# Atlas TH42 lathe



## Ulma Doctor (Feb 5, 2013)

Atlas TH42, i'll post more pix in the coming weeks, thanks for looking!!


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## wa5cab (Feb 6, 2013)

Looks like a nice setup now.

Robert D.


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## Ulma Doctor (Feb 6, 2013)

thanks Robert!
 she needs some scraping done to the compound dovetails, they are rough. i'm going to take an upcoming scraping class to see what i may learn.


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## Ray C (Feb 6, 2013)

I had the same identical lathe for about 3 years.  Did a lot and learned a lot with it!

BTW:  If you look at and remove the end-caps on the idler shaft, the ends are threaded to accept zerk fittings.  Hit it with a grease gun and it squirts grease into the idler bearings.  The idler shaft/mechanism is sometimes called the "intermediate" shaft and is just above the motor.  If you have vibration issues, gimme a shout and I can pass along what I learned from it.

Ray


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## Ulma Doctor (Feb 6, 2013)

i would love to hear about what you have learned, i'm all ears...


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## Ray C (Feb 6, 2013)

First off -safety!  Those are open sheaves and belts.  Know where your fingers and clothing are at all times.



The idler shaft is a lightening rod for vibration.  Use a static balancer and get check it (as a whole assembly) for balance.  Correct as needed but, don't go overboard if you're not familiar with static balancing and the issues around dynamic imbalance. 
Use good quality v-belts as any lumps in them adds to the instability of that idler mechanism.  I'm told many folks have good luck with the linked belts sold at Harbor Freight but, that puzzles me a little because they're riddled with lumps. 
Make sure all the pulleys (all of them) are in good shape. 
Single phase motors are notorious for creating vibration so, if you're using the suspended method of hanging the motor, make an adjustable length stick, placed between the floor and base of motor, to take some of the weight off the belts.  -Not much, just a little.  If the belts have lumps, or if the motor sheave or main idler sheave are imperfect, it causes the whole motor to bounce up/down.  The weight of the motor compounds the problem. 
The machine benefits from chucks that are well balanced (again, read-up about static and dynamic balancing because you could do more harm than good if not done right). 
A solid and heavy table is a "must-have".  The one you have looks rigid but could benefit from a few hundred pounds of tools down below. 
If you're spinning with side gears, check each gear for static balance.  Those are OK to static balance because they're thin disks.  Only bother with the larger diameter ones. 
 
That pretty much covers vibrations.  There's something else many folks don't know. There are several set screws on the back-gear shaft (inside the headstock).  Tiny little devils...  They are oil holes. Remove the screws periodically and feed them oil.  There's also a hidden oil screw on the main spindle mid way in the stepped sheave.

That's it for now.  Make some cuts and let us know how it goes...    

Ray


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## Ulma Doctor (Feb 6, 2013)

thanks for the info! i have some homework to do on balancing...
I read the entire Atlas manual from cover to cover before i had even bought the lathe. i was aware of the lube points and small screws.
I'm contemplating placing a heavier top to the bench, and as you pointed out i do need some cabinets mounted to the bench for mass.
)


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## Ray C (Feb 6, 2013)

Did your manual tell you the correct way to use shims to level that lathe?  Shim placement is important so you don't twist the bed.  A heavy top is not a must-have.  You need good solid struts to anchor the bolts into.  The flat table itself can be thin if you have solid cross-struts.

Ray




Ulma Doctor said:


> thanks for the info! i have some homework to do on balancing...
> I read the entire Atlas manual from cover to cover before i had even bought the lathe. i was aware of the lube points and small screws.
> I'm contemplating placing a heavier top to the bench, and as you pointed out i do need some cabinets mounted to the bench for mass.
> )


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