Help Identifying Old Craftsman

Ken,

Can you re-check the serial number stamped into the front way near the right end? The L6 prefix is probably OK as we have one other report of that on a 101.07380. But 17993 is much higher than the highest serial number of the 101.07383 (10661) which was probably made in 1945.

To comment on your questions about the banjo and gears, there were two different sets of gears used with the Atlas 10" and Craftsman 12" lathes. All were Zamak (cast iron of steel would be OK if all of the dimensions are the same). The gears used on the 10" up through the 10D (and the stripped down 10E) and the Craftsman 101.07360, 07361, 101.07380, 07381, 101.07400 and 07401 have a 3/8" gear face (width or thickness at the teeth) and a 3/8" thick hub. The highest tooth count is 96T. The gears used on everything later (up through 1981) are still Zamak and still have a 3/8" face but the hub length was increased in 1939 to 1/2" and all of the part numbers end with "A". The highest tooth count is 64T.. The bushings and bolts are all 1/4" longer and all part numbers end with "A". The longer hubs, bushings and bolts can all be cut down to match the non-A parts except that there was never a 96T gear to modify. At the same time, the lower 32T gear on the tumbler was changed to a 16/32T compound gear and the gear it drives on the banjo was mounted on a full length bushing with a spacer to keep it from sliding. Production of the 96T gears ceased years ago and they can be hard to find.

So to answer your question about changing the banjo to the one with Position D, if you have a full set of the 3/8" hub gears, you don't need to. The early models that used the 3/8" hub gears would cut all of the threads that the later models will.

If two of the gears on the machine are 96T, your least expensive option to get the machine back to full capability is probably going to be to buy the missing gears. Either the early 3/8" hub or the later 1/2" hub, and follow the tech bulletin instructions for modifying them. If you don't have two 96T gears, I would spend a few months looking for them first, before considering the other option of conversion.
 
Ken,

Can you re-check the serial number stamped into the front way near the right end? The L6 prefix is probably OK as we have one other report of that on a 101.07380. But 17993 is much higher than the highest serial number of the 101.07383 (10661) which was probably made in 1945.

To comment on your questions about the banjo and gears, there were two different sets of gears used with the Atlas 10" and Craftsman 12" lathes. All were Zamak (cast iron of steel would be OK if all of the dimensions are the same). The gears used on the 10" up through the 10D (and the stripped down 10E) and the Craftsman 101.07360, 07361, 101.07380, 07381, 101.07400 and 07401 have a 3/8" gear face (width or thickness at the teeth) and a 3/8" thick hub. The highest tooth count is 96T. The gears used on everything later (up through 1981) are still Zamak and still have a 3/8" face but the hub length was increased in 1939 to 1/2" and all of the part numbers end with "A". The highest tooth count is 64T.. The bushings and bolts are all 1/4" longer and all part numbers end with "A". The longer hubs, bushings and bolts can all be cut down to match the non-A parts except that there was never a 96T gear to modify. At the same time, the lower 32T gear on the tumbler was changed to a 16/32T compound gear and the gear it drives on the banjo was mounted on a full length bushing with a spacer to keep it from sliding. Production of the 96T gears ceased years ago and they can be hard to find.

So to answer your question about changing the banjo to the one with Position D, if you have a full set of the 3/8" hub gears, you don't need to. The early models that used the 3/8" hub gears would cut all of the threads that the later models will.

If two of the gears on the machine are 96T, your least expensive option to get the machine back to full capability is probably going to be to buy the missing gears. Either the early 3/8" hub or the later 1/2" hub, and follow the tech bulletin instructions for modifying them. If you don't have two 96T gears, I would spend a few months looking for them first, before considering the other option of conversion.

I only have 1, 96t there and 24 on 36
I don't see what thread per inch that makes?
I know it's too fast for cutting
Thanks for the info

Serial Number

Serial Number.jpg

Needing so many gears seems I may be looking for a quick change?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Last edited by a moderator:
The site seems to be having problems again with photos and Tapatalk. I downloaded from Tapatalk your photo of the right end of the front way, and then uploaded it here. Afterwards, I also deleted the Tapatalk link that was showing as the red "X".

I believe that the machine serial number is 1799. If you measure it, you will see that there is a double-space between the second "9" and the last character. The last character may be a "3" although at first glance, in the photo it looks like a small zero. But I don't think that it is part of the serial number.

On the gear question, if the 96T gear is on the Idler stud driven by the 32T tumbler gear and the 36T gear is on the lead screw with the 24T stacked on top of it as a spacer, then the feed is set to 9TPI, an odd figure, no pun intended. And certainly far too fast for turning.

