# tool post holder swap? atlas 6"



## borjawil (Jan 29, 2017)

Picked up a cheaper atlas 6" mk2. Tool holder that holds the tool post looks like it was run into the chuck or cutting too big and it broke. Unfortunately I can only find one of these for sale. But I found another for a craftsman that looks like it may work. both are 6" lathes. Just seeing if anyone knows, or what problems I may run into. heres the piece I need and the one I found. just the rectangular piece not the round/swivel. 

mine is a 618 atlas same as 101 craftsman. The part in question is for a 109? but still a 6" craftsman.


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## wa5cab (Jan 29, 2017)

borjawil,

The lathes that were sold by Sears with model numbers beginning with 109. were made by AA or Double-A, not Atlas.  There was no formal relationship between the two companies.
I can say that I would not buy the AA part to put on an Atlas but I can't say for certain that it either won't fit or can't be made to fit.  We do not have the compound swivel and dovetail specs for either machine.  The AA swivel obviously won't fit on the Atlas saddle.  You could write the AA seller and ask him or her what the dovetail width and height is.  And also the diameter of the hole in the swivel for the brass feed screw nut.  It is probably larger than the hole in the Atlas swivel.  The Atlas feed screw threads are 1/4"-20 left hand.  So the compound slide will advance 0.050" per revolution of the screw.  The dial is marked 0 to 40 and 50 would be at the same line as 0.  The AA feed screw is 5/16"-24 left hand so the slide advances 0.0417" per revolution.  Which is one reason why the AA unit has no dial.

So IF the two dovetails coincidentally happen to be the same, the AA slide will probably fit onto the Atlas swivel.  And the feed screw nut can probably be installed in the Atlas swivel, maybe by boring out the hole to a larger diameter.

But again, I wouldn't recommend doing it.


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## borjawil (Jan 30, 2017)

Well theres only one of the correct parts on eBay and if  I don't get it I'm SOL I've looked everywhere else I can think of to find one, unless you guys have some ideas?


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## VSAncona (Jan 30, 2017)

They come up for sale every so often. You may just have to be patient. It's a commonly-broken part, so the demand seems to outweigh the supply.

Another option would be to repair the one you have or make a new one. Tubalcain has a video on YouTube of making a replacement.


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## borjawil (Jan 30, 2017)

I thought about repairing. How is this done? I can weld but no tig welder for cast/pot metal types. Not sure what this is made of. Ideas? 

Ill check out his videos. Theres a lot of good info I've got from him. Needing a mill for making one keeps me from doing so. I have a buddy with a cnc table for wood but can work for very light and slow passes with metal. however the bit for the dovetail angle will cost me $$ and at that point its worth it to just buy a stock one at a higher price. 

Will a atlas 10" rest work? look the same or pretty close.


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## wa5cab (Jan 30, 2017)

By the time that the 6" came out, all of the compound slides were cast iron.

The 6" and 10" slides do look similar, and aside from the spring-loaded ball oiler and the number of gib screws, I don't know what the critical specific differences are, but I'm sure that the two aren't interchangeable.  .Unlike GM (as the possibly worst offender), Atlas didn't assign two or more part numbers to the same or effectively the same part.

As far as finding one on eBay, there are dry spells but as Vince wrote, they do turn up fairly frequently.  But unfortunately, usually only with the compound swivel, as the slide is much more likely to be damaged than the swivel.


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## Reeltor (Jan 30, 2017)

I would braze the parts back together.  I didn't know my Monarch had brazed repairs until I owned it for several months.  Brazing, if done correctly will be stronger than the parent metal.  Can you post a photo of the broker part(s) in question?

Mike


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## Billh51 (Jan 30, 2017)

Thought I would throw this out for what it's worth. Not too long ago Mr Pete, ( Tubalcain ) did a nice series on building a new slide for a compound that was damaged quite badly. If you have access to a mill, the job isn't too difficult and his turned out very well. Good luck on your search.


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## francist (Jan 30, 2017)

Supposedly NOS compound for the MK2 for sale right now. No affiliation with the seller nor can I verify it will fit, just saw the ad. Here's the link 

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/Atlas-618-Cr...977188?hash=item1ec09482e4:g:U24AAOSwA3dYjW3L

-frank


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## markba633csi (Jan 30, 2017)

Take a look at what Pmat did on his Vernon lathe (it's under Antique and Vintage machinery on this site)
JB weld to the rescue!
Mark S.


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## borjawil (Jan 30, 2017)

I took a look at mine and it can be repaired by brazing or jb. missing pieces and previously brazed as I've found left over brazing. That canada one is quite pricey.


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## David S (Jan 30, 2017)

I also think a picture of the broken one would be helpful.

David


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## borjawil (Jan 31, 2017)

a pic won't help. its broken basically right where the t slot begins, there are 3 jagged previously brazed pieces and some of the broken pieces are missing.


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## Reeltor (Jan 31, 2017)

It sounds like the lathe was rode hard and put up wet.  Must have had several crashes.  Way back when I learned to braze, you wouldn't pass the class unless the parent metal broke before the brazed repair.  Do you have a mill?  Maybe make some new parts like billh51 suggested, watch TubalCain-Mr. Pete's youtube channel for ideas.

Mike


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## Rob (Jan 31, 2017)

Tubalcain making a new compound for Atlas 6".


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## David S (Jan 31, 2017)

BO check your other thread in the "can anyone make something for me".  Some suggestions there.

David


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## borjawil (Jan 31, 2017)

checked on getting one made locally. hundreds of dollars. No access to a mill. ill check my other thread.


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