Lathes: Atlas 6' Lathe Mounting & Motor Wiring Instructions-Bulletin T6L-1: 2: from Guelph, Mark:: 1959 January: Lathes: How to Properly Level the Atlas Lathe Bed - Bulletin T 106L-5: 2: from Guelph, Mark:: 1945 June: Lathes: Atlas Lathe Gear Clearance & Lubrication-Bulletin T1061-1: 1: from Guelph, Mark:: 1957. Machine Serial Number; Any documentation that can date the machine. Atlas/Clausing Lathe Model #5300: unknown:: 001518: Mill: Model 8520:. According to dates scribed on the races, it was manufactured in 1951. My lathe is serial number 32068 (the number is stamped on the top surface of the ways, right above the right lead screw bearing and support. Just for the record, the date stamped on my left spindle race is 8-14-51, and the date on the right spindle race is 5-10-51. From: atlas-craftsman@groups.io mailto:atlas-craftsman@groups.io On Behalf Of a8050266 Sent: Wednesday, July 25, 2018 11:59 To: atlas-craftsman@groups.io Subject: Re: atlas-craftsman IO Serial number location 3000 series Craftsman lathes? Okay I have determined that the plate is missing. Would their be another place to find more info. Aug 02, 2016 Looks like a standard Atlas 12-36, probably 1950s or earlier. There should be a builder's plate on the end of the bed, that would provide a serial number for tracing the history. The truth of condition lies in the flatness of the bed and compound ways, and if the gears have survived. Also, what type and condition of the spindle bearings.
May, 2011The Atlas Lathe
At the end of May, 2011, I purchased my first (and only) lathe.I had been learning how to use my mill and was eager totry my hand at other machining endeavors, and began shoppingfor a lathe. One good source advised me to buy a used Southbend(and I still consider this excellent advice). Another trustedsource said that I would be quite happy with any of the smallTaiwanese lathes being sold by ENCO and others.But I caught wind of a used machine for sale,made an offer that was accepted for the lathe(I got the lathe with 3 and 4 jaw chuck and a lot of tooling for $500)and am now busy sorting out what I have.What I have is a Craftsman Model 101-07403 lathe that wasmade by the Atlas Lathe Company.This is a 12x36 inch lathe, meaning that the 'swing' is 6 inchesallowing 12 inch diameter objects to be turned, and the bed is 36 inches long.According to dates scribed on the races, it was manufactured in 1951.My lathe is serial number 32068 (the number is stamped on the topsurface of the ways, right above the right lead screw bearing and support.Just for the record, the date stamped on my left spindle raceis 8-14-51, and the date on the right spindle race is 5-10-51.
I was warned about several things even before I bought it.First, I was told that this Atlas lathe was among perhapsthe worst lathes I should even consider buying.Second was that the gears and many other parts were made out of azinc-aluminum alloy called 'zamak'.I was also told by the same fellow that told me all of theseworrisome things that he once made a living as aprofessional gunsmith using one of these lathes.Also, I considered that the lathe I was looking at is at least 50 years oldand still running; so those Zamak gears, though not what one would wish for,were still quite serviceable, and if I treated them gently, would likelyserve me just fine if I didn't abuse the lathe.
Note that the dials on the Atlas tell you tool motion.So if you are turning a shaft and want to reduce the diameter by 0.10 inches,you need to move the dials 0.05 inches.
The zamak parts on this lathe receive a lot of abuse,(verbal abuse on forums and such) and perhaps rightly so.On the other hand, the use of zamak serves two purposes.It makes the lathe lighter -- no small thing if you have to move a largelathe. They also make the lathe affordable, certainly at the time ofmanufacture, and still today. The gears were die cast out of zamakrather than being machined from steel, saving weight and expense.
Atlas 6-inch Lathe - Lathes.co.uk
Craftsman of course doesn't actually make anything, but is just the nameSears slaps on whatever products they arrange to carry in their stores.Atlas bought Clausing in 1950, and around 1969 renamed itself Clausing International.Amazingly Clausing still stocks and sells partsfor the Atlas Lathes at theirService Center in Goshen, Indiana.Call them at 1-800-323-0972 or email at info@clausingsc.com(I called them at 1-800-535-6553 on 11-17-2011, so the above phone numbermay be out of date.)
The Spindle bearings can be either Babbit metal (in which case the headstockhas bolts with clamps that hold the bearings), or roller bearings (in which casethe headstock is a single piece, no clamping bolts. Mine has roller bearings.Mine also has the 'quick change gearbox', which is apparently an option, but whichshould be a great help cutting threads.
- Here is a picture of a 12x36 atlas lathe like mine.
- Here is a great article abouthow to buy a used lathe.
- Atlas service bulletins (valuable)
- Here is a nice discussion of lathe terminology.
- A quick change toolpost for the Atlas Lathe
- Speeds that can be set up with the Atlas.
- Alan's speed tables.
There exists a comprehensive 240+ page owners manual for the 12 inch Atlas lathethat includes maintenance and lubrication instructions, 'probably the best instructionbook ever produced by a lathe manufacturer.' There is also a 61 page 'supplementary'screwcutting instruction book as well as other documentation. I have had theinstruction manual waved under my nose, but still am eager to get my own copy.
Have any comments? Questions?Drop me a line!Tom's home page / tom@mmto.orgemail: tony@lathes.co.ukHomeMachine Tool ArchiveMachine-tools Sale & Wanted
Atlas Lathe Serial Number Location
Atlas 6-inch Lathe Mk. 1
Atlas Mk. 1 6-inch Page 2Atlas Mk. 1 6-inch Page 3
Atlas 6-inch Lathe AccessoriesAtlas Mk. 2 6-inch
Atlas 6-inch Mk. 2Atlas Home PageAtlas 6-inch Mk. 1 Photographs
Atlas 9, 10 & 12-inch LathesAtlas Milling MachineAtlas Shaper
Atlas 6-inch with Screwcutting Gearbox
Styled to closely resemble its larger brother, the '10-inch', the Atlas 'Model 618' 6' x 18' (3.5' centre height) backgeared and screwcutting lathe was in production from 1936 until 1974 and then, in Mk. 2 form, until 1980. Enormously popular in America - it was affordable and with a specification that allowed it to undertake the majority of jobs likely to be encountered in a home workshop - its likely that the lathe made its first appearance not as an Atlas but badged for the mail-order company Sears,Roebuck under their Craftsman identification tab as the 101.07300. This initial Craftsman model, which carried an inadequate 3/4' x 16 t.p.i. spindle thread, a headstock that lacked backearing and a countershaft unit and belt-tensioning arrangements of a very elementary, lightweight design, was sold at the very competitive price of $42. However, it was made for one year only before being replaced by the much better specified 101.07301--as listed in the post 1938 catalogs shown here
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