Lubrication tip/spindle damage warning for new Atlas owners.

[David S]

Just a note to the sticky. I have an actual Atlas 618 circa 1949 along with the manual. The manual states that you should remove that set screw and apply oil... everytime you use the BACKGEAR. For normal operation when the back gear is not in operation it doesn't have to be lubricate. Just thought I would add this.

 

[wa5cab]

David,

OK. When I wrote the brief paragraph, my primary intent was to warn new owners that what looked like a pulley set screw was an oil plug and to check that the oil plug hadn't been turned into a set screw. The lubrication chart was originally developed for commercial operations as the early Atlas 10" and 12" weren't sold as hobbyist machines (see any late 30's or 40's Atlas catalogs). And aside from the change somewhere along the line from SAE 10 to SAE 20 hasn't changed from those days. Only the 6" was sold or advertised from the beginning for hobby use. But I'll edit the warning WRT the lubrication interval.

Robert D.

 

[David S]

David,

OK. When I wrote the brief paragraph, my primary intent was to warn new owners that what looked like a pulley set screw was an oil plug and to check that the oil plug hadn't been turned into a set screw. The lubrication chart was originally developed for commercial operations as the early Atlas 10" and 12" weren't sold as hobbyist machines (see any late 30's or 40's Atlas catalogs). And aside from the change somewhere along the line from SAE 10 to SAE 20 hasn't changed from those days. Only the 6" was sold or advertised from the beginning for hobby use. But I'll edit the warning WRT the lubrication interval.

Robert D.

Robert it was a good reminder though. I don't think I remember that screw being there until your post. I have the original 1949 manual and sure enough there was the picture or the set screw and the corresponding note when to oil.

Thanks again.
David

 

[Rickinlexky]

Thanks for this! I had no idea. I've been carefully protecting the user manual from damage, when I should have been reading it more thoroughly. Here is the illustrated lubrication chart from the Atlas manual: