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RATIONALIZATION AND ASSET IMPAIRMENTS (Textual) (Details) (USD $)
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified
3 Months Ended 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Sep. 30, 2014
Jun. 30, 2014
Mar. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Sep. 30, 2013
Jun. 30, 2013
Mar. 31, 2013
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Dec. 31, 2012
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]                      
Rationalization and asset impairment charges (gains) $ 166us-gaap_RestructuringSettlementAndImpairmentProvisions $ 29,068us-gaap_RestructuringSettlementAndImpairmentProvisions $ 836us-gaap_RestructuringSettlementAndImpairmentProvisions $ (17)us-gaap_RestructuringSettlementAndImpairmentProvisions $ 259us-gaap_RestructuringSettlementAndImpairmentProvisions $ 1,627us-gaap_RestructuringSettlementAndImpairmentProvisions $ 851us-gaap_RestructuringSettlementAndImpairmentProvisions $ 1,051us-gaap_RestructuringSettlementAndImpairmentProvisions $ 30,053us-gaap_RestructuringSettlementAndImpairmentProvisions $ 8,463us-gaap_RestructuringSettlementAndImpairmentProvisions $ 9,354us-gaap_RestructuringSettlementAndImpairmentProvisions
Special items charge (Gain)                 51,186leco_SpecialItemsChargeGain 21,366leco_SpecialItemsChargeGain 10,735leco_SpecialItemsChargeGain
Restructuring charges                 1,241us-gaap_RestructuringCharges 3,658us-gaap_RestructuringCharges  
Restructuring liability 305us-gaap_RestructuringReserve       3,276us-gaap_RestructuringReserve       305us-gaap_RestructuringReserve 3,276us-gaap_RestructuringReserve 3,057us-gaap_RestructuringReserve
Asset impairment charges                 32,742us-gaap_AssetImpairmentCharges    
Special items, gain (loss) on the sale of assets at a rationalized operation                 3,930leco_SpecialItemsRationalizationGainOnSaleOfAssets    
Other current assets 158,432us-gaap_OtherAssetsCurrent       102,931us-gaap_OtherAssetsCurrent       158,432us-gaap_OtherAssetsCurrent 102,931us-gaap_OtherAssetsCurrent  
Other Liabilities, Current 27,070us-gaap_OtherLiabilitiesCurrent       1,129us-gaap_OtherLiabilitiesCurrent       27,070us-gaap_OtherLiabilitiesCurrent 1,129us-gaap_OtherLiabilitiesCurrent  
Asia Pacific Welding 2014 Plan [Member]                      
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]                      
Asset impairment charges   32,448us-gaap_AssetImpairmentCharges
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= leco_AsiaPacificWelding2014PlanMember
            32,617us-gaap_AssetImpairmentCharges
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= leco_AsiaPacificWelding2014PlanMember
   
North America Welding                      
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]                      
Special items charge (Gain)                 (68)leco_SpecialItemsChargeGain
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= leco_NorthAmericaWeldingMember
1,052leco_SpecialItemsChargeGain
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= leco_NorthAmericaWeldingMember
827leco_SpecialItemsChargeGain
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= leco_NorthAmericaWeldingMember
Restructuring charges                 (68)us-gaap_RestructuringCharges
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= leco_NorthAmericaWeldingMember
1,052us-gaap_RestructuringCharges
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= leco_NorthAmericaWeldingMember
827us-gaap_RestructuringCharges
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= leco_NorthAmericaWeldingMember
Restructuring liability 0us-gaap_RestructuringReserve
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= leco_NorthAmericaWeldingMember
      466us-gaap_RestructuringReserve
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= leco_NorthAmericaWeldingMember
      0us-gaap_RestructuringReserve
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= leco_NorthAmericaWeldingMember
466us-gaap_RestructuringReserve
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= leco_NorthAmericaWeldingMember
0us-gaap_RestructuringReserve
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= leco_NorthAmericaWeldingMember
Europe Welding 2014 Plan [Member]                      
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]                      
Special items charge (Gain)                 701leco_SpecialItemsChargeGain
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= leco_EuropeWelding2014PlanMember
   
Number of employees affected due to rationalization activities                 16us-gaap_RestructuringAndRelatedCostExpectedNumberOfPositionsEliminated
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= leco_EuropeWelding2014PlanMember
   
Europe Welding 2013 Plan [Member]                      
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]                      
Special items charge (Gain)                 347leco_SpecialItemsChargeGain
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= leco_EuropeWelding2013PlanMember
   
Europe Welding 2012 Plan [Member]                      
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]                      
Restructuring charges                 (144)us-gaap_RestructuringCharges
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= leco_EuropeWelding2012PlanMember
   
