# Craftsman / Atlas Lathe 101.07403  Ser 30948



## anthonyc (Jul 23, 2021)

Hello all.
I just made a purchase of my first Lathe, a Craftsman / Atlas 101.07403  Ser 30948. (light Green or Mint Green in color)
Can anyone tell me the year it was manufactured?
It really needs a lot of love. Some of it came in boxes. I already ordered some of the parts that were missing.
The motor that came with it is not correct. Can someone  recommend the correct motor. The motor pulley is 5/8 ID.
Im thing at least a 1/2 HP. Is 110v or 220v better? What about the motor frame? Is the motor mounting plate standard?
What size belt is needed from the motor to the counter shaft? The spindle belt is .50 x 32 In. 
I need to break it down for a good cleaning. What do you recommend to remove rust from the ways.

Any help is much appreciated
Thank You


----------



## ARC-170 (Jul 23, 2021)

I've restored two 101.07403 lathes. I can't seem to find the thread, though. I'll look and post a link at some point.

When you take it apart, the bearing dates will be on the bearings. Your lathe was made around that date.

Mine did not have the original motor; I have a 2-speed one. It's 110V.

I use the green link belts from Harbor Freight that allow you to change and adjust them.

I used a non-abrasive Scotch pad and elbow grease, IIRC, to remove rust. I think I also used kerosene. I bought it at Home depot/Lowes. It's in the section for outdoor tiki torches.

I'm watching this thread, so feel free to post any questions! Have fun and welcome!


----------



## ARC-170 (Jul 23, 2021)

Found it!









						ARC-170's Craftsman 101.07403 lathe restoration thread
					

I just bought a Craftsman 101.07403 lathe. It is in dire need of taking apart, cleaning and lubing. I have some questions:  1. The spindle bearing might be shot. It turns by hand but feels "crunchy" (I believe that is the proper technical term). Could need replacing. How do I get it out to tell...




					www.hobby-machinist.com


----------



## markba633csi (Jul 23, 2021)

Have you considered a variable speed motor? It's a great feature to have 
Some folks do it for almost zero cost, if you can cannibalize an old treadmill
-Mark


----------



## FOMOGO (Jul 23, 2021)

Look under the forums section above for Atlas machine's, and you will find a wealth of info. There are also manuals and parts breakdowns in there also, if memory serves. I have a 12x36 (54" bed) Atlas/Craftsman lathe that I got years ago, in three or four boxes of parts. It taught me a lot about lathes putting it back together, and getting it operational, and it has done a lot of good work for me. I think the standard motors were all 1720 rpm. Welcome to the forum. Mike


----------



## wa5cab (Jul 24, 2021)

Anthony,

Welcome to H-M.

From the photo that you posted, the machine appears to be in fairly good condition. but perhaps in need of TLC.  Please confirm that the nameplate with model and serial number is riveted to the right end of the bed.  Are the characters 12L also on it?

The factory recommended motor was 1/3 or 1/2 HP.  Putting anything larger on it won't make it any more capable and if you should ever (Heaven forbid) have a crash, will only serve to increase the damage.  The correct motor frame # for a 5/8" shaft is 56, independent of horsepower.  If you have ready access to a 240 V single phase supply, or if gaining access won't cost you an arm and a leg, go with that.  Otherwise, a 120 VAC capacitor start  motor will be OK.

The correct motor belt is a 4L350.  The correct spindle belt is a 4L310 but the 4l320 that you apparently have will probably work OK.  I do not want to re-start the argument over link belts and am serving notice to the members that they will not, either.

On the subject of bearing dates, from about 1939 until early 1953, someone (most likely at Timken), hand engraved the inspection date onto the spindle bearings (both cups and both cones).  From your serial number, your machine may or may not have dates on the bearings.  Should you ever for any reason have to pull the spindle, please report the dates if present or if not, report that.  Include serial and model number as well.  Otherwise, you machine was probably made in early 1953.


----------



## anthonyc (Jul 24, 2021)

Thank you wa5cab,

Would you happen to know the correct pulley for the motor ? Should it be a two position pulley?
I have two pulleys, a single 3" dia with 1/2 shaft and a four position 1 3/4", 2 1/2", 3 1/4" and 4" with 5/8 shaft.
That motor belt will connect to the countershaft pulley that only has two sizes available 
..... These parts were in a box so bear with me.
The book calls out a 1/2 or 3/4 HP motor. But says nothing about the pulley size or the belt. I think a 1/2 HP motor with a 1/2" shaft is plenty of power. It did come with a motor. Its 1/3 HP. I rewired it and it works. However it will not mount to the motor mount There is a electrical box on the side of the motor and of course its in the way. It seems this motor was not original to the Lathe. 
Im  not a fan of link belts. Why should I spend $35 when a V belt is $6.35 It looks like I need to pull the spindle in order to change out the belt.
At this point everything is apart and I am cleaning everything. 
I used a flat steel block, oil and some 400 paper to dress the ways and followed up with scotchbrite. 
Other than lots of missing parts loose screws and bolts it looks to be in reasonable condition.
I need to find the spacer that resides in the back of the carriage.  Without that I have no adjustment.
The wipers need replacing. Do you happen to know of a source? 

