Please Help Me Identify This Atlas Lathe Model

T

Trc687

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Hello,

I found this Atlas lathe on Craigslist. It's a bit of a hike from me but it certainly appears to be a stout piece of history. Nevada is a desert, both literally and figuratively when it comes to used mills and lathes. I have contacted the seller and am eagerly awaiting a response. Can you guys help me identify the model and give me an idea about what to expect in cost of restoration, probable repairs that may be needed, fair price, etc? I'm handy and will be doing all of the work myself, I just know next to nothing about machining/machine tools and am looking to start with a decent piece of machinery. Here is the link:

http://lasvegas.craigslist.org/pts/5699253926.html

Thanks!
 
I believe that's called a TH-42 if I'm not mistaken- check the site Lathes.uk I think they have a picture.
I can see that there are some broken handles/cranks on it, and the motor wiring looks ancient. Fairly common lathe tho and many parts available on Ebay. Ask the seller if he has any accessories like extra chucks, change gears, tools.
If it's just what's shown, maybe 600$ maybe less if it's really worn. Tighten the carriage lock bolt with the carriage near the headstock till the carriage just moves, then crank the carriage toward the tailstock. You want it to go all or most of the way without too much binding.
Mark S.
 
It is an Atlas 10F. If you zoom in on the first photo, you can just see part of the power cross-feed knob peeking out from under the cross feed knob. But it isn't a TH-42. "T" means Timken spindle bearings. And zooming in on the first photo, you can easily see three out of four of the bearing cap bolt heads. So it has babbit spindle bearings. "42" means a 42" bed, or 24" between centers. It is difficult to judge length in a photo, especially when the photo is made from such a high angle. But it is probably an H-42. From the rectangular switch plate, it was made 1942 or later. With babbit bearings, it was made 1945 or earlier.

Going prices for machine tools vary significantly in different parts of the country. But I would still judge $450 as being a little too high. The lathe seems relatively complete but it is missing the tailstock dauber (they are almost always missing), the motor belt cover, and the motor pulley and the countershaft pulley driven by the motor belt are not original. Both were originally 2-step and the one on the countershaft was larger than the one there now. Also, the cross feed crank and the half-nut lever are both broken. I don't see any of the rest of the change gears, and except for one headstock chuck and the drill chuck in the tailstock ram, I see not other accessories.

If he will come down on the price, it might be worth the drive to check it out. But I would insist on removing the spindle chuck and on pulling the right end bearing cap in order to inspect the bearings and to see how many thou of shims are still present.
 
 
Too bad you can't take Robert with you when you go LOL can't put anything past him! Seriously tho it's an old lathe and probably has a fair amount of wear. But it's ok to buy a worn machine as long as you know what you are getting. That's why checking for bed wear is so important. Most other issues can be fixed, repaired, replaced, etc. and that's the fun part. Fixing a worn bed is too big an undertaking for most people. Even so, worn lathes can still make good parts, you just need to bump up your skill level a bit.
Another thing is that if you get there first you usually don't have alot of bargaining power- and prices here in the west tend to be on the high side. Happy shopping!
Mark S.
 
Thanks guys! With the babbitt bearings, I think I'll probably pass. I hear that getting them repoured is a nightmare and of itself. This one is also listed by a different gentleman.

http://lasvegas.craigslist.org/tls/5623178864.html

It's a craftsman, but it looks like it has a qcgb in the bottom of the first picture. I didn't realize craftsman had a model with qcgb, so I might very well be mistaken. Any thoughts on this fella? I need to call and get more info and maybe a few more pictures.
 
Wow, even for Craigslist those are crappy pictures.

Atlas made most of the Craftsman lathes.

$500 is not a bad deal.
 
Charles, any idea what model it may be? Again, I'm trying to determine parts availability and what repairs or upgrades may need to be made before I jump in head first.
 
Impossible to say from those pictures. It could be a 10" or a 12" swing. I've seen more 12" than 10" with the gear box.

If its in decent shape then you shouldn't have to buy parts. No idea what tooling besides the chuck.

I will tell you that I sold a non working gear box off a 12" Atlas for $350.

Either size will take common tools that fit Atlas, South Bend, and Logan lathes in that size group and are readily available.

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2057872.m570.l1311.R7.TR11.TRC1.A0.H1.X1+1/2"-8+.TRS0&_nkw=1+1/2+8+lathe+chuck&_sacat=0

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_fro...13.TR7.TRC2.A0.H0.TRS0&_nkw=axa+tool&_sacat=0

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_odk...2.TRC2.A0.H0.X.TRS0&_nkw=atlas+lathe&_sacat=0

There's a lot of information on Craftsman lathes here:

http://vintagemachinery.org/mfgindex/detail.aspx?id=222&tab=3

And here:

http://www.lathes.co.uk/craftsman/page4.html
 
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