Asia Pacific Welding                      
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]                      
Special items charge (Gain)                 28,635leco_SpecialItemsChargeGain
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= leco_AsiaPacificWeldingMember
6,071leco_SpecialItemsChargeGain
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= leco_AsiaPacificWeldingMember
4,993leco_SpecialItemsChargeGain
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= leco_AsiaPacificWeldingMember
Restructuring charges                 (184)us-gaap_RestructuringCharges
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= leco_AsiaPacificWeldingMember
841us-gaap_RestructuringCharges
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= leco_AsiaPacificWeldingMember
3,151us-gaap_RestructuringCharges
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= leco_AsiaPacificWeldingMember
Restructuring liability 0us-gaap_RestructuringReserve
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= leco_AsiaPacificWeldingMember
      375us-gaap_RestructuringReserve
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= leco_AsiaPacificWeldingMember
      0us-gaap_RestructuringReserve
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= leco_AsiaPacificWeldingMember
375us-gaap_RestructuringReserve
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= leco_AsiaPacificWeldingMember
1,044us-gaap_RestructuringReserve
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= leco_AsiaPacificWeldingMember
Asset impairment charges                     1,842us-gaap_AssetImpairmentCharges
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= leco_AsiaPacificWeldingMember
Restructuring Charges Net                   922leco_RestructuringChargesNet
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= leco_AsiaPacificWeldingMember
 
Other Asset Impairment Charges           4,675us-gaap_OtherAssetImpairmentCharges
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= leco_AsiaPacificWeldingMember
    32,742us-gaap_OtherAssetImpairmentCharges
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= leco_AsiaPacificWeldingMember
4,444us-gaap_OtherAssetImpairmentCharges
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= leco_AsiaPacificWeldingMember
 
The Harris Products Group                      
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]                      
Special items charge (Gain)                 0leco_SpecialItemsChargeGain
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= leco_HarrisProductsGroupMember
0leco_SpecialItemsChargeGain
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= leco_HarrisProductsGroupMember
0leco_SpecialItemsChargeGain
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= leco_HarrisProductsGroupMember
Asia Pacific Welding 2012 Plan [Member]                      
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]                      
Restructuring charges                 (184)us-gaap_RestructuringCharges
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= leco_AsiaPacificWelding2012PlanMember
   
Asset impairment charges                 125us-gaap_AssetImpairmentCharges
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= leco_AsiaPacificWelding2012PlanMember
   
Special items, gain (loss) on the sale of assets at a rationalized operation   3,911leco_SpecialItemsRationalizationGainOnSaleOfAssets
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= leco_AsiaPacificWelding2012PlanMember
            3,911leco_SpecialItemsRationalizationGainOnSaleOfAssets
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= leco_AsiaPacificWelding2012PlanMember
   
Restructuring Charges Net                 (3,982)leco_RestructuringChargesNet
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= leco_AsiaPacificWelding2012PlanMember
   
South America Welding [Member]                      
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]                      
Special items charge (Gain)             2,538leco_SpecialItemsChargeGain
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= leco_SouthAmericaWeldingMember
9,660leco_SpecialItemsChargeGain
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= leco_SouthAmericaWeldingMember
21,715leco_SpecialItemsChargeGain
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= leco_SouthAmericaWeldingMember
12,198leco_SpecialItemsChargeGain
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= leco_SouthAmericaWeldingMember
1,381leco_SpecialItemsChargeGain
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= leco_SouthAmericaWeldingMember
Restructuring charges                 582us-gaap_RestructuringCharges
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= leco_SouthAmericaWeldingMember
0us-gaap_RestructuringCharges
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= leco_SouthAmericaWeldingMember
 
Restructuring liability 0us-gaap_RestructuringReserve
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= leco_SouthAmericaWeldingMember
      0us-gaap_RestructuringReserve
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= leco_SouthAmericaWeldingMember
      0us-gaap_RestructuringReserve
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= leco_SouthAmericaWeldingMember
0us-gaap_RestructuringReserve
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= leco_SouthAmericaWeldingMember
0us-gaap_RestructuringReserve
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= leco_SouthAmericaWeldingMember
Number of employees affected due to rationalization activities                 15us-gaap_RestructuringAndRelatedCostExpectedNumberOfPositionsEliminated
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= leco_SouthAmericaWeldingMember
   
Employee Severance                      
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]                      
Restructuring charges                 1,241us-gaap_RestructuringCharges
/ us-gaap_RestructuringCostAndReserveAxis
= us-gaap_EmployeeSeveranceMember
   
Assets Held-for-sale [Member]                      
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]                      
Other current assets 30,437us-gaap_OtherAssetsCurrent
/ us-gaap_LongLivedAssetsHeldForSaleByAssetTypeAxis
= us-gaap_AssetsHeldForSaleMember
              30,437us-gaap_OtherAssetsCurrent
/ us-gaap_LongLivedAssetsHeldForSaleByAssetTypeAxis
= us-gaap_AssetsHeldForSaleMember
   
Other Liabilities, Current $ 11,345us-gaap_OtherLiabilitiesCurrent
/ us-gaap_LongLivedAssetsHeldForSaleByAssetTypeAxis
= us-gaap_AssetsHeldForSaleMember
              $ 11,345us-gaap_OtherLiabilitiesCurrent
/ us-gaap_LongLivedAssetsHeldForSaleByAssetTypeAxis
= us-gaap_AssetsHeldForSaleMember