I just picked up an Atlas lathe with a 36 inch bed at a late machinist's estate auction. The plate on the end of the bed indicates that it is an H54. The serial number is 055718. It came with a Union 4 jaw chuck, a Union 3 jaw chuck, two faceplates, full set of change gears, the original tool holder and a steady rest. The lathe is mounted on a very nice and sturdy homemade steel table. The 3/4 horsepower motor works well, and the power feed and crossfeed work. The package cost me $500. The unit seems to be well maintained, and has babbitt bearings.
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Atlas/Craftsman Serial Numbers and Bearing Dates (if applicable) For Database Entries
- Thread starter wa5cab
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Thanks. Can you please give me country, state/province and city? At the moment, because of the recent server software update, I can't get that info from your Avatar info.
FYI, from the serial number and model number, it was probably made in early 1945, which was the last year that Atlas built babbit bearing headstocks. If it had had Timken roller bearings, the model number would have been TH54. The H means that it has a Horizontal countershaft assembly (the other choice, which was V for Vertical, also ceased production in about 1945). The 54 means that the bed is 54" long (the other choices were 36, 42 and 48, with the 36 and 48 being dropped late 1947 or early 1948). When you subtract from the bed length the length of the headstock and tailstock, each with a dead center installed, you get the distance between centers, which as you said is about 36". So the generic size specifier is 10x36. And the Series that it belongs to is 10F. The 10F parts manual is in DOWNLOADS, which is currently being called Resources.
Atlas never did a Technical Bulletin on the babbit headstocks. There is a little information, including a section view, in some editions of the MOLO (Atlas Manual of Lathe Operations and Machinist Tables). If one did not come with the machine, the best source is probably eBay. The first 15 editions of the MOLO just say on the copyright page Copyright 1937. From the 16th Edition on, the babbit bearing info was dropped from the MOLO. The one that you want will have white plastic binding instead of spiral wire and Part 7 - THREADING will cover the Atlas F-Series 10 Inch instead of the Sears Master Craftsman. They were printed from about 1943 to 1953, but there is no way in the manuals to determine the print year and edition number. eBay sellers almost never put the threading information in their ads so you will usually have to write them and ask what's in Part 7 (or Chapter 7). Prices typically run from about $25 to $40. Anything over $40, keep looking.
FYI, from the serial number and model number, it was probably made in early 1945, which was the last year that Atlas built babbit bearing headstocks. If it had had Timken roller bearings, the model number would have been TH54. The H means that it has a Horizontal countershaft assembly (the other choice, which was V for Vertical, also ceased production in about 1945). The 54 means that the bed is 54" long (the other choices were 36, 42 and 48, with the 36 and 48 being dropped late 1947 or early 1948). When you subtract from the bed length the length of the headstock and tailstock, each with a dead center installed, you get the distance between centers, which as you said is about 36". So the generic size specifier is 10x36. And the Series that it belongs to is 10F. The 10F parts manual is in DOWNLOADS, which is currently being called Resources.
Atlas never did a Technical Bulletin on the babbit headstocks. There is a little information, including a section view, in some editions of the MOLO (Atlas Manual of Lathe Operations and Machinist Tables). If one did not come with the machine, the best source is probably eBay. The first 15 editions of the MOLO just say on the copyright page Copyright 1937. From the 16th Edition on, the babbit bearing info was dropped from the MOLO. The one that you want will have white plastic binding instead of spiral wire and Part 7 - THREADING will cover the Atlas F-Series 10 Inch instead of the Sears Master Craftsman. They were printed from about 1943 to 1953, but there is no way in the manuals to determine the print year and edition number. eBay sellers almost never put the threading information in their ads so you will usually have to write them and ask what's in Part 7 (or Chapter 7). Prices typically run from about $25 to $40. Anything over $40, keep looking.
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I forgot to add that there is a closed thread in the Sticky area at the top of this Forum on navigating DOWNLOADS (Resources). Read it first. It will save you some time. It's currently third from the top.
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Robert,
I also have an H series Atlas lathe. Model H48, serial #51183. It has the metal lathe stand with wood shelves that it came with. I was thinking about mounting the lathe to a heavy wood shop table, with your experience whats the difference in using this lathe with its Atlas supplied stand versus a made to order shop table?
Thanks,
Tim
I also have an H series Atlas lathe. Model H48, serial #51183. It has the metal lathe stand with wood shelves that it came with. I was thinking about mounting the lathe to a heavy wood shop table, with your experience whats the difference in using this lathe with its Atlas supplied stand versus a made to order shop table?
Thanks,
Tim
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Tim,
I've only ever had my under-drive equipped 3996 mounted to the floor stand that came with it. But based on what many other have reported, if the table is well braced, the top is 2" nominal (usually 1-5/8" to 1-3/4") thickness, and the table is level and properly anchored to the floor, when compared to a factory floor stand leveled and anchored, one should be as good as the other. However, it shouldn't be any better.
