# proper motor and countershaft setup



## Fishbone1 (Jul 14, 2014)

Is this picture the correct way to set up the motor and countershaft on a 101-7301?


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## wa5cab (Jul 14, 2014)

Sorry.  Originally put this into the wrong thread...

No.  Or at least it isn't the way "the book" shows it.  Putting the motor between the lathe and the  countershaft just about doubles the length of the spindle belt, which is  undesirable from a vibration standpoint.  The only two photos ever supplied by Sears of this model with the "A" revision countershaft bracket show the motor hard mounted to the left and slightly to the rear of the headstock.  If you look in Downloads under Atlas/Craftsman, you will find the Craftsman manual for it in the Lathe Manuals folder.  

Robert D.


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## Fishbone1 (Jul 15, 2014)

I'm the begger of information here, so no apology required. The motor I  have has a hinge assembly on it. if you place the motor left and back do you use the hinge to tension the belt? I may be asking a question that will be answered when I see the download. I'm still on download probation so I may not get it until tomorrow. 
Thanks Robert!
Gary


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## wa5cab (Jul 16, 2014)

Gary,

Unfortunately, the photo wasn't taken at the best angle to show this and the available scans of that photo are nothing to write home about.  As I said somewhere else yesterday (or thought I did), no 6" parts list I have ever seen shows any motor mounting bracket.  You mount the motor to the bench somewhat forward (toward the front of the lathe) of the countershaft bracket.  From the geometry of the setup, the best compromise location for the bracket would be with the countershaft hanger (the part that attaches to the bracket and that the countershaft bearings mount in the jaws of) leaned forward about 40 or 45 deg. when the spindle belt is tight.  Then mount the motor so that its belt is also tight.  At that position, when you rotate the hanger forward with the tension lever, the pulleys move forward and down about the same amount.  I don't know why Atlas never did a drill template for the A-suffix bracket.

Robert D.


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## utterstan (Nov 20, 2015)

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## my machine shop (Nov 23, 2015)




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