# Atlas 612



## tinnerjohn (Apr 8, 2016)

Just wondering how rare these are. I got mine about a month ago (wish it was bigger, but it will work for what I need now). I know they were discontinued after only a few years, curious if anyone else uses one. John


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## francist (Apr 8, 2016)

I've seen one before, only one, and boy was it ever cute!

-frank


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## tinnerjohn (Apr 8, 2016)

I have to agree on the cute. I love the design of the old machines. I found a Dunlap bench drill press on Craigslist last week, it fits right in! Not only that, its at least 3 times the machine as the offshore one its replacing.


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## Rodney Young (Apr 8, 2016)

tinnerjohn said:


> Just wondering how rare these are. I got mine about a month ago (wish it was bigger, but it will work for what I need now). I know they were discontinued after only a few years, curious if anyone else uses one. John


Got mine (612) about a month ago also, stripped it down to check out condition. Very good especially since it was made in 1937!
Havent made anything with it yet just turned down a few bolts to check for function. Damn but it IS cute!!
  Rodney.


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## tinnerjohn (Apr 8, 2016)

Mine just needed (so far) a good wipe down and oiling. I made a couple brass bushings for 5/8" bolts for a carrier for my Farmall Cub. Bored 1/2" brass pipe and turned the OD for a driving fit on the arms. If yours has the 2 step pulleys on the motor and countershaft, could you measure them for me? Mine has a 5" countershaft and 2" motor, spindle speeds are a little off from the Atlas chart, not sure if that would cause a problem for threading or not, but I'd like to get or make the right combination. John


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## Rodney Young (Apr 8, 2016)

tinnerjohn said:


> Mine just needed (so far) a good wipe down and oiling. I made a couple brass bushings for 5/8" bolts for a carrier for my Farmall Cub. Bored 1/2" brass pipe and turned the OD for a driving fit on the arms. If yours has the 2 step pulleys on the motor and countershaft, could you measure them for me? Mine has a 5" countershaft and 2" motor, spindle speeds are a little off from the Atlas chart, not sure if that would cause a problem for threading or not, but I'd like to get or make the right combination. John



Hi John,
mine has a 3 1/8 and 1 7/8 pulley on the motor and 3 1/8 and 4 1/2 on the countershaft. I don't think the speed will affect the screw cutting accuracy as the spindle speed and the screw cutting gears will all be off by the same amount?
  Rodney


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## westsailpat (Apr 8, 2016)

Brother John , what is the # on your machine  ? Is this the one ? http://www.lathes.co.uk/atlas/page4.html  , prolly not rare but a good find !
OK , I'm all mixed up . Right you said 612 , prolly is rare.


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## tinnerjohn (Apr 8, 2016)

Thanks Rodney. Westsailpat, I don't recall seeing a SN plate anywhere on it. Any idea where it would be if there is one? From my research I thought the Sears units were the only ones with SN's, but I could be wrong. John


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## Rodney Young (Apr 8, 2016)

tinnerjohn said:


> Thanks Rodney. Westsailpat, I don't recall seeing a SN plate anywhere on it. Any idea where it would be if there is one? From my research I thought the Sears units were the only ones with SN's, but I could be wrong. John


If its like mine there is no plate, serial number is stamped into the top side of the bed right side near the tail stock.


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## Andre (Apr 8, 2016)

OP, do you mean a atlas 10100? I looked at one in Craigslist and it was pretty solid for a small lathe.

Sent from my XT1053 using Tapatalk


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## tinnerjohn (Apr 9, 2016)

westsailpat said:


> Brother John , what is the # on your machine  ? Is this the one ? http://www.lathes.co.uk/atlas/page4.html  , prolly not rare but a good find !


   M2016 is stamped in bed. This is the 12" version of the 618. I'd love to have that 12" in the link, but first I'll need to build a bigger shop! Thats one reason I was attracted to this one. Has to be one of the original mini-lathes. John


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## David S (Apr 9, 2016)

Ok guys.  I have a 618 and as far as I am concerned if I don't see a nice picture of a 612....it just doesn't exist. 

