# Atlas 10F or 10D question



## tawas23 (Aug 17, 2014)

Is this a 10F or a 10D ..I believe its a 10F lathe..anyone know for sure

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this is the counter balance


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## wa5cab (Aug 17, 2014)

Tawaz23,

The photo is too blurred and taken from the wrong angle to say for sure.  Normally, the horizontal countershaft would indicate a 10F.  But there is no way to prove that the countershaft that you have is original to the lathe.  

The main identifiers of the 10F are:

1) 3/4" dia. lead screw (impossible to accurately judge in a small photograph)
2) two-piece carriage (there will be a screw in each top front corner of the carriage saddle and the vertical part that the carriage feed handwheel shaft goes through is a separate piece from the saddle).
3) power cross feed (there will be a pullout knob to the right of and slightly below the crossfeed crank)

Take a closeup photo of the top of the carriage.  And a right front quarter shot (camera location no more than slightly above the bed surface and to the right of the carriage center).  And measure the lead screw diameter.

Robert D.


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## tawas23 (Aug 18, 2014)

thank you for your help ..I will do so soon as possible


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## wa5cab (Aug 18, 2014)

I forgot to mention that if the bed still has the nameplate, the model number and/or serial number (serial number may be stamped on the top of the right end of the front way) can be a clue.  Model numbers on a 10F will be of the form:

Vnn
Hnn
TVnn
THnn

where "nn" is the nominal bed length (36, 42, 48 or 54), "V" means babbit bearings and originally shipped with a vertical countershaft, "H" means babbit and horizontal countershaft, and "T" means Timken (tapered roller) bearings.  Most serial numbers are straight numeric.  Some have an "S" suffix, which no one seems to know the meaning of.  A few have a "D" or "DT" prefix which I take to have been made during the 10D to 10F transition period.

Model numbers on a 10D will be 10nn (where "nn" is the bed length).  Serial numbers probably have a "D" or "DT" prefix.  Although if yours has the latter, the bed and headstock didn't ship on the same machine.  There may be an "S" suffix.  If your model number has an "A", "B", "C" or "E" suffix, it was originally a Unit Plan machine and certain subassemblies were bought and added later.

Robert D.


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## tawas23 (Aug 19, 2014)

Thanks again for your help ..It does have power feed and the counter shaft is the horizontal... bench mount ..My other question is what Morse taper is the tail stock.... a number 2 I believe..  but I am not 100 percent for sure...I have all threading gears and everything on this lathe looks original ..lucky fine I hope ....I will post more pics today


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## wa5cab (Aug 19, 2014)

tawaz,

When you say that it has "power feed", are you talking about the carriage feed or the cross feed?  10D and 10F both have power carriage feed.  10D does not have power cross feed.

The tailstock taper is 2MT.  Spindle taper is 3MT.

Robert D.


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## pdentrem (Aug 19, 2014)

Looks to be "F". I can just make out the power crossfeed knob and the apron bolt head on the left side.
Pierre


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## tawas23 (Aug 19, 2014)

2MT on tail stock.. thank you.(.I love this site great helpful people) thanks again  .....has silver pull out knob under cross feed crank handel on carriage right side ..on inside cover of belt guard it says 10F 24... should my next question on mounting the counter shaft and motor go here or start new thread on motor mounting????


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## schor (Aug 19, 2014)

Just keep it in this thread and maybe ask a mod to change the thread title.

Mounting the motor and countershaft are pretty easy, you bolt them down at an appropriate distance based on the belt length you have.

In your case you have the babbet bearings and it's going to be easy to take the top off to get the belt on. Make sure to get yourself a good new belt.

There are manuals on this lathe, maybe even on this site. Get a lube chart and make sure you lube everything before running it.


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## wa5cab (Aug 20, 2014)

Tawas,

OK.  It's a 10F.  You'll find the illustrated parts manual in Downloads, plus some other useful files.  You should also acquire a copy of the Atlas Manual of Lathe Operation (MOLO) but you will have to purchase that.  Prices on eBay average $25-$35.  Before you do, check the Version Selection Chart that's also in Downloads.  There were nine different versions, one best and two others useful.  And be aware that most eBay sellers are clueless as to what they are selling.  So you'll almost always have to ask questions to determine what they are actually selling.

On the other question about changing the thread title or starting a new thread, the preferred method for several reasons is to start a new thread.  

Robert D.


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## fgduncan (Aug 20, 2014)

Here are some pictures of my 10F TH42 which Robert D has identified yours to be the same lathe as mine. You can see how the motor mount is directly behind the headstock and at a distance appropriate to the length of the belt used to connect the countershaft to the headstock. The belt from the motor to the countershaft needs to be long enough to have the motor suspended from it so that the motor actually provides the tension needed. Although it is hard to see, the motor is actually not in contact with the table top and is floating suspended by the belt. I have a newer solid pulley on the countershaft because the spoked pulley (like yours) was broken.











Hope this helps you to get set up. I have enjoyed mine for over 25 years and it does all that I ask of it.  Changing to a QCTP is mandatory to get the most out of it, though. I would also suggest you to go to a hardware store and replace all of the electrical wiring now, rather than waiting for it to go bad and have to work on it in the middle of a project. Don't ask me how I know that!

