Atlas 12" lathe, pre-buying questions!

[abracadabra]

Howdy folks.
A little while back I posted about an old lathe I was looking at, it was a Craftsman 109 and thanks to much feedback here, I walked away from the deal.

So recently I've found someone with a 1940's Atlas 12" lathe for sale. This is a little larger than I was looking for, but, the price seems good so I'm curious.

It does not come with change gears, its set up with a 4 speed motor. The owner is including a 3 jaw chuck, dead center, and some basic tooling. He's used it for many years and still using it. The headstock bearings are roller type, recently replaced, no endplay.

I don't have pics right now unfortunately. I can probably get the machine for $400.

Is this a good price for the machine?

First you should know that my usage isn't totally going to be classic machinist usage. I repair musical instruments, mostly woodwinds, and often need to make tools, turn brass and large wood sections of clarinets, etc.
I know the change gears are available online and many other parts.

This is the big thing for me: up til now I've used a hollow shaft bench motor for alot of small jobs, it has a Jacobs chuck that will take 0-1/4" objects which I often need to have mounted in a chuck for various reasons.
I was hoping to be able to do all the work I was doing on the bench motor on the lathe too, but, this would require me to find a way to either mount a 0-1/4" capacity Jacobs chuck to the 1 1/2" 8tip headstock threads (not sure how to do this) OR the seller mentioned using the ER20 collets and appropriate drawbar for the operation. Does this sound like it would work? I'm used to using the jacobs chuck but it seems like the set of ER20's would cover all the ranges I would need. And then I would mount the drawbar in the the 3 jaw chuck?
I'm a little new to the world of lathes but am totally interested in learning, and more than anything want to invest in a good, old machine that will be a joy to use for years to come.

I know this is alot to read, sorry, I hope its not too scattered!

Basically I'm just trying to see if the price is decent, and if I can get it working for me at least on a basic level by having a way to turn small parts in the headstock (small jacobs vs ER20 or other collets)

thanks folks, and I sincerely appreciate the feedback!

mk

 

[abracadabra]

 

[abracadabra]

I forgot I did save some pics, check them out!

Mk

 

[CluelessNewB]

That appears to be missing a whole lot more than just the change gears!

 

[francist]

I agree with Rich -- there's a lot of parts that have been either broken or swapped off that lathe. Makes me think it was a parts donor that someone is trying to sell off maybe? No lead screw even, so I'm not sure what you'd want the change gears for.

-frank

 

[Kroll]

Can't tell if those are the cast iron legs or homemade legs.But what helps me put valve on something I go at it as if I was going to part it out.Such as the motor,put a valve on it,then if it has the cast iron legs,etc.But even going at it like that it still don't add up to 400,same here I would pass.Lots of Atlas parts come up on ebay for your present lathe and maybe future lathes

 

[kd4gij]

That is missing the complete gear train lead screw. do power feed I would walk.

 

[pdentrem]

It has been converted to a watch makers lathe.
Pierre

 

[Martin W]

I would pass on this one.
Cheers
Martin

 

[george wilson]

agree,pass. My first lathe was a 12" Sears Atlas. It drove me nuts trying to get any work of consequence out of it. Bed too light. Wore out a pair of half nuts every several months as they were also pot metal.

The lathe shown is an earlier model,too. The bed is 3/8" thick,1.8" LESS than my later model(though more aesthetically pleasing!

By the time you find all the missing parts,you'll easily have over a grand in it,and still have a less than desirable lathe. It is even missing the COUNTERSHAFT- NOT GOOD!!! Very limited speed range. If you could find one COMPLETE,for your light class of work,it probably would be o.k.. But,I warn you from experience,it will take 2 to 3X the time to do a job on it. My max. depth of cut on mild steel was about 1/32". Took all day to make a simple milling machine arbor that took an hour or 2 on my first Jet 10 x 24" lathe. And, not even saying the Jet was a great lathe. Just a LOT better than the Atlas!!