# Newbie’s 1st lathe!  I just bought a Craftsman 101.28970



## jdeitch (Feb 21, 2018)

I had a machinist friend give it a once-over and he confirmed I didn’t lose my a$$ at the selling price. It needs a bit of work which I’m looking forward to completing. Is there a preferred ‘go-to’ place for parts for these machines? 

I will do a complete restoration as my schedule allows. 

I’d like to know the year of manufacture if anyone can decode the serial number. The model number is 101.28970 and the serial number is 004711.

Your forum is a tremendous resource and I look forward to spending much time here in the future.


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## wa5cab (Feb 22, 2018)

Looks like a nice find.  Judging from the fact that the tailstock is gray, a PO must have repainted it but forgot to do the tailstock.  If you bought it from an individual and not a shop going out of business, it may not have a lot of hours on it.  I see a Quick Change Tool Post (incorrectly installed unless it was set up for some special operation - normally, the compound should be set to 30 degrees from straight across, not 90.

Generally, there are three or four typical parts sources.  Clausing still stocks a fair number of new parts for the Atlas lathes.  However, unless you've recently had a vehicle or a major appliance repaired, you may be in for a bit of sticker shock at the cost of parts.  When calling Clausing, you are probably better off giving them the equivalent Atlas model number than the Craftsman one.  The only difference between the Atlas and the Craftsman badged units is the badge.  It won't affect the price but the current sales people aren't as familiar with the Atlas machines as their predecessor Jolene was.  The Atlas model number would be 3991.  Two other parts sources are eBay and Craig's List.  Another is Forums like this one and the A-C list now on Groups.io (formerly on Yahoo).  And finally, commercially made minor parts at places like McMaster.  However, although many people are too shortsighted to understand why, we have a vested interest in keeping Clausing around for the parts that you can't buy at your local Five & Dime.

Dating the 12" Commercial lathes is made more iffy by the fact that Timken stopped engraving dates on the spindle bearings in 1952 or 53.  So absent an original invoice, it's a best guess.  The group of models that yours is one of were made from mid 1957 to to mid 1967, and an estimated 10,000 of the Craftsman versions were made.  Which assuming that the same number were made in each year, puts yours at February, 1962.  Fortunately, the exact model number isn't a factor, as they all drew serial numbers from a common pool.  The actual date could have been +/- a year from then.


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## Skowinski (Feb 24, 2018)

I saw that for sale back a week or so ago in the local CL.  If it's in as good a condition as the photos seemed to show you did well.


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## jdeitch (Feb 24, 2018)

Skowinski said:


> I saw that for sale back a week or so ago in the local CL.  If it's in as good a condition as the photos seemed to show you did well.


Thanks. I’m finally picking it up and bringing it home this morning!  More to follow.


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## jdeitch (Mar 4, 2018)

It’s home! I think I did I good for $1200. Super excited to start making some chips!


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## wa5cab (Mar 4, 2018)

I think that you did very well.  The steady rest is the better later model.  The square table shown in one of the photos is technically from the X-Y Rotary table that Atlas sold but by itself, it fits the pintle on the cross slide.  And better, it fits the pintle on the milling attachment.  The vise on the attachment is pretty sturdy but it's limited to small parts.  Although you are still limited by the cross-slide travel, you can hold fairly large parts on the table.


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## westsailpat (Mar 4, 2018)

Nice score . Looks like you have pretty much everything you need . Nice shop too .


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## jdeitch (Mar 4, 2018)

wa5cab said:


> I think that you did very well.  The steady rest is the better later model.  The square table shown in one of the photos is technically from the X-Y Rotary table that Atlas sold but by itself, it fits the pintle on the cross slide.  And better, it fits the pintle on the milling attachment.  The vise on the attachment is pretty sturdy but it's limited to small parts.  Although you are still limited by the cross-slide travel, you can hold fairly large parts on the table.



I tried to fit the the square table on both the cross slide and the milling attachment without success. The dovetail on the table is too narrow. I would love to have the matching base for this table. If anyone has any info I would be very grateful.


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## jdeitch (Mar 4, 2018)

I also scored this raw aluminum and steel stock in the deal!


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## Wierd Harold (Mar 4, 2018)

It looks like a nice machine. Good luck with it.
I love the color.


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## Uncle Buck (Mar 5, 2018)

I think you did exceptionally well for yourself there!


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## Skowinski (Mar 6, 2018)

Nice!


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## wa5cab (Mar 7, 2018)

jdeitch said:


> I tried to fit the the square table on both the cross slide and the milling attachment without success. The dovetail on the table is too narrow. I would love to have the matching base for this table. If anyone has any info I would be very grateful.



Sorry.  I mis-identified the table from what the top-view photo looked like.  I have never seen this table with the dovetail at 45 degrees to the slots.  The bottom of the table that I thought it was is round with two locking screws at 90 deg. and a flat bottom hole just like those on the upper compound swivel and the milling attachment vise.  There might be enough material there to convert it iff you can't locate the parts to restore it.


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