# Indexing pin on Atlas/Craftsman 12" lathe



## nctoxic (Aug 26, 2011)

I have a question for any of you that might be familiar with the Craftsman/Atlas 12" lathe.
Since cleaning up and now using my lathe, I'm in a dilemma concerning the indexing pin. There was no spring of any kind on the pin to hold it out away from the spindle back gear (bull gear), and now that I've gotten all the grime and crud removed, the pin slides freely, too freely! I'm afraid it will slide into one of the 60 indexing holes on the bull gear while the lathe is running! Is there supposed to be a retaining spring or some other mechanism to prevent this? I've temporarily removed the pin for now. I'll store it some place where I'm sure I won't remember, until the time I have a need for it.  There are a few signs of wear(abuse?) on the lathe, so it's certainly possible that the pin had some sort of spring that is now lost.


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## pdentrem (Aug 26, 2011)

Which version of the lathe do you have? 

Originally on most of the 10/12" Craftsman/Atlas lathes, the indexing pin was held in place with a spring and ball. If you look inside the hole for the pin you should see a small hole that would hold a 3/16 diameter spring(maybe smaller) and the ball just sits on top of the spring. You install the spring and ball with some grease on it to keep it in place. Then take a small flat screwdriver blade of whatever and depress the ball and spring and push in the index pin until the pin replaces the blade and then continue installing the pin and remove the blade.


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## Tony Wells (Aug 26, 2011)

Is the pin smooth, or are there a couple of shallow grooves cut in it? Often a detent ball system will use such grooves to lightly hold a pin in position.


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## nctoxic (Aug 27, 2011)

Thanks for the responses. 
My lathe is a Craftsman 101.07430. According to lathes.co.uk it is a De-Lux, whatever that indicates , but their pics show the indexing pin. 
I just took another look, and the indexing pin shaft does have a hole in the bottom that might have held a spring/ball mechanism, or maybe just a spring. There is also a vertical hole from the top down into the shaft that I first thought was just for oiling, but it may have some other purpose. The indexing pin is smooth, without flats or detents. I suppose even without a detent, a ball and spring would have had enough pressure on the pin to hold it in place. I'll look for a spring that small. It's appears to be only about 1/8"dia, or so.


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## pdentrem (Aug 27, 2011)

*Re: Indexing pin on Atlas/Craftsman 12*

I did not find any listing for a 07430 I did find a 27430. Items 48,49, and 50 are the pieces for the indexing of the spindle. See scaned jpg.


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## nctoxic (Aug 27, 2011)

Sorry, My dyslexia struck again. :-[
My lathe is a 101.07403, not 430. Sometimes that model # has a trailing zero, so I didn't catch the mistake.
I've found a parts list for my model, and it does show a 3/16" spring and ball, just as you described. I'll have to keep an eye out for replacement parts or a substitute.  Thanks.


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