Hi gang;
I just added a new machine to my LeBlond collection... It's called a #2
Universal Tool & Cutter Grinder (I think that's the official name). I
was very lucky to snap it up on ebay from Reliable Tools for the
insanely low winning price of $150. I hauled it home today, and it's a
beautiful little machine. I had thought it was from the 1950's, but I
found a greasy old tag inside claiming that the motor had been cleaned
and serviced on 7/23/44. So I guess it's late 30's or early 40's?

Do any of you guys remember these machines, or know anything about
them? I'm somewhat knowledgeable about vintage LeBlonds, but I didn't
even know that they had gotten into tool grinding machines. I'm sure it
was intended for factory tool rooms. With a few accessories, it's
capable of precision grinding all kinds of rotary and linear cutting
tools.

It's a clever and somewhat peculiar machine. It weighs about 1400 lbs,
with a 36" x 6" table. The travels are about 20"X by 7"Y by 10"Z. The X
travel has a selector between a speed crank and slow wheel. The table
has an additional vertical axis swivel for doing long tapers.

The center structure of the machine is a vertical column, about 6" dia,
with a horizontal double end spindle at the top. A long flat leather
belt drive runs up through the column to drive the spindle, from a
motor and gearbox in the base. The cool thing is that the entire table
assembly, including the knee and Z crank gearbox, can be rotated 360
degrees around the column to put the grinding wheels at any angle in
relation to the table. There are even duplicate X and Y cranks on the
back side of the whole assembly, so you can turn the table around and
operate the machine from behind the column! A strange design, but I
guess it makes sense.

The pictures may still be on ebay under item 3858925864 for a while.

Any info would be appreciated, and I'm always glad to hear from other
vintage LeBlond owners. My pride and joy is a 1905 LeBlond #0
Horizontal Mill that I'm almost finished restoring.
Bruce Johnson