The oldest of the QCGB's, 101.20140, will fit the 101.07381 OK. But you will still need a 40T and two 48T gears on the new quadrant (banjo), and the 32T gear on the quadrant will have to be replaced by a 16/32T compound gear, part number 10-1546. If you get lucky, all of those gears may come with the gearbox (although the new conversion box originally only came with the 16/32T gear, it being assumed that the machine already had the other three. And typical going price for a supposedly decent condition 101.20140 is $400 to $500.
 
Ken (and any others interested),

I just uploaded a clean version of the 101.07381 flat file parts list (and one for the 101.07382). And as soon as I clean it up a little and correct two errors, I'll upload a legible threading chart.
 
Ken (and any others interested),

I just uploaded a clean version of the 101.07381 flat file parts list (and one for the 101.07382). And as soon as I clean it up a little and correct two errors, I'll upload a legible threading chart.
Sorry bout the tapatalk (seemed easier I will try to avoid it in the future)
I really appreciate the help,

The thing I can't find is the compound is different then what I have seen so far, (notice the nuts under the center) perhaps it was changed at some time?
Mine seems ok (although the carriage (slide part) seems to be zamak (hope not but I know with me it will eventually turn into a problem? perhaps I will have to be more carefull?)
I lost a couple teeth off the carriage traverse gear, got one on order (yay ebay)
Also noticed a crack in the carriage gear case, (am trying to make one out of aluminum See how that goes, I got a good casting (used lost Styrofoam)
Again thanks for the help!
Ken
 
Ken,

OK. Seems that every time that Tapatalk has an update, many things quit working here.

On the cross slide and compound swivel, sounds like you have the early version. The 101.07380 and 101.07381 were each made for nominally one year. The Sears parts list for the 101.07381 shows the later pintle type part numbers and your photo shows your compound slide as having the 2-handle crank instead of the knob. So I didn't think to ask you about that detail. On the 10", the change was made at a certain serial number (listed in a lot of the early catalogs if you look at the catalog entry for the milling attachment). Just going by the Craftsman catalog photos, it looks like the change on the 12" was made between the 101.07380 and the 101.07381. Apparently Atlas used up available parts before making the change to the 12" production. Other changes made around the same time were moving the ON-OFF switch to the headstock casting and the change from fabricated steel to cast iron change gear cover, both of which your machine has the later version parts of.

Anyway, you can differentiate between Zamak and cast iron or steel parts with a magnet. Zamak is non-magnetic. The 10-301, 10-302 and if necessary L3-303 are all pretty commonly available. It unfortunately isn't unusual to have a cracked 9-11 carriage traverse gear case.
 
Ken,

OK. Seems that every time that Tapatalk has an update, many things quit working here.

On the cross slide and compound swivel, sounds like you have the early version. The 101.07380 and 101.07381 were each made for nominally one year. The Sears parts list for the 101.07381 shows the later pintle type part numbers and your photo shows your compound slide as having the 2-handle crank instead of the knob. So I didn't think to ask you about that detail. On the 10", the change was made at a certain serial number (listed in a lot of the early catalogs if you look at the catalog entry for the milling attachment). Just going by the Craftsman catalog photos, it looks like the change on the 12" was made between the 101.07380 and the 101.07381. Apparently Atlas used up available parts before making the change to the 12" production. Other changes made around the same time were moving the ON-OFF switch to the headstock casting and the change from fabricated steel to cast iron change gear cover, both of which your machine has the later version parts of.

Anyway, you can differentiate between Zamak and cast iron or steel parts with a magnet. Zamak is non-magnetic. The 10-301, 10-302 and if necessary L3-303 are all pretty commonly available. It unfortunately isn't unusual to have a cracked 9-11 carriage traverse gear case.

Will probably need to acquire the needed stuff & ability to repair zamak, (seems I will need it)?
I made the assumption the gear was aluminum, I was wrong, I did a good job of getting 1 of the teeth tigged up only to realize the rest of the gear was melting?
After thought, if you can control the heat aluminum will fix it?
 
Well the carriage traverse gear arrived yesterday, I have the gear case almost ready, (gotta fit it & make sure it all lines up)

image3 (1).JPG

image4 (1).JPG

image1.JPG

image2 (1).JPG
 
Aluminum will probably be strong enough for the job but it does not wear well. I would recommend bushing the shaft hole.
 
Aluminum will probably be strong enough for the job but it does not wear well. I would recommend bushing the shaft hole.
I did think of that, the old one was not worn at all, just the small end mount broke off, I suspect when the tooth broke caused it?
So far it was just an issue of getting it lined up to function, (there is not a lot of room)
I got it to function pretty good, had to put some shims on to line up the gears that go to the rack,
I got it working well,
I don't like the peening of the shaft end to hold the gears on, but there is not much room to retain them?

Anyone use the super alloy 1 ??
Seems kinda pricey, supposed to work on zamak?
 
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