6" Atlas

[Paul in OKC]

Well, figured I would jump in on this part of the site as well. Have owned this little guy for a while now. Use it mostly to turn skate wheels so far, but....... Goes well with the Bridgeport and South Bend lathe I have It came with all the change gears and a 4 jaw chuck, plus a little Atlas book.
I am currently making my own QCTP out of aluminum for it, and have just gotten a 3 jaw chuck, and am making the backing plate for it as well.
Atlas 1 by phdesigns1, on Flickr

Atlas 3 by phdesigns1, on Flickr

 

[Steve Shannon]

I've got one almost exactly like that, except with a blue tailstock. Mine has the Zamak headstock. I would guess yours does as well.


Steve Shannon

 

[Skibo]

I've got one too!..Just got it recently... bought a 4-jaw for mine off ebay yesterday...they're dandy little lathes...

 

[madsweeney]

I just got one JUST like that . . .except it's grey . . . and says Craftsman . . . and it's rusty. . . and it has a 4 jaw chuck.
I'm guessing that if a magnet sticks to my headstock it's not Zamak. I'd post a picture but I haven't figured out how yet.

 

[wa5cab]

Sweeney,

Sears only sold their version of the Atlas 3950 (same except for badge) so they only sold one with cast iron headstock. Yours is 101.21200.

Paul's tailstock is probably off of an Atlas 618, especially as the rest of his machine is blue. Otherwise, it would be the first 3950, 101.21200 or 10100 reported with the early tailstock. As complete units, they are interchangable.

As far as gray versus blue, all MK2's reported so far are gray up to Atlas 10100 S/N 235. S/N 738 is blue. So somewhere in between the paint color was changed.

 

[madsweeney]

What's the procedure for removing the chuck? Book says to "lock spindle by engaging back gear." That doesn't seem to lock anything

 

[Superburban]

What's the procedure for removing the chuck? Book says to "lock spindle by engaging back gear." That doesn't seem to lock anything

Engage the back gear, but do not pull the coupling that engages the pulleys to the spindle.

 

[madsweeney]

DUH! Previous owner warned me that the coupling didn't stay engaged very well! Think I'm gonna have to take notes. Thanks!

 

[wa5cab]

Locking the spindle with the back gears has always been the factory suggested method for removing a chuck. First rotate the chuck/spindle unil the or one of the chuck tightening sockets is at TDC. Lock the spindle, making sure that the coupling is completely engaged. Insert the chuck wrench into the socket, push it away from you to take up the slack in the gear train, and then pull smartly toward you. That normally breaks the chuck loose on the first try. If it doesn't, try two more times. If that doesn't do it, go to Plan B. You have a "stuck chuck". This was discussed here recently. A search on Stuck Chuck will probably turn up the thread.

 

[Rodney Young]

DUH! Previous owner warned me that the coupling didn't stay engaged very well! Think I'm gonna have to take notes. Thanks!

I repaired an Atlas Mk 2 for a guy in Toronto a while ago, the drive kept disengaging as he was working it. The drive is held in the engaged or disengaged position by a small spring loaded ball bearing that sits in the engagement housing and when pushed or pulled the bearing will sit in one of 2 very small groves in the shaft for the head stock.
On this one the spring was too short so was likely not the original one and the ball bearing did not stick out to engage the grooves. Didn't have another spring but I was able to add a small piece of steel shaft 1/8 I think it was? Under the spring to allow the ball bearing to be proud of the housing a small amount to engage the grooves in the shaft to keep it from disengaging while in use.


Rodney