# 101.07301 - Newb Needs Help



## Csd1984 (Feb 11, 2016)

Hi guys. This is my first post here. What inspired this post is a recent purchase of the 101.07301. I have attached pictures of the lathe and all of the parts that came with it. Here are my questions, and really my overall thoughts on this machine...

Firstly, I'm a complete newb at everything related to metal work and lathes. I bought this lathe from a coworker, hoping it was for wood turning, because I do wood working on the side. The thought of turning metal is a bit intimidating to me, but kind of exciting. Have any of you used this lathe for wood turning? I'd like to do both.

Next, can you look at my pictures and tell me if anything about my lathe seems weird, off or missing? How do I go about identifying all these parts? I have no idea what any of them do or what their names are! Does it appear I need new belts or are mine ok? If I do, where do I get them and how do I search for the right ones? Also, is it easy to switch the power cord to a newer one with a ground? I need to replace mine.
	

		
			
		

		
	










Lastly, any of your favorite websites (preferably geared toward newbs), information you wished you would have had starting out or anything else would be greatly appreciated!

Thank you and hello,
Chris


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## Csd1984 (Feb 11, 2016)




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## mws (Feb 11, 2016)

You've got yourself a nice little lathe there!  Cabinet, motor, plenty of accessories and tooling. You'd be amazed at all the neat things that little machine can do.  I'd start by downloading a copy of "How to Run a Lathe". It's readily available for free just google it.  There's likely a copy here on this site.  Then, get some Scotchbrite and steel wool and clean that machine up a bit give it a good oiling.  I imagine the owners manual is available on-line as well. But it shouldn't be to hard to figure out what needs oiling regularly.   The one thing I don't like about that lathe is the hand wheels aren't calibrated. I beleive they used 5/16 18 threads on the compound and cross slide leads screws.  18 doesn't divide out very nicely. If I owned it I'd want one of my first projects would be to change that to 20 tpi (.050 per turn) and make a graduated dial for the hand wheel.  Otherwise that's a god starter machine.  If you start fixin things what need round parts you'll be amazed how often you use that thing.  Best of luck with it.  

I sure wouldn't be turning wood on it though.


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## wa5cab (Feb 11, 2016)

mws,

You may be confusing the 101.07301 with one of the 6 x 18 or 6 x 12 AA lathes that Sears also sold.  This one does have graduated dials on both the cross feed and the compound feed.  If you look at the closeup top view of the compound and cross slide, you can see the one on the compound.  The cross feed uses the same part.  The differences between this machine and the Atlas 618 or Craftsman 101.21400 are that it has the "A" rev countershaft bracket instead of the "B", it has sleeve spindle bearings and a ball thrust bearing instead of Timken tapered roller bearings, and it has a 1"-8 spindle nose thread instead of 1"-10 on the other two.  So the spindles and headstock castings are different.  Otherwise, the rest of the parts are the same.


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## wawoodman (Feb 11, 2016)

Nice score. Clean it, oil it, get yourself a quick-change tool post, and start making chips!


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## LucknowKen (Feb 11, 2016)

Great pics of a sweet score!. Now if you find a three jaw in that roller cab...


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## Csd1984 (Feb 11, 2016)

LucknowKen said:


> Great pics of a sweet score!. Now if you find a three jaw in that roller cab...



I have a four jaw... Will that work? It's pictured above in the accessories. Im still trying to figure out how to take off the other part so I can put it on...


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## Csd1984 (Feb 11, 2016)

I got the belt on and the lathe at least working now! The tail piece is movable now but it looks like someone modified the bottom of it with a bar to make it fit the sliding frame on the bottom, or maybe it's factory I don't know. You can see the bar in the picture above with the 2 screws removed. I can remove the bar and put the tail piece back on, but then the tail piece is very loose on the track. The problem is there is a nut on the top of the tail piece that tightens down an apparatus on the very bottom side of the tail piece (rectangle piece of metal pictured above, removed) and when both the bar and the bracket are on together, the bottom of the tail piece catches on some bars on the frame that run perpendicular below the sliding track, because the bracket doesn't fit flat. I was thinking it was due to the orientation of the bracket, but I've spun it around in every direction and it just doesn't sit flat. Wtf?


