Atlas vs the others

[Brandon]

Just in case you forgot what the original post was Robert...

i have started looking for a small bench lathe for my garage shop. I am looking for a 10 or 12 inch machine. The comments I see on some web sites don't hold the Atlas in very high esteem. Based on what I see an Atlas is not much good for anything. Is this a "MAC vs. PC" type of argument or is there some basis to what I have read. We had South Bend, Logan and Sheldon in our college shop. The South Bend and Logan worked good, but we always seemed to have problems with the Sheldon.

I will primarily be making parts for my antique woodworking tools, wood and metal screws, and some other small parts for basket handles.

I was only helping out.

 

[wa5cab]

Brandon,

The short answer to his first question should have been a simple "yes". Mac vs PC is an excellent description. Linux vs MS would have been another good one. Mac and Linux users habitually run down people who use MS. Just as owners of some lathe brands that I won't list habitually run down Atlas and Atlas users. The reverse is seldom true.

I didn't go back and look for his original post and didn't recall what he had said. Now that you've refreshed my memory, I see that what he originally said he was looking for could have been easily handled by any of the five common vintage US makes and had little enough in common with what you've posted since. He certainly never said anything about "production" and I'd bet that a .200 cut would probably part off most of what he wanted to be able to make. As he was logged in as of a few minutes ago, I assume he probably went with one of the other four. I hope he found something that works for him. If you were "just trying to help", you apparently narrowed down his range of choices.

Robert D.

 

[pebbleworm]

I recently upgraded to a Craftsman/Atlas 618 from the Mighty Unimat DB-200 and I am pretty darn happy with it. Everything I tried to do with the Unimat apart from model work was at the outer limits of it's ability. I live in a city apartment, with a Model T size garage that I share with a car, so needed a machine that was small, could sit on an existing bench and was semi-portable. Believe me, I would rather have a Monarch 10EE, but living in a big city you have to make compromises. I was just about to buy a Microlux 7X16- on sale, the variable speed brushless motor was a big plus, but I saw a relatively well tooled Craftsman 618 on craigslist- this had the milling attachment as well and was a lightly used hobbyist machine since new. And was a bit cheaper than the Microlux. I went for the 618- it is about the biggest lathe I can justify given my space available, I can horse it around by myself and compared to the Unimat it makes chips like a Colchester. Quality seems on par with the better ChiCom 7X lathes or a bit better, but both machines were built to a price point. I also have TWO other Atlas lathes back in the midwest that I bought literally a month before I started a new career 15 years ago, so I have spare parts I can lug back on the train (which has pretty much unlimited baggage- try dragging a machine tool with you on an airplane!). I like the machine- I still may add a variable speed brushless motor to it, but I am having a lot of fun as it is.

 

[H&NERy]

I have an Atlas TH54 and a 19 inch LeBlond regal. For most of my work I prefer my Atlas. My Atlas was bought new by a live steamer and well taken care of. I am the 2nd owner of it. The only thing I added was a quick change tool holder. Ebay is a great place to buy parts and accessories. I have a lot of the toys that go with it. The lathe is one of the handiest tools you will ever own. I like my Atlas and wouldn't trade it for anything.

 

[george wilson]

I posted a helpful ,NON DEROGATORY,actual use experience I had with my first lathe,a 12" Sears atlas. It has vanished. I'd like to know why. I stated in the post that it was not meant to be insulting.

If any of my posts are deleted,it would be the polite and professional thing to be informed by PM as to the reason it was deleted. Possibly modifications of the post could be made if needed.

Is it possible that Nelson,working on the forum,caused posts to vanish?

Does any moderator care to reply to this? Thank you.

 

[iron man]

I posted a helpful ,NON DEROGATORY,actual use experience I had with my first lathe,a 12" Sears atlas. It has vanished. I'd like to know why. I stated in the post that it was not meant to be insulting.

If any of my posts are deleted,it would be the polite and professional thing to be informed by PM as to the reason it was deleted. Possibly modifications of the post could be made if needed.

Is it possible that Nelson,working on the forum,caused posts to vanish?

Does any moderator care to reply to this? Thank you.

Hope it was just a mistake George I saw nothing wrong with your post,.. Ray

 

[shaskell]

i have started looking for a small bench lathe for my garage shop. I am looking for a 10 or 12 inch machine. The comments I see on some web sites don't hold the Atlas in very high esteem. Based on what I see an Atlas is not much good for anything. Is this a "MAC vs. PC" type of argument or is there some basis to what I have read. We had South Bend, Logan and Sheldon in our college shop. The South Bend and Logan worked good, but we always seemed to have problems with the Sheldon.

I will primarily be making parts for my antique woodworking tools, wood and metal screws, and some other small parts for basket handles.

Reply: I have an Atlas 10F54 lathe that I bought used a few years ago. Decent machine. I don't know how many owners it has had before me, but still in decent shape and I can turn out good parts with it. A lot of times it's not the machine but the operator as far a accuracy is concerned. I have installed a quick change gear box on it. Recently I have also installed a new 1 HP VFD rated 3 phase motor and a new VFD on it, great having variable speed capability now and being able to make the spindle crawl when I need to do power tapping. Like the recent job I had making (40) 2" diameter A-36 HRS spacers from 2.5 inches to 5.5" long with a 3/4-10 tapped whole clear through each of them. Purchaser wanted the spacers to use on his machining center he was installing. I purchased a 6" long tap from Enco and got the job done on the lathe - only had to finish hand tapping on the bench on the longest of the spacers, would have been a "bear" if I had to hand tap all forty pieces. Lots of spare parts available on ebay also for Atlas machines. You might also consider a new Grizzly, but of course those machines are made overseas if that is any concern to you. I have several Grizzly woodworking machines and they are fine and I have had no issues with them.

 

[Ulma Doctor]

i'll throw my hat into the ring..
i loved my atlas th42. it is a beautiful machine, but has severe limitations.
i quickly learned of vibration issues as well as having to deal with the slow change geartrain.
the gearing is reminiscent of Fisher-Price childrens' toys, and were designed with minimum cost as the prerequisite.
i would suggest the purchase of a V bed for any serious machining, a new mini lathe has near the same capabilities as an atlas 6", and eclipses the craftsman/atlas in other ways with variable speed and ease of parts availability.
IMO, for a 10 or 12" buy a V bed you'll be much happier with the accuracy.
IMO, stick with heavy duty, not Fisher-Price.

 

[Ray C]

George,

The database crashed yesterday and all posts from the last two days were lost.


Ray

I posted a helpful ,NON DEROGATORY,actual use experience I had with my first lathe,a 12" Sears atlas. It has vanished. I'd like to know why. I stated in the post that it was not meant to be insulting.

If any of my posts are deleted,it would be the polite and professional thing to be informed by PM as to the reason it was deleted. Possibly modifications of the post could be made if needed.

Is it possible that Nelson,working on the forum,caused posts to vanish?

Does any moderator care to reply to this? Thank you.

 

[george wilson]

Yes,I heard. Thank you,Ray.