# Atlas 10d - Confused about change gear setting



## OhioMike (Mar 9, 2017)

I have recently acquired an Atlas 10d.  I determined the "D" designation by measuring the lead screw longitudinal feed at approximately .650 inches OD.  There is no cross feed like on the 10F.  Most puzzling is that the gear change door has a gear chart that shows the need for the 16 or 32 tooth tumbler gear, yet there in no tumbler gear hanger or tumbler gear assembly on the back side of the head stock or even a place to mount one.  The gear change door / guard has a serial number 10d-28, another clue that this is a 10d not 10F.
I have many gears, but have not found the threading chart that aligns with the 10d, No tumbler / quick change assembly.
Can you educate me on what I need to thread with this lathe?

From Ohio - Mike


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## wa5cab (Mar 9, 2017)

Mike,

First, the 10D-28 cast into (I assume that it is cast into) the change gear guard is the casting number and part number, not the serial number.  There is only one serial number on a basic Atlas lathe, and that is stamped into the top of the front way near the right (tailstock) end.  Find and report that number.  

Also, take and post a close-up photo of the change gear chart presumably riveted inside the change gear guard.  As best I can tell, the 10D, which definitely had a 5/8" diameter lead screw, used 96T gears as the largest gear, and had no stud gear (which was the 16T/32T compound gear).  The 10F, which of course had a 3/5" dia. lead screw, had the compound gear and the largest gears used were two 64T.

And take and post a front view photo of the headstock assembly.  Take the front view photo from as far away as you can and still zoom in to make the headstock nearly fill the frame.  Try to locate and report the headstock casting number.  This is inside of the casting and on either the front or rear surface, not on the ends.  The number should be either 10D-2, 10D-2A or 10D-2B.

Finally, read the instructions in the sticky area at the top of this forum on navigating the DOWNLOADS section.  Then go to DOWNLOADS, drill down to Atlas and on down to the 

*"Downloads >  ...> Atlas/Craftsman/AA > A/C Lathes (less drawings & catalogs) > **A/C Lathe Charts, Tables, Metric & Misc Docs" *

Category (Folder) and download 

"*Atlas Lathe 10 10A-10E Threading Chart.pdf.*"  

That is the threading chart for, among others, the 10D.


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## wa5cab (Mar 9, 2017)

I should add that, unlike all 6" and 12" Atlas lathes, the only 10F models that had a tumbler were those equipped with a QCGB.  Otherwise, they all had what was called a "Stud Gear", which is the same 16T/32T compound gear used on the later tumblers on the 12" after the change to the 1/2" hub length gears.  These all had a suffix "A" to all of the gear part numbers.  Your machine should have 3/8" hub length gears and the part numbers don't have the suffix "A".  The stud for the stud gear mounted in a hole drilled in the left end of the headstock, and became the pivot point for the tumbler when the lathe was fitted with a QCGB..


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## OhioMike (Mar 9, 2017)

wa5cab said:


> Mike,
> 
> First, the 10D-28 cast into (I assume that it is cast into) the change gear guard is the casting number and part number, not the serial number.  There is only one serial number on a basic Atlas lathe, and that is stamped into the top of the front way near the right (tailstock) end.  Find and report that number.
> 
> ...



Thank you for your prompt reply,

The serial number taken for the far right end of the tail is "D5395S". I wasn't able to find a any casting number on the headstock, not that there isn't one there, just hard to get at? Your reply mentioned 96T gears and yes, I have those.  The thread cart on the change gear cover doesn't list them as an option in any use.  I have taken the photos you requested and attempted to upload.  Also, responding to the other post, there is a photo attached of the change gear as I left them. No hole on the headstock casting to mount the stub gear that I could see.  Another curios thig is the banjo is an odd shape compared to QCGB banjos.  This one doesn't have a "D" slot location as called out ont he Threading Chart?

