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

[Stephen Eyrich]

Stephen,

The way that we commonly date ...

Thank you for the response. SE

 

[wa5cab]

I'll add one more bit of information about ID'ing the early Craftsman or Sears 12" lathes. Although there are a total of 14 different Model Numbers covering the early 3/8" bed lathes, only the last two (101.27430 [24"] and 101.27440 [36"] are adequate for fully ID'ing the lathe. The other 12 numbers (last one being 101.07403) specify most things about the lathe but in order to order or specify the bed, lead screw or rack you have to also add the 4-digit part of the catalog number (or say either the bed length or maximum distance between centers). Which for the 101.07403 was (up until late 1947 or early 1948) was 2073, 2075, 2077 or 2079. Prior to late 1957, there had been 50 somehow different screw-cutting 12" lathes offered. Plus the stripped down models in about 1936 and 1937.

So it isn't quite enough to just say that you have a 101.07403 and are looking for a bed and/or lead screw.

 

[worknhard]

I'm finally getting around to posting data on my Atlas 10" lathe....

10D lathe, #D4024S, Babbitt bearings, 5/8” lead screw. No signs of an ID tag installed or ever having been affixed to the lathe bed. Lathe bed is 42” long.

I acquired this lathe in 2014 from the estate of a small automotive repair shop. The shop had ceased operating in 1951. The lathe sat for over 60 years without use or any attention. Following extensive clean-up, the lathe appears in excellent condition and had very little use. I removed the old vintage washing machine motor that was on it and installed a new motor, belts, 3-jaw chuck and QCTP. I repainted the compound and tailstock since much of the paint was removed during cleanup. Otherwise all other parts are original paint. The lathe is very smooth-running. When I picked up the lathe, there were no accessories or tooling, just the lathe on the stand with the threading gears and face plates. I also added a chip tray and work light.

 

[aaronrumple]

Here's my new addition to the shop:
Craftsman Atlas commercial 12 x 36 101.28910 Serial Number 107315
The 1/2 hp motor has a date of 1972. The date on the manual listed 1973 as the last publication date.
The thread dial has the helical curved gear.
It spent most of its life as a wood lathe, and had a cabinet full of vintage Craftsman saw blades and woodworking equipment. Note the angle iron mounted to the carriage for a wood chisel and the wood turning centers which appear to be original Sears.
Under full rebuild at the moment.

 

[wa5cab]

I'm finally getting around to posting data on my Atlas 10" lathe....

Looks like a very decent 10D. This may be the first photo of a vertical countershaft belt guard that I have seen out side of in a period catalog.

FYI, there wouldn't have been any nameplate on the right end. That change didn't appear until around 1940, by which time the 10D was out of production. If your machine originally had a nameplate on the bed, it would have been on the rear near the center of the bed.

Robert Downs

 

[wa5cab]

Here's my new addition to the shop:
Craftsman Atlas commercial 12 x 36 101.28910 Serial Number 107315
The 1/2 hp motor has a date of 1972. The date on the manual listed 1973 as the last publication date.

Well, it was probably made in 1973 as Atlas published an edition of the MOLO in 1971 and again in 1973 but not in 1972. So if it had been made in 1972 it would presumably have shipped with a 1971 MOLO. It does appear to be in good condition. In the event that you happen to remove the compound slide gib or the cross slide gib, please report whether the gibs are plastic or steel. They are probably plastic, which you will want to replace with steel. The carriage gib will still be steel.

 

[aaronrumple]

Well, it was probably made in 1973 as Atlas published an edition of the MOLO in 1971 and again in 1973 but not in 1972. So if it had been made in 1972 it would presumably have shipped with a 1971 MOLO. It does appear to be in good condition. In the event that you happen to remove the compound slide gib or the cross slide gib, please report whether the gibs are plastic or steel. They are probably plastic, which you will want to replace with steel. The carriage gib will still be steel.

All the gibs are steel and appear to be original. The compound gib is bent. Looks like someone probably used a screwdriver on it. Not sure if it will survive straightening.

 

[wa5cab]

Well, I guess that you have nothing to lose, as you won't get acceptable results with it bent. The only 10/12 steel gib that I have left is one for the cross slide. I have been meaning to ask the member who actually made them to do another batch but no one has asked for any of them recently and I keep putting it off. Is the gib bent at one of the counter bores or in a continuous arc?

I just noticed an odd thing, which is that the 101.28990 started coming with plastic gibs clearly well before the 101.28910 did. There are just too many reported for it to be a coincidence. FYI, those are the final two models that Sears was still listing when production ceased in March of 1981. We don't have enough of the Atlas badged machines reported to really draw any conclusions about them.

 

[aaronrumple]

It is bent over the last inch or so and probably 3/32" out of line. I'm guessing they stuck a screw driver down behind the gib when the slide was all the way forward to loosen or try and turn the compound.
Were these steel or cast iron? Either way, I can always make a replacement.

A lot of what I'll be doing will be with custom fixturing mounted directly to the cross slide so I'll be making gibs for those anyway. But probably tapered gibs on those.

Well, I guess that you have nothing to lose, as you won't get acceptable results with it bent. The only 10/12 steel gib that I have left is one for the cross slide. I have been meaning to ask the member who actually made them to do another batch but no one has asked for any of them recently and I keep putting it off. Is the gib bent at one of the counter bores or in a continuous arc?

I just noticed an odd thing, which is that the 101.28990 started coming with plastic gibs clearly well before the 101.28910 did. There are just too many reported for it to be a coincidence. FYI, those are the final two models that Sears was still listing when production ceased in March of 1981. We don't have enough of the Atlas badged machines reported to really draw any conclusions about them.

 

[wa5cab]

OK. Glad to see that you got the gibs out. You can try it but I doubt you will be able to straighten it enough. The cross slides and compound slides are cast iron but the gibs are steel.

I don't see any flat bottom holes for the screws. Unless that is just because the holy side is down, those are not originals. You will have to make a donation to the site to gain access but the cleaned up original factory drawings for all four of the gibs (two 6" and two 10"/12") are in Downloads. I doubt that we are supposed to have the drawings as Clausing still stocks the plastic ones. But there was a loophole, I guess, and the steel gib drawings were marked as Obsolete instead of Superceded. I would definitely make the replacements to the drawings, not copies of what's there if there are no holes on the hidden sides.