Is There A Sleeve Bearing Atlas 6" (Not Craftsman)?

[wa5cab]

Group,

I have only a very limited number of Atlas catalogs over the period 1935 to 1955. However, none of them show any evidence that Atlas ever sold a sleeve bearing 6" lathe to end users. Every once in a while, someone posts here or on another list that they have a sleeve bearing 618. Does anyone have any hard evidence that any of these machines are not in fact Craftsman 101.07301's?

Robert Downs - Houston
wa5cab dot com (Web Store)
MVPA 9480

 

[AR1911]

Re: Sleeve Bearing Atlas 6"?

So your question is "Were any of the sleeve-bearing 618s branded as Atlas, or are tehy unique to the Craftsman brand?".

I scrolled through a lot of pics accumulated over the years. i saw no 618s with both Atlas logo and sleeve bearing headstock. Of course, most had been repainted and no longer had a badge of either brand.

 

[wa5cab]

Re: Sleeve Bearing Atlas 6"?

Yes. Part of the confusion factor may be that for some strange reason, people (both newbies and old hands) never seem to write "1236" instead of "12x36" or "12X36", "1024" instead of "10x24", etc when describing their machine or a machine. But use "618" and "6x18" interchangably. Although "1236" isn't (at least in the Atlas or Craftsman world), 1024 and 618 are both Atlas model numbers. So if one writes that they have a 618, it should mean specifically that it is an Atlas, not a Craftsman or an AA. And, I currently think, that it has Timken instead of sleeve spindle bearings. But I've recently seen two instances where someone wrote that they had a sleeve bearing 618 or more specifically Atlas 618. And I've seen a few eBay ads for headstock related parts that I think are mis-identified (which unfortunately isn't unusual on eBay, and not just with lathe parts).

Anyway, it certainly isn't a national security issue but it does or could affect doing things like trying to date machines from their serial numbers. Proving something from lack of evidence isn't ever the best way to do it but Clausing have no production records and I've never stumbled across anyone old enough to know.

Robert D.

 

[AR1911]

Re: Sleeve Bearing Atlas 6"?

I have had a number of these lathes over the years, and still have a nice one.
I have always just called them 618s, which I think most do.

 

[wa5cab]

Re: Sleeve Bearing Atlas 6"?

OK. I think that's probably the case in general. Unfortunately, used in that way there are at least seven different machines the writer could actually mean. And that's just those associated with Atlas and/or Craftsman. Anyway, absent evidence to the contrary, I guess I'll continue to assume that if it has sleeve bearings and no nameplate, it's a Craftsman. And edit the serial number table accordingly.

Robert D.

 

[David S]

I have a genuine Atlas 618 circa 1949, along with the manual that came with it. I am sure when I was reading the manual they mentioned the babit bearings and then a section of the timken roller bearings. When I get home I can check.

David

 

[AR1911]

I have a genuine Atlas 618 circa 1949, along with the manual that came with it. I am sure when I was reading the manual they mentioned the babit bearings and then a section of the timken roller bearings. When I get home I can check.

It's really easy to tell the difference. The sleeve bearing headstock has a slotted screw in front of both journals.

 

[wa5cab]

David S,

I'm 99-44/100% sure that there has never been any indication that Atlas ever built any 6" machines with babbitt bearings. Only Timken tapered roller and split bronze sleeve.

AR1911,

I know. If it is an Atlas built 6" and it has a slot head screw showing in front of the spindle bearing oiler, it has sleeve bearings. But when you are going only on the written word (no photos) and some people call any 6x18 ever made by any manufacturer a 618, there is no way to tell what they actually have without asking further questions before you try to answer their questions. It might even have ball bearings.

But be that as it may, the only thing I was asking was whether anyone has any actual proof that Atlas ever sold a sleeve bearing lathe with the original nameplate showing the model number as "618" and not "101.07300" or "101.07301".

Robert D.

 

[hilestudio]

But be that as it may, the only thing I was asking was whether anyone has any actual proof that Atlas ever sold a sleeve bearing lathe with the original nameplate showing the model number as "618" and not "101.07300" or "101.07301".

Robert D.[/QUOTE]

Hi All:

I’m really really new to all this machining stuff. I just checked my 618, and on the end it has an Atlas Press tag with the number 618. When the little lady brings the camera home, I’ll post a picture.

Regards,
Warren Hile

 

[AR1911]

w. If it is an Atlas built 6" and it has a hex head bolt showing in front of the spindle bearing oiler, it has sleeve bearings.

Never seen a hex head bolt there. Always a slotted machine screw