TH54 Atlas lathe rebuild/refurb project (pic heavy)

Robert,

If you don't mind me asking, what is the significance of having that info - do you have some kind of database you're putting it into for historical purposes? Also, I didn't notice until reassembly that there was a "3" etched on one side and an "8" on the other. Do you know what these represent?

Thanks,
Allen
 
Allen,

I was plugging them into a database on Yahoo which wasn't too badly designed. However, the new Yahoo Database version, unlike the Files, appears to be basically unusable. Fortunately, I had downloaded the information before their big change. So I still have the data, plus that from several other places. Unfortunately, very few records actually have verifiable or believable dates.

As to what it's useful for, realistically the only two things are dating machines without pulling the spindle and dating model changes. One of the several questions a new owner (of an old lathe) always seems to ask is when their machine was built or sold. Unlike several of the other manufacturers, Clausing has lost all production records on both the Atlas and the early (before about 1980) Clausing machines. So they are no help.

I haven't thought of an explanation for the "3" or the "8". If I come up with a possibility, I'll let you know. If there was only one number, we might guess that it ID'd the inspector. My best guess on the meaning of the dates is that they are receipt inspection dates, probably done by Atlas/Clausing as Timken doesn't seem to have been doing that on their other production. There have been reported cases whether the two dates were up to nearly a year apart.

Robert D.
 
Very interesting - thanks. I was guessing that the other numbers may have represented the person who machined it or a quality inspector.
 
I noticed the change of dates were very far apart on one of the three of the 12" 54's at the shop here . I actually have to take apart the head stock again tomorrow of the newest find to check on an out of line bearing in the race . Can post what the the numbers are or even better pic them for the thread .
 
Bump to see how this project is coming along. Very impressed with the progress so far.
 
It's temporarily on hold till the fall semester is over. I'm going to be picking up some Oilite bronze to fix the bushings in the QCGB when I start up on it again over the winter break.
 
Tagging this thread so that I can use it as a reference. I am about to start the same process on a TH42 that I have recently picked up. One question that comes to mind would be along the lines of there being anything that you wish you would have done different yet? The pictures that you have listed so far show some amazing work but it seems like there is always something we wish we could have done differently, hind sight being 20/20 and all. Do you have anything that stands out to you up to this point in the rebuild?
 
Maybe some X-ray glasses so I could have seen some of the worn out bits before taking it apart. LOL.

But seriously, it's going about how I expected for a machine of it's type and age. Nothing really stands out as being completely unexpected so far as I can recall.
 
it seems like there is always something we wish we could have done differently, hind sight being 20/20 and all. Do you have anything that stands out to you up to this point in the rebuild?
Click to expand...

I just completed my TH54 a few weeks ago and I have a few observations:

1) Take LOTS of pictures before you tear anything apart. Each major piece has several sub-assemblies and putting all that stuff back together can result in a lot of head-scratching if there is more than a few days between disassembly and reassembly. Detailed pics of each assembled piece REALLY helps when you're putting it all back together. When you're on a roll tearing stuff apart, it can be really tempting not to stop and take pics along the way, especially when your hands are coated with dirt and grease, but do the best you can (get help from wife, kid, etc. if available).

2) Put a box of quart size ziploc bags and a sharpie on the bench and use them to keep track of various small parts as you take them off.

3) I had almost no rust, but TONS of caked on grease. I tried a lot of different solvents along the way (starting fluid, carb cleaner, brake cleaner, mineral spirits, engine degreaser, purple power, oven cleaner). For overall heavy degreasing, I found the oven cleaner to be the most effective and cost efficient with the least amount of work required - just have to use it in an open area because of the fumes. For lighter grease on large parts, soaking with purple power and scrubbing with a wire brush worked well. The carb and brake cleaners work great for spot cleaning in hard-to-reach areas, but I used them sparingly due to the fumes and cost. I have a small electric pressure washer which was also a life-saver for rinsing the large pieces after soaking in oven cleaner/purple power. Mineral spirits seemed to work well for soaking small parts (mainly nuts/bolts) overnight. Just fill a mason jar with mineral spirits and drop the parts in. Use a magnet for easy retrieval from the mineral spirits.

4) Take some overall before/after pics and post them when you're done so we can share your success with you.

Have fun!!!

Allen

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+1 on the ziplocks and sharpie. When I did my lathe I bagged and tagged everything, it made it much easier to clean parts in sub assemblies and re assemble. That's great advise, pics too!
 
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