Help id'ing this lathe

[Greased Throw Out Bearing]

I have this craftsman lathe I picked up and mounted to heavy work table. I don't know which model it is. There is no metal tag for this nor are there any holes where the tag could be mounted.

I measured from the spindle center to the bed and it's approx 6 inches and maybe 5 inches from the threads of the spindle to the bed.

It didn't have a motor.

I took apart, cleaned and lubed a rockwell motor. Works like a charm. It's reversable and 3/4 hp. But after getting this motor nice and fully restored I realized that the RPM's might be too much, 3600 rpm? Or maybe 3600 rpm's are fine. I don't know, I want to check the manual for the lathe but I can't even id it. Not sure what pulley size should be on there either. Ace hardware and Amazon have an assortment of "Chicago Die Cast" Pulleys but I don't know what diameter pulley I should get.

Any help with id'ing this and/or help with the motor rpm's would be greatly appreciated.

 

[GrifterGuru]

You say you have measured the "swing", but have you measured "between Centres"? See the below Diagrams.







As regards spindle speed, that is a factor of gearing and usually, to decrease the spindle speed, you would use a smaller motor pulley and larger spindle pulley.

As to lathe model, once you know "swing" and "between centres" you should be able to search for models within that specific range.

Look for casting numbers or stamped numbers on the bedway/head etc. they may also give a clue if there are any.

 

[mickri]

Typical motor rpm should be 1725. Looks like an early model 12" lathe. Measure the lathe as suggested and take pictures of every casting number you can find.

 

[jwmay]

Luckily for you, these craftsman metal lathes are divided into only two main categories of meaningful difference. 10” or 12”. The bed length is entirely unimportant in getting the information you need.

So you’ve got a Craftsman 12” change gear metal lathe. A 3600 rpm motor is way too fast. Sorry. They don’t make a pulley that would make 3600 rpm a useable speed. And there’s not a pulley in production that matches the one you need. Ebay is your best bet for finding a replacement. But if you wanted to make your own pulley, using the lathe, you could do that. A fellow on YouTube has made his own replacement. But first you gotta come up with a 1750 rpm motor.

Find yourself a copy of the Atlas Manual of Lathe Operations. This manual tells you everything about using and maintaining your new machine. Including comprehensive charts for gear combinations, which you will also need. Ozarkwoodworker sells a reprint of this manual. It’s worth it. You can find him on EBay, and he has a website I think as well. Although…he might have retired.

There are many little “differences” between models. But knowing any more than you now know, isn’t going to give you a more accurate manual.

This forum has the drawings for the pulley you need. You can get access to it with a donation I think. But it’s also buried deep in various threads, and places all over the internet. I’d plant one here for you, if I had a link.

But again, you can’t use that Rockwell 3600 rpm motor. Save that for a woodworking machine.

Now I have a motor that would absolutely be the right motor. But I’ve cut the wires off, intending to rebuild it someday. And the output shaft is in dire need of attention. So that wouldn’t be helpful to you.

So what do you need to move forward? A 1/2 hp single phase, 1725 rpm motor, and a generic 3” OD pulley that runs A 12l belt. Or an Atlas/Craftsman metal lathe motor and pulley off EBay.

New Atlas / Craftsman 10-428 Dual Motor Pulley 5/8" bore with key & set screw | eBay

New OEM 10-428 Dual Motor Pulley.

www.ebay.com

 

[markba633csi]

Perfect opportunity to convert to a variable speed drive. Cannibalize an old treadmill for the dc motor and drive, or buy a KB drive off Ebay
for 50$

 

[pontiac428]

A whole lotta Atlas/Craftsman documentation is in our site member's library that you can access by buying a membership (it's not much, just supports our site's fees). @wa5cab and others from this site have sourced and re-created parts blueprints for those lathes. https://www.vintagemachinery.org has several versions of the MOLO (Manual of Lathe Operation) for free download that cover in great detail how to run that particular machine.

Everything you learn on an Atlas is transferable to other lathes, so it's a good starting point.

 

[Greased Throw Out Bearing]

I appreciate all the advice. I won't use the motor I have. A friend of mine gave me a working motor that is reversable, 1725 rpm, 1/4 hp.

Otherwise I just found a facebook marketplace posting, Dayton, 1/2 hp, 1725 rpm, ball bearing, and reversable. $30.

 

[matthewsx]

Perfect opportunity to convert to a variable speed drive. Cannibalize an old treadmill for the dc motor and drive, or buy a KB drive off Ebay
for 50$

This^^^^

John