# Craftsman/Atlas Lathe



## Wado (May 15, 2011)

I got blessed with this old timer by my cousin around Christmas. I spent three days (believe it or not) cleaning it up and finally had the nerve to turn it on. I found a couple more problems, one electrical and one mechanical but I think I have them under control. The motor wouldn't start sometimes and then would slow down and stop but I changed the capacitor and thought I had it. It started stopping again but I don't think the forward reverse switch was making good contact and I messed with that and it hasn't done it again. I already got a new motor from Grainger if it does. The pulleys were wobbling terribly and I ended up taking the pulley housing out and after a couple of hours of cussing got them off. One was missing the key and had been cranked down with the setscrew and the other was hammered on too far and it had a flat the screw was supposed to engage on but was way off. I put a new key in and had to JB Weld the key way in the pulley about half way but it's holding so far. I reground the flat on the other one and tightened the dog sh## out of the screw with locktite. I put a quick change post on and tightened the gibs and took some of the lash out of the feed screws so that's about all I can do with it. The tail stock took two hands to crank but just needed cleaning and oiling. Now you can spin it. I did get a new 1/2" chuck and some indexable tool holders for the post, I just couldn't handle the old lantern set up. :hairout:
If anybody knows where parts are for this thing please don't be bashful. I have found a few but something is going to break sooner or later I know. I did make that aluminum extension for my reloading press with the old tool holder. It operates a CPS Lite primer seater system and takes some of the stroke out of the press. I need to make them longer but that's all the material I had at the time.


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## bassguitarman (Nov 29, 2005)

I think Clausing Industrial (they bought out Atlas) still stocks and sells parts for these older lathes:

https://www.clausing-industrial.com/partsService.asp

Ebay is a great source for finding hard to find parts. I had the other Craftsman lathe made by AAA manufacturing in about 1939. Parts were not difficult to find even for that antique.


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## Wado (May 15, 2011)

*Parts*

I think you can buy new acme nuts for the cross slide off of E Bay so I've heard. I found one place that has a few gears I hope I never need one, kind of pricey but it's old I expect it. It turns aluminum fine but cold roll not too good. It needs a slower feed for light cuts but I did some 304 stainless that finished good. A couple of swipes with emery paper and it would pass. Dang motor quit while I was parting off a piece of aluminum and when it started up again it trashed my brand new tool. Popped the insert and bent the end over. I just couldn't back it out fast enough. I have the milling attachment also that looks like fun to use. I only have one mill holder on a taper shank and a drawbar but not the collet set. I think there is five woodruff cutters of various sizes in the tools.


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## Its Catchy (Apr 10, 2014)

They don't make them like that anymore! Great score. I just picked up an old Craftsman Drill press made in 1946 for 10.00 on OfferUp. Put a new spindle, chuck and bearings on it and it's good for another 100 years.

I love vintage machinery from the day when we still built quality tools. 

As has been previously said Ebay is your friend. Be persistent and you can usually find what you need in the way of parts. Keep in mind that in the good old days parts from later models were very similar so parts of the newer models may fit the older ones.

Good luck!


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## fishingcacher (Mar 29, 2008)

How much for the tractor?


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## jm423 (Sep 18, 2011)

I believe you have a situation similar to what a fellow told me about retirement--get a place in the country with a windmill and an Angus bull. If you're not fixing the windmill you will be hunting the bull. So now you can be working on or with the lathe. All joking aside, you will have a winner when you run the bugs away--one of the best gunsmiths I know used that (or a very similar) lathe. When he passed, darn kids sold the lathe and etc. for basically junk price!


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## therealbigman (Jul 14, 2010)

Nice give by your cousin !!!

If ya need some tooling , inserts , end mills etc , even some aluminum and stainless bar stock , give me a pm .

Indexable insert holders , some boring bars etc etc , I have chitload of diff inserts ! 

This was left from my father who was Lipton Teas Chief designer and machinist . .


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## therealbigman (Jul 14, 2010)

Forgot to mention , We have an Aloris tool post with a few diff holders , I forget the size but I think it would fit your needs if needed .


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## Wado (May 15, 2011)

*New Project*

I made a hex socket head action screw for a Remington 513T Matchmaster.
I used a 1/4" socket head bolt and made a beveled washer to match the original screw. It was some fine machine thread I couldn't find a match for around here. Must be a 3/16 x 28 threads per inch.


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## daddyeaux (Nov 18, 2007)

Wado, you got way too much time on your hands.


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## therealbigman (Jul 14, 2010)

Nice job Wado .

I ran across a bunch of tiny taps a few months back , maybe I'll find them when I start getting things together .

I haven't forgot about ya , just been getting sidetracked . 

.


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## Wado (May 15, 2011)

daddyeaux said:


> Wado, you got way too much time on your hands.


And my time ain't paying the bills. I used to make money cranking on one of these things but now it's just a past time. You guys left plenty of doves for next year in Frio County. Been seeing lots of turkeys too. That was a heck of a rain opening day and we haven't gotten that much all winter. Pretty green right now though, I poured two inches out of the gauge Saturday when we got there and I believe we got a little more. I have already spent more on that old lathe than it cost from Sears and Roebuck new.


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## daddyeaux (Nov 18, 2007)

Man, you are right about that rain. I pulled two cars out of the field and the guide pulled a truck out. We almost didn't make it out, you had to have a 4 wheel drive. But we will be back this year to try again. Glad you guys are getting some rain, you need it.


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## Wado (May 15, 2011)

*Ram Extension*

I turned another extension for the loading press ram. I used all the new tools this time but the new knurling tool has a wheel out of round or something wrong. I might look into a scissor style if they make one for a small tool post. The one I used back when I worked for ATD ran a lot truer. I probably put an hour into this piece and the Harrison CNC lathe at the shop I worked in would have cut the profile in about 45 seconds using a grooving turning tool. The knurl might have taken a minute or so just because you had to manually turn the quad post to the knurl tool and push a couple of buttons.


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## Wado (May 15, 2011)

*Trigger Shoe*

About three months ago I ordered a trigger shoe for my 513 Matchmaster 22 rifle from Taylor Manufacturing or also known as Tomahawk Grips. Old company in Oklahoma that has apparently been handed down to the owners heirs. After a few weeks I got a little suspicious and did some internet snooping and found they were still making stuff just slow to ship. I got a wild hair and decided to try and make one on my lathe. Just a cylinder with a groove the same width as the trigger and some shallow grooves inside the cylinder for a better grip. The hard part was drilling the 4-40 set screws that hold it on in my old drill press but I pulled it off. Fitting was done with a belt sander and a file and it turned out pretty good. Wouldn't you know about a week after I made it the one I ordered showed up. They are almost identical in size the Taylor being just a bit smaller and rounder. Theirs is cast bronze and mine is machined aluminum but I have tried both and decided to leave the bronze one on, kind of pimps the rifle up being gold







. Some pictures of mine.


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