# Painting a Craftsman/Atlas lathe



## pipehack

In the VERY near future I'll be disassembling, clean and paint my 6" lathe. I'm leaning towards rustoleum machine gray. Have any of you guys painted them a different color? If so I'd like to see it. The Gray, to me just seems like it would be perfect for it though and I will probably just go that route. Kinda silly to even post this seeing my mind is more or less made up, I just would like to see what you guys think. I've checked the "show us your atlas lathe set up" thread.


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## icore3user

I just got through painting my 53 Delta Bandsaw the same color ( smoke grey ) and am still painting my 55 Index mill the same color. So why not an Atlas Lathe.  Have Fun.

- al


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## bl00

I painted mine blue, but can't find a pic showing the whole thing.  Here's a partial:


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## Dranreb

We get a lot of grey days here and on a grey day grey is so dismal, warships disappear in fog (lot of fog in my brain) restoring an old Atlas lathe is trendy and green, so I went with green....with a touch of red to wake me up!


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## wa5cab

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion and mine is that I wouldn't paint any civilian machine tool any color except gray.  

Robert D.


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## GoMopar440

In case you haven't bought the paint yet, you should let you know that Rustoleum Machine Grey comes out quite a few shades lighter than what you see on the can. The can pictures a medium grey that is almost a prefect match for the Atlas Grey that was on my 1940's TH54 lathe. Once I started painting with it it was VERY apparent that the color was closer to what I would call a light grey color. The color change is fine by me as I'm painting the entire lathe, so it will all match when it's finished. If you only plan to do some of the pieces you will have obviously mismatched colors. The only way around it I know of is to bring a clean sample piece of the lathe into a big paint shop and have them color match it and mix you up a batch of paint.

Here's the thread on my lathe restoration/rebuild that shows lots of pics of the old original Atlas paint as well as the new lighter Rustoleum Machine Grey. The thread hasn't been updated in a little while since I'm back in school (AAS in Drafting Technology) so the project is on hold until after the fall semester is over. 
http://www.hobby-machinist.com/show...tlas-lathe-rebuild-refurb-project-(pic-heavy)

FWIW: The Rustoleum paint seems to be pretty good paint if you are ok with the lighter shade of Grey. I can't give any impressions of durability yet since the lathe isn't back up and running yet.


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## Uncle Buck

wa5cab said:


> Everyone is entitled to their own opinion and mine is that I wouldn't paint any civilian machine tool any color except gray.
> 
> Robert D.




What he said......................:+1:


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## Tom Griffin

Be sure to visit Tractor Supply and grab a can of their catalyst/hardener. It works with Rustoleum or their brand of enamel and makes it cure much faster and harder than air dried enamel.

Tom


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## wa5cab

How do you use the hardener?  Spray it on after the final colour coat?

Robert D.


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## papermaker

The hardener is mixed in with the paint and thinner before it is sprayed. Don't forget the respirator when spraying paint especially if your using hardener. Nasty stuff to breath.


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## Tom Griffin

papermaker said:


> The hardener is mixed in with the paint and thinner before it is sprayed. Don't forget the respirator when spraying paint especially if your using hardener. Nasty stuff to breath.



Good point. The stuff is isocyanate free, but should still be used with a respirator.

Tom


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## Cheeseking

Gray or nay.   My .02


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## Uncle Buck

While I like my machines grey I can appreciate other machines that have been well executed in different colors.


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## pipehack

Uncle Buck said:


> While I like my machines grey I can appreciate other machines that have been well executed in different colors.


 I hear ya Buck.... Those of you who posted pics of your machines is greatly appreciated. Thank you. Like I said. My mind is pretty much made up with the grey color, but I still wanted to see my possible options.


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## DamicoTileCo

I bought mine already restored with Hammered grey.


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## aforsman

> I wear blue and gray, I want to look at color so I went with Hammered Gold. I'm sure some of you are cringing.



I'm just surprised that being in Baton Rouge, you didn't paint it purple and gold )

I used Sherwin Williams Polymer Blue.  If I had to do it all over, I probably would have gone with something else, but I'm certainly happy with it.


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## Privateer

Either way, they look sharp. I'm jealous of those 54" beds, as someone mentioned to me, they're like aircraft carrier decks, LOTS of real estate to play with. I can only hope that when I get mine finished up, that it looks as impressive as some of the others I've seen on this forum.