David


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## Superburban (Apr 9, 2016)

From the lathes.uk site. atlas mk1 page 1. About 1/2 way down.   Pics would definitly be cool.
http://www.lathes.co.uk/atlas6inch/


A shorter-bed version, the "Model 612", with just 12 inches between centres, was also manufactured - but this seems to be a comparatively rare machine, despite the undeniable attraction of being light enough to be lifted by one person from under the stairs onto the temporary workbench in the living room.


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## tinnerjohn (Apr 9, 2016)

From my limited research it seems the 12" model was dropped in 39 or 40. Atlas seemed to be supplying defense plants, which probably had more need of the 618. I also have a personal theory that the military may have been a customer for the 618 armature lathe. Building a product for the civilian market took a back seat to war production for everyone. Expanding this theory, the post war building boom had more houses with basement and garage workshops, making the extra length and weight less of a problem. I can remember as a kid in the 60's several basement shops with a lathe and drill press along with the usual woodworking tools.


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## wa5cab (Apr 10, 2016)

As I wrote somewhere earlier, the last Atlas catalog that I can find the 612 listed in is one from 1942.  It isn't in the L-43 or later ones.  So it was made between 1937 and 1942.


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## Rodney Young (Apr 10, 2016)

David S said:


> Ok guys.  I have a 618 and as far as I am concerned if I don't see a nice picture of a 612....it just doesn't exist.
> 
> David









  Hey David,
Pictures of my 612 with the tooling etc. that came with it, one of the bench it mounts on and a couple of the drive assm. One is of the countershaft mount that is concidered to be rare/ uncommon as it mounts to the machine itself not the bench. Not real nice pics but all I got right now. Cheers
  Rodney


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## wa5cab (Apr 10, 2016)

Yes, that would appear to be the first version of the Atlas 6" countershafts.  It appears in the 1937 Catalog Nos. 26 and 28, catalog No. 31 and the 1939 Catalog No. 39.  In the 1940 Catalog No. 40, it has been replaced by the third version.

The only difference that I can see between your machine and the catalog photos is that in all of them, the belt tension lever with the ball on the end sticks up rather than down.  "Up" seems to me the safer orientation.


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## Rodney Young (Apr 10, 2016)

wa5cab said:


> Yes, that would appear to be the first version of the Atlas 6" countershafts.  It appears in the 1937 Catalog Nos. 26 and 28, catalog No. 31 and the 1939 Catalog No. 39.  In the 1940 Catalog No. 40, it has been replaced by the third version.
> 
> The only difference that I can see between your machine and the catalog photos is that in all of them, the belt tension lever with the ball on the end sticks up rather than down.  "Up" seems to me the safer orientation.



 Thanks Robert, yah the lever is in the up position now after I remounted the lathe and adjusted the countershaft for corrct belt tension!
  Rodney


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## David S (Apr 10, 2016)

Thank you Rodney.

That is a nice package indeed.  It looks like that is the Jacobs spindle chuck that lets you pass work through the spindle?  On my 618 I only gave the spindle chuck and the 4 jaw independent.

Should serve you well.

David


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## tinnerjohn (Apr 10, 2016)

Ok David, thanks to Robert I got your drift! These are the pics the PO sent me when I was buying it. I mounted it on a plywood and 2 X 4 stand with a 1/3 HP blower motor I had laying around.


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## David S (Apr 10, 2016)

Yikes tinnerjohn.  I got mixed up with Rodney's post.

Enjoy your 612,

David


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## Rodney Young (Apr 10, 2016)

David S said:


> Thank you Rodney.
> 
> That is a nice package indeed.  It looks like that is the Jacobs spindle chuck that lets you pass work through the spindle?  On my 618 I only gave the spindle chuck and the 4 jaw independent.
> 
> ...



  Hi David,
  Yes the jacobs chuck mounts to the spindle threads so work can pass through, never even thought of that so had to go down and take a look. Benifit to this little guy is it fits in my small basement so can play all winter in the warm basement and all summer in the air conditioned basement! 
  Rodney


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## westsailpat (Apr 10, 2016)

Rodney , that stand is beautiful .


