6” Atlas Lathe Rebuild

[porschedude996]

I now have two 6” Lathes. The one I’ve had the Craftsman 101 for 20 years that I got in a swap. This latest acquisition is an Atlas 6” lathe. I bought it because it was cheap, and had all the accessories except the Mica Cutter attachment.

I chose to powder coat it myself and it came out fair. A little light in coverage on a few items. Masking was a major pain and tedious. I do have some cast iron putting on the head-stock cover and plan to use some JB Weld as a filler and recoat.

I have found that pre-heating the parts helps the powder from falling off the surface. I have not tried it, but I think I could heat, spray, and not even put the parts back in the oven.

The lathe has been sitting since the owner passed and his wife was a hoarder. It was probably forgotten for a decade or two. Not real dirty, mostly dry where it shouldn’t be. Main Shaft Bearings were rough. New US bearings did the trick. Also found the main-shaft out of true.

I did loose one part that can’t be found. I’ll find it in a month or three.

Next is the Carriage and Cross Slide

[Flat Six]

Great project, keep us posted!

[herr_oberst]

That's a nice little project! I'd love to have a small lathe for dumb little ideas I get in my head, and that would fit the bill.

[LWJ]

My Dad, who is a little bit odd, has a thing for lathes. He has at least two metal lathes and one or two wood lathes. But the wood ones don't count in his mind.

I grew up watching him turn all sorts of stuff. For decades, I had chips of metal migrating out of my skin from whatever project I had been doing.

Fun project. I approve!

[911 Rod]

Love old tools.
Wish I had a use for an old lathe.

[oldE]

For years I had my brother's lathe, but had to work around missing pieces. When my FIL got one, I gave him my chisels and used it from time to time. When he passed the unit came here.
From memory, I have turned a top for my granddaughter, handles for an old draw knife, a mallet and handle and, in a push for time, a transom plug for our little boat (I used a hockey puck). Oh yes a shifter knob for the Miata as well as a knob for a potato masher.
You don't need a lathe until...you do.

[porschedude996]

Thanks guys. The lathe shaft moves .0005 both radially and on axis as measured at the drive. I think that’s good enough.

I did this (917 style) shift knob on my old lathe. I made a tool to cut it.

[Scott Douglas]

As long as you're aware of the movement and compensate for it when making stuff, you should be OK.
There was a time when I wanted a lathe and mill, but after working as a machinist for as long as I did I realized they probably would do more sitting than running making parts.

[herr_oberst]

Half-a-thou for me would be the equivalent of working at NASA!

[Zeke]

I redid a "military spec" (as per brass label) South Bend 3-4 years ago stripped down to the last washer. Built in 1944. They are similar but share nothing by way of parts unless you consider the old fashioned 'lantern' tool post. The bull gear and drive pulleys look almost identical. They all do in a certain respect.

Some people think Logan might have made lathes for Sears because of the flat ways. Atlas was a stand alone company that made several, actually many types of machines. They bought Clausing and after many years changed the name to Clausing.

You're doing a great job. I'm afraid I couldn't work long with a bright red machine, but it's your project, not mine. I duplicated the original SB gray. Powder coat should be easy to clean.

[DRONE]

Same here Scott, after 40 years in aerospace I did not to have any desire to have them taking up space at home.
I get my fix by volunteering at the Balboa park Air and Space shop or the annex at Gillespie Field.
Sorry for the hijack Dude996,

[porschedude996]

No problem DRONE.Something similar to my career. Total Aerospace split between wrenching on aircraft at a Aircraft manufacturer (7), then (33) years with Lockheed Martin as a design engineer launching satellites. But opposite on the home shop. I guess I didn’t burn myself out too bad, I still enjoy CAD designing and then building. I spent a lot of time wrenching and flying Aerostar Aircraft as a Flight-line Crew Chief. Great job, terrible money.

I always had manufacturing projects at work and home. Six years before I retired, I built a 1,200 sq ft shop and I’m an admited tool junky. Lathes, mill, glass bead, vapor hone, ultrasonic cleaner, small spray booth, powder coat oven, metal plating, TIG & MIG, gas welder, a whole slew of grinders, buffers, disk and belt sanders, ect.

The Chino Air Museum is building a new museum at my local airport and I’m going to volunteer as a docent at the current small museum at the field. The existing is going to be absorbed by Chino Air Museum.

My old Flame:

Originally Posted by DRONE

Same here Scott, after 40 years in aerospace I did not to have any desire to have them taking up space at home.
I get my fix by volunteering at the Balboa park Air and Space shop or the annex at Gillespie Field.
Sorry for the hijack Dude996,

[Scott Douglas]

@DRONE I envy you being close enough to the Balboa site to volunteer there. A friend of mine's dad used to volunteer there and it seemed like it was the place to do volunteer work from the stories he told me.
Right now, I doubt I have enough patience any more to do machine work. Getting too old I guess.

My brother has built up his tools/shop and has everything under the sun. Plus he's got the design experience to build stuff too. He's too far away for me to do much more than live vicariously thru his exploits though.

[porschedude996]

The basic lathe is together. I’m waiting for a part I misplaced in the gear change train. I went through the three and four jaw chuck. I readjusted the main shaft and zero play and it spins freely.

The accessories are next:

Steady Rest, Following Rest, Taper Attachment, Mill Attachment, Face Plate and Dogs, ect.

[Tim Hancock]

Wow... that looks great!

[porschedude996]

Thanks Tim

Originally Posted by Tim Hancock

Wow... that looks great!

[Steve F]

Well done Sir!

[oldE]

Sweet!