Atlas lathe I looked at

[MrWolf]

Here is the lathe I looked at the other night. Nice looking machine with tools. The bed seemed in good shape, barely a nick near the chuck. Passed down from grandfather to father, bought new around 1950. Son claimed in email to me it was commercial, told him was a hobby lathe based upon my research. Even told him model and that only worth about half his asking price. If it does not sell in a few months he will let me know. What do you guys think of it? (10x48)

http://southjersey.craigslist.org/tls/3891118105.html

[bangerjim]

Where are all the change gears?????? VERY IMPORTANT!

I had one of these years ago. There is a set of about 16 gears (or so) you mount behind that large cover on the headstock end so you can cut threads or do precision power feed.

The apron (front part) has all the controls for feed/power cross feed. And the reversing lever is there under the headstock. But where is the set of gears. They will be almost impossible to replace today!

Without them, you can do very little with this lathe other than feed a only one rate that the installed gearing is set up for.

I sold mine for $750 with ALL the gears, 3 jaw, tooling, tailstock drill about 20 years ago. Now I have a quick-change Southbend.......ONLY way to go! Just change levers to change lead screw rate for threads or feeding.

bangerjim

[MrWolf]

He claims they have them - somewhere. Thanks to others like CC and cane_man, I did a lot of research and explained to him about the quick change gears, etc. He knew some things or claimed ignorance like the commercial comment. Even told him a 9" southbend went in one day for $750 with qcg in the last week. He said since another person offered him $600 sight unseen, it must be worth his asking price. [smilie=b:

I have plenty of time to look for a deal and make room for another tool.

[Cane_man]

man you are really being patient! hang in there, sumthin is gonna turn up and it will all be worth it...

in the mean time, you can start gathering materials if you want... are you going to learn threading? i would learn on some easier to machine steels first like 12L14 or 41L40 before you move on to annealed tool steel or something harder like 4140... if you get 41L40 you can practice heat treating and tempering that steel as well...

i would say the hardest part of learning die making is threading and the point forming die, all else in between isn't hard to do at all... i never could do threading with my lathe, so it forced me to come up with another design where i didn't need to thread...

i would say get tooling as well while you are waiting for a lathe to turn up but you don't know what kind of lathe you will end up with, but you could get some drill bits...

i think this is a pretty good investment from harbor freight on sale for $15:

http://www.harborfreight.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/i/m/image_17671.jpg

http://www.harborfreight.com/29-piece-high-speed-steel-drill-bit-set-32925.html

gives you a good base of bit sizes to get started, then you will have to get those in between sizes later once you figure out what caliber dies you will be making... i think this sharpener is worth it as well:

http://www.drilldoctor.com/components/com_virtuemart/shop_image/product/500.jpg

i can't sharpen a drill bit by hand but this little machine takes all the stupid out of it for me!

also, you will want a basic bench grinder, something like this HF special would work fine:

http://www.harborfreight.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/i/m/image_18054.jpg

http://www.harborfreight.com/6-inch-bench-grinder-39797.html

[john hayslip]

If it's the Atlas I had it has a very small hole through the head and would make barrel work very difficult. They were sold though with an attachment so one could cut the commutator for generators so the "commercial" might not be incorrect. I'd look for a South Bend 10 inch with quick change gears and a large hole through the head. The S/B one (I didn't learn from prior experience) I have has a 5/8 or so hole and again makes working on long things difficult.

[Prospector Howard]

Cane, I'm going to have to respectfully disagree with you on your drill bit recommendation. I mentioned before in a previous post that if you buy any drill bits at Harbor Freight, I had really good luck with the 115 piece Cobalt set. I was hoping you might try them yourself, it's like night and day when drilling steel. I had been using Bosch titanium, and these are just as good and you get all the Wire gauge sizes and letter sized too; all for $80 if you use the 20% coupon that's everywhere.

[Nickle]

As to Atlas lathes having small bores in the headstock, I'm sure some do. But, not all do.

I've got 2 lathes. A Grizzly 7x10 or so bench top lathe I use to do brass and other small work, plus an older Craftsman (by Atlas, apparently) that I use to do bigger work. I've fitted and chambered barrels on that one, even turned them down from bored and rifled barrel blanks. Considering we've worked on Heavy Bench class barrels (no taper, about 1.25" diameter) as well as Heavy and Light Varmint, Hunter class and regular sporter barrels, I'd definitely say the headstock bore is not an issue. It does good work, good enough to make a competitive rifle for use in IBS (International Benchrest Shooters) competition. We know it makes good enough, because we have done exactly that.

This pic isn't my lathe, but certainly is it's twin, or very near so.

77093

[bob208]

you don't need the big through hole as long as the ways are long enough. he is way over priced on that lathe. if you have the room get a bigger lathe. like a 13-14" southbend. yes they will be a bear to move and set up. but that is why they are cheaper then the bench top lathes.