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## mws (Feb 11, 2016)

wa5cab said:


> mws,
> 
> You may be confusing the 101.07301 with one of the 6 x 18 or 6 x 12 AA lathes that Sears also sold.  This one does have graduated dials ...


Great! I stand corrected. That's much to your benefit!  I'm not sure what the modification to your tailstock might be but ideally, it should slide the entire length of the bed and remain aligned with the headstock. When tightened, the bottom clamp should pull up under the bed and lock the tailstock in place.  If that not what's happening something ain't right.  The long dimension of the bottom clamp plate should be positioned across the width of the ways so it cannot rotate and the slot should hold the square head of the hold down bolt from turning as well.  I believe you are showing the plate upside-down from how it would normally be mounted in the machine.  I'm sure there's a few folks here who could be more informative.  I look forward to seeing your first product from this machine. 
Mark


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## Csd1984 (Feb 11, 2016)

Thanks for your help Mark. It appears I'm missing the saddle carriage lock... Ordered it.


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## LucknowKen (Feb 11, 2016)

That tail stock mod seems odd. Did you get the tailstock clamp to tighten correctly?
Four jaw chucks are necessary for certain work. (imho) The self entering aspect of the three jaw is more user friendly.


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## wa5cab (Feb 12, 2016)

mws,

The "tail piece" is called the Tailstock.  The bar with the two holes in it is called a Gib (or gib).  The two slotted head wierd looking flat head screws at top and bottom of the base (in the photo - with the tailstock on the ways, they would be left and right) are for adjusting the gib out against the vertical side of the rear way.  Their long tapered heads bear against the slightly beveled corners of the gib.

Reinstall the gib, running the screws up just slightly more than finger tight.  Set the tailstock and base back on the bed, with the taller part of the base and the gib down between the ways.  Tighten the gib adjusting screws until there is just a slight drag when you slide the tailstock left or right (with the ways properly oiled with SAE 20 ND or way oil).  Theoretically, there should be zero clearance between the gib and the rear way.  But in practice, due to wear it may be a little looser near the headstock.  You may want to slide it up to about the 9" point and slightly tighten the adjusting screws.  When you are satisfied with its movement, put a work light on the bench under the tailstock and using a mirror and stubby screw driver, snug up the round head screws.  

Then reinstall the clamp, square head bolt, washer and nut and tighten the nut firmly.  To loosen it so that you can move the tailstock, it shouldn't take more than a quarter turn of the nut.  That looks like the correct clamp.  And it shouldn't strike the bed webs unless it is loosened too much.


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## wa5cab (Feb 12, 2016)

If you will move the unrelated stuff out of the way and arrange the parts that you have in neat rows and columns (so that we can say for example "Column 1 Row 4 is a 4-jaw chuck" ) we can probably ID most of the pieces.  Might take two photos, one for the large items and one for the small ones.


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## wa5cab (Feb 12, 2016)

I don't see any modifications to the tailstock or base.  For some strange reason, my eyes keep wanting to tell me that the back corner of the rectangular slot in the base )part that is as cast) is sticking out instead of in.


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## mws (Feb 12, 2016)

Oh! Of course. From the picture I thought that gib was some bar that mounted ACROSS the ways as shown in the picture.  He just unscrewed it an leaned it across the tailstock base so perfectly centered and squared I thought it was mounted there. Duhh!  I'm not sure I see the required taper in those gib parts but it's only one view and assume it's playing tricks on my eyes too.  I'd like to get a "little" lathe some day. Something less than 6", maybe a jewelers lathe. Maybe I should just build one!  Yeah, that's a good idea! Right after Project number 1,279. I'm up to project 197 at the moment. At about 15 projects per year I should live so long!


