August 1943 atlas advertisement

[jwmay]

As long as I’ve been in this hobby, all through the forums, and everywhere, people say the Atlas lathe was made for “home hobbyists” and is not a production tool. So recently I was able to procure an old machine tool catalog. Check this out. Maybe this ad has been seen before, but I thought , just in case, some may like to see what I believe to be irrefutable evidence to the contrary.

 

[wa5cab]

You most commonly hear that put-down today from one group of owners, who for some reason seem to have a particular dislike for Atlas equipment and owners. The fact is that most of the few hobbyists around in the 1930's and 1940's were pretty well heeled. Atlas's main market back then was apparently smaller machine shops, secondary equipment for larger shops, and the occasional farmer. If you read the comments from Atlas buyers that appear in the back of a few early Atlas catalogs, you won't find any hobbyists that I can recall.

 

[Woodsman 22]

You most commonly hear that put-down today from one group of owners, who for some reason seem to have a particular dislike for Atlas equipment and owners. The fact is that most of the few hobbyists around in the 1930's and 1940's were pretty well heeled. Atlas's main market back then was apparently smaller machine shops, secondary equipment for larger shops, and the occasional farmer. If you read the comments from Atlas buyers that appear in the back of a few early Atlas catalogs, you won't find any hobbyists that I can recall.

Yes, and they were a popular lathe with automobile repair shops back in the 40's as well.

 

[Buffalo20]

somewhat surprised that they were making consumer lathes, during a war.

 

[wa5cab]

What I was trying to say was that they weren't. Or at least not deliberately. The Atlas equipment, like the Logan equipment, was relatively inexpensive. But that doesn't mean that the average citizen could have afforded one. Plus during the War, if you were rich and could have afforded it, you still had some hoops to jump through before you got whatever you wanted to buy.

 

[westsailpat]

Some more vintage eye candy. http://www.lathes.co.uk/atlas-6-inch-lathe-accessories/ IMO the people that knock Atlas/Craftsman equipment do not understand what Atlas was doing .

 

[jrkorman]

somewhat surprised that they were making consumer lathes, during a war.

Many companies were performing "war work" and made nothing for consumer use. But they knew the war would be over and needed to keep their name in front of those consumers. Didn't hurt to let folks know you were behind the war effort either.

 

[Tim9]

I am no expert here on War time production however I remember reading that when Britain was at war, much of their "Industry" was a cottage type of system where barns may have been converted to produce maybe just a specific part for a bomber or a fighter escort plane. Parts were produced all over Britain and then shipped to a factory for assemble. This was strategic so that they were less susceptible to bombing from the German Air Force. But it was also out of necessity. I can easily envision a few Atlas Capstan 10" lathes set up to make screws and bolts. http://www.lathes.co.uk/atlas/page6.html

 

[BROCKWOOD]

Brilliant ad campaign really. Grassroots efforts toward the common goal!!!

 

[The Liberal Arts Garage]

somewhat surprised that they were making consumer lathes, during a war.

Really ,there is a simple explanation- with war production making spare parts
hard to get , the war production board wisely allowed local garages& shops
to order on a need basis light machine tools to, repair auto electrics and modify
existing parts to keep them running ! ....BLJHB