Then there is the box of gears. 
No, I haven't gotten that far. 

I did find the parts list and that was a big help.


----------



## anthonyc (Jul 24, 2021)

I found this on market place would this motor work for my application.


----------



## markba633csi (Jul 24, 2021)

That looks fine, if it will fit your motor mount
-Mark


----------



## wa5cab (Jul 25, 2021)

First the motor - Yes, it would work.  However, you don't have the switch to take advantage of the two speeds and have no real need if them anyway and the machine will already do 16 speeds.  You could of course just ignore the slow speed and wire it up so that the motor always runs @ 1725 nominal.

However, the motor has an automatic reset thermal breaker, which is generally considered unsafe for any machine with an operator.  The reason that it is unsafe is that if it does trip, and you don't remember to return the FWD-OFF-REV switch to the OFF position, when it cools off a little, it will re-start with no warning.  Depending upon what you are doing when it suddenly and with no warning restarts, you could lose a hand or worse.  It is good to have the thermal overload breaker.  But it must be the manual reset type.  So unless you need an unattended  fan motor for something else, don't buy it.

We don't have the factory drawing for the 2-groove 5/8" bore motor pulley but we do have an independent copy that several successful pulleys have been made from.  However, access to the Downloads area requires Donor status.

The 4-groove pulley that you have is probably the cone pulley for the countershaft.  If the outside of it looks just like the spindle cone pulley and it has a key way or groove for a Woodruff key. that's what it is.  And if you don;'t have a 5/8" bore small 2-groove pulley, the PO must have lost it.  The Atlas 10-428 5/8" bore motor pulley is approximately 4.390" OD for the large groove and 1.930" OD for the small groove.   Both the spindle belt and the motor belt are 1/2" FHP belts.  Do not use a Multiple V-belt.  Although the 1/2" ones may look about the same, they aren't.  The only application that Atlas ever used one on was as the two spindle belts for the late 12" cabinet models.  I gave you the motor belt Industry part number yesterday.  You can probably buy it locally but if you are going to place an order with Clausing for the motor pulley or anything else, you may as well get it from them.  Their part number is L3-125.  And their phone number is 800-323-0972 or 800-535-6553.  When you finally get the operator on the line, ask for old Atlas parts.


----------



## anthonyc (Jul 25, 2021)

OK well that motor did not work out for me. 
I did buy a new motor.
Century Motor 1/2HP 1725rpm 115V 60Hertz 1ph 6.8amps J56 frame. Shaft diameter 5/8" and 1 3/4" usable length. Includes shaft key. This motor is selective rotation, clockwise or counter clockwise.  Condition is "New". 
The body of the motor is approximately 9" long and 6 1/4" diameter. The shaft extends 1 7/8" from the motor body.
 I will look into the pulley from Clausing. 


Thank you!


----------



## wa5cab (Aug 1, 2021)

Anthony,

In the Machine Parts Wanted forum, you posted several photos, one of which is of the right end of the front way on the bed showing the serial number as being 30948, not 38948 as shown in the title of this current thread and also in one of your posts in this thread.  Before I edit and correct the serial number in this thread title and in one of your posts therein, please confirm that both threads are about the same machine and that the machine is a 12x36 Craftsman Model 101.07403.


----------



## anthonyc (Aug 1, 2021)

30948 is correct....... thank you. only one machine.


----------



## anthonyc (Aug 14, 2021)

ALL,
So .... My Atlas/Craftsmen project is coming along. However I have a few assembly questions. 
I assembled these gears to the best of my knowledge. 
The big question is how is this lever installed? When I assemble the bracket the gears are too far away. I used another bracket on the opposite side to make it even. What am I missing? Im sure the bracket must go here.
Can anyone help? 
Some of these parts came in a box Im just guessing.
Thanks


----------



## wa5cab (Aug 15, 2021)

What lever are you referring to, the L6-21 Tumbler?  And too far away radially or axially?

And what bracket?

