# Well This Just Looks Wrong....



## Spike (Apr 3, 2016)

While tinkering around with the Atlas QC-54 I recently acquired I noticed that the auto cross feed knob on mine does not spin when the feed screw is running like all the ones in the youtube videos I have been watching.

I have no idea if I will ever even need that feature but it bugged me enough to take the apron off and take a look. Here is what I found:



















I know the pics are horrible but even so you can see that while I assume there is  supposed to be a spline inside the sleeve there is none, only a bit of a ridge. To my untrained eye it still seems I found the problem though.

The exploded view I found says the bad part is the 341-051 Mitre Gear. Anyone know where I may get this part? Anyone know if I'll need a loan for it? Thanks in advance!
-Spike


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## kd4gij (Apr 3, 2016)

I believe that should have a key made into it. I looked on eBay and it does not have a key.


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## Spike (Apr 3, 2016)

The part has a spline running end to end inside the bore. Mine is wiped pretty much completely. I found out that Sears offers a new gear but it carries a different part number and I have no idea if it is a match for mine. The page has a good pic though: 
	

		
			
		

		
	




http://www.searspartsdirect.com/cra...051/0009/101/model-10128900/0247/0728000.html
They sure are proud of it though. $200 is a bit much for someone else's machine.
-Spike


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## kd4gij (Apr 3, 2016)

Watch eBay. Clausing still carries a lot of parts for the old atlas lathe. And is a lot cheaper than sears. And some times cheaper than eBay.  Won't hurt to give them a call.
http://www.clausing-industrial.com/index.asp


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## Terrywerm (Apr 3, 2016)

Is there enough meat left to cut a keyway into the gear hub?  It would be worth a try if the part is soft, and I don't think you would have anything to lose. The only problem would be if there is nothing in place to keep the key captive, allowing it to work its way out and jam things up or just plain fall out. I am not familiar enough with that machine to know if it would work or not, but it might be worth looking into.


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## jpfabricator (Apr 3, 2016)

Now you have a good reason to buy  shaper to cut the new keyway! 

Sent from somewhere in East Texas Jake Parker


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## Spike (Apr 3, 2016)

Since I found the problem I have been researching around the web and have found this is not an uncommon issue. I have found a few different repairs/modifications folks have done to salvage their gears. I'll need to think on it before I decide to tinker too much so as not to make it worse or damage any more of the machine. Thanks for the link and all the advice everyone!

As far as buying a shaper they are way out of my budget unless I run across one so cheap it probably wouldn't run. I last operated a shaper back in metal shop in high school, but I figure I could do it if i had access. Thanks!
-Spike


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## cathead (Apr 4, 2016)

terrywerm said:


> Is there enough meat left to cut a keyway into the gear hub?  It would be worth a try if the part is soft, and I don't think you would have anything to lose. The only problem would be if there is nothing in place to keep the key captive, allowing it to work its way out and jam things up or just plain fall out. I am not familiar enough with that machine to know if it would work or not, but it might be worth looking into.



Making a key way and silver soldering in the key would be a possibility.  Silver soldering is not that difficult
to do and the strength of the repair would be as strong as the original part.


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## Billh50 (Apr 4, 2016)

you could just buy a keyway broach and make a guide bushing for it. Then as above, silver solder a key in it.


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## BGHansen (Apr 4, 2016)

Could you drill/tap a couple of holes in the gear in line with each other?  Then run in a couple of dog point set screws?  The end of the dog points would run in the corresponding keyway.  Maybe an alternative.

Bruce


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## VSAncona (Apr 4, 2016)

I'm pretty sure the original part is Zamak. I'm not sure how well silver soldering would work.


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## kd4gij (Apr 4, 2016)

BGHansen said:


> Could you drill/tap a couple of holes in the gear in line with each other?  Then run in a couple of dog point set screws?  The end of the dog points would run in the corresponding keyway.  Maybe an alternative.
> 
> Bruce



  The key way is in the lead screw. The set screw would tend to get caught in the threads.


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## pdentrem (Apr 4, 2016)

Some of the gears are Zamac and others are steel. I had both versions. Obviously the steel version is easier to repair. I assumed that the steel version was the new release.


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## awander (Apr 4, 2016)

Spike said:


> The part has a spline running end to end inside the bore. Mine is wiped pretty much completely. I found out that Sears offers a new gear but it carries a different part number and I have no idea if it is a match for mine. The page has a good pic though:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Be careful of what Sears says they can supply-search for any part for anything, and Sears appears on the search list. (as does K-mart, usually)


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## Spike (Apr 4, 2016)

The gear I have is not steel. I wish it was as I could just weld a new spline in. The more I think about it the less I think I want to try to cobble the bad gear to make it work. As it stands now I'm only out the power cross feed. Since it is not my lathe I don't know if I want to sink too much coin it it. If a power cross feed is something I end up wishing I had then I will buy the part to repair it. Thanks for all the replies!
-Spike


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## Mondo (Apr 5, 2016)

My bet is if you order part # 341-051 from Clausing it will be all steel and cost somewhere in the vicinity of $150, +/- 20 or 30 bucks.  This is the exact replacement for all 10" and 12" model lathes made by Atlas Press Co. that have power cross-feed.

