Subject: Crafstman Lathe Questions

From: [email-masked] (Dave Bagby)
Date: Mon, 21 Feb 1994 21:52:27 GMT

Well, I just hauled home a Craftsman lathe to add to my garage. The last time
I used a lathe was in high school (which was a few years ago). I find 
that I have a new learning project and I thought that the net could help
me get started:

1) Does anyone know who made lathes for sears? The model I have will take
a max size of 6" from center of chuck to the bed and about 3' from chuck
to pivot at the right end of the bed. I intend to contact sears to see if 
I can get a manual, but the lathe is old enough that this may be a long 
shot. I'd guess at early 70's vintage.

2) Can anyone suggest a good book to two on beginning lathe usage?

3) The price I paid was right - driving 400 miles to get it and then
400 more to haul it back home. It included 3 and 4 jaw chucks, horiz and
vertical translation tables for the carriage (I don't know the real names
of these pieces but that's what they do), the tail stop/pivot w/drill 
chuck, and a big
3 point adjustable clamp/support widget that appears to be made to clamp 
to the bed and then used to support large stock(?). It all appears to 
work (the covers rattle a lot) but needs a good cleaning / greasing / 
oiling. Just for grins what would such a used lathe go for?

Thanks in advance for all help,
	David Bagby

PS - if you reply by email, I would prefer that you use my work address: 
	[email-masked] 
I get that quickly but I only check my netcom account once or twice a 
week.
-- 
__________________________________________________________________________
David Bagby                          
Email: [email-masked]

---

From: [email-masked] (William F. Kaiser)
Date: 22 Feb 1994 14:38:20 GMT

> shot. I'd guess at early 70's vintage.

Atlas used to make lathes for Sears.  Atlas is now Clausing, Kalamazoo,
Michigan, I think.

> 2) Can anyone suggest a good book to two on beginning lathe usage?

Try Sears for the instruction book for the Atlas lathes, they sold 6" and
12" (yours) lathes.  The book is for both.  If Sears doesn't have it, try
to find Clausing.  Maybe try Clausing first, they would probably be
cheaper for the book and other replacement parts.  The instruction book is
very good and will tell you everything you need to know to get started and
to keep going.

If you can't find that, the South Bend book "How to Run a Lathe" is almost
identical to the Atlas book.  It is available from Lindsey Publications, I
believe.

> of these pieces but that's what they do), 

This is probably a milling attachment.

> the tail stop/pivot w/drill 
> chuck, and a big
> to the bed and then used to support large stock(?). 

A center rest, you've figured out what it's for.

Bill Kaiser
[email-masked]

---

From: [email-masked] (Paul Amaranth)
Date: 22 Feb 1994 18:52:43 GMT

In article <[email-masked]> [email-masked] (William F. Kaiser) writes:
>> Well, I just hauled home a Craftsman lathe to add to my garage. [...]
>> 1) Does anyone know who made lathes for sears?

>Atlas used to make lathes for Sears.  Atlas is now Clausing, Kalamazoo,

Parts for these lathes can be ordered from

                Clausing Industrial, Inc.
                Service Center
                811 Eisenhower Dr. South
                PO Box 877
                Goshen, Indiana 46526

They have most of the parts in stock, including the lathe manual (it's
something like $7 or $15).  They also have the exploded view parts
manual for $5.  Their service is excellent; I usually have the parts
within a week from the time I mail them an order.  It's faster if 
you phone or fax it.

Don't bother with Sears; they just buy the parts from Clausing and
mark them up.