Terry


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## Wierd Harold

wa5cab said:


> Everyone is entitled to their own opinion and mine is that I wouldn't paint any civilian machine tool any color except gray.
> 
> Robert D.



Strikes me the same as Henry Ford's "a car can be any color as long as it's black".
When, why and who originally decided that machine tools should be gray ?
It surely not that way with woodworking machinery, you can pretty much tell who made it by it's color.
HWF


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## Privateer

Speaking of Ford, I picked up a can of Van Sickle paint to test the color, Light Ford Gray 465. I took a saddle that I'd picked up, did electrolysis to remove the old paint and a bit of rust. Then primed and hit it with 2 coats of the Ford gray. Here is a comparison between that, and a couple of other saddles, the one on the right is the one I got with my lathe and was painted by someone else.




- - - Updated - - -

The middle one goes into electrolysis very shortly.

- - - Updated - - -

Oh, and my 'shop' consists of the total area of my workbench, so its always cluttered


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## pipehack

Not into sports??? You and me both. I get a ton of crap from guys at work for not liking them. Drag racing and land speed racing. That's about it. Guys always get pi$$ed at me for not getting into whatever pool that's going around on the jobsite.

- - - Updated - - -


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## The Liberal Arts Garage

TomG said:


> Be sure to visit Tractor Supply and grab a can of their catalyst/hardener. It works with Rustoleum or their brand of enamel and makes it cure much faster and harder than air dried enamel.
> 
> Tom


  Hardeners/Catalysts are DEADLY POISONS ,TO BE USED ONLY WITH FULL SUIT AND EXTERNAL BREATHING AIR.  Ask me about Isocyanate Poisoning, It's what put me out of business.BLJHB


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## aforsman

> Hardeners/Catalysts are DEADLY POISONS ,TO BE USED ONLY WITH FULL SUIT  AND EXTERNAL BREATHING AIR.  Ask me about Isocyanate Poisoning, It's  what put me out of business.BLJHB



I looked at this product on several websites and none of them show any special warnings for it.  I tried to look at the MSDS, but the manufacturer screwed up and put the product description document on the MDSD link, so it's of no use.  I know that we take special precautions here at work for working around isocyanates, but per our safety training, only a small percentage of the population is sensitive to its effects and you really don't know who is until they are exposed.  Some people can also become sensitized through repeated exposure.  Nevertheless, other common products contain isocyanates such as Great Stuff foam sealant.  My standard procedure for using any such chemicals is to do it in a well ventilated area with addition exposure protection (gloves, safety glasses) as deemed prudent.


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## schor

I've been painting my machines with graphite color wheel paint. I've found it to be great so I painted the cover on the cross slide on my lathe. So far it has held up very well given it gets splashed with coolant and cutting fluid quite a bit.

http://www.duplicolor.com/products/wheelCoating/

Not a huge selection of color, but the graphite comes out quite nice I think.


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## drs23

schor said:


> I've been painting my machines with graphite color wheel paint. I've found it to be great so I painted the cover on the cross slide on my lathe. So far it has held up very well given it gets splashed with coolant and cutting fluid quite a bit.
> 
> http://www.duplicolor.com/products/wheelCoating/
> 
> Not a huge selection of color, but the graphite comes out quite nice I think.
> 
> View attachment 63246



That does look good. When will we see a picture posted with it painted and assembled?


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## schor

[video=youtube;_aotdl-8MwQ]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_aotdl-8MwQ&amp;list=TLmj0OdSuurXN9S0h2OZamRsK6JLy0U_cJ[/video]



Below is with the slow speed extra pulley block I made for it to drop speed down to 100rpm.



I have since added a new pulley cover and the top spindle cover but don't have a pick of that handy.




drs23 said:


> That does look good. When will we see a picture posted with it painted and assembled?


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## drs23

schor said:


> [video=youtube;_aotdl-8MwQ]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_aotdl-8MwQ&amp;list=TLmj0OdSuurXN9S0h2OZamRsK6JLy0U_cJ[/video]
> 
> View attachment 63247
> 
> Below is with the slow speed extra pulley block I made for it to drop speed down to 100rpm.
> View attachment 63248
> 
> 
> I have since added a new pulley cover and the top spindle cover but don't have a pick of that handy.



