprentice. The serial number is stamped around the spindle lock plunger at the rear of the headstock, the spindle speed is increased/decreased with the winding handle in the motor cabinet door.

A few of this model were rebuilt in Exeter (I personally rebuilt one in 1967, under the strict watching eyes of the inspection department). It was replaced by the improved model HLV-H around 1963, which itself was then redesigned into the KL1 with a totally new pedestal base unit in 1978. Hardinge lathe manufacture ceased in UK around the mid 1990's (but I had left in early 1979)

I wish you loads of luck (you will need it!) with modifying your m/c into a CNC one, you face an uphill struggle I fear.

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