Don't get carried away with their accessories though; most of it's
standard stuff you can get cheaper elsewhere.
-- 
Paul Amaranth  Manager User Services - office: (313) 370 4541 (also voicemail)
(internet)     [email-masked]  |Best error message that wasn't
(bitnet)       amaranth@oakland               |supposed to show up: HODIE
(uucp)         ...!uunet!umich!vela!amaranth  |NATUS EST RADICI FRATER

---

From: [email-masked] (Bill Kish)
Date: Tue, 22 Feb 1994 22:05:52 GMT

In article <[email-masked]>, [email-masked]
(Paul Amaranth) writes:
|> In article <[email-masked]> [email-masked]
(William F. Kaiser) writes:
|> >Dave Bagby ([email-masked]) wrote:
|> >
|> >> Well, I just hauled home a Craftsman lathe to add to my garage. [...]
|> >> 1) Does anyone know who made lathes for sears?
|> 
 .....
|> 
|> Don't get carried away with their accessories though; most of it's
|> standard stuff you can get cheaper elsewhere.

 Paul, 

 Do you know any other suppliers who sell tool-holders, cutoff tools, 
 knurling tools that will fit in the small atlas tool post? All of 
 the industry standard ones I have seen are too high!

			-Bill

 PS: If anyone has any sources for aftermarket accessories (besides centers 
 & chucks) for the atlas 6" please post them!

---

From: [email-masked] (Paul Amaranth)
Date: 23 Feb 1994 01:23:53 GMT

> the industry standard ones I have seen are too high!

I get a lot of small tooling from Production Tool.  I got a cutoff tool
holder for around $12.50.  They list a revolving 3 head knurling tool
for $58 with a 3/8 shank.  My knurling tool has a 1/2 shank ground down
to fit, which is another route.  Production Tool has one of these for $22.50

Some of their prices may not always be the lowerst, but they're up front
on the quality.  They generally offer different levels of quality at 
different prices.

Anyway, they have a great catalog.  Their toll free number is 1-800-366-3600.
I don't think they're in the faq, but they proably should be.

While I'm on this, would anyone consider sending me a copy of the
series in HSM on the quick change toolpost?  I only have the last issue
and it looks like an interesting project.

---

From: [email-masked] (Bill Brown)
Date: 27 Feb 1994 06:25:13 GMT

In article <[email-masked]>, Joe Landau <[email-masked]> wrote:
> 
>In the same magazine, there are ads for a quick change toolpost kit, called
>omni-post.  Has anyone made it?

Yes.  I'm quite satisfied with it.  I did not include the automatic
indexing feature and, up to this point, have not missed.  I'm thinking
about buying a ready-made indexing ring from the manufacturer, however.

Disclaimer:  These opinions are my own and have	    |
    nothing to do with the official policy or the   |  -bill
    management of L.B.L, who probably couldn't      |   [email-masked]
    care less about employees who play with trains. |

---

From: [email-masked] (Dave Golber)
Date: 10 Mar 1994 22:56:15 GMT

>shot. I'd guess at early 70's vintage.

This is probably an Atlas 12x36.

Re: Atlas Metal Lathe:  Where to get parts, etc.

Some general info about things like this:

Atlas Press Company
2019 N. Pitcher
Kalamazoo MI 49007
616/345-7155

Spare parts are handled by:
Clausing Corporation Service Center
811 Eisenhower Drive South
Goshen IN 46526
219/533-0371

I have the impression that Atlas is now owned by
Clausing.

(How do I know all this?  Well, I have a very-old Atlas metal 
lathe too!)

I suggest you get a few of the numbers of the most important 
castings - the bed and the headstock - and call Atlas in 
Kalamazoo.  There may be a little problem, since the same 
casting may have been used in multiple models.

Hint:  Sears has sold and still does sell Atlas under their 
own label.  (Atlas is a real bottom-of-the-line metal lathe.)
So you might try to figure out what Sears called it.  I got 
the exploded-parts diagram from Sears, which complemented the 
un-illustrated parts list I got from Atlas.  (It's pretty 
hard to figure out what part it is that you want, when the 
list is full of parts called just "bracket" and so on.)  But 
I suggest you order the parts direct from Goshen; they take 
forever from Sears (probably because Sears sends your order 
to Goshen.)  

Dave Golber