Thanks for following up so promptly. Good job. Looks GREAT!


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## jmankin

Massey Ferguson gray is an ideal match for the original paint.  You can get it at stores like Tractor Supply.


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## birdman1

For anyone viewing this site at a later date I use Van Sickle ford dark gray 9n/2n paint. It's a real close match to original You can get it at a Orschlens farm and home rattle cans, quarts, gallons, but the thinner-reducer they recommend dries way to slow so I use automotive type reducer. Just match so it's the right type. I have done it this way for many many years. Otis


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## yendor

OK - I'm in the same boat as you .
 I need to strip down and clean - including paint an older QCGB 42.
I love the Hammered Gray/Silver.
I usually go with OEM colors for Restorations (just see the bikes in the aviator).

To the guy with the Green/Red Trim I'm seriously jealous of the complete machine with Coolant Pan! - Beautiful Machine.


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## Mondo

My old lathe was medium blue when I bought it so I painted it a similar color: Rustoleum Royal Blue from a rattle can.  That was in 2009.

This photograph was taken in 2013:


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## wa5cab

Nice job.  Looks like probably a 101.07400 (EDIT - 101.07380), based mainly on the change gear cover and the tailstock.  But I think with a 101.07403 carriage and lead screw.  Could you please send me the serial number and bed length?


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## Mondo

That's a sort of a "Frankenlathe".  All Atlas but parts from different models and years.  As received I believe it was a 1935 vintage, had a ZAMAK compound, 5/8" leadscrew, no power cross-feed, single-piece carriage/apron, separate cast iron gear covers with no belt guard.  I removed the gear covers and added the belt guard, pulled the leadscrew and replaced it with a 3/4", put on a newer carriage to gain power cross-feed and replaced the compound with one made from iron.

There is no model number/serial number name plate, no evidence of one ever been attached to the bed.  The only SN is on the top of the ways at the tailstock end:  L6-860  Bed is 42" long rendering 24" between centers.

PS: 
Changes since that photograph was taken: It currently sports Compound Rest Assembly 3980-75 and Cross Slide Screw Assembly 3980-18
(see Owner's Manual and parts list for 101-28900/101-28910)


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## wa5cab

OK.  You certainly beefed up the compound assembly!  I had always thought that they would fit but didn't know of anyone who had tried it.

The original serial number of your lathe (or bed) is 000860.  Based on your additional info as to what was on it when you got it, the original model number must have been 101.07380 as the 101.07400 apparently had the belt guard instead of the two individual gear guards. Also, I totally missed the bolt heads indicating babbit spindle bearings.  Unlike the 10D and 10F, the bearings weren't an option for any given model number.  The change gear guard is like the one in the 1936 Craftsman catalog, except that the motor switch is mounted in the headstock instead of in a box attached to the change gear guard mounting plate.  The 1936 catalog photo was undoubtedly made in the latter part of 1935.  So yours could have been made in late 1935..  

Based on comments from a few owners, the serial number was stamped on the bed front way and not on the nameplate probably into the 1950's.  Maybe all the way up until 1957.  The earliest partslist I can find that shows the nameplate is from the 1970's.  There is one other machine reported as having "L6" stamped before the serial number (101.07381 s/n 1799).


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## Mondo

The change gear guard has holes for mounting the switch box, just no box or switch when I got the lathe.  The hole in the headstock was where the switch wiring would have been routed, I took advantage of the convenience of it's size and installed a marine-grade toggle switch.  I figured the white 'rubber' cover would keep oil and swarf out of the switch.

The lathe looked pretty much like this when I got it, less the switch box, and has a metal Craftsman label plate on the front of the headstock vs painted lettering.


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## wa5cab

Well, you could be right.  There is no evidence that I know of as to how the factory routed the switch cable before they moved the switch to the head stock.  Did you have to drill out the hole?  If not, then it was probably one of the machines made between the time that they decided to change and relocate the switch and the time that the new cast gear covers became available (or maybe when their stock of the fabricated covers was depleted enough).  Because the standard bat handled toggle switch mounting hole is 15/32" dia.  Which is probably too large for the #14-2 AWG SO cord that they probably used for the switch to motor cable.


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