# New Atlas lower cross slide



## iron man (May 20, 2014)

I wanted a new lower longer cross slide but I did not want to spend much incase I did not like it. I got a piece of an old broken man hole cover cut a piece out and started machining it really cut pretty nice.

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I lost some pictures on my camera but here is the cast iron part machined and dove tails cut and all hole drilled.

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To cut the degrees I got out my old dragster degree wheel made a post at the rear of the lathe with a pointer and started cutting lines.

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Here it is after the cuts but before the clean up.

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Here it is mounted four screws on top with one big counter sunk bolt on the othere side with epoxy inbetween.

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Here it is next to the stock one it is about three inches longer and it is a lot thicker I did not just mill out a bunch of clearance I kept things tight.  I also made a longer brass nut it seems like a good idea..

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Here it is without the gib I made that tonight out of yellow brass it dont look to bad it is also wider than the stock slide for weight and to make it stronger.

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The numbers and lines are easy to read better than stock I dont have to stand on my head to see them I also numbered it all the way around.

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Here it is all done works nice and smooth I will know better on a heavy cut. But the modification to the upper cross slide made a world of differance I am sure this will to. I will have to keep an eye open for more broken man hole covers. Thanks for lookin.. Ray


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## Dranreb (May 20, 2014)

Nice work Ray, I wondered how you would do the flat degrees, I imagined them etched into the slide itself, that's a neat solution you came up with...

keeping my eye out for a nice bit of cast now!

Bernard


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## pdentrem (May 20, 2014)

I really believe that you will see a huge reduction in chatter and improved surface finish naturally. The chatter will not go away but will be much improved! What you have now is very similar to the long slide that the turret setup, like that Bernard pictured in the other thread, came with. I used that slide the most for just those reasons.
Pierre


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## iron man (May 20, 2014)

Thanks fellas it was a learning experiance I was really surprised at how well the cast iron machined I was sure that they probably did not use the best of material when they made it but then I found out it was very old and forged locally back in the day when they took pride in what they made. And as for the dial that was a real head scratcher the lines are so close together at that diameter I was a nervous wreck when I was done... But I could and will do it again maybe I will etch the back plate to my chuck in degrees so I always have it. Ray


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## Andre (May 20, 2014)

Nice job! I have a manhole cover somewhere, but I managed to loose it. I'm not kidding, I know it's there but cant find it for the life of me...want to make a table out of it when I do find it.


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## iron man (May 21, 2014)

I thought I would dress things up a bit with stainless steel adjustment set screws.. Ray


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## Dave Smith (May 22, 2014)

Very nice job Ray--you sure do quality work on your improvements and the pictures are great for all to see--especially the Atlas lathe owners----Dave


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## mattthemuppet2 (May 22, 2014)

wow, that is one beautiful piece of work, nice job! Couldn't see the brass gib you made though - I was interested to see if I'm heading in the right direction with the ones I'm making


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## iron man (May 22, 2014)

mattthemuppet said:


> wow, that is one beautiful piece of work, nice job! Couldn't see the brass gib you made though - I was interested to see if I'm heading in the right direction with the ones I'm making



 I have used yellow brass for years for gibs and have never ever had a failer if it was a production machine that Might and I do mean might be different but I really doubt it you should be fine. Ray


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## mattthemuppet2 (May 22, 2014)

thanks! I've just finished making a jig to hold the gib at an angle to cut the top and bottom, so hopefully I'll get to that tonight. Having a "mill", even if it's only a converted drill press, is simply awesome.

btw - can you sand brass? I know that you're not supposed to sand cast iron as it leaves abrasives in the metal, not so sure about brass though.


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## thomas s (May 22, 2014)

WOW nice job Ray


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## iron man (May 22, 2014)

mattthemuppet said:


> thanks! I've just finished making a jig to hold the gib at an angle to cut the top and bottom, so hopefully I'll get to that tonight. Having a "mill", even if it's only a converted drill press, is simply awesome.
> 
> btw - can you sand brass? I know that you're not supposed to sand cast iron as it leaves abrasives in the metal, not so sure about brass though.



 Cast iron is very porous brass is not you should be fine. Ray

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thomas s said:


> WOW nice job Ray




 Thanks You Ray


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## John Hasler (May 22, 2014)

mattthemuppet said:


> wow, that is one beautiful piece of work, nice job! Couldn't see the brass gib you made though - I was interested to see if I'm heading in the right direction with the ones I'm making



I'm working on brass gibs too, for the Grizzly table I've got for my mill (I think I can call it a mill now).


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## mattthemuppet2 (May 22, 2014)

iron man said:


> Cast iron is very porous brass is not you should be fine. Ray



thanks Ray!



John Hasler said:


> I'm working on brass gibs too, for the Grizzly table I've got for my mill (I think I can call it a mill now).



ooh, sweet, looking forward to seeing that. If my 15in WT can pretend to be a mill, I've no doubt your monster DP qualifies


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## Terrywerm (May 23, 2014)

Excellent work, Ray. Thanks for sharing the photos!!


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## Mondo (May 25, 2014)

Outstanding work!!!  I like this idea....

Question about your lathe:  What is the mechanism with the dial on the leadscrew adjacent to the QCGB?


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## iron man (May 25, 2014)

That is an engine degree wheel I used it to cut the degrees for the compound. Ray


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## mattygee (May 25, 2014)

Are you able to use a taper attachment with this?


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## iron man (May 25, 2014)

I would if I had one that is my next project!


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## Mondo (May 28, 2014)

iron man said:


> That is an engine degree wheel I used it to cut the degrees for the compound. Ray



Not that dial, what is THIS dial?


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## iron man (May 28, 2014)

Spiral_Chips said:


> Not that dial, what is THIS dial?






Sorry that is my speed pot for the PWM board I have mounted on the rear of the lathe I have a commercial 2 1/2 horse treadmill motor on this lathe along with an emergency shut off button it works out real nice. Ray


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## iron man (May 28, 2014)

I was in Springfield MO. this last weekend and I was really surprised to look at the new southbend and the compound looks a lot like what I built, you could almost interchange them. Ray


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## iron man (May 29, 2014)

Well the paint was dry enough tonight I got to use it and man what a differance it is not even the same machine along with the mod to the compound this is the way the lathe should have been built now on to a taper attachment. Ray


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## pdentrem (Jun 23, 2014)

I am not surprised about the improvement! I always thought the originals were too short.
Pierre


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