# Mounting atlas to rolling tool chest



## toader (Nov 27, 2014)

Hi guys, 

I am running out of room in my garage for storage. I could really benefit from another tool chest. Since there are some pretty good deals tomorrow I was thinking about buying one. 

Is it bad to mount my atlas 10F Th42 to the top of this? 

http://www.craftsman.com/craftsman-...p-00958630000P?prdNo=1&blockNo=1&blockType=G1


Anyone else done it?

Thanks for any advice,
Taylor


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## Dranreb (Nov 27, 2014)

You could do it and many have done similar things, but Atlas lathes need all the help they can get in the rigidity department, that chest would not be the best solution in my opinion. Adding a thick top plate under the lathe may help a bit though.

It looks to be a little too high also.

Bernard


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## wa5cab (Nov 28, 2014)

Taylor,

I agree with Bernard.  The Atlas lathes, and especially the 3/8" way versions, work much better when fastened securely to the floor or deck.

Robert D.


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## pebbleworm (Nov 28, 2014)

I have a Craftsman 6" mounted on a Harbor Freight 44" roller cabinet, with 3/4" plywood on the top of the cabinet and then true 2" pine on top of that.  The 2" top overhangs the cabinet on both sides with wooden legs running to the floor with adjusters for leveling.  It seems to be working fine for my purposes.  The lathe is higher than usually seen, but I find it comfortable.  By the way, I am pretty impressed with the quality of the  HF cabinet.  This set up has helped create a lot of useable space in my Model T garage that I have to share with a car.


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## HMF (Nov 28, 2014)

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## JPMacG (Nov 28, 2014)

I am planning to mount my Atlas 12x24 to the Harbor Freight 44 inch cabinet.   I think the HF 44 inch is better regarded than the Craftsman cabinets.  The HF cabinet weighs something like 250 lbs empty with a loaded rating of 2600 lbs.   It is also less expensive.

All that said, I cannot comment on how good or bad an idea it is to mount a lathe to a tool cabinet, other to acknowledge that most experienced guys say it is not the best idea.  But I am about to find out first hand.


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## wa5cab (Nov 29, 2014)

JP,

Well, if you must, you must.  But you might ask Pebbleworm for some photos of his setup, particularly the top and the leveling legs.  And understand that a lathe does not actually have to be perfectly level in order to produce acceptable work.  But the top of the ways have to be absolutely in the same plane.  And stay there for the duration of a job.  Without spending megabucks on measuring equipment, the precision level is the cheapest and simplest way to achieve that.

Robert D.


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## pebbleworm (Nov 29, 2014)

Unfortunately my camera has gone missing but here are the key points I learned while making mine.  Keep in mind the Atlas 6" is a very light duty lathe.
-The wheels do not provide a lot of support- even with the casters locked the box will wiggle.  I thought about replacing them with commercial/kitchen legs or using deck levelers under the box-
http://www.decksdirect.com/level-it...NPlF-okaNbgaAlPD8P8HAQ#812=&742=1013&743=1650
before taking the easy way out and adding legs the added top surface and bolting the whole assembly to the wall.
-The top you bolt the lathe to does need to be solid, but this is a bench top lathe.  I used a piece of 3/4" plywood to fill in the top of the box, and screwed the 2X10 pine from the former bench to that.  It seems solid enough.
-To provide more support and some degree of levelling I added 3 legs outside the box with nut-and-bolt levelers on them.  This seems to help.
-The roller cab is a little tall for a bench in the first place, and adding a solid top  raises it even more.  I like the machine a little high so it works for me.  Replacing the casters with legs from the restaurant supply store could lower the whole assembly a few inches.
-On the whole, I like this set up.  The big box gives a home for a lot of stray tools and stuff, the lathe is solidly mounted and level, and can be rolled around if absolutely necessary.  I have seen pictures of what I think are worse benches.


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## JPMacG (Nov 29, 2014)

Thanks Pebbleworm.   I'm thinking that I will replace the castors with leveling jack-screw feet with hockey puck pads.   I'll also strap the cabinet to the wall for safety and some added stability.  

I'm not sure what to do for the top surface.  I like what you have done.  One other idea I have is to use a piece of granite.  I might be able to get a piece of scrap kitchen counter granite and have it cut and drilled to match the tool cabinet and lathe bed by someone in that business.  Then maybe seat  the granite onto the cabinet top surface with a bed of RTV silicone. 

My lathe has only three mounting points, so I don't see that the mounting surface could ever cause the lathe bed to twist.  However, I can certainly understand that a solid mounting surface would help with bed rigidity.

I'm afraid I have completely hijacked this thread.  My apologies to the original poster.


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## wa5cab (Nov 30, 2014)

JP

I can think of no advantages and several disadvantages to using granite instead of wood or steel for the bench top.

If you remove the casters and anchor the chest to the wall then comments against mounting a lathe on a roll-around become moot.  You have a sturdy bench, which was one of the factory recommendations.

Your comment about a 3-point mount is correct so long as only those three points are actually touching the bench top.

Robert D.


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## JPMacG (Nov 30, 2014)

Thanks Robert.  Your input is always very helpful.


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## TinkerToy (Dec 2, 2014)

I mounted my 12 x 18 on a HF cabinet.  I made a thick top out of 3/4 plywood bottom layer with a 3/4 MDF top glued and screwed to it.  It makes a very sturdy top and works well.  I sealed it with 2 coats of fiberglass resin
I removed the casters and made some 1 1/2 channel supports mounted where the casters were.  I think this lowered it about 5-6 inches which works out well for me.
I love having all the storage space directly under the lathe for chucks, tooling, files, gages, etc.  I've actually still got a few empty drawers.
JD


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## francist (Dec 2, 2014)

That's a nice looking little lathe, JD 

-frank


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## JPMacG (Dec 2, 2014)

Very nice JD.   I thought that the bed of my 12x24 would just fit on the HF 44 inch cabinet, which actually measures only 42''  But now that I see how your 12x18 fills up the top of the cabinet I think I better remeasure.


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## wa5cab (Dec 3, 2014)

JD, et al,

The problem with putting a lathe on a rolling tool chest has to do with "rolling", not with "Tool Chest".  If you remove the rollers, or provide outboard legs with leveling pads, it should work fine.

JP,

The top of the original cast iron leg stand and the hardwood chest for the 24" (42" bed) was 45" wide.  44" would probably work fine.  Or you could build the top up to just a fraction over the lip that runs around it and then put a 45" wide top board on top of that.

Robert D.


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