Atlas Headstock Bearings Questions And Concerns

Sorry, I did not see the 2 replies above before I completed mine. A 2-1/2 year old grandson is a major distraction at times.
 
There are two pins (only) positioning the rack, and they are groove pins, so very slightly tapered. Because of the slight taper, they will come out only in one direction, from inside to outside.

Also, the correct name for a long straight gear is just "rack", not "rack gear". The mating gear is usually called the "pinion", as in "rack and pinion drive". The pinion in this case is generically a spur gear. There are other types of pinions, ring and pinion for example, where the pinion may be a bevel, spiral bevel or hypoid gear.

Also, again, please post the serial number. It should be stamped into the front way near the right (tailstock) end. It will consist of up to five digits and may or may not have letter prefix and/or suffix.
 
I did post a picture of it in post 3 I believe.


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wa5cab said:
There are two pins (only) positioning the rack, and they are groove pins, so very slightly tapered. Because of the slight taper, they will come out only in one direction, from inside to outside.

Also, the correct name for a long straight gear is just "rack", not "rack gear". The mating gear is usually called the "pinion", as in "rack and pinion drive". The pinion in this case is generically a spur gear. There are other types of pinions, ring and pinion for example, where the pinion may be a bevel, spiral bevel or hypoid gear.

Also, again, please post the serial number. It should be stamped into the front way near the right (tailstock) end. It will consist of up to five digits and may or may not have letter prefix and/or suffix.
Click to expand...

Sorry I had posted a picture of the tag on
My machine with model and serial number in post 3. If it isn't showing please let me know. And the bearing date I had given is just the forward most (toward the chuck) race. I haven't had time to take the cups off the other bearing to remove and clean it. Now that I mention it what's the best way to remove the dust caps without damaging them.


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Found the nameplate photo. Thanks.I had looked at the embedded two photos and didn't notice that there was one that wasn't embedded.

One way to remove the inner dust shields is with a slide hammer puller with a 3-jaw puller on the end. This may deform the face a little but you can straighten that. The chuck end cone is (usually) a press fit on the spindle, so the chuck end outer shield usually comes out with the spindle, which I assume is what happened. You may need to tap it back flat before you reinstall it. The left end outer shield might also come out with the puller. Otherwise, you can get it out by pressing the cup out if you need to remove the cups. Otherwise you can get it out by pulling on the ID of the cone.

One thing to check after the shields and cones are out and before you pull the cups (if you pull the cups) is to run a wire through the bottom of the oil cup and make sure that the hole is open to let oil through and onto the bearing. I've never actually seen anyone else mention this but on the right bearing of my machine, it is blocked by something. I have been squirting oil through the narrow gap between shield and bearing until I have time to investigate. Which is inconvenient as I have to pull the chuck to do it.

Also, early documentation from Atlas calls for SAE 10 oil everywhere but on the gear teeth. This was changed around 1960 to SAE 20, retroactive.
 
Okay. Sae 10 May be hard to find as i cannot recall ever seeing it in a parts store. I pulled the rear bearing and shields tonight rear bearing is dated 9-10-46


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wa5cab said:
Found the nameplate photo. Thanks.I had looked at the embedded two photos and didn't notice that there was one that wasn't embedded.

One way to remove the inner dust shields is with a slide hammer puller with a 3-jaw puller on the end. This may deform the face a little but you can straighten that. The chuck end cone is (usually) a press fit on the spindle, so the chuck end outer shield usually comes out with the spindle, which I assume is what happened. You may need to tap it back flat before you reinstall it. The left end outer shield might also come out with the puller. Otherwise, you can get it out by pressing the cup out if you need to remove the cups. Otherwise you can get it out by pulling on the ID of the cone.

One thing to check after the shields and cones are out and before you pull the cups (if you pull the cups) is to run a wire through the bottom of the oil cup and make sure that the hole is open to let oil through and onto the bearing. I've never actually seen anyone else mention this but on the right bearing of my machine, it is blocked by something. I have been squirting oil through the narrow gap between shield and bearing until I have time to investigate. Which is inconvenient as I have to pull the chuck to do it.

Also, early documentation from Atlas calls for SAE 10 oil everywhere but on the gear teeth. This was changed around 1960 to SAE 20, retroactive.
Click to expand...
I'm glad you mentioned to check the oil cups. The rear bearing cup cap was missing when I bought the machine and was filled with some junk. Cleaned it out best I could and let it roll. Never took oil in though. Apparently it was packed with brass/bronze chips and some other foreign material and was plugged solid. Luckily when I pulled the bearing it had oil in it. I need to find a cap or another cup for this machine. Any idea were I should purchase. Or what type I should use?


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No, you need to use SAE 20. Which is at least down here even harder to find than SAE 10. I use Mobile Heavy Medium Circulating Oil ISO 68. Available from most machine shop supply places and mail order places like Enco. What you don't want to use is any High Detergent mostly multi-viscosity engine oils because they are designed among other things to scavange moisture out of the atmosphere. And a lathe won't get warm enough to boil it off.

OK on the 9-10-46 left bearing date. Coincidentally, I have another serial number with both of them with that date.
 
Strtspdlx said:
I'm glad you mentioned to check the oil cups.
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Click to expand...

They are, or were, standard Gitz. But they are no long listed. Problem is that the cup diameter is larger than the one they list today with the correct press-in port diameter. I think Clausing still has some but they ain't cheap. I bought some of the right angle ones for the QCGB from Clausing. Price was a bit higher than from McMaster but they were a closer match to the originals. You could probably get by with the smaller diameter cups but you might need to oil it two or three times a day. And the felt plugs won't fit.
 
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So I should have felt in my cups right now. To date I started with marvel mystery oil when I first got the lathe just to get it going and withing the last couple months I've changed to sae30 oil. The months type. For now is that suitable? I'm asking because I have a lot of overstock of it. Something like 15 gallons because almost everything I own uses it.

With the bearings and serial numbers how close is my serial number to the one you have already?


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