Thanks again for all of your help.  I was hoping I didn't buy a anchor.  There may be hope yet!

From Ohio - Mike


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## wa5cab (Mar 9, 2017)

OK.  You have a late 10D, probably made near the end of 1937 as it has the later legs.  The Change Gear Guard 10D-28 is the correct part but either someone changed the change gear chart or the whole assembly was salvaged from an early 10F (before at least 1942).  The change gear chart from DOWNLOADS will match your machine.

The machine has the correct Change Gear Bracket (AKA Banjo & Quadrant).  The banjos used with the 96T gear sets only had positions A, B and C (including the early 12").  The Vertical Countershaft is also correct for the machine.  Other than the threading chart, I don't see any parts that aren't.  If you set up a search on eBay, although there aren't any on today, the correct chart should show up eventually.

One other question that I forgot to ask is what is the bed length (length measured along the front or rear way)?


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## OhioMike (Mar 9, 2017)

wa5cab said:


> OK.  You have a late 10D, probably made near the end of 1937 as it has the later legs.  The Change Gear Guard 10D-28 is the correct part but either someone changed the change gear chart or the whole assembly was salvaged from an early 10F (before at least 1942).  The change gear chart from DOWNLOADS will match your machine.
> 
> The machine has the correct Change Gear Bracket (AKA Banjo & Quadrant).  The banjos used with the 96T gear sets only had positions A, B and C (including the early 12").  The Vertical Countershaft is also correct for the machine.  Other than the threading chart, I don't see any parts that aren't.  If you set up a search on eBay, although there aren't any on today, the correct chart should show up eventually.
> 
> One other question that I forgot to ask is what is the bed length (length measured along the front or rear way)?



Thanks again, you have solved my problem - at least the one I had to get through today.
The bed length (back of head to end of tail ways) is approximately 55 inches; 36 inch between centers.

So this machine has babbited bearings.  Well the lathe doesn't look too worn for something that is 80 years old.
And all I want it for is making a few replacement parts for my turn of the century bicycles.

From Ohio - Mike


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## wa5cab (Mar 9, 2017)

OK.  Glad that I was able to help.

There is one book that you should probably have a copy of.  Beginning in 1937, someone at Atlas wrote and Atlas published a book titled Atlas Manual of Lathe Operations and Machinists Tables, or MOLO for short.  The first edition, which I call Version 0 because I didn't discover that it had existed until about two years after I had set out to determine the versions and which machines they best applied to, was from one only catalog photo, exact bound (glue and staples) and probably had the same contents as the second edition which I Ihad already called Version 1.  I've assumed that the first edition (Version 0) was only printed in 1937.  There are two variants of Version 1, blue covers and black covers.  They are both spiral wire bound and contain exactly the same pages or contents.  They cover the 10 through 10E and are applicable to the first eight Craftsman 12 inch models (101.07360 through 101.07402).  They were printed at least in 1938 and 1939, and as all later versions up through 1953 had black covers, I assume that the blue cover is from 1938.  Over the past four or so years, I've bought about 40 of the things, plus the one that I bought new in about 1982.  Some turned out to be duplicates (most eBay sellers are clueless as to what they are selling).  Recently, I decided to start selling off the extras mostly for what I had in them.  So if you would like one of the Version 1's, send me a PM.

In the meantime, although because the copyright situation is not clear (the 33rd Edition is still "in print" and available from Clausing) we have elected not to allow full scanned copies into DOWNLOADS, I did put a copy of the Threading section of Version 1 into DOWNLOADS.  You will find it at

Downloads >  List Of Categories  > Atlas/Craftsman/AA > A/C Lathes (less drawings & catalogs) > Atlas Manual of Lathe Operations > Atlas MOLO 1937-V1 Part 7.pdf

Besides the Threading section, the early versions of the MOLO contain information on the care and feeding of babbit bearings, and a lot of other practical lathe usage information written to apply directly to the Atlas-built machines.


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