# Impulse Purchase Atlas Mill



## Kroll (Dec 6, 2013)

Sort of,well awhile back I posted a WTB ad for an Atlas mill and never over a 3mo period receive a responce so I just quick renewing the post besides I have enough things to do for the next 3 yrs.But yesterday I got a call,after talking to the owner we verbally agreed on the price and he would hold it till next week.But I just could not take it no longer,took 1/2 day off and after a 5hr round trip the mill is in my shop.Guys it did not come with much other than the vise,aftermarket manual and a CD of a guy name Rudy(I think) doing a demo on how to use it and its not one of those give away prices.But as they say wanting something badly drives up prices 5 Franklins.I am going to try my best not to ask questions such as where to buy cutters and maybe info on guys converting theirs over to a vertical mill and what the advantage is if any cause I'm still working on the SB lathe for now.Anyway thanks for looking and directions----kroll


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## Dave Smith (Dec 6, 2013)

looks like a nice mill---you can now join all the others of us that have them also---good purchase !!--------Dave


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## Rbeckett (Dec 6, 2013)

5  Franks is not a bad price at  all.  Once you get the SB done you can go ahead and get started doing whatever the Atlas needs and you should be set in the machine dept for a while to come.  Quite a few folks have horizontal mills and really love them so there is no real need to even think about converting it if your not so inclined already.  Now you start shopping the internet for inexpensive tooling wherever you can find it.  A lot of times Ebay stuff is way over priced and then other times it is just about right and occasionally you will find a really great deal.  The trick to that is to keep looking and set up a couple of different searches for what your looking for using different key words.  That will expand your chances of finding that great deal.  I also look for misspelled or misnamed tooling.  That usually means they either don't really know what it is and you can usually get it pretty cheap or they just aren't very thorough and you should avoid there used tooling because it has probably been abused or mistreated already.  Common places are use viCe to look for a vise.  same thing with cutters and measuring instruments and it often yields some nice results.  It is kind of like a treasure hunt when you start looking for bits and pieces, but finding them is half the fun.  Good luck and that's a great score on the machine.

Bob


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## stevecmo (Dec 6, 2013)

Nice score!


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## LEEQ (Dec 6, 2013)

Mechanical power feed on the table, right? Pretty cool toy.


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## bedwards (Dec 6, 2013)

It looks like a well made little mill. Congrats!


bedwards


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## wa5cab (Dec 7, 2013)

Is it an MFB or an MFC?

That was I think a good price.  You got the vise.  If you buy one of the mills without any of the three standard accessories (vise, horizontal indexer and rotary index table), you are usually looking at $200-$350 each for the first two and more than that for the third.  Original stands don't go cheap, either.

I'm still looking for the internal coolant pump.

Robert D.


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## Kroll (Dec 7, 2013)

Thanks guys I do feel alittle better knowing now that I did not over pay.Robert since you brought it up,I guess these did or should have come with a cooling system.So a chip pan needs to be made w/drain for it as well as a homemade stand.Anyone have pics of their homemade stand for their mill that they would like to share????kroll


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## toag (Dec 7, 2013)

Some came with a pump which was mounted inside the frame below the chang-o-matic feed gears i'll look up a pic.
The base served as the tray, but not well.  these are really cute machines, and you did well at 500.  you got most of the pricey tooling already (arbor support, table feed, vise).  They take 2mt tooling so collets are cheap, and I bet arbors too, though the pump may cost you if you are looking to restore.  nice score!


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## Kroll (Dec 7, 2013)

Toag,thanks I'll have to locate me some collets someplace and I guess maybe a draw bar???Any links to what I need to look for to use end mills?Robert its a MF 000902,any ideal what the numbers mean??? I am missing the lower belt guard so thats on the want list---kroll


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## Terrywerm (Dec 7, 2013)

Nice find, Kroll. I wouldn't mind finding one of those myself!

The DVD you talk about is by Rudy Kouhoupt.  You should find it useful.


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## Kroll (Dec 7, 2013)

Model #'s any ideal what they mean?Guys the manual that came w/the mill come from the guy on ebay which I guess is a manual in general.Can someone look and see if they can tell what yr this mill is? Just wanting alittle history.Tks----kroll


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## toag (Dec 7, 2013)

so according to tonys site, the mf has power feed but no guards, before OSHA I assume )

http://www.lathes.co.uk/atlasmiller/


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## Kroll (Dec 7, 2013)

Terrywerm thanks for the guys name Rudy Kouhoupt and it is awesome.This mill has open the doors on alot of projects for me with precision.One of the things is the drill chuck,where can a person find one of those chucks? Do they come with a #2MT that works with the draw rod?I did find some 1 2 3 blocks on ebay and angle blocks which is a start for me collecting tools.---kroll


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## Sweeper (Dec 7, 2013)

I own one and am very happy with it.
Join the atlas group on yahoo. Lots of help and a gentleman named Anthony in Berkley knows every thing there is to know about it.
I got collets from Discount Tools. Cheap.
It's surprisingly accurate, as long as you NEVER do a climb cut.
Everything on mine was really true except the table.  It was out of parallel to the Gibs by .012 at the ends of the table.
Mine has two major mods. Chain drive on the main shaft and DC variable speed drive.



