Average period of time between issuance and maturity of debt instruments.

No definition available.

Name:	leco_AverageMaturityofDebtInstruments
Namespace Prefix:	leco_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the amount that the borrowing capacity of the line of credit may be increased at the entity's option, subject to certain conditions, under the terms of the credit agreement.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	leco_LineOfCreditFacilityAdditionalCapacityIncreaseOption
Namespace Prefix:	leco_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

States whether the entity was in compliance with the debt covenants throughout the reporting period, and describes facts and circumstances of any compliance failure.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 942

-SubTopic 470

-Section 50

-Paragraph 3

-Subparagraph (g)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6479336&loc=d3e64711-112823

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 02

-Paragraph 22

-Article 5

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentCovenantCompliance
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Face (par) amount of debt instrument at time of issuance.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 835

-SubTopic 30

-Section 55

-Paragraph 8

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=34725769&loc=d3e28878-108400

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 835

-SubTopic 30

-Section 45

-Paragraph 2

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6451184&loc=d3e28551-108399

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentFaceAmount
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Contractual interest rate for funds borrowed, under the debt agreement.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Date the debt instrument was issued, in CCYY-MM-DD format.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentIssuanceDate1
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:dateItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Date when the debt instrument is scheduled to be fully repaid, in CCYY-MM-DD format.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentMaturityDate
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:dateItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Period of time between issuance and maturity of debt instrument, in PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents the reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentTerm
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Weighted average interest rate of debt outstanding.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtWeightedAverageInterestRate
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Identification of whether the entity has been in compliance with any credit facility debt covenants during the period.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 505

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 3

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6928386&loc=d3e21475-112644

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 02

-Paragraph 19, 22

-Article 5

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityCovenantCompliance
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of current borrowing capacity under the credit facility considering any current restrictions on the amount that could be borrowed (for example, borrowings may be limited by the amount of current assets), but without considering any amounts currently outstanding under the facility.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityCurrentBorrowingCapacity
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Date the credit facility first became available, in CCYY-MM-DD format.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityInitiationDate1
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:dateItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of long-term debt and capital lease obligation due after one year or beyond the normal operating cycle, if longer.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 210

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.22)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Staff Accounting Bulletin (SAB)

-Number Topic 6

-Section H

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LongTermDebtAndCapitalLeaseObligations
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Carrying amount at the balance sheet date of borrowings from a bank, not elsewhere enumerated in the taxonomy, with a maturity within one year (or within one operating cycle if longer) from the date of borrowing.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 944

-SubTopic 210

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03.16)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879938&loc=d3e572229-122910

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 210

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.19(a)(1))

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShortTermBankLoansAndNotesPayable
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis=us-gaap_LineOfCreditMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis=us-gaap_SeniorNotesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RangeAxis=us-gaap_MinimumMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RangeAxis=us-gaap_MaximumMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=leco_SeniorNotesSeriesAMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=leco_SeniorNotesSeriesBMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=leco_SeniorNotesSeriesCMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=leco_SeniorNotesSeriesDMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

DEBT (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	1 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
DEBT (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Apr. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Debt
Line of Credit Facility, Fair Value of Amount Outstanding			$ 2,453	$ 68,166
Senior Notes outstanding, recorded in Long-term debt			350,899	$ 2,488
Revolving credit agreement
Debt
Borrowing capacity under the line of credit			$ 400,000
Line of Credit Facility, Initiation Date		Sep. 12, 2014
Covenant compliance description			As of September 30, 2015, the Company was in compliance with all of its covenants
Additional increase in borrowing capacity of the line of credit available at the entity's option			$ 100,000
Debt Instrument, Term			5 years
Senior Notes [Member]
Debt
Debt Instrument, Issuance Date	Apr. 01, 2015
Debt Instrument, Face Amount			$ 350,000
Senior Notes outstanding, recorded in Long-term debt			$ 350,000
Debt, Weighted Average Interest Rate			3.50%
AverageMaturityofDebtInstruments			19 years
Debt Instrument, Covenant Compliance			As of September 30, 2015, the Company was in compliance with all of its debt covenants
Minimum [Member] \| Senior Notes [Member]
Debt
Debt Instrument, Term			10 years
Maximum \| Senior Notes [Member]
Debt
Debt Instrument, Term			30 years
Senior Notes Series A [Member]
Debt
Debt Instrument, Maturity Date			Aug. 20, 2025
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage			3.15%
Debt Instrument, Face Amount			$ 100,000
Senior Notes Series B [Member]
Debt
Debt Instrument, Maturity Date			Aug. 20, 2030
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage			3.35%
Debt Instrument, Face Amount			$ 100,000
Senior Notes Series C [Member]
Debt
Debt Instrument, Maturity Date			Apr. 01, 2035
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage			3.61%
Debt Instrument, Face Amount			$ 50,000
Senior Notes Series D [Member]
Debt
Debt Instrument, Maturity Date			Apr. 01, 2045
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage			4.02%
Debt Instrument, Face Amount			$ 100,000