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## Rodney Young (Apr 10, 2016)

westsailpat said:


> Rodney , that stand is beautiful .


Thanks!
  The stand actually weighs more than the lathe! The cast iron legs and the solid wood 1 3/4 thick planks make it pretty heavy. Cleaned up pretty nice. I think it was designed for a larger lathe but works great for the little guy.
  Rodney


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## VSAncona (Apr 11, 2016)

Nice little machine. I have a 618 but have always been on the lookout for a 612 just because they look cool.

That bench in your last photo looks like it's from a Delta woodworking lathe though, not Atlas.


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## utterstan (Apr 11, 2016)

That is really cool


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## Rodney Young (Apr 11, 2016)

VSAncona said:


> Nice little machine. I have a 618 but have always been on the lookout for a 612 just because they look cool.
> 
> That bench in your last photo looks like it's from a Delta woodworking lathe though, not Atlas.


Hi Vince,
  Could be, I haven't researched the bench much but I know it isnt the correct one for my lathe going by pictures Ive seen.
 Rodney


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## TOOLMASTER (May 15, 2016)

heres one that i saw today for 400 bucks

http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/csw/tls/5587727924.html


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## tr7sprint1 (May 16, 2016)

David S said:


> Ok guys.  I have a 618 and as far as I am concerned if I don't see a nice picture of a 612....it just doesn't exist.
> 
> David




David,

I have a 612 and it has a s/n plate on it. I see if I have the picture on my this computer.


Cliff


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## wa5cab (May 17, 2016)

Cliff,

If you don't have a legible photo of the nameplate, please post the serial number here.  We only have two examples in the database.


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## tr7sprint1 (May 17, 2016)

wa5cab said:


> Cliff,
> 
> If you don't have a legible photo of the nameplate, please post the serial number here.  We only have two examples in the database.



okay


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## wa5cab (May 17, 2016)

You can also add comments such as what it cost you, accessories that you got with it (i.e., what you got for that money)  and when and where you found it.  I intend to upload a .CSV version of the Atlas and AA machine database when I complete the updates that I'm currently working on.


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## tr7sprint1 (May 17, 2016)

wa5cab said:


> You can also add comments such as what it cost you, accessories that you got with it (i.e., what you got for that money)  and when and where you found it.  I intend to upload a .CSV version of the Atlas and AA machine database when I complete the updates that I'm currently working on.



Free from a coworker with quite a few tooling pieces. I'll try to post picture soon
Got to figure out how to since I'm fairly new here.

Cliff


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## tr7sprint1 (May 17, 2016)

tr7sprint1 said:


> Free from a coworker with quite a few tooling pieces. I'll try to post picture soon
> Got to figure out how to since I'm fairly new here.
> 
> Cliff


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## wa5cab (May 17, 2016)

Cliff,

Although there is no objection to posting photos (and if you don't, someone will probably make a comment), I know what a 612 looks like.  And as you got it for free, and I doubt either you or the previous owner have much idea as to when it was made other than between 1937 and 1942, all that I really need is the serial number.


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## tr7sprint1 (May 17, 2016)

wa5cab said:


> Cliff,
> 
> Although there is no objection to posting photos (and if you don't, someone will probably make a comment), I know what a 612 looks like.  And as you got it for free, and I doubt either you or the previous owner have much idea as to when it was made other than between 1937 and 1942, all that I really need is the serial number.


Here is my serial number plate. I have go to my Photobucket filder and find the picture of my 612 when I got it with all accessories and what it looks like now.

Cliff


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## tr7sprint1 (May 17, 2016)

tr7sprint1 said:


> Here is my serial number plate. I have go to my Photobucket file and find the picture of my 612 when I got it with the included accessories and what it looks like now.
> 
> Cliff
> 
> View attachment 129145



Another picture of what it looked like when I got it.


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## tr7sprint1 (May 17, 2016)

This is what my 612 looked like when I got it about 6 years ago.


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## wa5cab (May 18, 2016)

Thanks.


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## tr7sprint1 (May 19, 2016)

Here it is now, after the cleanup.  The previous owner let his scouts make  ink pens on it to earn merit badges.


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