Kroll said:


> Sort of,well awhile back I posted a WTB ad for an Atlas mill and never over a 3mo period receive a responce so I just quick renewing the post besides I have enough things to do for the next 3 yrs.But yesterday I got a call,after talking to the owner we verbally agreed on the price and he would hold it till next week.But I just could not take it no longer,took 1/2 day off and after a 5hr round trip the mill is in my shop.Guys it did not come with much other than the vise,aftermarket manual and a CD of a guy name Rudy(I think) doing a demo on how to use it and its not one of those give away prices.But as they say wanting something badly drives up prices 5 Franklins.I am going to try my best not to ask questions such as where to buy cutters and maybe info on guys converting theirs over to a vertical mill and what the advantage is if any cause I'm still working on the SB lathe for now.Anyway thanks for looking and directions----kroll


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## Kroll (Dec 7, 2013)

Sweeper,if you get a chance please post pics of your mods love to see it.I don't know enough about this mill nor milling to want to make changes to mine but maybe in the future,but I hope this one the table is not out.But I will check it just in case,how did you go about correcting your table??GMC,I did plan on taking it apart and just do a good cleaning and check all the gears and try to get it all tune up,once I learn how to do that---kroll


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## Kay (Dec 7, 2013)

I have two Atlas Mills last summer ,I paid 1,000.00 for my first one  .It was in pieces ,but all there.The second one was also in pieces but was a newer model.( $500.00).I have torn it down and found nothing worn . I got wild on E bay and found  and bought many extra parts ,my wife says What else are you going to stop buying  things for your man cave . Kay


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## wa5cab (Dec 8, 2013)

Kroll,

From the photos you posted at the beginning, it appears to have a drawbar, although from the shape of the head it isn't an original (according to the manuals, the original was square drive using the same crank as fits the vise).  

If by numbers you are referring to "000902", that's the serial number.  More on that later.

Robert D.



Kroll said:


> Toag,thanks I'll have to locate me some collets someplace and I guess maybe a draw bar???Any links to what I need to look for to use end mills?Robert its a MF 000902,any idea what the numbers mean??? I am missing the lower belt guard so thats on the want list---kroll


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## wa5cab (Dec 8, 2013)

Toag,

The early (probably first couple of hundred) M1, MF or MH didn't come with belt guards and they may not have been available.  From S/N 000200 on they were available with belt guards as an extra (like the lathes of the period).  An MF ordered from the factory with belt guards would have had a model number of MF-G.  I have yet to find a catalog listing the MFA but according to the parts list an MFA with guards is again an MFA-G.  MFB's and MFC's came with belt guards. Although often enough they have been discarded by a PO (again, same as with the lathes).

FWIW, although at least of the surviving examples, almost all Atlas mills are MF(*), where (*), is nothing, A, B or C. there were two other variants.  The M1 (that's em one, not em eye) does not have power table feed but is otherwise the same as MF.  The MH has lever actuated rack and pinion drive on the table longitudinal travel and the knee vertical travel.

Robert D.


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## toag (Dec 8, 2013)

thanks Robert, i know very little about these, I had mine for only a few months.  It was an MFC I bought from a retiring hobbiest.  I made a few gears with it and some parts.  They can do alot for their size, it really is surprising.  I would make bigger and better cuts than the hi torque i had eons ago.  I miss the power feed, i have to get around to installing something on my barker.


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## Kroll (Dec 8, 2013)

Well I said that I was not going to mess with it till I have more time but Robert has me curious.So I went out and took the spindle out of the mill just to see if it would come out,no problem.Guys pulling the arbor out,I know its a #2MT but what else do I need to know so that I can find me another #2MT adaptor for an end mill?I plan on buying it from Jeff at tools4cheap,http://www.tools4cheap.net/proddetail.php?prod=mt2em so if this is something that you do on your atlas mill,please point me in the right direction.I don't want to buy something that I can't use.Guys one more question,my arbor is 7/8 and I have no cutters so before I buy some cutters for the 7/8 arbor is there any reason why I should move up to a bigger arbor?Tools4cheap sales arbors also up to 1 1/4 I think---kroll


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## Sweeper (Dec 8, 2013)

The gibs were perfect but the outline of the table was not parallel to them.  It made setup more difficult because nothing on the table was square to the cut.
I mounted the table vertical on a Bridgeport locating it with drill rods in the gib. I got perfect alignment this way and the cut was easy.
Of course it took me a while to figure out how to mount it easily.

If you tear it down, it's pretty easy but identify and save the column shims so you can replace them accordingly.

Again, get on the yahoo user group.

UOTE=Kroll;163931]Sweeper,if you get a chance please post pics of your mods love to see it.I don't know enough about this mill nor milling to want to make changes to mine but maybe in the future,but I hope this one the table is not out.But I will check it just in case,how did you go about correcting your table??GMC,I did plan on taking it apart and just do a good cleaning and check all the gears and try to get it all tune up,once I learn how to do that---kroll[/QUOTE]


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## Sweeper (Dec 8, 2013)

There are plenty of 7/8 cutters avail. A problem you will run into with a bigger shaft/ cutters is the clearance to the upper arm.  I use th 7/8 arbor but made spacers for the larger cutters I run into cheap.


