The LeBlond apron was a box-section casting which gave support to all shafts and gears at both their ends. The Apron, tongued at both ends for accurate location, was fastened to the saddle with four bolts. All gears were machined from drop forgings and their shafts hardened and ground.
A single, positive-action lever with a spring-plunger indent moved though a quadrant to engage either power sliding or surfacing - and the feed could be instantly tripped in or out by another lever mounted centrally on the apron front.
Leadscrews were roughed out on a threading lathe and then allowed a period of time for the strains caused by machining to equalise; they were then finished on a lathe fitted with a precision master screw. Because a separate power shaft was used for sliding and surfacing feeds, the accuracy of the leadscrew was not destroyed in day-to-day work.