[bangerjim]

Cane, I'm going to have to respectfully disagree with you on your drill bit recommendation. I mentioned before in a previous post that if you buy any drill bits at Harbor Freight, I had really good luck with the 115 piece Cobalt set. I was hoping you might try them yourself, it's like night and day when drilling steel. I had been using Bosch titanium, and these are just as good and you get all the Wire gauge sizes and letter sized too; all for $80 if you use the 20% coupon that's everywhere.

When it comes to drill bits......ONLY buy the very best you can afford. My set I use on a daily basis I bought from Rutland Tool 15 years ago (paid over $150 at the time....American made!) Have not had to sharpen them yet! You can cut your fingers if you run them up & down the flutes. (That's 15 years of drilling hard brass, alluminum, steel, and SST) They are NOT black....shiny alloy steel. I did use the Drill Doctor to split point a couple of the larger size frctional and letter drills for a special application.

Key is always STEP drill. Never try to drill a hole the exact size. Work up to it, letting the drill flute lips do all the work.

Any coating on a bid is totally wasted once you grind it in a Drill Doctor!!!!!! So do not bother with black and gold....waste of time.

And once you get your lathe, you will only be drilling a whole large enough to let the boring bar tip in! I bore everything on the lathe......dead accurate and fast.


My South Bend (made in 1962 per the serial number stamped in the bed) is the best investment I ever made. Cheap lathes are jus that......cheap. You will never get the pleasure OR accuracy you will want with some import. I have one of those HF/Grizzly/etc 7x10 little dudes in my back shop (loading shopnow). I is handy for quick little things but nothing like my main lathe.

And tooling......I have more money invested in the tooling than in the lathe! Same with my milling machine. Buy the best you can afford. Avoid HF! Enco is about as cheap as you want to go.....if you plan on the thing lasting a long time and remaining accurate and "friendly"!


And......you do not need a "bigbore" to do most things. A steady rest & follow rest solves the problems. As long as the ways are long enough!

bangerjim

[Swede44mag]

I have an Atlas that looks like the one in the picture. I took a machine class at VOTEC and learned a lot about lathe's and milling machines.
I have not been able to make any threads successfully on the Atlas. It was not a problem on the newer lathes that I worked with at the class.
It is supposed to be thread capable but doing threads on the Atlas doesn’t work for me. Maybe someone with more experience than I have would be able to.
Good luck with your hunt but I would look for a lot better quality and newer machine if I was to do it over.

[xd4584]

The atlas has about .875 bore thru the spindle with a mt3

Here's the same one if you want to go site seeing

http://lancaster.craigslist.org/tls/3953068020.html

[MrWolf]

Cane_man I have a craftsman 6" grinder and a set of those kind of bits already. I actually have better sets of bits and use those bits for rough work. I will say the machine was well taken care of and did come with extras, but I am not paying what he is asking. Even half would take some thought since it is a manual gear change, etc.. As far as patience goes, that is tough as I have to constantly tell myself to wait - like 30 times a day :bigsmyl2:

[customcutter]

Wolf,

Glad to see you've been doing your homework. I will say that the Atlas looks to be in very good condition. Only drawback is the quick change gear box. A set of change gears will run you $100+. I have a set I bought for my Atlas lathe, but it turned out that it was an older model and they don't fit it. I think I paid $125 on ebay several years ago. It's probably a little high on the price, but price varies with location. How did the pics of the SB look, did it look in good condition or a worn out piece of junk? If he had a milling attachment, steady rest, and collets it might be worth closer to what he's asking. I'm assuming if the SB sold in 1 day it was it pretty decent condition. Why did you pass on the SB? The gear box isn't a deal breaker, but you will eventually want to do threading, so you'll need change gears and changing them takes a little bit of time.

Ask him why he's selling it. He's already been lowballed at $600, ask him what's his best price. He also might be interested in a trade or partial trade. I talked the guy I got mine into taking $200 off for a .40 High Point and a box of 100 Winchester Whites. Can't hurt anything.

CC

Edit: I'd call the guy that XD posted, and see if it has any tooling. If so make a road trip.

[Cane_man]

Cane, I'm going to have to respectfully disagree with you on your drill bit recommendation. I mentioned before in a previous post that if you buy any drill bits at Harbor Freight, I had really good luck with the 115 piece Cobalt set. I was hoping you might try them yourself, it's like night and day when drilling steel. I had been using Bosch titanium, and these are just as good and you get all the Wire gauge sizes and letter sized too; all for $80 if you use the 20% coupon that's everywhere.

Howard, that is indeed a great deal! I used cobalt bits on my point forming die for the ejector punch hole and it worked great... can cobalt bits be sharpened?

[MrWolf]

CC, son is selling as father is going into an assisted living center at about 87 years old I think they said, and he is not happy about it (don't blame him). Evidently he has time to get rid of everything. We were talking and son said his father HAD swaging dies, molds, etc but got rid of the awhile ago - almost cried right then and there. I did not notice the SB until it was to late, but from he pics it looked like a decent machine, not in as nice shape as this one is. No idea on the tools included.