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## Csd1984 (Feb 12, 2016)

wa5cab said:


> If you will move the unrelated stuff out of the way and arrange the parts that you have in neat rows and columns (so that we can say for example "Column 1 Row 4 is a 4-jaw chuck" ) we can probably ID most of the pieces.  Might take two photos, one for the large items and one for the small ones.



Thank you! Here are more organized pictures.


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## Csd1984 (Feb 12, 2016)

Also here is a link of the lathe in operation. Can I adjust the speed without turning it off (assuming that's what that lever does)? It seems extremely noisy on the two other settings.


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## wa5cab (Feb 12, 2016)

OK.  Top to bottom, left to right. photo 1 then photo 2

Photo 1
Column 1
Row
1  Change gears. For complement of full set, see Parts List in Downloads.  Don't forget to include those that are on the lathe.
2  Small aluminum oxide grinding wheel.
3  ?.
4  Cup brush for small drill chuck.
5  Tailstock partially disassembled - with live center in ram (turn handwheel to eject).

Column 2
Row
1  Drill chuck on arbor, probably 1MT for tailstock.
2  Some sort of face plate, presumably threaded 1"-8 for the headstock spindle.
3  4-jaw chuck, maybe 3".
4  Face plate, maybe 5".
5  Holder for some model or models of die grinders.

Column 3
Row
1  3 drill chuck keys plus one square key probably for 4-jaw chuck.
2  Small outside calipers.
3  Adjustable lathe dog for driving square parts. Mount part between centers in spindle and tailstock.  Clamp dog to part with drive pin in open slot in face plate.
4  Lathe dog for round parts.  They come in a range of diameters.  Used like adjustable one.

Photo 2
Column 1
Row
1  ?
2  Armstrong cutter holder. Fits lantern style tool post mounted on compound slide.
3  Armstrong cutter holder.
4  ?.
5  Shop made arbor of some sort.
6  Carriage stop.  Presumably #6810 or Sears equivalent.

Column 2
Row
1  3 HSS (High Speed Steel) cutters.  Fit Armstrong tool holders.
2  Misc socket head screws.
3  More screws.
4  Some sort of adjustable spacer.  Can' tell if tapered, but if so, one of a pair.
5  2 screws. washers & square nuts to fit a thin T-slot.  Look like those supplied with Universal Compound Vise table.
6  Straight dead center, maybe shop made.  Could be held in drill chuck in headstock or tailstock.  Dead centers are normally 1MT, 2MT, etc.
7  ?  Piece of solid round stock.
9  Another straight shank dead center.
10 ?  If it has 1"-8 threads, might be a shop made spindle thread protector.

Column 3
Row (not lined up with column 1 & 2).
1  2 brass nuts, probably for carriage cross slide.
2  Nut, possible for change gears.
3  ?.
4  Either M6-45 Sleeve or M6-46 Lock (has square pocket one end, for square head bolt)  Locks for tailstock ram.
5  ?.
6  M6-42 threaded Handle.  Used to tighten bolt through M6-45 & M6-46 to lock tailstock ram. 
7  One of a pair of half-nuts for carriage.
8  ? washer.

Column 4
Row (just counting from top).
1  ? 2 washers.  Might be for change gears.  Compare to what's on left end of lathe.
2  ?  Might be compound slide feed nut, if it has a hole drilled and tapped through side.
3  Change gear spacer.
4  Wrench?
5  M6-115 Wrench.  Open end should fit tailstock lock nut.  Square end fits tool post screw, carriage lock screw, carriage stop screws, compound swivel screws.


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## wa5cab (Feb 12, 2016)

I hope that you went through the full lube order before you started it.


