What did Atlas use to cast lathe ways?

[great white]

Cast iron...duh.

I'm wondering if anyone knows what type of cast iron they used to cast lathes like the 10F.

The reason I ask is Ive got my 10F stripped for painting and the color of the castings is a little puzzling. The metal has an almost bronze brass color to it in some places and a shiny silvery look (like there's high nickle content) in others.

If I didn't know better, I'd almost say it's cast steel and not a type of cast iron. Stripped of it's paint, it sure looks like the cast steel used in the transaxle on my old case tractor and not cast iron.

It doesn't change anything about what I do with it or how much I like the machine, I'm just curious is all.

Anyone?

 

[great white]

Here's a blurb from a 1950's atlas brochure:

"The lathe bed is a heavy, massive , close -grained , semi -steel iron casting - wide thick flat-type ways and heavy box-type cross braces resist all turning forces . This modern bed design provides a rigid foundation for the entire lathe . The lathe headstock, carriage, and tail stock are heavy, well braced, semi-steel iron castings - strong supports for work and cutting tools."

Semi-steel?

What the heck.......?

 

[pontiac428]

Semi-steel/Meehanite is a machinable ductile cast iron with good strength, purity, and low porosity. It's a crucible process, so Atlas probably ran their own version at their Kalamazoo foundry.

 

[Illinoyance]

My Dad's old Craftsman (Atlas) had very dark soft cast iron ways. Once the bed was worn you couldn't hold size.