[customcutter]

Wolf,

I had a lot of those, I'd see the ad and say this is it. Then I'd call and the first guy that called bought it. Probably happened 20 times. Finally, I was the first caller. I finally started looking 2-3 times a day instead of 2-3 times a week, and it paid off big time. Don't give up, the more ad's you look at the more experience you'll have to recognize and make a good deal. The link that XD provided is probably a better deal, if it has some tooling. Most people don't realize you can spend as much or more tooling a lathe up as you pay for the lathe.

good luck,
CC

[Bent Ramrod]

I've seen Atlas lathes of that type going for that much out here. And going, and going, for months or years. If it has the gears and chucks and maybe a steady rest and miscellaneous tooling, it might actually be bought at $900 or so.

The quick change gear box is a great labor saver all right, but the hand change gears can get you any weirdo thread that antique guns and loading equipment used. You can even get a good enough approximation to a lot of metric stuff to work. It's not to be sneered at if you are into such relics and need to make parts and replacements.

I have a set of drills like that, got it years ago; made in Brazil. I think they are carbon steel, in fractions of an inch. One of them disintegrated going into wood, but the rest seem to do OK with occasional sharpening. They are easy to drill the shanks out of for extensions, but I'm always cognizant that another breakage or disintegration could occur any time. Get good cobalt or TIN ones for letters and numbers, which you will eventually need for tapping holes. I read in some machining or gunsmithing book (can't remember which one) that drills are one tool where a good one can be recognized because it "looks" good. Actually, this is true, strangely enough.

[Prospector Howard]

Yes they can be sharpened, the research I did before buying them is that the cobalt steel is through the entire bit; not just a coating like the Tin coating. That makes them even better for resharpening.
Howard, that is indeed a great deal! I used cobalt bits on my point forming die for the ejector punch hole and it worked great... can cobalt bits be sharpened?

[customcutter]

Mr Wolf,

This one's in your backyard if not sold. Probably is. It's an Atlas but a little heavier with stand and chip tray, steady rest, change gears.

http://southjersey.craigslist.org/tls/3862407573.html

CC

Edit: Don't remember if it had a 3 jaw or not, I know the ad said a 4 jaw chuck was included. 3 jaws are nice (easy to use), but a 4 jaw is more accurate (can be a pain to set up, if you don't know how). Easy to do once you've done it a few times. 3 jaws all 3 jaws tighten or loosen with a single screw. 4 jaw each jaw has to be tightened/loosened independently. Most jobs don't require the accuracy of a 4 jaw, but it's nice to have one. They also usually have a larger capacity than the 3 jaw.

[xd4584]

Still a gear change lathe but that should be a 12 inch! Get it mrWolf

[MrWolf]

Thanks CC. I rechecked my search pages and criteria several times trying to figure out how I missed that one. Was posted 6/10/13 - probably gone by now but I will call later to check. Search is on hold after this weekend as I will be on vacation for a few weeks in SW Florida - Pine Island [smilie=s:

[MrWolf]

Tried that # at least a dozen times - immediate busy signal :|

[sprinkintime]

I had one of these lathes and all the gears, its just a pain to change gears every time you want to thread. The price is way to much for a Atlas without a quick change box. I think its worth no more than 650-750 max. I would just keep looking.
Sprink

[sprinkintime]

Cobalt bits can be sharpen like any high speed tool its been around for over 50 years and a normal grinding wheel will work, for drills or tool bits.

[sprinkintime]

One last thing, a collet chuck is a great piece of tooling for a small South Bend or Atlas you don't have to use there J3 collets which only go up to like 5/8. this way you use 5C collets and go to 1 1/16 and also emergency collets that you can bore yourself. The price is also cheaper and available.

[BT Sniper]

One more thing that is a nice addition to the old lathes, a quick change tool holder like the AXA. The original tool post holder on the Atlas is a major PITA! Also a nice three jaw chuck or the collet chuck is a good addition.

[beefie]

I've owned a 6" Atlas and done quite a bit of work on a 12" model, and I'll take a modern Chinese lathe, all day long. Check out "LittleMachineShop.com" HarborFreightTools, and WholeSaleTools.

[Prospector Howard]

Better be careful, all the machinists are going to chime in now and tell you how crazy you are for saying that. I guess all the dies and other stuff I've made on my "crummy chinese lathe" are in my imagination.
I've owned a 6" Atlas and done quite a bit of work on a 12" model, and I'll take a modern Chinese lathe, all day long. Check out "LittleMachineShop.com" HarborFreightTools, and WholeSaleTools.

[customcutter]

Here's another one I spotted in Pa, came up in the south Jersey nearby searches today. It's not a bad price, but you might do better. Looks to be in good condition, but I would verify by checking for wear, broken teeth etc.

http://lancaster.craigslist.org/tld/3991329875.html

CC

Edit: Looks like it's tooled up pretty nice, and a quick change gear box.