#2 MT tailstock for Atlas/Craftsman 6" lathe?

B

backgear

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Nov 17, 2014
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1) Am I the only one who wishes these smaller lathes had a #2 MT tailstock spindle, instead of the wheezy #1?
2) Did anyone make an aftermarket #2 MT option for these lathes?
3) Has any member had success fabricating a #2 MT option?
 
1) No one has ever mentioned it but I can understand why someone might feel that way.
2) Not that I have ever seen.
3) Not that I know of.
 
I can't comment on 1 or 2, but if you really want an MT2 tailstock it wouldn't be hard to make one.

I wouldn't make one from scratch though... An MT2 shank is 0.225" wider at the "major diameter" and 0.413" longer than an MT1 shank. If it were me, I would first measure the "quill" of the tailstock. if you have enough extra material it is real easy, put an MT2 reamer in your chuck, position the tailstock right in front of it with the quill retracted. (you may or may not need to yank off the carriage, I don't know if you'd run out of room or not) Then apply lots of cutting fluid and slowly advance the quill into the reamer. all done....

If you don't have the extra material on your stock quill, I would turn a new one with a bit of extra material on the front end and then just install it in your existing tailstock.
 
I think that what you would gain by using heavier tooling you would lose by having it stuck out farther. If I were determined to put a 2MT tailstock on an Atlas built 6", I would do a search for another 6" lathe that already had a 2MT tailstock. If there are any. And if there are, try to acquire one of those tailstocks and adapt it to the Atlas. The new one needs to be capable of being offset and preferably by the same means used on the Atlas. There is a key cut across the bottom of the M6-5 Tailstock and a keyway that fits the key cut across the top of the M6-6 base. Most other lathes made since II will have Inverted "V" type beds but that won't matter as you would either adapt the new tailstock to the M6-6 or make a new base with top to fit the new tailstock and bottom to fit the Atlas bed. That would be far and away the easiest way to do it so I would first spend some research time finding out whether or not such a donor exists.
 
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