Atlas 618 back gear uses?

[Rob_fixit]

What do you use back gear for most often? I have recently been using it to take deeper cuts and wondered if that could be harmful in some way if done for too long. As long as everything is oiled up, what could be a problem?

What else would back gear be used for aside from deeper cuts, threading, and maybe knurling?

 

[mmcmdl]

What else would back gear be used for aside from deeper cuts, threading, and maybe knurling?

Drilling large holes . Higher torque , lower RPMs . Weird set-ups where the chuck is way off center . Using a die head .

 

[bill stupak]

Single point threading.

sorry didn't read the last line.

 

[Aaron_W]

Lathes with back gear were designed to use the back gear, so I wouldn't be too worried that is its use is going to harm the lathe.

Of course the youngest of these lathes are pushing 50 years old, and some people do put more powerful motors than Atlas recommended (1/4 - 1/3hp) so some weak point giving way seems more likely during back gear use, but in those cases failure could occur the first time you push it too hard.

 

[wa5cab]

44 years to be exact,, at least for the Model 3996 and similar 12". The last of the "new" 12" are thought to have been made in March of 1981. The 6" Mark 2's, according to the early 1990's catalogs appear to have remained in production for a few more years. But certainly not beyond 2000. The last of the 3/8" bed 10" (Atlas) and 12" (Craftsman) were made in 1956 or early 1957 when they were replaced by the 1/2" bed 12".