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## mws (Feb 12, 2016)

WA5CAB,
Nice job naming all those parts.  I think some of those parts got swept up with the lathe and don't actually belong, like the die grinder holder? 
Photo 2, Column 1, Row 1 : Tool rod for a surface gage, like a Lufkin #520
Column 1, Row 4 and Column 3, Row 5 both look like very interesting tools.  The one in column 3 has graduations and fine adjustments. Looks vaguely familiar but I can't place it. 
Lathe sounded a little DRY! Machine tools rarely suffer from an abundance of lubrication! Oil's cheap, use liberally.  
I still don't see what looks like a gib in tailstock collection.


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## wa5cab (Feb 13, 2016)

Thanks.  I imagine you are correct about 1/1.  I don't think that any of the other question marks go to the lathe, even the screws.  AFAIK, Atlas didn't use socket head screws until late 1957.


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## Csd1984 (Feb 13, 2016)

Thanks! You guys are extremely helpful. I spent some time with the lathe today and cleaned all of those accessories with degreaser and rust remover. Then sprayed with oil liberally. I'll oil the machine liberally tomorrow. I bought a big can of WD40 and machine oil.


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## wa5cab (Feb 13, 2016)

I forgot to add one comment.  Although the die grinder holder is a bit large for a 6", it is sometimes handy to be able to use a small die grinder or Dremel mounted to the tool post.  Especially if you don't own one of the Atlas tool post grinders.  For example, if you have to grind your chuck jaws.  Or I once needed to be able to cut off some very small diameter stainless thin wall tubing (less than 1/8" dia.) and without leaving any bur on the ID.  I made a holder for one of my Dremels and used a cutoff disk.


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## Mondo (Feb 13, 2016)

That die grinder bracket permits mounting a Craftsman electric die grinder on the bench or on the tool post.   In this photo I have one on my lathe sharpening a large pipe cutter blade.


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## AR1911 (Feb 13, 2016)

Eureka!  I have had that bracket and die grinder holder in my "misc" box for years not knowing what it fit.  Thanks!


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## Csd1984 (Feb 13, 2016)

http://m.ebay.com/itm/Atlas-6638-Wo...l-Turning-Lathes-new-/182021228312?nav=SEARCH

Is this what I buy for this particular lathe for wood turning?


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## Mondo (Feb 13, 2016)

That certainly looks like a wood turning tool rest to me!  The pictured document says "For all Atlas 6" lathes".

Spiral_Chips


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## Wierd Harold (Feb 13, 2016)

Csd1984 said:


> http://m.ebay.com/itm/Atlas-6638-Wo...l-Turning-Lathes-new-/182021228312?nav=SEARCH
> 
> Is this what I buy for this particular lathe for wood turning?


Seems like a ridiculous price when a piece of angle with a hole to fit your T-nut would work at least as well or better. Looks to me like that long mounting ear would always get in the way . You need room for your guiding hand. Also if you look at the pictures of how to use it they show a totally different rest. One last note is you want a hard smooth surface for the tool to ride on .
WH


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## mattthemuppet2 (Feb 14, 2016)

hold up there for a moment csd - I think there's a real risk of you doing some damage until you understand some of your lathe's functions better. The lever you mentioned earlier is to change direction of rotation of the leadscrew - it makes more noise in the up or down positions because it's engaging the gear at the end of the spindle. Not a good idea to do it while the lathe is running and nor should you need to. There's another lever on the headstock - don't shift that one under power either! The manual for this lathe is easy to find, have a good read of that and How to Run a Lathe by Southbend first.

These are pretty forgiving machines (I rebuilt one recently so it can't be that hard) but you can rack up some pricey repairs very quickly if you don't know what you're doing and your posts suggest you're right at the beginning of your learning curve. Nothing wrong with that, we all started at that point, myself included, but no need to make all of our mistakes too!


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## wa5cab (Feb 14, 2016)

Csd1984 said:


> http://m.ebay.com/itm/Atlas-6638-Wo...l-Turning-Lathes-new-/182021228312?nav=SEARCH
> Is this what I buy for this particular lathe for wood turning?



