Atlas 9” lathe Babbitt bearing caps reversed

[xyz07]

I am “restoring” an early Atlas Metalcraft lathe (mostly repainting, but, given the scope of rust removal/surface prep plus other things on my to do list, this may be called a restoration). I already have a thread about it, which started with my chuck question and then was taken sideways (by me ). I thought it would be better to have separate threads for separate topics, hence this post.

Anyhow, after looking at the Metalcraft model photos, I realized my Babbitt bearing “caps” (that is, the parts containing the upper halves of the bearings) may have been reversed at some point: the oiler covers in middle should be hinged in the back, but the hinges on mine are facing the front of the lathe. I suppose the main question is how much the lathe was run with this setup so that it could have some effect on the bearings; naturally, I have no idea, as I just bought it.

The spindle (and, obviously, the caps) are now off for repainting. Trying to figure out: when I reinstall the caps, should they be in the (reversed) position that existed when I got the lathe, or should I orient them the way they were supposed to come from the factory? Any suggestions would be much appreciated, as I’m not sure what would be the best course of action - seems like there are pros and cons either way.

 

[markba633csi]

If you don't see any obvious non-symmetry with the caps then I think it's safe to assume they can go on either way- however you might be due for a new set of shells at this point
-Mark

 

[shadetreedad]

I have an old 9” Atlas headstock and someone has marked the caps (see red circles) for orientation. I don’t know if that’s from the factory or by a PO. A good idea, nonetheless. Also, my oilers have one facing forward and the other rearward. Anyway, if your headstock was mine, I would put it back together the way it came apart. If the spindle feels good, not too tight or too loose, then you should be fine. The oilers are just pressed in and maybe someone turned them around for some reason.

Mike

 

[xyz07]

Thanks for the comments! I will maintain “status quo” then. Shadetreedad - you have a very tidy/clean looking headstock (also becoming a familiar sight for me after days spent working on this project). I picked the traditional lighter shade of “machine” gray paint, but the darker color looks nice, and could be more practical. On a side note, I’m considering using four self-adhesive felt strips (two per bearing, one on each side) as expendable absorbent material to soak in/prevent oil from the Babbitts from spreading around, both to keep the lathe cleaner and maybe for safety reasons as well. The self-adhesive part is TBD though (once the oil gets on those surfaces, attaching the next set of strips may become problematic).

 

[benmychree]

Oil leakage is a part of life particularly with cheap machines of unsophisticated design; learn to live with it, and resist the urge to flood everything with oil when the duration of the job is short.

 

[shadetreedad]

I purchased this lathe sight unseen, thinking it was an Atlas 10-F. But it was cheap enough, so I thought maybe it could be a decent second lathe. Unfortunately, the bed is really worn out so it's basically a parts machine. I started cleaning it up a couple years ago to sell and then other projects took precedence.

Regarding your lathe, I wouldn’t concern myself with worrying about controlling where the oil flows. Trying to redirect will probably be more of a hassle than it's worth. Just oil as needed and clean up when done. As John stated, it's just a part of the design on these old machines.

Mike

 

[xyz07]

I purchased this lathe sight unseen, thinking it was an Atlas 10-F. But it was cheap enough, so I thought maybe it could be a decent second lathe. Unfortunately, the bed is really worn out so it's basically a parts machine. I started cleaning it up a couple years ago to sell and then other projects took precedence.

Regarding your lathe, I wouldn’t concern myself with worrying about controlling where the oil flows. Trying to redirect will probably be more of a hassle than it's worth. Just oil as needed and clean up when done. As John stated, it's just a part of the design on these old machines.

Mike

I was wondering - do any of the Atlas 10/other Atlas/Craftsman headstocks fit the 9" Atlas? I'm asking because, as I understand from reading another thread on this website, a lot of parts are actually interchangeable.

 

[shadetreedad]

I was wondering - do any of the Atlas 10/other Atlas/Craftsman headstocks fit the 9" Atlas? I'm asking because, as I understand from reading another thread on this website, a lot of parts are actually interchangeable.

The simple answer is no. While the 10” headstock may fit between the rails, it would be ½” too tall. The 9” compound drive lathe was the only 9” lathe Atlas made. When they designed the 10” lathe it was virtually completely new from the ground up. However, some of the ancillary parts (gearbox, lead screw, change gears, handles, etc.) might be used between models.
Mike

 

[xyz07]

I purchased this lathe sight unseen, thinking it was an Atlas 10-F. But it was cheap enough, so I thought maybe it could be a decent second lathe. Unfortunately, the bed is really worn out so it's basically a parts machine. I started cleaning it up a couple years ago to sell and then other projects took precedence.

Regarding your lathe, I wouldn’t concern myself with worrying about controlling where the oil flows. Trying to redirect will probably be more of a hassle than it's worth. Just oil as needed and clean up when done. As John stated, it's just a part of the design on these old machines.

Mike

Mike, does your lathe include the large-diameter spoked pulley shown in the photo below (the one at the top)? If it does, would you mind sharing the diameter? My lathe is missing this pulley and I want to see what my options are (looks like there are plenty of aftermarket pulleys available). Thanks in advance!

P.S. Last-minute addition : looks like I don't have the small motor pulley that the large one is connected to (the one in the bottom left corner of the photo) either, so the diameter of that one would be much appreciated as well.

 

[wa5cab]

xyz07 (you need to set up your signature),

In Downloads is a reverse engineered drawing for making a 5/8" bore motor pulley. There is also a marked up NTS drawing that will give you the OD of the two grooves on the larger 2-step countershaft pulley. Both pulleys are still available from Clausing. The part number of the larger one has changed from 9-427 to 560-060. Motor Pulley part number for 1/2" bore is still 9-428 and for 5/9" bore is 10-428. Note that if you ask for 9-428, you will probably get 10-428 and a keyed reducing bushing.

Note that as Downloads is a significant contributor to our monthly bill, access to Downloads requires Donor status (any level).