Atlas Horizontal mill

Wheels17 said:
Now what to use to make it? Wikipedia says Zamak 3 is "the defacto standard" for Zamak alloys, and has a yield strength of 30,200 psi. The other Zamaks range from 29,000 to 52,000 psi. These seem pretty soft, so I'd guess it's Zamak 3. Again, Wikipedia says "T6 temper 6061 has ... yield strength of at least 35,000 psi (241 MPa). More typical values are ... 40,000 psi (275 MPa), respectively. Sounds like it's about right.View attachment 125642
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I was with you with the drawing and the measures. But then the "T6" and PSI ratings .. you jumped way over my head!!! Help?
 
34_40 said:
I was with you with the drawing and the measures. But then the "T6" and PSI ratings .. you jumped way over my head!!! Help?
Click to expand...
T6 is a common heat treatment applied to 6061 aluminum alloy. You are probably familiar with seeing it written as 6061-T6.
The psi ratings are just a material property which describes the stress a material may withstand before failing. There are different types of stresses; compression, tension, shear, and hoop are common.
He's trying to make sure that whatever material he chooses is as strong as the material he's replacing.
 
Thank You Steve S.!
I wasn't familiar with the expression 6061-T6, but I am now... LOL..

All part of the learning curve.. and I'm still pretty low on it. LOL..
 
As several have mentioned, M6-44 and M6-45 are the same parts and part numbers as used on the 10" and 12" tailstock ram lock. So is M1-47.

Background on Atlas part numbers. The numbers or letters and numbers to the left of the hyphen more or less ID the first machine that the part was used in. M6 means the 6" Atlas 618. M1 means all models of the Atlas mill. As the 10" Atlas and 12" craftsman lathes (earliest ones) predate either the 618 or the mill, the part must have been redesigned for use on those machines and then later started being used on the larger lathes. But in any case, the differences between the lock assemblies on all of the various machines are bolt length, the rubber spacer used only on the mill and the second M6-45 used as an upper spacer only on the mill.

There is an error in the Quantiy Used of the M6-45. It should read "5" instead of "3". You can still buy at least the M6-44 and M6-45 new from Clausing. And probably the M1-47. Plus they all show up fairly frequently on eBay. And some of the on-line sellers sometimes have them. Check mymachineshop.com for one. If anyone comes across an intact M1-26, it wouldn't hurt to know the relaxed length.
 
6061 is a common wrought aluminum alloy. T6 is the Temper. It is stronger than 2024 (another common one) and not particularly maleable. It is also somewhat "gummy" to drill or tap.

After a lot of digging, I came to the conclusion that the Zamak alloy used by Atlas was Zamak 5. No one at Clausing seems to know. And the only Atlas drawing of a cast part that we have that I know of is a part made from another part (one of the mill table drive u-joints) and its material simply shows the other part number.
 
Mine are in good condition and look factory made. They are 1/2" long, measuring the diameter is hard with the side cut out. I put various letter drill shanks through the center hole, and a J, .277" seemed the best. The cut does leave a gap, so it must be a little into the bore. I'll see if I can get better measurements.
 
wa5cab said:
As several have mentioned, M6-44 and M6-45 are the same parts and part numbers as used on the 10" and 12" tailstock ram lock. So is M1-47.

Background on Atlas part numbers. The numbers or letters and numbers to the left of the hyphen more or less ID the first machine that the part was used in. M6 means the 6" Atlas 618. M1 means all models of the Atlas mill. As the 10" Atlas and 12" craftsman lathes (earliest ones) predate either the 618 or the mill, the part must have been redesigned for use on those machines and then later started being used on the larger lathes. But in any case, the differences between the lock assemblies on all of the various machines are bolt length, the rubber spacer used only on the mill and the second M6-45 used as an upper spacer only on the mill.

There is an error in the Quantiy Used of the M6-45. It should read "5" instead of "3". You can still buy at least the M6-44 and M6-45 new from Clausing. And probably the M1-47. Plus they all show up fairly frequently on eBay. And some of the on-line sellers sometimes have them. Check mymachineshop.com for one. If anyone comes across an intact M1-26, it wouldn't hurt to know the relaxed length.
Click to expand...

OK, I'll bite. What is the 5th one used for? I see 1 on each unit, or 2 on each for a total of 4, but for the life of me I can't figure out where the odd 3rd or 5th one would go(???) Are you pretty sure that Clausing still has the MI-47 available? That's the one item I'd really like to buy since it would be way too hard to make a copy that was anything like the original.

Froggie
 
The fifth M6-45 and third M6-44 is used in M1-60. So only applies to M1C, MFC and MHC.

I haven't checked recently but sometime last year someone on Yahoo was complaining about how much Clausing wanted for one. Clearly too much time spent looking at 1940's vintage price sheets and too little time paying for new OEM parts for anything in the 21st Century. :)
 
That may have been me you saw "complaining"... to pay nearly $100 for the four little pressure bushings you need to make the two locks work seems a wee might excessive to my frugal eye... especially if I can make as good or better ones out of aluminum instead of ZAMAK. While I understand the concept of inflation, I'm also aware that a collectors' market is emerging and I am interested in this machine for its utility, not its collectibility. I know it's already worth more than I have paid into it so far, but it would cost me MUCH more to replace it with a newer machine (which would probably not be as rigid and well built as the Atlas.) So I guess I'll just keep bargain hunting and substituting where available or making my own where practical... that's what machinists do, isn't it? I'm just thankful that this forum can serve as such a great resource and clearinghouse for the information I need to intelligently do what I am trying to do. :cool:

Regards,
Froggie
 
I have the material on order. I intend to make the locks per the drawing I posted and I'll let you know how it goes.
 
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