Csd,

Yes, those two tool rests will attach to the T-slot in your compound rest to support the various wood turning tools.  Several of the Figures do seem to show a different support.  I suspect that instead of making new drawings from scratch for the 6638 instruction sheet, Clausing used some drawings from the manual for one of the actual wood turning lathes that Atlas once built.  Or maybe from the instruction sheet for the M6-330 6" wood turning tool rest that they once built.  Remember that when Atlas built the 6" metal turning lathes, they were primarily intended for metal turning.  So there would be some compromises to use one for wood turning.  

As there is generally no particular use for the capabilities of the compound slide and swivel, a better setup, still using the 6638, would be to remove the complete compound assembly from the cross slide and replace it with a round post of the same height that would attach to the pintle on the cross slide in the same manner as the compound swivel attaches.  The top of the post would be drilled and tapped for the bolt that attaches the tool rests.

Shown below is a page from the Atlas 1945 general catalog.  The photos are a bit better than those in the 1943 Sears catalog.  Everything except items that screw onto the spindle nose will also fit your machine.  The lower half of the page shows various wood turning accessories that Atlas once sold (why some 10" parts slipped in I don't know).  Note that to use the M6-330 tool rest, you would remove the carriage.  In order to do wood turning, besides a tool rest, you are going to need a few of the items shown, although they certainly don't have to have been originally made by Atlas.  You will need a spur center for example.  And probably a screw center.  As these are only used in the spindle, they may as well be No. 2 Morse Taper.  You already have a live center for the tailstock but you would probably be better off using the L2-17 (or equivalent) cup center.  It won't tend to wallow out as much as just a plain dead or live center would.  And you have a faceplate that presumably has 1"-8 threads (the Atlas 618 has 1"-10, so don't buy anything with that thread even if cheap and made by Atlas).


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## wa5cab (Feb 14, 2016)

I tend to agree with Matt.  Another (and probably for an Atlas built machine better) source of background material on using a lathe is the Atlas Manual of Lathe Operations (MOLO).  This first came out in 1937 and was reprinted 32 times over the years, with 10 different versions.  Although the MOLO was primarily written for the Atlas 10" and/or Craftsman 12", from 1955 on, it included threading charts applicable to the 6" (none of the editions that are Copyright 1937 show anything specific to the 6").  The Atlas 618 and the derivative Craftsman 101.07301 are, except for the countershaft assembly, scaled down copies of the Craftsman 101.07403 12".  So most photos of that model 12" are similar to your lathe.  The best edition of the MOLO for a 6" would be the Craftsman version of the 1955 16th Edition.  These sometimes turn up on eBay.


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## mattthemuppet2 (Feb 14, 2016)

Good point Robert, I completely forgot about the MOLO. I should get around to reading that at some point too


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## Soggy618 (Mar 13, 2022)

The W68-2A Boring Table is only for the larger lathes 9", 10", 12" and I'm toying with what I might do on a 618.
LMS PN 1664 is a T-slot table and might be used to convert the Cross Slide.  Has anyone does something similar?
This table is 1" thick, so that doesn't leave much room to the centerline.  I saw a post on another forum where someone
used a salvaged Cross Slide, milled off the knob and bolted it up.  Comments?


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## cross thread (Mar 13, 2022)

I would not mess with the 1664 , mainly you have no height axes . Unless you have a specific job for it . A milling attachment I think will be the way to go . The milling attachment vise (jaw) is awkward at best for holding small parts . I got around that by mounting a vise on a block  that bolts in the jaw . Also I made a face plate , it is a alu. plate with a piece of bar stock screwed to it that goes into the jaw . Also I mounted a travel indicator on the milling attachment that is very handy . I could post some pics. if anyone would like . Anyhow here is my milling attachment set up .
Mark .








						Milling Attachment for a 6"
					

I got my Craftsman 6" about 7 years ago and this is my first time with the milling attachment . First operation was to get it on the machine , it goes on just like the compound . Then I got it indicated in , that was easy it swivels (degree graduated) in the two axis that you need to zero in the...




					www.hobby-machinist.com


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