A degree wheel for the Atlas/Craftsman 6X18

[SG51Buss]

I plan to post a series of mods for the Atlas/Craftsman 6x18. Since they're machine specific, I guess they should go into this forum, instead of the 'projects' forum???

This little degree wheel fits on the spindle flange, behind the chuck.
And, just like the feedscrew dials, it gets frequent use.



It's a simple disc of aluminum, 1/4" thick where it rides on the spindle flange, then flares around the headstock casting to a more visible 0.350" wide outer face.
The ID is slightly less than 1-3/8", because I skimmed the spindle flange OD to get a smooth light drag fit. Your flange diameter may be a bit larger, so adjust the ID dim to fit. You may need to skim your flange as I did.

The wheel needs some sort of grub screw, I used a small 4-40 brass screw with a larger head.



The wheel is marked for the full 360° by glueing a 0.400" wide strip of 7.200" long paper, pre-printed with the degree markings.



I made this back in the '90s, when inkjet printers had coarser dot densities. I wanted crisp/clear marking lines, and to achieve that I needed to select a printing size that would ensure that the inkjet dots aligned with the desired marking lines. A circumference of 7.200" would make each degree mark fall on a 0.020" dimension, which worked great for my 300 DPI (Dots-Per-Inch) inkjet printer. Divided by Pi, this makes the OD of the degree wheel 2.292". The printer paper is about 0.004" thick, and I found thru experimentation that an OD of 2.290" allowed the paper strip to perfectly wrap around the circumference.

 

[SG51Buss]

The paper strip is purposely wider than the wheel. It's carefully cut along the border, then glued to the wheel with the chuck side of the wheel down on a flat surface, to guide the paper strip so that the right edge is aligned. This ensures that the numbers will remain visible and be properly positioned.

I aligned the 0° part of the paper strip over the grub screw hole. The paper has to be carved away from the hole, and it looks like a zero, easy to find.

After the glue has set, the excess paper is trimmed with an Xacto knife, through the degree marking lines, along the wheel edge. Then a couple coats of chemical resistant clear is painted over it.

When done, it should look like this (but much cleaner).



Ignore the two extra holes. This was made from a piece of scrap...

 

[SG51Buss]

The pointer is a piece of sheet brass. Cut, bent, and epoxied to the headstock.
This takes a bit of creative finagling, to get a close and easy to read fit.
This one was painted with the headstock. Perhaps black would have been a better color.

 

[SG51Buss]

The finished degree wheel is slid onto the spindle flange, but left loose. Then the chuck is installed, the degree wheel pressed against the backside of the chuck, and snugged down. Keeping the degree wheel against the backside of the chuck ensures that it'll run true and not drag against the pointer.



That's it. Ready to go.
Now, if the boyz at Tallgrass tools want to make some of these, by all means please do so. I'd buy one...

 

[wa5cab]

Steve,

Nice looking work. If the two extra holes are tapped, you can tell people that they are for jack screws to aid in removal.:jester:

For the record, for those who might not know, "618" is an Atlas model number, and applies only to the Atlas badged 6X18's. Sears sold the same machine after 1957 but with a Craftsman badge and a model number of 101.21400. Earlier, Atlas built and Sears sold the sleeve bearing 101.07301, which is also a 6X18 but not a 618. I suspect that the tendency to call all 6" lathes with 18" between centers "618's" is the source of the myth that some 618's have 1"-8 spindle nose threads. None do. It's sorta like the tendency among one class of Ham to call ATC's "ART13" (sic) and ATA/ARA and SCR-274-N "ARC5" (sic).

Robert D.

 

[SG51Buss]

Thanks, Robert. I was hoping for a response from you. :thumbsup2:

Yes, those holes are threaded, and are indeed used for jackscrews and lift points for the gantry crane :whistle:.

I've read many of your posts (very informative) and understand the '618' issue, and how a street slang moniker develops an unstoppable life of its own, grating on the nerves of the purists. Like 'back pressure' in exhaust discussions.

My machine, inherited from dad, never was badged. Only the gearcover has 2 holes for badging, none in the headstock or bed. Wasn't until the late '80s that I needed to identify it so to find parts. I believe dad mostly dealt with Atlas. It has some mystery components that I'll try to post in future threads.

Am I correct in understanding that, aside from the sleeve-bearing headstock and 1"-8TPI spindle, that everything else is Atlas and Craftsman identical and interchangeable? If so, then many of my future project topics would most likely apply equally to both.

So, what would be the appropriate moniker to use here for this group of machines?
Atlas/Craftsman 6x18, Atlas/Craftsman 6-inch, other???

 

[Round in circles]

Thanks for posting and the pictures .

I like the whole idea and may be able to do similar on my lathe ( not an Atlas but similar ) but make it in steel or aluminum as it's cheaper and just as easy to do .

I think that my indicator pointer / viewer will be a small thin slot cut ( Dremmel ground ) in some 1/4 inch thick 2 inch angle aluminum . Cut & set up so it is close to the scale reading that way there will be less chance of taking a false reading . I think there will be enough meat on the headstock casing to take a couple of small locating screws for me to put the viewing window device there.

What has struck me is that with care I may be able to scratch the gradients out on the edge face of the wheel using the cross slide so it looks a bit like my cross slide graduations.

 

[Inflight]

Very elegant solution! :thumbsup2: I use an outboard end version on my 10" Atlas machines. I like your's more.



Matt

 

[Dranreb]

Nice job Steve :thumbzup:

 

[Ulma Doctor]

Great work on the degree wheel, it really looks nice!
:thumbzup3: