# Bought an Atlas Craftsman lathe, need some help identifying some parts, accessories and tooling



## ARC-170 (Dec 15, 2020)

I have acquired an Atlas Craftsman 101.27440 lathe. I bought it for the QCGB to put on my 101.07403.

Questions:
*1. Is the difference between a 27440 and a 07403 that one has a QCGB and one does not? *They have the same parts manual. 

*2. What is this turret tailstock?* The lathe came with some sort of turret tailstock. You move the handle to advance the tool. there's a little "Gatling Gun"-type contraption on the right that rotates and clicks with detents. I can't figure out what it does. Here are some pictures from various angles:












I haven't unloaded it yet from my truck or taken any of the tools off. It is not sliding easily off the lathe bed, but it will move when tapped with a rubber hammer. There are no easily identifiable marks or anything on it, but it does have grime and surface rust. It seems to move easily, but I haven't really played with it much.

*3. Are these tools part of the turret tailstock?*
The lathe came with tons of tooling. These were stored as you see them in the green Styrofoam and I think they go to the turret tailstock. I can take more close-ups later. I should note the seller had a mill as well, but he was selling all this as part of the lathe, so I think it goes with the lathe. The bits on the right appear to be some sort of grinder/polisher bits.



*4. Which of these faceplates should I keep for my lathe?*
There are 5 total. They appear to have 1-3/8" diameter threads (except one as noted). I'll have to confirm they fit after I clean them.


Upper left: 7-3-/8" diameter
Lower left: 8"
Top Right: 4", appears to have a smaller thread diameter
Mid Right: 6-1/2", has LA-170-1 cast into it.
Bottom right: 5-1/8"

*5. Which chucks should I keep? *
I have 7 chucks as well (only 6 are shown). Only 3 have keys. At least two of them use a hex drive. Why would someone have so many chucks? I already have a 3- and a 4-jaw.

I also have a bunch of tool post tool holders, drill chucks and some other stuff I will post later.

I would like to clean up and sell most of this to offset the cost of the lathe. I bought it for the QCGB. I thought I would take the QCGB off and mount it to my machine and put the non-QCGB parts on the one I bought. Then, I'll clean the lathe up and sell it. I thought I might sell the turret tailstock tool post separately, but let me know if I should do otherwise. I would also like to sell some of the other stuff I don't already have as well.

More to come as I go through it all. I'd like to clean the grease and rust off and look for brands and part/model numbers.


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## Braeden P (Dec 15, 2020)

The tail stock is a tail stock turret and the tools go on it to make parts a certain size really quick once it is set up that is a lot of chucks!


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## pontiac428 (Dec 15, 2020)

Jeez you're picking apart a fully-equipped lathe for the QCGB.  It's your lathe and your money, but somebody's going to feel sensitive about it.  I just hope that you redistribute the ghost of that Atlas on eBay.

The turret is a very useful tool for performing multiple lathe operations (tailstock operations) in one setup.  It's used for production of quantities, because the setup time isn't worth it for one or two parts.  I'd argue it's worth keeping, as well as all tooling associated with it.  Else, a buyer will find you on ebay.

For a face plate, I'd keep the six slot one for both 3-jaw and 4-jaw fixturing.  I'd also keep the small drive plate (the one I most often use because I like working between centers).  Chucks will need to be looked at.  Old, brown chucks like those may hold tight and true for many years, or be clapped and bellmouthed.  Brand means little on an old chuck, condition will be the basis for selection.   Pick the best independent chuck and the best scroll chuck of the bunch.

That's my advice.


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## danallen (Dec 15, 2020)

The "gatling gun" you refer to is an adjustable stop for each tool position on the turret.


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## wa5cab (Dec 16, 2020)

The turret tailstock doesn't look like the Atlas built one (which I have one of).  The main body of the Atlas one looks very similar (except for the depth stops that index with the turret and the lever actuator) to the regular10" tailstock and sits on the standard 10" 10D-6 base.  The 12" one is the same as the 10" except that it sits on a 2" tall base.  The Atlas tailstock turret uses the same main casting as the simpler lever operated tailstock.  If you have any use for it, keep it.  Otherwise, look through other brand catalogs and try to ID it before trying to sell it.

The spindle nose threads on all of the Atlas 9", 10" and 12" are 1-1/2"-8, not 1-3/8"-8.  However, if you measured the thread ID instead of OD, that is about what you would get.  So the threads are probably 1-1/2"-8 and probably do fit the Atlas.

