Atlas/Craftsman Serial Numbers and Bearing Dates (if applicable) For Database Entries

OK. Then assuming that it still has its original bed, it must have been updated. Several catalogs say that the pintle style compound and milling attachments started at serial number 3970. While we are at it, confirm that it has a 5/8" diameter lead screw and no power cross feed.
 
Yes, 5/8" lead screw and no power cross feed. I realize due to the age, there could have been many changes made from the as built options. Is the 1936-37 time frame correct age-wise?
 
OK. Then all stock except cross slide and countershaft assembly. And both of those could have been bought within 2 or 3 years from Atlas.

I would guess 1936. Based on the pre-war Atlas catalogs, I have the 10F pegged for the latter part of 1938. The earliest reported 10F serial number is V 009552 S. And the currently last reported 10D serial number is D 008635 S. I forgot to ask one other question. Is your 10D's Change Gear Guard fabricated or cast? Probably the latter as the part number was 10-28A, so it replaced the fabricated one before the 10D appeared.
 
OK. So everything is consistent for a 10D of that S/N except that the cross slide and compound swivel have been updated. That apparently wasn't uncommon. Atlas may have done an update kit in the late 30's.
 
Thanks for the information Bob. It's interesting that my 10D is the oldest on your list so far. For being 80+ years old it's in fantastic shape. The ways on the bed are perfect without marks or gouges, and show no wear. There are no repaired castings or other signs of abuse. It must have been somebody's pride and joy for a long time and had excellent care. I plan to do the same!
 
Yes, that little wear is quite unusual in a machine that old.
 
New member here. I picked up my 3rd Atlas/Craftsman lathe over the weekend and thought I'd post details of the collection.

My first machine I picked up about 5-6 months ago came from an auction. I'd owned a couple small lathes over the years but always sold them before moving to save the hassle. I wanted to get in to machining again and found this one at an online auction and fell in love with it. Admittedly, I got caught up in the auction and paid a little too much for it, but it was turnkey and ready to go and I don't regret it.

It's a TH54 and doesn't have the serial number on the end like my other machines. The only number I've found is "TH16274 S" stamped in to far end of the front way. I haven't had a reason to pull the spindle yet, so no dates at this point.

It's kind of a "resto-mod" machine. The PO owns a small shop near Atlanta and did a full restoration of it along with adding some goodies - like DROs on the X, Y and tailstock and DC drive and motor on the lead screw. Also came with a QC tool post a quite a few holders and extra tooling.

Sadly, I was using it last night cutting some threads and managed to let the smoke out of the drum switch. It had been a little finicky since I got it and it finally died on me. Upon disassembly I found two of the contact tabs were damaged and actually broke off as I opened it. The other points were a little rough but could be cleaned up. I'm hoping I can find or make replacement tabs to fix it. I quickly learned from searching ebay that these reversing drum switches are incredibly expensive!

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The same weekend that the above machine was arriving at the freight terminal, I found this TH48 on CL ans struck a deal. The PO had bought it 20+ years ago, moved it around several times but never set it up or run it. It came with a milling attachment and draw bar and some other goodies, which was the main reason I bought it. I also like that it had an original wood stand, which I have yet to find another one like it. It was pretty rusty and crusty and I decided to do a full strip down and restoration on it. I'm about 90% done and just need to install the counter shaft and motor and wire it up. The serial on this one is 059761. Sadly I didn't know to look for dates on the bearings when I had the spindle out. It is Timken bearing machine.

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And finally, this is the 12x54 101.28910 I picked up over the weekend. Serial number is 106558. I had to drive 8 hours round trip to Norfolk, VA to pick it up. The PO used to do machine work in one of the ship yards and this was his personal machine at home. It's in exceptionally good shape. Very tight and the ways are flawless. Only notable damage so far is a busted tooth on 16 side of the 16/32 banjo gear. It also looks like the counter shaft end bearing support was replaced with a homemade unit, but it actually looks better than the original! This one also came with a milling attachment (with original jaw plates!), quite a bit of tooling, a huge QC post, Starrrett and other domestic mics, a Starrett indicator, a whole pile of MT drill bits and reamers, a 60's era craftsman tap and die set and about 140+ lbs of brass and copper round stock, 150+ lbs of stainless, tool steel and other misc. steel stock.

I'm debating if I'm just going to set this one up and run it or if I want to do at least a partial tear-down and clean it up a bit. I did have to cover it in Fluid Film for the ride home as it started to rain and I was hauling it on an open trailer. But the goop did it's job and protected it...now I just need to clean it all off!

The reamer set that came with it has a 1939 date on it. Not sure if that's a good indication of the lathe's date or not.

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