General Discussions of Atlas Lathes

[great white]

Generally, I find the Atlas lathes are put down by professionals and sort "damned with faint praise" by hobbyists (IE:it's good enough).

Now, I still haven't picked mine up (10X36 or maybe a 42, remains to be seen) but I would like to address any "flexibility" items while I'm cleaning, restoring and setting it up.

I say flexibility since that seems to be the major thing that is usually pointed out. Is it the ways that are "flexible"? or is it in the cross slide? the head?

Is it the width of the ways perhaps?

Or perhaps it's only "flexible" when compared to a 3000 lb dedicated shop type lathe?

I need to build a stand for the atlas and I was thinking I like a lot of the things this gent mentions with a "beam" mounting:

[video=youtube;ztA-0KSi1FM]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ztA-0KSi1FM[/video]

I like the ease of access to the chip tray, I like the added space under the hand wheels, I like the way it manages dripping oil (or coolant if I ever build that) and if it actually does add a degree of stiffness to the lathe for greater accuracy, I'm sold.

I will have to build a stand for my atlas either way. The guy I'm buying it from has it mounted on a rather nasty looking 2x4 and plywood arrangement and I don't think it even comes with the lathe. I'd probably be tossing it even if it did.

I was also thinking of eventually changing out the "lantern" tool holder for a QCTP, but am unsure if that wold do anything for accuracy or not. I'm not doing production stuff so ease and speed of changing tools is not a high priority, but would probably be a welcome addition in the convenience dept. Would be a while before it happens anyways, the budget can only take so much stretching and I'm buying a new welder this month also (Millermatic 211).

I'm not looking to turn out high precision work with the old atlas, but I would like to get the most out of it that I can. If I can do that while building a stand, more the better!

I know that's kind of a broad topic post, but any input or explanation on why the Atlas seems to have such a bad wrap (and ways of fixing it) would be welcome.

Cheers

 

[David S]

GW I think everything is relative. I started many years ago as a hobbyist with a Unimat db200. I did a lot of work with it and learned about machining...and patience . Then I moved up to an Atlas 618 in 1973 which I still have to day and is my go to lathe for everything that I do. I make and repair clock parts and fixtures and jigs. I have used my friend's much larger and stiffer lathe and I can take deeper cuts etc. But for what I do, this lathe suits me just fine and I am very used to its limits and work within them. I have lot's of accessories for the Atlas, plus special stuff that I have made for it, so it ain't going to leave any time soon.

I bet that your 12x36 will suit your needs assuming that it is in reasonable shape.

David

 

[stupoty]

I prefer the styling of older smaller lathes, all the space around the head stock compaired to more modern cubist styled lathes makes life a bit easier (from my limited experience)

Stuart

 

[Holescreek]

I've had a variety of South Bends, an Atlas, Hardinge, Logan and a Cincinnati Tratop. Currently I have the Traytop and the Atlas (was my grandfathers). The upside of the Atlas is low cost and lots of spare parts. The Downside of the Atlas are the Zamak (zinc alloy) gears, soft flat bed ways, and lack of mass/rigidity. My favorite of the low cost machines was the Logan 820.

That said, zillions of good quality turned products have been produced on Atlas lathes. The machine isn't the key component in good parts, it's the machinist. A good machinist can make good parts on any machine.

 

[Round in circles]

In like the idea of that heavy stand but would say that from the picture it looks to be mounted too far back from the operator .

I feel that ideally you need to be able to see the tool tip when it is cutting whilst standing reasonably straight up , not having to bend over to see what your doing as this leads to fatigue and the tendency to use the lathe to push yourself up right after an hour or so of turning .

I have my lathe set on a fairly strong cast iron leg set which is bolted to a 2 inch thick beech block for the table top .
This last week I've set it in a welded 2 inch angle iron steel frame where the lathe stands on two 670 mm long 4 inch wide , 3 inches high " U " shaped channels of 1/2 " thick steel .
The frame has two fully rotating lockable & two fixed heavy duty 4 inch high nylon castors under it so I can move it out to clean under it or recover lost items under it if needed .

In a few weeks time I hope I'll be using home made machine feet set in the angle iron/ cross channel sections of the frame to take it off the castors and for levelling /truing it up properly & rigidly

 

[mattthemuppet2]

it's all relative. My current lathe is so flexy that I can push the headstock 40thou in one direction with my hand, yet I can still make good things on it and hold acceptable tolerances for what I do. My next lathe is a "618" which will be a HUGE step up in rigidity and performance

If you're working for money, sure it wouldn't be ideal, but to be honest you'd most likely be looking in a totally different class of machine or even CNC anyway. If you have the time and patience you can do what ever you want that will fit. It will really teach you important things about depth of cut, cutting bit geometries (and sharpness!) and all sorts of other useful skills.

 

[great white]

In like the idea of that heavy stand but would say that from the picture it looks to be mounted too far back from the operator .

I feel that ideally you need to be able to see the tool tip when it is cutting whilst standing reasonably straight up , not having to bend over to see what your doing as this leads to fatigue and the tendency to use the lathe to push yourself up right after an hour or so of turning .

Excellent considerations, especially when it sounds like I'll be making lighter cuts and taking longer on most jobs with the atlas.

 

[Ulma Doctor]

atlas lathes are not bad lathes, they have shortcomings- as any piece of shop equipment will invariably have.
the onus then becomes the operators when a machine is lightly constructed.
it can do the same work as a slightly larger lathe, only at a generally slower rate of production.
it takes way more skill and/or patience to run a worn or light lathe.
you'll need to take lighter cuts and slower feed rates , but it will eventually do the same work as a larger lathe.
many fine things are produced with modest machines and skilled operators.

 

[pdentrem]

I had an Atlas for 20 years. Did all sorts of work on it. Free, trade, or pay, it worked for me. I traded up to a heavier lathe, mostly to get into a QCGB, as even here in Ontario the version you are looking at is usually a bit pricy and heavily used. I bought my currently lathe for just a bit more than what I would have had to pay for the Atlas version.

While as noted that a heavier lathe will take bigger cuts, most times the finishing cut will be the same on either lathe. No matter the size of the lathe, there will always be flex some where.

Just enjoy that you will be able to make stuff and don't be surprised that your neighbors start bugging you for help repairing or replacing their stuff! I know mine did and do!
Pierre

 

[Smudgemo]

When I got my Atlas, it was mounted to a desk which worked fine, but as noted earlier standing closer makes for easier use. I wouldn't want to go back to this setup.


If you're building a stand, you might consider something like the one I did. You get the perfect height, it's easy to be up close and you end up with tons of tool storage that ought to make for a more solid foundation. Maybe not, but it can't hurt, right?



I seriously doubt this will be my last lathe, but it's my first and it's done everything I've asked of it. Parts of all sorts are available and not terribly expensive. The gears are poo-pooed, but I don't have a single chipped tooth or broken anything. I'd like to switch the motor for a 3 phase + VFD and make the ATLAS/CRAFTSMAN TYPE CROSS SLIDE (A-11) project from Metal Lathe, but that's just daydreaming for fun...

-Ryan