Assuming that the threads fit the Atlas, keep the 8" dia. 4-Slot.  It is actually a lathe dog driver plate, not a face plate.  Although it is usable as a face plate.  And keep the 6-slot one.  You probably don't need the smaller ones but keep any that have anything odd about them (such as 3-slot, 5-slot, etc).


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## kcoffield (Dec 16, 2020)

That smallest diameter _faceplate_ might actually be a backing plate for mounting a chuck. If so, I'd keep that. You could use it to mount an ER style collet chuck for example. On the chucks, I agree condition wins over size. Do you have the outside jaws for the scroll chucks? It will significantly (adversely) affect value if not. Some people keep two scroll chucks, one set up with inner the other outer gripping jaws because it's quicker to mount a chuck than swap the jaws. The turret is very useful if you ever see yourself making multiples of the same part with features that require tool changes, but if not, it probably takes longer to set up the turret than it does to make a single part but it can hold some tools a MT tailstock ram cannot.

Best,
Kelly


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## ARC-170 (Dec 17, 2020)

I couldn't find any info on the turret tailstock. I found one that has a hex turret that is similar, but nothing else. Mine seems to closely resemble a Logan. Maybe when I clean it I'll find some identifying marks. Stay tuned.

I think these tools go with it, but I thought I'd post them and see if anyone knew what they were.

*6. FLAP WHEEL BARREL*
Is this what I think it is, or something else? I've never seen one for a lathe, but this looks like it came this way. Are these useful? It's wider than a grinder-mounted one. I couldn't find anything on "spindle-mounted flap wheel" or "barrel flap wheel". I've shown it mounted in my lathe and up close. It's either worn and well-used, or something other than sandpaper or cloth. I couldn't find replacement barrels/cylinders that were 5" in diameter like this one.




*7.  CHISEL/PLANE ACCESSORY (?)*
I'm not sure what this is. Anyone know? It came as part of the lathe, so I'm assuming it's some accessory for the machine.



_*EDIT: It's a honing jig for plane blades.*_

*8. CUTTER HOLDER #1*
I think this holds a slitting saw. The big round cylinders do not rotate.




*9. TOOL HOLDER #2*
This has a threaded hole and a set screw on the side. Generic or for a specific tool?



*10. TOOL HOLDER #3*
This came as you see it. The collar has graduations with numbers. I'm not sure what the flanges do; they are just bolted together.



*11. TOOL HOLDER #4*
Similar to #3, but the inside hole surfaces are smooth. The bigger cylinder is spring-loaded; it can be pulled along the Z-axis, then springs back.



I'm guessing that many of these tools are for the turret tailstock. Thoughts?


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## mmcmdl (Dec 17, 2020)

Item 7 . A planer blade hone ? I've had one similar laying down on the basement floor for years now , never knew what the heck it was or came off of . It makes sense now , I sold a planer a while back . 

11 could be a self releasing tapping head if it will spin when fully extended .


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## wa5cab (Dec 18, 2020)

First, the turret is called a bed, not tailstock, turret.  But it still isn't the one that Atlas and Sears sold.  Very similar except that the Atlas one had rack and pinion traverse drive instead of the lever operator.  And the traversing arms rotated in the vertical plane.

#6, 7, 8 I don't know, except that #8 is not for a slitting saw.  But it may fit in the turret.

#9 is a simple holder for a Weldon shank drill bit or end mill.

#10 I don't know.  But it looks incomplete.  There is nothing in the four longitudinal slots.

#11 is a holder for a threading die.  The spring allows limited longitudinal movement of the die WRT the turret slide and turret.


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## wa5cab (Dec 18, 2020)

Also, to answer what may have been your first question, the two differences between 101.07403 and the other two (101.27430 and 101.27440) are first the 101.07403 has change gears whereas the other two have a QCGB.  And second, the 101.07403 originally came in four bed lengths and you had to specify the catalog number to specify the length.  Whereas 101.27430 had a 42" bed for 24" Center to Center and 101.27440 had a 54" bed for 36" C to C.  A bit of trivia - the first parts manual for the three models was the first exploded view or illustrated parts manual that Atlas did for Sears.


