# Atlas lathe year>



## SamIAm (Jun 8, 2012)

All, 
Below are 2 pics of my lathe.
The top one is what I purchased. a babbit head lathe. No date stamped on it anywhere. And since its a babbit head model.
I suspect Ill never truly know. 

View attachment 37163

Before

The one on the bottom is a bearing head model and the bearings were stamped 1937.
View attachment 37164

After:

What I did notice was between the two. the power switch mount is more square like on the babbit model and oval shaped on the beating head model. anyone out their have one similar to mine and knows the build date?

I was just curious.
TIA
Sam


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## pdentrem (Jun 8, 2012)

There is a small and I mean small chart on the craftsman/atlas users group under yahoo. It is nowhere good enough to date users lathes. The problem really is that the original buyers are usually long gone and that info left with them. Some of the catalogues that one can find under google books can help if you can find the right years. Look under sears catalogues. Some of the tool and hardware catalogue were part of the main book in the early years. In the 40s I believe they were in their own publication.


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## VSAncona (Jun 14, 2012)

The oval-shaped switch plate is earlier/older.

I don't know the exact year of the switch to the rectangular plate, but the oval switch only shows up in the catalogs from the late 30's. In the later catalogs, it's a rectangular switch.

I believe the babbit-headstock lathes were discontinued in 1947, when Atlas consolidated the 10" lathe line to just two models (TH and QC) in only two bed lengths (42" and 54").


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## SamIAm (Jun 14, 2012)

VSAncona said:


> The oval-shaped switch plate is earlier/older.
> 
> I don't know the exact year of the switch to the rectangular plate, but the oval switch only shows up in the catalogs from the late 30's. In the later catalogs, it's a rectangular switch.
> 
> I believe the babbit-headstock lathes were discontinued in 1947, when Atlas consolidated the 10" lathe line to just two models (TH and QC) in only two bed lengths (42" and 54").




Excellent thanks for the tip Ill see if I can find some old catalogs. I didn't realize they made Timken bearing headstock as early as the 30's.
I would like to see one of the plates so I can replicate it.
Sam


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## pdentrem (Jun 17, 2012)

Here is a way to look through the old magazines. For example 1950 January Pg 259 has ad for Atlas Press and in the front of same edition there is an ad for the Craftsman 6" which NOT Atlas produced.
Pierre

http://books.google.ca/books?id=vtgDAAAAMBAJ&source=gbs_all_issues_r&cad=1


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