Saving a Craftsman 6" 101.07301

[RobertB]

I was afraid of that.

It's actually pretty easy. The only difficult part is getting the bull gear woodruff key out. If it hasn't been removed in 50 years it can be stubborn and you have a very narrow space to work in to remove it. There is a good tutorial here: https://www.homemodelenginemachinist.com/threads/6-atlas-spindle-removal-bearing-replacement.6310/

(There is a minor error in the tutorial where he says the screw above the lock pin is for oil. This screw actually retains the lock pin detent ball and spring, but otherwise is a very good tutorial.)

 

[TonimusMaximus]

Wooo! I have a complete compound on the way, courtesy of a very generous price from RobertB.

 

[wa5cab]

There is another error in the first sentence of the instructions, but as you have a sleeve bearing lathe, it doesn't actually affect you. But just for the record, the mistaken belief that the early Atlas 618's had sleeve bearings is just an old wive's tale. There is no truth to it, as the Atlas 618 used the same Timken bearings from the first to the last one made. Some people just confused the Craftsman 101.07301 with the Atlas 618 because a lot of the parts in both lathes are the same.

 

[mattthemuppet2]

Wooo! I have a complete compound on the way, courtesy of a very generous price from RobertB.

nice! glad that worked out well.

As for the link belt, personally I would avoid it and use a decent 3/8" v-belt. Yes, it's a pain to remove the spindle, back gear and countershaft to change the belt, but I was not impressed by a link belt on my 618. In fact I don't have link belts on any of my machines anymore, though they are handy for sizing belts at least. Main issue I had was poor grip, so the belt would slip way too easily, especially in the lowest ratio and even if I tensioned the beejeesus out of it. It also wore the countershaft pulley quite badly, possibly in part to excess tension. Both problems I put down to the minimal amount of contact the link belt makes with the pulleys as it doesn't sit far into the V. I went to the extreme of remaking the spindle and countershaft pulleys to use a poly-V belt, which is superior to a standard V belt, but that was one of the best things I did with that lathe. Admittedly, I should have got off my butt and just replaced the link belt, but I figured it would "incentivise" me to finish the mod. Depending on your time frame that worked admirably (completed in less than 5 years) or terribly (completed in less than 5 years)

 

[Janderso]

I pulled the old girl out of the cabinet.
There is something going on with the spindle puller sun gear.
This seems pretty complicated.
Any experts in the Sacramento area?
Pics if you care.

 

[RobertB]

That is a different model altogether, so the previous tutorial is not applicable. That is a Craftsman "80" made by Double A company rather than the Atlas made models. Your model has the planetary or epicyclic back gear assembly.

You can find most available info on yours here: http://www.lathes.co.uk/craftsman/page5.html

 

[Janderso]

RobertB,
Thank you for the link. I know nothing about this little lathe. The planetary gears are interesting.
I need to spend some time with this machine, I just don't have any thing called time right now.
Maybe in a few years. It's in good shape.
Thanks again, I really appreciate it.

 

[wa5cab]

Janderso,

You will find the factory manual (such as it is) on the 109.21270 in Downloads. It's in the AA Manuals folder, not the Atlas one. You will also find some drawings done 20 odd years ago by Lionel Weightman.

 

[Nogoingback]

looking good! To get you up and running without a compound, you could always mount an appropriately sized block with hole in the bottom to fit over the post on the cross slide. Something i've thought of doing to up the rigidity when i don't need to do angles

+1 on a solid plinth. Small Atlas machines would benefit from the improved rigidity and it would get you going until you can find
a compound. Unless you have a job that needs the compound, you're better off with a solid mount.

 

[TonimusMaximus]

+1 on a solid plinth. Small Atlas machines would benefit from the improved rigidity and it would get you going until you can find
a compound. Unless you have a job that needs the compound, you're better off with a solid mount.

I have the lower swivel already and the compound I have on the way (should be delivered today) has a lower swivel with it. As such, I'm going to take the lower swivel that I have and drill/tap the top for the qctp. The post will be directly mounted to the swivel and changing it out for the compound will essentially be tool-less.