QUOTE=Kroll;164027]Well I said that I was not going to mess with it till I have more time but Robert has me curious.So I went out and took the spindle out of the mill just to see if it would come out,no problem.Guys pulling the arbor out,I know its a #2MT but what else do I need to know so that I can find me another #2MT adaptor for an end mill?I plan on buying it from Jeff at tools4cheap,http://www.tools4cheap.net/proddetail.php?prod=mt2em so if this is something that you do on your atlas mill,please point me in the right direction.I don't want to buy something that I can't use.Guys one more question,my arbor is 7/8 and I have no cutters so before I buy some cutters for the 7/8 arbor is there any reason why I should move up to a bigger arbor?Tools4cheap sales arbors also up to 1 1/4 I think---kroll[/QUOTE]


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## Restorer (Dec 9, 2013)

Nice score Kroll!  

The Atlas Mill is a very appropriate size for the home shop.  To start, clean the machine and look for broken parts.
Many of the diecast components are a bit thin and break easily.  On my mill the hand knob for the Change-O-Matic broke during a move. 
When I bought mine, the power feed universals were broke, the table nut badly worn and the Motor and Jack shaft pulleys missing.

Making the parts saves a lot of money.  Making Accessories saves a LOT more.  By the way you have a machine shop, make it don't buy it.
As an added benefit you will learn a lot.

My machine came with a vise, 7/8 arbor plus 400 dull cutters.  (They have since been sharpened.)
I have built a horizontal indexer and rotary table, shell mill and end mill holders etc.

One of the short commings of the Atlas Mill is a short saddle travel.  End mill holders with a MT#2 taper shank are often too long.

I am planning on purchasing some MT #2 Collets, 3/8 & 1/2 Dia.  This should keep the cantilever short and thus rigid.

I do not recommend a 1.25 dia arbor for the Atlas.  The cutters are usually to large in outside diameter for this mill.
A cutter diameter over 3 inch diameter has to be used with great care as to not overload the Back Gears driving the spindle.
Stay away from carbide cutters as the mill lacks rigidity and vibration will break carbide.

Sources of cutters: Craigslist, Flea Markets, Garage Sales, Estate Sales etc. are the lowest cost.  Consider sales when a shop goes out of business.

A very large business in Rochester NY has been down sizing for over 15 years; from 66,000 employees in (1965) to approx. 8,800 world wide now.
As shops were disbanded or down sized, toolmakers were directed to empty tool cabinates and & cribs into the dumpster!
Many of these individules had the forsight to ask management for a "Property Pass" and the tools went home!  

I have purchased new tools for my home shop from the following suppliers:Enco.com, Victornet.com, MSCDirect.com, Tavers.com, Shars.com & Wholesaletool.com.

Enjoy!


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## Kroll (Dec 9, 2013)

Restorer thanks for the information,now I see why I need to stick with the 7/8 arbor.I also plan on purchasing a set of 2MT collets just for the reason you gave(thanks) I do want to try and make my own parts,sometimes if you get a chance please post pics of your horizontal indexer and rotary table.I seen a rotary table go for 800 on ebay,I do want to try and learn how to make gears it that is possible on the machines I have.Thanks for the list on where to shop----kroll


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## Restorer (Dec 10, 2013)

Kroil, You are welcome.  Will try to gather some pics.  I have posted a lot of Atlas info in "Downloads" to assist you fellows.
I don't know why it is taking so long to get it back on line.  Pictures, drawings with dimensions and articles were very helpful to me and I was passing them along to help others.  When its back up I have more to add and it will be worth your while to view it.


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## wa5cab (Dec 12, 2013)

Kroll,

I'm still working on the age question.  All that I can say for sure right now is that it's 1944 or earlier.  One of the problems is that from your original two photos, I can see that it has a 3-step pulley on the countershaft (the one toward the front of the lathe, and I have to assume a 3-step spindle pulley.  That does not jive with the 1962 Atlas Bulletin MMB-5, which has parts lists for the MF, MFA, MFB and MFC.  According to it, Serial Numbers 200 to 1344 had 4-step pulleys and 1345 to 5465 have 3-step.  The MF I am getting is S/N 26xx (can't read the last two digits in the photo I have) and has 3-step pulleys.  Which agrees with the drawing and parts lists in MMB-5.  If as I suspect, someone changed the spindle and countershaft pulleys from 4-step, then the mill is 1941 or earlier as I have a mid-1942 catalog which shows 3-step pulleys.

Also, the original motor pulleys and the motor belt's countershaft pulleys were both 2-step on all models.

If our Downloads were available, I would upload the file.  I also cannot put it on Yahoo as their Files Upload quit working earlier this week.  Or rather, it works but it increases the file size about 30% and the resultant file is corrupted and won't open.  If you want the Bulletin, send me your email address.

Robert D.


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