# Questions About My 109.21280 Craftsman Lathe



## Westkeyser (Aug 18, 2018)

I have one of these, 109.21280.   Anyone know of  anyone having parts for it.    There is a long flat gear  under the Bed that moves the tool holder  and  threading mechism.    5/8 X thick,   5/8" - 3/4,   gear teeth  ACME  I THINK  24-26" long
Having  5 threaded. Screw holes.    Flat head screws about #10  .   3/4" long. ? 

Mine was given to me some years ago.  Was not aware the gear was missing, wish I had, just was not  interested. At the 
Time .     Now , I have a Grandson , coming from age, want to get it up and running maybe he will  pick it and make it work one day.   I need a 3-jaw  and 4 jaw Chuck , if some one has one or both , 1-10  spindle .    It is in great shape,  I have run down the.   Auto-Parts  Garauge it came from.   They  have no  GEAR  LAYING ABOUT.   IT HAS 5  screw  holes ,about   24" or more long .    davebrantnerwv@earthlink.net. (Mention. Sears  109 lathe).    Thanks in advance   Dave


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## Westkeyser (Aug 19, 2018)

I have one of these, 109.21280,  it is in great shape.   However it had a flat gear under the bed , that moves the  tool holder  ASSMBLY ,  and make it move left and right.    It is shown in the picture  of the above post.  Do not know what
It is called,  APX . 1/2-3/4" thick,  5/8-3/4" wide to the end of the ACME. THREAD ,  20" - 22" long.   Has 5 threaded  screw holes  about #10 flat head.    Cannot find a schematic  anywhere to give you the part number or better DIMENSIONS ,  sorry .     Any one that can help me ,  tell me where to look or person with a lot of knowledge of the Old Craftsman Lathe .   I also need a 3 and 4 jaw Chuck,  1-10 Spindle.   
davebrantnerwv@earthlink.net,   304-788-3637.   Please I need your help.   Thanks in advance. Dave


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## markba633csi (Aug 19, 2018)

I'm really curious as to what type of spindle bearings it has- sure looks like ball bearing to me
mark


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## Westkeyser (Aug 19, 2018)

markba633csi said:


> I'm really curious as to what type of spindle bearings it has- sure looks like ball bearing to me
> mark


MARK,   IF I HAVE OFFENDED ANYONE,  BELIEVE ME I DID NOT INTEND TO  DO SO.    As for the bearings on the Spindle ,  I do not know it it is , ball or bushing.   I did got out to the Garauge , and looked at the spindle.    I could not 
See the  what bearings is in it.   My guess is I would have to open the gear housing to see it?   Unless you can tell me more info on how and what to fo.    I would be glad to look as often as it takes.    Would you know what this Flat Gear is called that I need?   Or where I can get a schematic , to see how to repair it and how to operate the Lathe , if I can get the 
Proper parts?   You can contact me by my email address,  as trying to figure out how to navigate this web site is a bit too much.    Dave Brantner.  Thank in advance.


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## wa5cab (Aug 19, 2018)

Dave,

There is no known documentation available on that model.  As I wrote a few months back, it never made it into a Sears Power Tools catalog.

Any chuck that fits any of the Atlas built 6" lathes exccept for 101.07300 and 101.07301 should fit as they all have 1"-10 spindle nose threads.

A photo of the side of your lathe would help but from your description, you appear to be talking about what's commonly call a rack.  As in rack and pinion.  The mating pinion should be present on the inner end of the shaft that the carriage traverse handwheel is on.  It is basically what you would have if you were to cut the teeth off of a gear leaving some metal connecting each one, and then straightened the ring out flat.  The rack off of one of the Atlas lathes might fit, although the mounting screw holes probably won't.  If you can wrap a tape measure around the pinion and measure the distance from center of one tooth to center of next, that is approximately the pitch.  I don't know what the pitch is on a 6" rack but someone here with a 6" could measure it.


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## markba633csi (Aug 20, 2018)

Hmm, seems like we lost a thread somehow... the member from Florida with the gold colored lathe-? That's who I was referencing about the spindle bearings question- afaik no one has been offended Dave
mark


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## francist (Aug 20, 2018)

wa5cab said:


> I don't know what the pitch is on a 6" rack but someone here with a 6" could measure it.



Measured both extreme ends of the rack on my 618. As close as I can make out, 0.158"




-frank


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## wa5cab (Aug 20, 2018)

markba633csi said:


> Hmm, seems like we lost a thread somehow... the member from Florida with the gold colored lathe-? That's who I was referencing about the spindle bearings question- afaik no one has been offended Dave
> mark


Mark,

Strangely enough, I also had the feeling that I had seen that same post this morning.  The site server may have had a momentary upchuck.  I did a search on
*109.21280 Craftsman Lathe*

and it turned up two threads, this one that we are in in August of 2018, and the one that you and I thought that we saw this morning, which was from back in 2016.

And Dave, no one has been offended.  Don't worry about it.

And now that Francist has measured his 618 rack, you should be able to tell whether or not one could possibly be installed on your machine, and work.

If not, several places sell rack and pinion sets.  You may have to pull your carriage in order to get it out, but if you can't locate a rack that will fit the available space and mesh with the existing pinion, you may be able to find a rack and pinion that will fit into the existing space and work.

And BTW, the 109.21280 was made by AA for Sears.


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## francist (Aug 20, 2018)

From May of 2018, has the gold lathe in it

https://www.hobby-machinist.com/thr...ad-spindle-with-out-a-3-or-4-jaw-chuck.69891/


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## wa5cab (Aug 20, 2018)

Yes, that is the one that I was referring to.  I had thought that there was one or two more but I must be vaguely remembering some of the posts in that one.  Over on groups.io in the Atlas-Craftsman Group I found several mentions of the 109.21280.  One of them was I think the one mentioned here in 2016 because it mentioned also the mica undercutter.  But it is still a rare beasty.  Too bad that no parts or owner's manual has ever turned up.


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## Westkeyser (Dec 15, 2021)

wa5cab , it has been 3 years , since your post.   I sorta gave up on getting parts for the craftsman 109.21280 .    For give me for not keeping in touch.  
I  have checked , over the years at times on EBay, for parts.  With no one to turn to.  After having a local machinist to breafly look at it , he found , the Rack gear missing.  I think , maybe the gear running in it to the Table might be missing to.   No since looking for ,  3" and 4" Chuck till I find a   Rack gear.   Also need a schmatic  and tool Manuel?  
I think my lathe ,  was made by , AA FOUNDRY,  IT IS painted Gold , how ever , it was not heavy used.  The nose spindle , using a American Thread gauge, is 1"x10" threads.    Would you know the Address for the ,AA foundry ?  
Or the name of the fellow who posted the Pictures of his , 109.21280 ?   It might be a help to get started looking again.
Dave (Westkeyser)


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## wa5cab (Dec 19, 2021)

Dave,

I think that AA probably went out of business in the 60's or 70's.  I used to know what town in MI they were in but can't recall it now.  And the name of the other guy who had a 101.21280 I might or might not be able to come up with but as I approve (or don't) a lot of new member applications, I know for certain that one thing that we don't ask for is a telephone number.  Or an address. Or for that matter, a full name.  Unless the applicant gets too "cute" and enters something like Franklyn Delano Roosevelt in which case I generally just kick him to the curb.  So I really have no way to get in touch with him unless he were to for example reply ti this thread.

Did you manage to come up with a usable rack and pinion?  You should download the manual from the Vintage site.  It shows that the original wasn't mounted the same way as on an Atlas.  The screws are vertical instead of horizontal.


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