The Tumbler is in neutral in your third photo.  The 24T Tumbler gear should be meshed with the 20T Tumbler gear and the 32T gear of the 32T/16T Compound gear and remain so in the other two Tumbler positions.  The 32T Spindle gear should not mesh with anything.  If you move the Tumbler to the upper detent hole, the 20T Tumbler gear should mesh with the 32T Spindle gear.  If you move the Tumbler to the lower detent position, the 24T Tumbler Gear should mesh with the 32T Spindle gear.


----------



## anthonyc (Aug 15, 2021)

I guess Im as clear as mud. As you can tell I know nothing about this Lathe. I am In the process of restoring it to full operation.
The gears I am referring to are the lower gear set that drives the lead screw. Does this assembly look correct? I believe the tumbler gear assembly is working correctly. Yes the tumbler is in Neutral in the third photo.
In photos 4 and 5. How is this the Lock L3-108 Assembled to the unit? I see where the rod L3-104 is attached to the countershaft assembly. It appears that the Lock L3-108 should be under the L4-245L bracket. Refer to Photo 5. As I mentioned if I assemble the Lock there the "back Gear" assembly is set back too far to engage with the headstock gears.
What am i missing?
Can someone show me how the Lock bracket is assembled? The item is circled in the photo ...
Thanks


----------



## wa5cab (Aug 18, 2021)

To take the L3-108 question first, yes, the L3-103 should be mounted between the flat on the headstock and the left back gear bracket.  If putting it there puts the back gears and shaft at an angle ti the C/L of the spindle, my guess is that you have a 10-245L Bracket in that location instead of an L4-245L.  The drawing of those parts in the parts manual was apparently always wrong in that it showed the L3-108 as having three holes through it but showed the L4-245L as only having two holes.  Supposedly the L4-245L is about 3/16" shorter than the 10-245L and 10-245R and has two bolts and a pin in or through it.  One bolt is either the same as the single bolt attaching the right bracket or a little shorter.  The other bolt is supposedly 3" long.  The pin is between the two bolts.  

I am going to save this in case you come looking before I finish with the gear problem


----------



## anthonyc (Aug 18, 2021)

wa5cab said:


> To take the L3-108 question first, yes, the L3-103 should be mounted between the flat on the headstock and the left back gear bracket.  If putting it there puts the back gears and shaft at an angle ti the C/L of the spindle, my guess is that you have a 10-245L Bracket in that location instead of an L4-245L.  The drawing of those parts in the parts manual was apparently always wrong in that it showed the L3-108 as having three holes through it but showed the L4-245L as only having two holes.  Supposedly the L4-245L is about 3/16" shorter than the 10-245L and 10-245R and has two bolts and a pin in or through it.  One bolt is either the same as the single bolt attaching the right bracket or a little shorter.  The other bolt is supposedly 3" long.  The pin is between the two bolts.
> 
> I am going to save this in case you come looking before I finish with the gear problem


OK well that explains it Those parts were in question to begin with. I purchased that whole back gear assembly and I assumed it was all correct. The assembly that came with it had a broken gear and that bracket was missing...... So in the meantime its not a show stopper. I will look for another. I see the difference.
Thank you so much for your knowledge and input.

Update ... I was able to source the correct part
So ... The next question is the part comes with shims. How do you set the gears with shims?? I not sure I understand.


----------



## wa5cab (Aug 18, 2021)

OK.  I take it that the back gear sub-assembly turned out to have been off of a 10"?  If you have the 3" long bolt and the L3-108 is present, the only part you are missing would be the L4-245L

On the gear meshing (or not) problem, which thread or feed are you trying to set up?  There are combinations that you cannot set up.  But none of them should be shown on the threading chart for the 101.07403.


----------



## anthonyc (Aug 18, 2021)

As for the gears Meshing. I found more shims stuck between the fold in the box that the original lathe parts came in. The correct part that I ordered comes with shims as well. So you must need to add shims to those back gear brackets to set the depth of the teeth. Is there a spec to follow? How can I tell if the gears are set correctly?
Additionally ...
 I think I have all of the gears spacers etc. for setting up the feed. See the stack of gears below. However the gears in place now on the machine are what was left over and they happen to fit as the parts page shows and as illustrated in my second photo above.


----------



## wa5cab (Aug 24, 2021)

FYI, although I assume that one could have special-ordered it with something different set up, the threading gears shown on the parts page as installed on the machine rather than in the stack are how the machine was normally shipped from the factory.  It was one of the Feeds shown on the threading chart.


----------



## anthonyc (Aug 24, 2021)

OK that's good information. 
BTW
The new part is installed for the back gear assembly, all is well.


----------

