# Craftsman Atlas 6x18  101.07301 cross feed screw Question



## MotoJ (Mar 13, 2014)

Hi Folks,

So, I've been stripping and cleaning my newly acquired 618, and I've got a question.
The lathe was partially disassembled, and I've got it together and running for the most part.
I have two cross feed carriage screws, and I'm wondering if someone can tell me which is correct for my lathe.
One is a 1-20 fine thread, and the other is a 1-10 machine thread, like a worm screw.

They both work the same, same length, same brass nut, etc. I'm going to install the 1-20 one, because it seems to have less play.
Just wondering which one is the original.

Thanks,
JD


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## AR1911 (Mar 13, 2014)

The lower screw (acme thread) is correct


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## wa5cab (Mar 14, 2014)

Minor point, but neither screw looks like it is 1" in diameter.

Robert D.


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## MotoJ (Mar 14, 2014)

wa5cab said:


> Minor point, but neither screw looks like it is 1" in diameter.
> 
> 
> Robert D.



Sorry Robert, should have said threads per inch. I'm sure you knew what I meant though.


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## iron man (Mar 14, 2014)

The 1-20 gives you a direct read dial the stock one or 1-10 is indirect read. That is probably the reason they did that it may not be stock but I would rather have a direct read dial. If you want direct read with the 1-10 then you need a 200 th dial that is what I made for my Atlas 10.. Ray


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## wa5cab (Mar 15, 2014)

Actually, the 10 TPI feed screw with a 100 step dial reads the cross slide movement directly.  I'm afraid that I couldn't use such a non-standard machine.

Robert D.


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## iron man (Mar 15, 2014)

With a 10TPI if you turn your dial like your going to remove 10 thousands lets say you will remove 20 thousands of material from the Diameter. With the 20 TPI it is direct, turn the dial ten thousands and ten is all you will remove. The larger lathes I use to operate (Leblond) where all this way and they where not confusing like the indirect read. instead of replacing my crossfeed screw with a 20 TPI I installed a 200 thousands dial which again gives me a direct read very easy to work with and to remember. Ray


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## wa5cab (Mar 16, 2014)

Well, we are just going to have to agree to disagree about this.  Both on the advantage or lack thereof of having the cutter move half as far as the dial says it does and on the logical meaning of "direct reading" versus "indirect reading".

Robert D.


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## chuckorlando (Mar 16, 2014)

iron man said:


> With a 10TPI if you turn your dial like your going to remove 10 thousands lets say you will remove 20 thousands of material from the Diameter. With the 20 TPI it is direct, turn the dial ten thousands and ten is all you will remove. The larger lathes I use to operate (Leblond) where all this way and they where not confusing like the indirect read. instead of replacing my crossfeed screw with a 20 TPI I installed a 200 thousands dial which again gives me a direct read very easy to work with and to remember. Ray



Thats a real pain in school. You dont know what your machine dials or dro's read till you start cutting. Either work fine once you know which you are working with


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## iron man (Mar 16, 2014)

No disagreement it depends on how you may look at it but if you go to buy a dial then it makes a differance here is a guy who sells the Direct Read dials 200 graduations for Atlas lathes.

http://www.shop.tallgrasstools.com/product.sc?productId=19&categoryId=1


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## wa5cab (Mar 16, 2014)

As I wrote earlier, different strokes for different folks.  Fortunately, all of the dials on all of the machines that I have are direct reading (the cutter, table, ram, etc move exactly as much as the dial says it moved, not twice as much, half as much or any other multiplier or divisor).  Anyway, if everyone is happy with the machines that they have, good.  

Robert D.


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