Craftsman 07301 flea market find

westsailpat said:
I did the MT2 set up it was cheap and easy . Only problem is that the MT2 collet won't go all the way in the spindle . The factory way was to use a sleeve in the spindle that excepts a 3c collet . With that set up you have a thru hole spindle . Here are the goodies that Atlas offered .
http://www.lathes.co.uk/atlas-6-inch-lathe-accessories/
Click to expand...

Ah, the sleeve makes sense, then you're just pulling on the 3C collet's external threads with the hollow drawbar. Looks like LMS sells a similar drawtube, but only for MT3, not MT2. :(
 
One thing that our 6's' like is a proper fit on the spindle bushings . I recently just put in new but it did no good because my spindle is worn about .006 . Thanks to Robert I know the proper way is to install new bushings and the clamp holds them into place . This was not going to work for me so the fix was to split the bush on one side and over tighten , just a little . It worked . I'm looking for a new spindle.
Here is a handy vid that shows the tear down (it's easy). http://www.deansphotographica.com/machining/atlas/spindle/spindle.html
 
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OK, another thing... where do you find the recommended 20 weight oil?

Edit: looks like the Mobil DTE Heavy Medium I use in my mill is ISO 68, which is equivalent to SAE 20, so I should be good.
 
FanMan,

Yes, the Mobile DTE Heavy Medium works well. I've been using it for the past five or six years. Also, about once a year, check the usual suppliers around town. SAE 20 ND turns up now and then. For example, several years ago, Tractor Supply didn't carry it. Then about two years ago, they did. The Mobile is just as good, but it isn't carried locally last time that I checked so to the cost of the oil had to be added the cost of shipping.
 
With regard to collets, first the proper name for the internally threaded tube used to close most common collets is "Draw Tube", not "Drawbar" and not "Sleeve". Second, the collets that Atlas actually advertised were 3AT and a smaller but similar one that I have seen referred to as 1AT but I think 1AT is something else. At least according to at least one dimension chart that I have. Atlas apparently would also supply 3C collets (the threads are near enough to the same to be functionally interchangable) but 3C and 3AT are not otherwise interchangable - significantly different compression angle and collet length. So they take different draw tube lengths and closer-adapters. And neither 3C nor 3AT will even come close to fitting a 6" because the collets themselves are already much larger than the spindle bore or 2MT taper. They are only usable in 10" and 12" lathes. The largest workpiece that could be handled by the Atlas collets that fit the 6" is about 0.281". So unless you had a lot of work smaller than that, the best choices are 2MT for short workpieces (but only in 1/16" increments) or ER25 using a collet chuck that screws onto the spindle nose threads instead of being mounted on a 2MT drawbar type arbor.
 
Thanks Robert, that explains it nicely. Sounds like the ER25 would be the way to go. Do you know if anybody actually makes the ER25 chuck you describe (that screws onto the nose threads)?

The DTE sounds like the way to go. Where I work they buy it in 55 gallon drums.

The ways cleaned up nicely with some Evaporust soaked paper towels, it was only very light surface rust. Other than the chuck, which I will finish cleaning tonight, everything else is nice and shiny. It looks like this lathe was well taken care of by somebody who knew what he was doing but didn't use it much, and didn't sit for long after that, probably an estate sale. When I pulled the carriage off there there were copper chips under it, makes me think of the armature repair kit but there was no such kit included with it.
 
I think the Morse taper ER collet holder with a drawbar is a great setup at a far lower cost than scrounging together the equivalent spindle collets. I just finished setting up my 10" with ER32 collet holders on both ends, and am very happy with them.

Great steal on the lathe, you really scored on that deal.
 
pontiac428 said:
I think the Morse taper ER collet holder with a drawbar is a great setup at a far lower cost than scrounging together the equivalent spindle collets. I just finished setting up my 10" with ER32 collet holders on both ends, and am very happy with them.
Click to expand...

With the MT holder and drawbar you can't turn long pieces extending through the headstock. With the threaded on ER collet holder you can. Though a MT collet might be more accurate than the threaded adapter for diameters too large to run through the spindle anyway.
 
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