Harrison L5 9 inch gap bed Lathe

[Ron HancockParticipant @ronhancock63652]

I have an old but excellent Harrison L5 Lathe.

I am told it has had very little use from several as no wear noticeable any where.

I would love to fit a Norton Gearbox to make screw cutting different threads easier.

I am hoping to find a secondhand gearbox or a old Lathe for parts.

Can any one tell me if they are easy to fit please.

I only use my Lathe for Model Engineering i am very in experienced as only started 2 years ago.

I want to keep the lathe as it seems a lot better than some of the newer ones i have seen.

Just be nice to update it now.

Ron

PS if any one knows of a Norton gearbox to fit an L5 please let me know

[Ron HancockParticipant @ronhancock63652]

Is it easy to fit a Norton Gearbox if i can find one

[BazyleParticipant @bazyle]

You will probably find you need a new (shorter) leadscrew. This may come with the gearbox (and be worn), or might be extra, or it might be a case of modifying your existing one.

In view of the increased use of metric threads these days you might be better off keeping to change wheels and sorting a quick way of changing them which on some lathes as designed is fiddly though I don't know the Harrison.

[Ron HancockParticipant @ronhancock63652]

The Harrison is good for changing wheels its just that so many are 40 tpi and then 32 tpi would make life simpler.

I don't use any metric but do have the gearing for metric.

Ron

[JonParticipant @jon]

The gearing is all dependant upon the change wheels and almost impossible to find. Forget off hand think theres around 13 change wheels needed optional extra at the time now worth as much as a decent Harrison 11"/140. It will also affect the cross slide traverse.

Even with the bare minimum change wheels and the Norton box you would only achieve 4 thread pitches without changing a wheel or two over and setting up. These are far easier than the chinese imports but still a pain.

If you did acquire a Norton box you would want all associated parts including lead screw, clutch which dislodges under wrong doings like an anti shear. and the front of carriage mounted indicator. Not sure may be metric? certainly if off a 140 though the 11" exactly the same with rounded head stock.

Shame scrapped my 1965 ish 140 5 years ago had full set of change wheels, coolant, 11" 4 jaw, C spanners the lot £200.

[Ron HancockParticipant @ronhancock63652]

Thank you for that can't be leave only £200 I have paid £40 for each face plate plus bought 5 change wheels then 4 jaw chuck.

The lathe came from Ludlow with very little use and Lecturer from college says no play anywhere witch for an old lathe was amazing.

I think after your message will live with what I have and maybe just get a super 7 for the small stuff with norton gearbox.

Just missed a Harrison 140 with norton box from same guy I bought this one from seems you can buy anything for 140 but the L5 need deep pockets

Ron

[JonParticipant @jon]

The 11" and 140 are the best with the far better L00 spindle fitting and bigger bore through head stock with Norton gearbox. L5, L5A limited in that respect.

Not to mention all the other stuff fixed and travelling steady, face plate never used, 11" 4 jaw, full set of change wheels, coolant, various original C type spanners as an original 1ph 240V. On my third coolant pump on current lathe in 3 years then had to fork out £150 for an inferior Chinese to get me out the proverbial.
Ludlows not that far heard of one around there the other week a bit rough and dear.

[Ron HancockParticipant @ronhancock63652]

Yes its at £1500 at moment wish i had known about yours i only do model engineering so spindle size not a problem but probably the reason mine has has very little use.

Ron

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