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## ARC-170 (Dec 18, 2020)

I partially took apart the lathe bed turret (thanks, Robert/wa5cab for the correct terminology) and it appears that it has some "homemade" elements to adapt a purchased turret to the lathe. There is a tailstock base that has 2 pieces of metal stacked on each other to raise the device high enough to meet the centerline/z-axis, along with a clamp to clamp it to the bed. The device itself looks manufactured, but there are no marks on it at all. I did another Google search, both images and the whole internet, and couldn't find anything that looked like this one. Ooh, Rare! Vintage! J/K.

I'm starting to figure out what all the accessories are as well, thanks to you all for your help. Your comments put me on the right track, or confirm what I thought.

It works well, I just don't need it. I think I'm going to clean it up, reassemble it and sell the device and all the tooling together. I've seen the tools for $10-$50, depending on what they are and what condition they are in. I have about 20 accessories and about 20 cutters.
Let me know if any of you want to buy it before I list it on CL or Ebay. The cheapest one I could find on Ebay (Dec 2020) was a Logan 11" swing for $232 (listed for $150+ $82 for shipping). I'm guessing it could be adapted to almost any size lathe. This one fits a 12" Atlas Craftsman 101.


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## mmcmdl (Dec 18, 2020)

Thanks Jeff . I now know what you and I have . This would have sat down the basement for years un-used . 



			https://www.amazon.com/LepoHome-Stainless-Sharpener-Sharpening-Clamping/dp/B0892T8TQ6/ref=asc_df_B0892T8TQ6/?tag=hyprod


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## wa5cab (Dec 19, 2020)

More trivia about the manufacturer's name or description but I've always called and seen it in print that the hand tool for thinning or flattening wood was called a "plane' and the machine tool for doing it "wholsale" was a planer.  The jig or fixture that @mmcmdl found the papers on says "planer' for the blade from a plane.


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## ARC-170 (Dec 21, 2020)

Here is some more tooling. If anyone knows the proper names and function, please let me know. These are all for a lathe bed turret. I was able to find some of them as noted, but still would like to know what they are for. They cleaned up really nice; I was able to unstick some mechanisms and reveal names and model numbers.:

12. I think I posted this before, but here it is again. It appears to be some sort of "floating" tool holder. If you loosen the screws on the flange, the z-axis location can be adjusted. I think maybe you leave it a little loose so the bit aligns with the hole as it goes in.
It has a graduated collar (0.10") on it with numbers from 0 to 25 (30 graduations in all) as well.
I'm not sure what the sloped parts are for; there is nothing that looks like they hold anything.



13.  Some sort of cutter holder. I'm not sure if the cutter is installed correctly; it is as I got it.



14. Tool holder. The hole without a fastener is not threaded and is at a very slight angle; it is not perpendicular to the surface.



15. I think this is for fine finishing. Has rollers and a cutter. Maybe similar to #16?



16. Has a pointed cutter opposite a "V" groove. Has B&S 45-400 stamped on it. Looks like a box tool with a V rest designed for light finishing cuts where fine finishes and close tolerances. Used also for general work on brass and aluminum.

Reference: http://www.brown-sharpe.com/box-tools-carbide-v-rests.htm. I was able to find out quite a bit on this site, but not everything.



17. Tool holder



18. Cutter head. This look more like a milling cutter, but it was put with all the lathe parts. I'm not sure how it's held, either; there is no shaft with the parts that fits it.




19. I posted this as well, but it appears that the top cylinder rotates in one direction only and moves along the z-axis about 1/8". Maybe a drill/tap goes in the hole? The pins stop the rotation, I think.




20. This is a die holder. It works the same as #19, so maybe one is for the die and one is for the tap?



21. Tool holder



22. Not sure what this actually does. The lever (partially out of the frame) moves the block with three holes back and forth. The slotted screws tighten the block on the dovetail. There is nowhere to insert anything other than the three holes. I'm not even sure which way this is supposed to be oriented. Any ideas?



These had various manufacturers stamped on them: B&S, Alco Tool Co., Wirth & Son, C. Taylor (BHAM), and Allison Tool & Eng (LA). A Google search on each turned up nothing, except for B&S, which I figured was Brown and Sharpe. The rest were something else or there was nothing tool-related.

I would like to sell these along with the turret, so if anyone is interested, let me know. I will post them for sale on this forum at some point, but I'd like to be able to list what I have with a little more detail.


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## Jim F (Dec 21, 2020)

#15 is a roller box cutter.


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