Spiral_Chips


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## mattthemuppet2 (Apr 8, 2016)

do you have enough meat on the gear bit to press it onto a piece of steel pipe the right diameter? Doesn't look like you can bore the gear the whole way through, but there might be enough depth to get a good interference fit (pin it too?). Then you can solder in a key and you're good to go.


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## Spike (Apr 8, 2016)

mattthemuppet said:


> do you have enough meat on the gear bit to press it onto a piece of steel pipe the right diameter? Doesn't look like you can bore the gear the whole way through, but there might be enough depth to get a good interference fit (pin it too?). Then you can solder in a key and you're good to go.



I don't think there is enough room to sleeve the gear since the lead screw runs through the inside and the gear itself spins inside a housing. This weekend I will get with the bud that let me take the lathe and maybe we can work out a deal so it is either mine outright or he will help pay for any repairs it may need. 
Thanks for all the input!
-Spike


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## mattthemuppet2 (Apr 9, 2016)

I wasn't being clear enough - cut off the gear end and press that onto a steel sleeve of the right ID and OD


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## Spike (Apr 9, 2016)

Ahhh okay, I can see it now. Cut off the gear itself, bore it to fit a new sleeve? That is an option I had not thought of. Yet another thing to consider, thanks! 
-Spike


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## mattthemuppet2 (Apr 9, 2016)

that's the one, didn't do a very good job of describing it originally. If you get some really bad welded pipe of the right ID, you might even be able to use the weld seam as is


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## Rob (Apr 9, 2016)

Another procedure that I found on the web somewhere.

Reclaiming a worn out mitre gear (2).pdf


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## timmeh (Apr 10, 2016)

Google is ur friend....          "sonsofinvention"         scroll to the bottom.   They have a repair that I have tried, works well. And if it ever does fail, it shouldn't do any damage.


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## Spike (Apr 10, 2016)

Thanks folks! I found the repair and it looks to be something I may be able to do. Once I gather some tools for the lathe I'll give it a shot.
Thanks again!
-Spike


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## Spike (Apr 10, 2016)

Update.
The bud I got the lathe from stopped by today to drop off some stuff for it. The T handle for the chuck, a few wrenches that fit various stuff, and a live center. He also handed over money to replace the broken gear. That told me a couple things. First, he isn't planning to give his lathe away any time soon, and second, the old Atlas will be back to it's old form before long. I will source a replacement and then maybe tinker on the broken one and see if it will do as a backup part.

So while I had hoped he would let it go for a decent price that isn't gonna happen, but he won't be coming for it any time soon either. I know he has no room for it and after he saw how much better it looks thanks to my de-rusting efforts he is happy to leave it with me indefinitely.
Yours,
-Spike


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## Spike (Apr 13, 2016)

Update #2
I have sitting here on my bench a brand new to me cross feed gear to replace the bad one . Got it from ebay and it came with the collar, lock ring, and even the bolt to mount it with. This weekend I will be back to tinkering on it again, I've been tackling it one section at a time, cleaning, lubing, and learning as I go.

I do have a new dumb question though. The collar that this gear rides in has a bronze bushing. on the outside there is a channel from the apron housing down along the pot metal collar housing. At the collar housing is a hole in the pot metal. This is all for getting oil to the gear that runs in the bronze bushing I assume.

The odd thing is with both the old collar I had and the one that came with the new to me gear the hole does not continue through the bronze bushing. Now if the intent was to get oil  between the bronze bushing and the cross feed gear how is it supposed to get there?

Thanks for all the help in my adventure, and be prepared for my next round of stupid questions .
-Spike


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## pdentrem (Apr 13, 2016)

It should be an Oilite bronze bushing. They are porous, and the oil will wick through.


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## Spike440 (May 10, 2016)

Howdy everyone, it's me Spike. I have no idea why my user name and such do not work anymore but I signed up again and so far I haven't been booted .....yet.

I got the lathe all back together and functioning 100% again . Then I went ahead and wired up a reversing drum switch so it can run in forward and reverse.

I am still watching videos and reading through the forum trying to learn what I can. Till I can get some material and accessories I am pretty much at a standstill when it comes to actually turning anything. I want to practice threading on some steel rod since I have it on hand. Then I need to figure out a project I can try. I am open to any ideas since I don't have much of an imagination. Anyway, I am dealing with a sick mother in the hospital right now, but I still lurk here when I get the chance. Keep the great advice coming!
-Spike


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## Mondo (May 10, 2016)

Hope your Mom gets well soon!


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## Billh50 (May 10, 2016)

Looks like someone repaired this one with a new key.


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## wa5cab (May 10, 2016)

How is the key secured to the gear?


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## 38Bill (Jun 2, 2016)

I think its just split and the thicker new spline just sits in the split. I assume it would be held together once on the screw?


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## wa5cab (Jun 3, 2016)

No, if the key isn't captive in the split, it will work for a while but eventually it will either ruin the bushing or walk out of the end of the gear.  Or both.


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## timmeh (Jun 17, 2016)

Araldite will fix it.....     for a while.....


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