Frank Duncan


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## wa5cab (Aug 20, 2014)

Frank,

Minor correction - his would be an H42 as it has babbit bearings.

Robert D.


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## tawas23 (Aug 20, 2014)

WOW that really helps ..thanks got it going and seems to be working good ..the only problem is I dont have my gearing chart to see what speeds Iam running ..the power feed on the carriage seems to run awful slow no matter what pulley step I change to..both on motor and lathe pulley steps..any  ideas ????


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## wa5cab (Aug 20, 2014)

Tawas,

Go to Downloads, Atlas/Cra..., Atlas/Craftsman Lathes, Atlas Lathe Maint...

At the bottom of the page is a spindle speed chart that will be applicable to your machine.  About four files up the list is a 10F threading chart.

Unfortunately, the files are in no specific order as the system has absolutely no sort capability.  The order is the order in which they were added, latest at the top.

When the lathe is set up for turning, typical advance per spindle revolution is less than .010".  So even at the highest spindle speed, the carriage doesn't move very fast.  If it did, you would get a very rough finish.  Spindle speed is determined mainly by what type material you are turning (and what type cutter you are using).  Feed (carriage feed) is determined by what finish you need or by what thread pitch you are cutting.  For turning, you will generally only ever use two or three of the finer feeds, slightly coarser for roughing to near finish diameter.  And then finer or finest for finishing.  Or if you only have one part to make and not much material to remove, you'll run the whole job at the finest feed as time to change gears will exceed time to make more passes.

Robert D.


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## tawas23 (Aug 20, 2014)

Wanted to ask what size is your 3 jaw chuck ..it looks huge and where did you get it ???


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## fgduncan (Aug 21, 2014)

tawas23 said:


> Wanted to ask what size is your 3 jaw chuck ..it looks huge and where did you get it ???



If you are directing your question to me, it is a 6 1/2 inch no-name I bought off of eBay. I bought it and a back plate with the proper threads for the Atlas and fitted them together.  I decided that I wanted a truly stout chuck that had reversible jaws and this one met the criteria. It has one set of jaws that are each held in by two Allen screws.  Instead of 2 sets of jaws, you remove the Allen screws and reverse the jaws, fitting them back into their slots. There is enough beef that I can tighten down and not worry about hurting the chuck. In addition, the jaws are almost 3 inches deep so when I need holding over a longer distance I have it. It looks too big, but it has worked out very well as far as I am concerned.

Naturally, I also have a 4 jaw chuck. If you can only have one chuck, it would have to be a 4 jaw.


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## Greasy chevy (May 28, 2018)

So my lathe says “10D-247” on the gear cover. It also has a power crossfeed?  I need to buy some parts and im trying to figure of what model i actually have.


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## wa5cab (May 28, 2018)

Greasy chevy,

If your lathe has power crossfeed, it is either a 10F or a conversion.  10D-247 is the gear cover part number (and casting number in this case).  All that the 10D means is that the 10D was in production when this particular cover was introduced.  Atlas SOP on part numbers was that the prefix meant that that was the current machine model when that version part was introduced.  The suffix number is sorta meaningful in that for example all spindles are -31 unless there is a second part called a spindle on the machine.  Unlike many other companies (GM being one of the worst offenders), Atlas didn't change a part number unless the part changed.  For example, most parts used on the 618 6" lathe begin with "M6".  Most shaper parts begin with S7.  The Atlas mill has some parts that begin with 9, M6, S7. etc.  My 12" 3996 still has a few parts on it whose numbers begin with 9, 10, 10D and 10F.  Clausing didn't follow that rule.  But they at least didn't re-number all existing parts.

However, "10D" and "10F" are Series numbers, not Model numbers.  If you'll post a photo of your lathe, along with the bed length, I can probably tell you what the Model number is.


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## Greasy chevy (May 28, 2018)

I appreciate it.


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## Greasy chevy (May 28, 2018)

Also. I know i should clean as i go....


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## wa5cab (May 29, 2018)

chevy,

OK.  Your machine has the correct legs for a 10F. 

What is the serial number (should be stamped into the top of the front way, near the right end of the bed, in the area not touched by either tailstock or carriage). 

It is a 10F.  It has babbit bearings.  The bed length appears to be 36".  And it has a vertical countershaft.  So its model number would be V36. 

The 3-jaw chuck is a 6".  Be careful that you never run the chuck jaws out any further than they are in the photo or they will hit the bed, damaging the jaw, chuck and bed. 

I can't see the front of the headstock because of where the PO mounted the barrel switch.  There is something there that if it were visible would ID the machine as earlier or later than about mid-1942.  A safer place for the switch is under the floor stand, about even with the front of the chuck, with the operating lever on the front and pointed to the left and about 2" back from the front edge of the pan.  ON/FWD should be up and ON/REV should be down.  In this position it is protected from accidental operation and from swarf and oil.  And readily accessible by either hand.  The switch operating lever would need to be rotated 90 deg CW.


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