Building/modifying An Atlas Th42

My first cyclotrol 150 showed up today. Super fast shipping, I was really surprised.

Its the "open board" model. I've since purchased a closed case model and that will go on the lathe. Plan for the open case model is to build a case and use it (with a treadmill motor) on my bench top drill press.

:)
 
Keep us informed I am interested in changing the motor on my 618.

David
 
So I was looking to build a a stand for my atlas. Obviously, scrap would be better than new for price. I was digging around at one of the reclaimed building materials stores and ran across this:

A9DD7209-E2CA-4167-A170-783BD5AD9507_zps2ljkq2ay.jpg

I think it's some kind of server case or perhaps medical equipment as the tag inside says "media mech" from Texas. Even has a serial number.

Thing is, its gotta weigh 200-300 lbs all on its own. 3 of us had to put a good effort it to lift it.

The tops are 1/8" steel and the structure is all box tube steel. Walls are all 1/8" steel welded to the box steel "skeleton".

Doors are sheet metal, but substantial all on their own. There's doors on both sides, one side is the steel ones you can see in the pic and dark smoked plexiglass doors on the other. The top is also supporter inside be for 1/8" stamped steel for each square section. That's 8 in total. I believe it was to support system for whatever equipment was bolted in there. There's also a built in power bar with its own remote switch and a slide out drawer on one side behind a second small flip down door labeled "keyboard".

Its a brute of a cabinet. Perfect!

Its also just the right length to fit the TH42 lathe.

I'll just cut the high part of the cabinet level with the lower section. Piece of cake size the tops at bolted on.

Just for extra strength, I'll likely add a section of box tube under the top, weld it all together and bolt the lathe to that just to keep it rigid.

Lastly, I'll add feet to the case that can be extended and leveled. That will allow me to roll the lathe around when needed and have it solidly on the floor when in place.

Cost?

75 bucks for the cabinet. I couldn't buy the steel to make it for that cheap. Heck, the heavy lockable casters and monstrous power bar would cost more than that!

:)
 
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Nah don't agree. I think I would take it right back. But I do like the color. How come I don't get these deals. Awesome indeed.

David
 
Well, I sit corrected. That's a first. :cool:

Same here Bernard! I was going to say it must be 1/3, I've never heard of 1/8n. Ha hah!

Greatwhite- I think you did fine on the price. The steady rest, live center, and change gears alone are $100's of dollars.

I wouldn't have been afraid of that treadmill motor, overrated or not. You could always use a smaller belt if you are concerned.

You did awesome on that server cabinet!! Wow! I look forward to keeping up with your progress here! Congrats man!

Bernie


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Here's a few more pics from my ice cold garage:

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A quick google revealed that "medi-mech" made heavy cabinets for medical equipment, mainly endoscopy units. That would explain some of the features on this unit.

5DDF28BF-085A-4903-96AD-3FE48A335F2E_zps2lpwcyah.jpg

9AC7B808-1ADA-479F-B3D5-C92D6E936B9F_zpsraygmwkv.jpg

I think I'll use the plexi doors as actual doors. The tall one will be easy to cut down. That will also allow me to weld the metal door shut to the frame, thus increasing the rigidity of the structure.

I also got a chance to take a better look underneath the table tops and the structure is braced with c channel, just not tied into the top. So I'll likely just weld the channel to the tops, bolt the lathe down and call it a day.

I had wanted to have a removable drip trap, but this was just too good of deal to pass up. I'll figure out something to make a chip tray in to the top itself. Maybe just weld a "dam" all around the top. It has a hole already for wiring pass though, I may use that if I ever go to flood coolant. For now, I'll just put a small catch bucket under the hole and let oil/swarf find its way there on its own.

:)
 
Started tearing the cabinet down to cut the top and discovered someone had dropped something really heavy on it at one time. I mean REALLY heavy. A top support is bent and one of the casters is pretty messed up. Not the wheel, the metal swivel bracket around the wheel. Crushed.

I did know about the caster when I bought it, I just didn't expect it to be so......bent.

I pulled it off, snapped of the peened over edge of the bearing shaft retainer and pulled the whole caster assembly apart.

I have some metal bashing to do to get it back to its original shape......:(

Funny thing is: I need the lathe if I want to turns new shaft, but need a stand in order to use the lathe.

A real catch 22.

I'll prob just get the stand functional, mount the lathe, then turn out the shaft and bolt it up afterwards. Buying a new caster isn't much of an option: heavy duty industrial/medical grade and would cost as much/more than I paid for the whole cabinet (already priced it out).

Worse comes to worse I'll just weld the sucker solid and have one non castering wheel.

Meh, just the way she goes....
 
Are you sure they have to perfectly match? I bet you can make something else work if it really needs fixing.

Bernie


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You may be able to use a long bolt as a temporary axle until you can make a replacement.
 
Problem is, its not the axle.

The swiveling assembly had been crushed/deformed. The bushing is vertical for a bolt that goes up through the swivel into the bottom of the cart.

No worries, just a bit of metal bashing now that its apart.

:)
 
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