# Help me identify this lathe and assign a value.



## Earlkonig (Feb 23, 2018)

Gentlemen, I’m looking at purchasing an Atlas lathe from a gentlemen that’s about 1.5 hrs away.  He doesn’t know what model it is other than it’s an Atlas lathe and it’s covered in protective grease.  He said it’s been in storage for 15 years.  Looking at pictures I think it’s an 10D, but not for sure.  It also looks like it’s a Babbitt bearing lathe.  Is there anything I should look for on this lathe or anything of concern you guys see from the pictures?  He is asking $800 for the lathe, but I’m not sure if it’s worth it.  Thanks!


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## pdentrem (Feb 23, 2018)

There should be a tag on the bed, usually on the far end, tailstock end, that will have the serial number etc. it is a 10F as it has the power crossfeed. Do you have all the change gears? The gear chart inside the end cover will show you what you need. You have a few items that many are lacking such as steady rest and milling attachment, spindle nose chuck.

 I would say that in my area 800 is a fair price, many will go for more that that. I sold my 10F24 for 600 with far less accessories.

Look here for the change gear listing.
https://www.hobby-machinist.com/threads/change-gears-for-10d-and-f-series-lathes.10495/


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## Earlkonig (Feb 23, 2018)

Any concern with the Babbitt bearings?  I’m trying to ease my way into lathe work before doing what I usually do and spend a lot more money than I need too.


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## pdentrem (Feb 23, 2018)

There should be a shim pack that was put in place on either side of the bearings. As the Babbitt wears one removes a shim to tighten it up. To do so remove the 2 bolts that hold the main caps and investigate. Many times past owners had no clue the shims even existed. With the Git’s oilers the bearings will likely have been well taken care of.


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## Uncle Buck (Feb 23, 2018)

In my region that would be about a $500 machine. Not heavily tooled, from what I see not even including a 3 jaw chuck. Granted, if you have to select either a 4 jaw, or a 3 jaw the machine does have the better choice between the 3 or 4 jaw chuck. That said I use my 3 jaw much more than my 4 jaw simply do to convenience. More important to the asking price is the absence of a QC gear selection box. Team that up with a much older Babbitt bearing machine, plus the fact that it is an Atlas, and this really starts looking like about a $500 dollar machine to me.  

(No slight intended to Atlas machines, my lathe is an Atlas too and I love it!)


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## Earlkonig (Feb 23, 2018)

That was going to be my upper end offer.  Thanks for the comments validating my thought process.  The lack of the qc gear box and Babbitt bearings brought the machine down in value.


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## mmcmdl (Feb 23, 2018)

I just sold the identical lathe a few months back that was in perfect condition with the table , an overhead light , a work light . Yes , it is a 10D . I sold it for $500 with a few extra chucks , all change gears , collett drawbar , steady rest and other tooling . The lathe never cut metal as it was in a woodshop . My ad for the lathe is probably still on this website . I would offer him $500 and go from there .


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## hss cutter (Feb 23, 2018)

I see a milling attachment a steady reast a four jaw a drill head lots of little things in the boxes I be more in the 6 buts that's me


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## pdentrem (Feb 23, 2018)

10D = no crossfeed
10F = with crossfeed
Babbitt and Timken lathes were sold at the same time as Timken was an upgrade, later the Babbit versions were discontinued but much later then one would think.

I bought my clone of a Jet BDB1340A for 1500, but is an early one as it has a threaded spindle.


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## cjtoombs (Feb 23, 2018)

Those milling attachments regularly go for 300 or so on Ebay, so that 800 is probably not a bad price, 500 for the lathe, 300 for the milling attachment.  I'd still offer him 500, but if he knows what he has, he won't let it go for that.


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## Earlkonig (Feb 24, 2018)

He turned down my offer for $500.00.  I’ll keep looking.


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## mmcmdl (Feb 24, 2018)

You will learn to pass on a deal as time goes on . There will be a better deal that follows .


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## wa5cab (Feb 24, 2018)

Apparently you've already made your decision but I'll go ahead and correct the identification.  Assuming that all parts are original to the lathe, it is a babbit bearing 10F with vertical countershaft, made between 1942 and 1945 (the headstocks with the rectangular power switch escutcheons came out in early 1942 and the babbit bearing headstocks and the vertical countershafts were both discontinued after 1945).  The milling attachment and the steady rest are each worth a minimum of $150 and the Jacobs 58B or 59B headstock chuck $100.  The only none original parts that I see on the machine itself are the two automatic oilers.


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## cjtoombs (Feb 24, 2018)

Just did a quick scan of eBay sold listings for the milling attachment.  There were quite a few sold and they ranged in price between 200 and 375 dollars.


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## Bob Korves (Feb 25, 2018)

cjtoombs said:


> Just did a quick scan of eBay sold listings for the milling attachment.  There were quite a few sold and they ranged in price between 200 and 375 dollars.


You can buy a used round column milling machine for that kind of money.  Lathe milling attachments, especially ones on a small and light lathe like that, will be quite limited in the work they can do.  Most of the lathe milling attachments I have seen for that size lathe appear to have been used once and then put away on a shelf to rust.


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## cjtoombs (Feb 25, 2018)

I havn't heard a lot of good things about round column mills, but I expect some of the price is in collector value, not use value.  Also, the 10-12" milling attachments seem to be rarer than the 6" versions.


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## Earlkonig (Feb 26, 2018)

So I’m back on board for this lathe.  After seeing the replies on the value of this machine and talking with the owner, I maybe picking this machine up next week.  I actually already have a round column mill I picked up for the price of this milling attachment lol.  I bought it primarily for a drill press, but it works for milling right now.  I’m easing back into machining after selling my Tormach PCNC1100 4 axis setup.  I have learned a lot in having to use more simple equipment when making my parts.


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## hss cutter (Feb 26, 2018)

I like my mill attachment yes it is limited but hey if we were not having fun why do it.


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## Uncle Buck (Feb 26, 2018)

So sell off the milling attachment and recoup $300. I have a milling attachment as well. I tried using it once. I was not impressed, I have never used it again.


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## Earlkonig (Feb 27, 2018)

Update!!!! I didn’t get the lathe, because this fell into my lap for $800.00.  He was asking for $2300.00


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