# 6" Atlas



## Paul in OKC (Mar 12, 2016)

Well, figured I would jump in on this part of the site as well. Have owned this little guy for a while now. Use it mostly to turn skate wheels so far, but....... Goes well with the Bridgeport and South Bend lathe I have  It came with all the change gears and a 4 jaw chuck, plus a little Atlas book.
I am currently making my own QCTP out of aluminum for it, and have just gotten a 3 jaw chuck, and am making the backing plate for it as well.



	

		
			
		

		
	
Atlas 1 by phdesigns1, on Flickr




	

		
			
		

		
	
Atlas 3 by phdesigns1, on Flickr


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## Steve Shannon (Mar 12, 2016)

I've got one almost exactly like that, except with a blue tailstock. Mine has the Zamak headstock. I would guess yours does as well. 


 Steve Shannon


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## Skibo (May 8, 2016)

I've got one too!..Just got it recently... bought a 4-jaw for mine off ebay yesterday...they're dandy little lathes...


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## madsweeney (May 27, 2016)

I just got one JUST like that . . .except it's grey . . . and says Craftsman . . . and it's rusty. . . and it has a 4 jaw chuck.
I'm guessing that if a magnet sticks to my headstock it's not Zamak.  I'd post a picture but I haven't figured out how yet.


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## wa5cab (May 28, 2016)

Sweeney,

Sears only sold their version of the Atlas 3950 (same except for badge) so they only sold one with cast iron headstock.  Yours is 101.21200.

Paul's tailstock is probably off of an Atlas 618, especially as the rest of his machine is blue.  Otherwise, it would be the first 3950, 101.21200 or 10100 reported with the early tailstock.  As complete units, they are interchangable.

As far as gray versus blue, all MK2's reported so far are gray up to Atlas 10100 S/N 235.  S/N 738 is blue.  So somewhere in between the paint color was changed.


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## madsweeney (May 28, 2016)

What's the procedure for removing the chuck? Book says to "lock spindle by engaging back gear."  That doesn't seem to lock anything


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## Superburban (May 28, 2016)

madsweeney said:


> What's the procedure for removing the chuck? Book says to "lock spindle by engaging back gear."  That doesn't seem to lock anything



Engage the back gear, but do not pull the coupling that engages the pulleys to the spindle.


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## madsweeney (May 28, 2016)

DUH!  Previous owner warned me that the coupling didn't stay engaged very well!  Think I'm gonna have to take notes.  Thanks!


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## wa5cab (May 28, 2016)

Locking the spindle with the back gears has always been the factory suggested method for removing a chuck.  First rotate the chuck/spindle unil the or one of the chuck tightening sockets is at TDC.  Lock the spindle, making sure that the coupling is completely engaged.  Insert the chuck wrench into the socket, push it away from you to take up the slack in the gear train, and then pull smartly toward you.  That normally breaks the chuck loose on the first try.  If it doesn't, try two more times.  If that doesn't do it, go to Plan B.  You have a "stuck chuck".  This was discussed here recently.  A search on Stuck Chuck will probably turn up the thread.


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## Rodney Young (May 29, 2016)

madsweeney said:


> DUH!  Previous owner warned me that the coupling didn't stay engaged very well!  Think I'm gonna have to take notes.  Thanks!



I repaired an Atlas Mk 2 for a guy in Toronto a while ago, the drive kept disengaging as he was working it. The drive is held in the engaged or disengaged position by a small spring loaded ball bearing that sits in the engagement housing and when pushed or pulled the bearing will sit in one of 2 very small groves in the shaft for the head stock. 
  On this one the spring was too short so was likely not the original one and the ball bearing did not stick out to engage the grooves. Didn't have another spring but I was able to add a small piece of steel shaft 1/8 I think it was? Under the spring to allow the ball bearing to be proud of the housing a small amount to engage the grooves in the shaft to keep it from disengaging while in use.



  Rodney


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## madsweeney (May 29, 2016)

As I now recall, somewhere in the pile of stuff the P. O. gave me is a little toggle topped stopper (kind of like a miniature  thermos bottle cork) that he used to keep the coupling engaged - almost as good as fixing the problem


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## Skibo (Jun 4, 2016)

mine kept disenguaging...there was too much space between the pully  and the spindle pre-load nut...the pulley would drift toward the headstock enough to cause the coupling to kick out...I took off the spindle nut and put in a home-made spacer to take up the slack...works perfectly now


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## Fabrickator (Jun 9, 2016)

Looks just like my first lathe.  I didn't have this problem though.  O sold mine because someone welded the drive gear on the leadscrew if I remember correctly.  This wouldn't allow me to change threading gears, plus I sort of out grew it anyway.

I was sure to inform the buyer, who only wanted it for polishing shafts and small parts.  I wouldn't have bought it if I had been told the truth.


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