I think that we have a drawing showing the proper location for the countershaft bracket mounting holes relative to the bed. However, because Atlas didn't always supply the motor and because of the variation in motor bases, I don't think that there was ever a template for the motor.
I've only ever had my under-drive equipped 3996 mounted to the floor stand that came with it. But based on what many other have reported, if the table is well braced, the top is 2" nominal (usually 1-5/8" to 1-3/4") thickness, and the table is level and properly anchored to the floor, when compared to a factory floor stand leveled and anchored, one should be as good as the other. However, it shouldn't be any better.
I think that we have a drawing showing the proper location for the countershaft bracket mounting holes relative to the bed. However, because Atlas didn't always supply the motor and because of the variation in motor bases, I don't think that there was ever a template for the motor.
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Hello all. Newly joined here, but I've been reading through the older posts on this thread with great interest for the past few weeks. I'm in the process of acquiring an Atlas lathe. It suffered some damage about 15 years ago, which appears to be limited to the cast iron guards over the belts and gears and a broken motor mounting plate. It's been mainly idle in its current location since then. It has some light rust, but all the gears appear to have a full set of teeth. Soon it will be in my garage as a rehab project. I was wondering if any of the Atlas experts here could provide any background information. It doesn't appear there is a "master list" of serial numbers anywhere. My particular machine is an Atlas QC54 with serial number 08849L.
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KD,
The Atlas Quick Change Gear Box first appeared in late 1947, at about the same time that Atlas discontinued the 36" and 48" beds (so there are no QC36 or QC48's). Initially, Atlas started the serial numbers on the QC's at 1 or maybe 100 or 200. At some later point, they were merged into the S/N block being used by the change gear 10F's. Best current guess is that this happened around 1951 and may have coincided with the QCGB change from No. 1500 (which yours is) to No. 6800. This happened sometime before S/N 082925. So far, yours is the highest 4-digit serial number reported. And the only one with an "L" suffix. So for at least the time being, we'll say that your machine was made in 1950.
Although they are not real common, you should be able to eventually find a replacement belt cover and motor mount on eBay. All parts on your machine except for the QCGB and bandjo (change gear bracket) are the same as on the change gear 10F. Of which at least 80.000 were built.
Your machine has the not real common but not rare either factory floor stand. And it has the uncommon factory drip pan.
There is an Atlas machine database in Downloads. As soon as you can see the Downloads tab on the upper tool bar, go to Downloads, click where it says to click here 1st, and 2nd. Click on Atlas/Craftsman/AA, and scroll down and click on A/C Database. I didn't realize that they had gotten that far behind (I'll update them shortly) but there are three files with .TXT extensions. They are actually .MDX, .DBF and .CSV files. Adding the .TXT on the end was a trick to allow them to be uploaded. After downloading, change the file name by deleting the .TXT from the end of the file name. The database includes all types of Atlas machines, including those sold by Sears. Plus the 6" lathes sold by Sears but made by AA.
Also in Downloads you will find a lot of manuals and Atlas Technical Bulletins and etc.
The Atlas Quick Change Gear Box first appeared in late 1947, at about the same time that Atlas discontinued the 36" and 48" beds (so there are no QC36 or QC48's). Initially, Atlas started the serial numbers on the QC's at 1 or maybe 100 or 200. At some later point, they were merged into the S/N block being used by the change gear 10F's. Best current guess is that this happened around 1951 and may have coincided with the QCGB change from No. 1500 (which yours is) to No. 6800. This happened sometime before S/N 082925. So far, yours is the highest 4-digit serial number reported. And the only one with an "L" suffix. So for at least the time being, we'll say that your machine was made in 1950.
Although they are not real common, you should be able to eventually find a replacement belt cover and motor mount on eBay. All parts on your machine except for the QCGB and bandjo (change gear bracket) are the same as on the change gear 10F. Of which at least 80.000 were built.
Your machine has the not real common but not rare either factory floor stand. And it has the uncommon factory drip pan.
There is an Atlas machine database in Downloads. As soon as you can see the Downloads tab on the upper tool bar, go to Downloads, click where it says to click here 1st, and 2nd. Click on Atlas/Craftsman/AA, and scroll down and click on A/C Database. I didn't realize that they had gotten that far behind (I'll update them shortly) but there are three files with .TXT extensions. They are actually .MDX, .DBF and .CSV files. Adding the .TXT on the end was a trick to allow them to be uploaded. After downloading, change the file name by deleting the .TXT from the end of the file name. The database includes all types of Atlas machines, including those sold by Sears. Plus the 6" lathes sold by Sears but made by AA.
Also in Downloads you will find a lot of manuals and Atlas Technical Bulletins and etc.
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Awesome information! Thank you so much.
I've already located a motor mount and have it on the way. The original belt cover is an odd contraption that has a long, thin hatch that opens right to left. It doesn't even seem to cover the gears completely. I've not found anything on Ebay (or even a photo of one anywhere) that compares to it yet. It appears that the more common rounded version (10-18) that hinges on the back will fit. I'll need the hinge parts as well as they are broken off at the bolts.
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