General Discussions of Atlas Lathes

caveBob said:
How are you setup for tools? Hand tools mostly or power? Reason I ask, torsion boxes work terrifically for making a very strong, stable base. It's what I did, and would do it again even if it was a fair amount of work...

I'll see if I can find or take some pics if you want of the bench and the motor belt tensioning thingamabob I made. When I first got the lathe, that was my #1 first goal: removing/deadening vibrations.
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Power my friend, all power. With hand tools as a backup.

I'm picking up a millermatic 211 shortly after we move into the new house and I bring home the lathe. The lathe will sit on the floor for a month or two (not in use) and two of the first projects the miller and the chop saw will get is a welding table and the lathe stand.

Would like to see pics if you have them.

I'm actually considering tearing apart our old treadmill (well, no that old but no one uses it anymore) and using the motor/controller to power the Atlas. BUt that's another project for a year or so down the road. Too much else is a priority right now.

Only reason I'm getting the lathe in the first place is I was recently paid out by DVA for a service injury. I want to get a few things for myself that I've been lusting after for a long time (wife agrees). It's never long before life intrudes and siphones all the money away. A lathe will give me something to to occupy me and take my mind off my "demons".....:soldier2:
 
Looks like a power lead screw?

Any info on that?

That one looks nicely done.

What is that on the back of the ways? Is it a carriage stop? A gauge holder? etc?

And is that a foot kill switch? I've thought about rigging something up like that but as a type of deadman switch since I work alone in the garage most times.

I see lots of neat details on your Atlas that I like!

:thumbzup:
 
Thanks, mods please forgive me for just linking somewhere else here - it's just easier for me to post a link than reconstruct it here. Anyway, the motor, speed and other info is here.

Nah, the pedal should have been put away... it's for the "Foredom-like" flex grinder I was using for something... hanging out... :)
 
caveBob said:
Thanks, mods please forgive me for just linking somewhere else here - it's just easier for me to post a link than reconstruct it here. Anyway, the motor, speed and other info is here.

Nah, the pedal should have been put away... it's for the "Foredom-like" flex grinder I was using for something... hanging out... :)
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For my own learning, what is powering the leadscrew good for?

Is it just to get very slow feed rates?

I assume you can't do threading with it since its not linked to the spindle speed any longer?
 
So, what makes an Atlas lathe so "bad"?

Just people that like knocking on outher peoply.
I have had my Crastfman Atlas 12x36 lathe for about 15 years. I make just as good and acurite parts as the much larger lathes I run at work.
 
great white said:
For my own learning, what is powering the leadscrew good for?

Is it just to get very slow feed rates?

I assume you can't do threading with it since its not linked to the spindle speed any longer?
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Yeup, pretty much. Like you said, for turning not threading, I can't tell you how nice it is to tune the speed of the cutter feed rate, up or down, to avoid chatter/harmonics. It works great for that and like for grinding bores or bearing races.

From a wacky experiment:

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When I got the lathe it was missing a few parts in the geartrain so haven't been able to thread to date. A fix for that is in the works though (QCGB retrofit).

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42859.jpg
 
Holescreek said:
The lathe was used by my grandfather for about 30 years then by my uncle for another 30 after that. The bed ways were worn .025" for the first 18" from the head. The cross-slide was worn about .012" and even the compound had a few thousandths wear. I hand scraped the bed, surface ground and scraped the rest and painted with Rustoleum Hammered metal finish.

I intended to pass it along to a family member but sadly, I'm the last of the machinists and no one in the family is interested.
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It sounds like a divorce is on the cards then, moving on to a new younger model perhaps like I did ? :D Just make sure all your gear is at a pals house first .;)
 
I use/enjoy my 12x36.
the only thing I wish would be for a bit larger spindle bore
 
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