Great video! I have a 1938 Timken bearing Atlas 10F, they hand scribed the bearings with month day and year from factory it looks like.I purchased 6 years ago in working condition. I'm currently restoring the Ol girl and have spent some serious money throughout the project. Great working machines for light duty processes. I found your video very helpful and full of ACCURATE information.
I have an atlas lathe that looks just like that but with the Timken bearings. It’s a model TH42. My great uncle gave it to his brother, my grandfather, back in the late 70’s. My grandfather was a machinist and I learned a little about running the lathe from him but regret not learning more before he died.
The first Atlas lathe I had was a TH-42. That's a good model. You're lucky to have a machine that has been handed down through the family. I don't have any machinists in my family, so I envy you. I think most of us regret not learning more from our parents and grandparents when they were still alive. But rather than dwell on that, I think it's better to cherish the memories of the times we did spend with them. Thanks for your comment!
Scott -- I'm so glad you found it helpful. Congratulations on your new lathe. Atlas stopped making the TH48 shortly after WWII (around 1948, if I recall). The extra bed length of that size lathe can come in handy for certain tasks. Thanks for taking the time to comment on my video. Best -- Vince
The best thing about flat ways lathes like Atlas is you can in theory flip it around. You would have to drill new holes to fit everything. The problem is the ways usually get worn out where it is mostly used, 10-15 cm part closest to the chuck. Of course you could make a machine shop grind the bed into speck but that usually cost a lot...
Nice,,,,l have 6 atlas lathes,,, 2 12x54s with quick change gear boxes and 3 6 inch 618s and a 109 and pretty much all attachments for the 12s and 6s and alot of tooling, have one 618 that's never been used on display,,, only one 618 has babbet bearing rest timken, can't beat the vintage lathes,,, people realize there value and prices are climbing,,, most atlas lathes was hobbyist lathes and well taken care of..
Nice! I have a 618 that is taken apart and awaiting restoration. Even though they are hobby lathes and built to a certain price point, they still are capable of turning out some decent work if you're willing to take the time to nurse them along. Thanks for sharing your experience.
There are a lot of them still around. If you can find one for a decent price and don't mind spending some time tuning them up, they can be a good alternative to a Chinese mini-lathe.
Great find Vince! I have a similar or same wrench for my Craftsman/Atlas 10” HD wood lathe. I believe the square end also does the screw heads on the milling attachment as well as the steady and follower rest.
GUYS...when buying one of these older lathes, make sure most all parts are there and included. Parts such as chuck cross slide carriage tail stock and motor drive pulley sub shafts etc are very important. This particular lathe has lead screw Forward & Reverse box is junk most always broken or missing but there is a way around this and much better overall. You may soon learn about the snakes & jackals on Egay who will charge insane prices for that single part you need to get the lathe going. DON'T think....hey all it's missing is a few this & that's and can get everything needed from Egay. You would be better off finding & buying another entire lathe for parts than try to piece part one together from Egay.
Hi from UK I have Atlas 10 complete with cast legs these Lathes are quite rare in UK its got Timken bearings has a little wear on bed near headstock but perfectly useable . Its got good assortment of gears but could do with a 18 or 20 gear for it seen some nylon gears on eBay but rather go for metal for such a small gear . Any places in US that sell these gears I,m normally over in US once a year apart from last 2 years
Hello. You might try Clausing Industrial (formerly Atlas Press Co.) They still stock some parts for these lathes, including some of the gears. Their website is clausing-industrial.com. Other than that, ebay is probably the best source for used gears but buyer beware.
i don't know how you got my buddy old lath but mitch is watching and he wants you to take very! good =care of it he really loved that machine he died in 1998 and the state confiscated all of his stuff he was one of the smartest men I have ever met in my life it was given to him by his old employer in the 50s
It could be the same lathe. Did your buddy live in Iowa? The person I bought it from said the owner was an old man who had a stroke in 2020 and was in a nursing home. I don't know when he bought it though.
Great condition lathe find. The handle tool cutter looks like its for radius cutting . The hardening compound can be toxic if not used right. Don't throw it out guys like me use it to surface harden carbon steels. It has cyanide properties to bring carbon surface hard . I'd buy it if you don't want to much.
Thanks! Yeah, it does look ore like a radius-cutting tool than a ball-turning tool. I think it might only be partially complete. Thanks for the info on the Kasenit. I didn't realize it was no longer available. I think I'll hang on to it and try using it on an upcoming project I have.
Unless it's obviously shop made that boring bar holder may well be a commercial item. I remember seeing the exact same design in the Enco? catalogs maybe 15 years ago. Armstrong was one who made them. If it's not shop made you might either find the Armstrong logo or maybe just some stamped numbers.
It very well could be a commercially-made item. Atlas actually sold one that looked very similar as well, so it could have been purchased at the same time as the lathe. I didn't see any logo or name or numbers on it, which is what made me think it was shop-made.
@@MrHarvard88 I have the identical holder. Works well on my TH-42. You're right about the zamak gears. Knocked some teeth off one of the bevel gears taking a (too) deep cut. Good score. Nice machine
What does the deadly dobber for? I have the th54, great machine. I dont have that nor the tightner adjustment in the tail stock which I'm sure has alot to do with the chatter I get when using the tail stock? Let me know if you would please. I'm confident I could make them... Thanks
The dauber is just a little stem that was used to apply white lead to the tip of the dead center. The white lead came in a paste-like form and served as a lubricant for the dead center. As you were turning, you would have to periodically reapply it to keep things greased up. With the use of live centers, you don't really need the white lead or the dauber. The clamps on the tailstock are often missing. They were made out of Zamak, a soft zinc-alloy, and can crack or deform if you overtighten the tailstock too often. You could probably make replacements out of aluminum or brass or some other soft metal. And yeah, not being able to lock the tailstock could lead to chatter.
This looks identical to the lathe I inharited from my dad. I need to get a new chuck, the 3 jaw thats on it has been broken off and rewelded, good for one chuck projects :( any suggestions on where to find replacment chucks? BTW I do have the steady rest :) and my eyes lit up seeing that milling attachment :)
You basically have three choices for a replacement chuck -- 1. Scrounge for a used one on ebay or a used machinery dealer. Ebay is a crap shoot, but you might want to try lostcreekmachine.com. I've purchased several items from them in the past and have been happy with their service 2. Buy an inexpensive import chuck from a place like LittleMachineShop.com. 3. Buy an expensive chuck like a Bison or a Buck. For nos. 2 and 3, you will have to make a backing plate for the chuck.
Ive searched high and low,........ with lots of conflicting markings on the lathe do you know any sure "no doubt" difference between the D and F lathe to help me determine which one I've got. After watching and researching, I'm still unable to determine which one I have here. Ive got "D" stamped on the body with what looks to be F style parts.... Either way, I'm a winner, I love this old machine and I'm gonna do a mint restoration over the winter... stoked!
Check the diameter of the lead screw. The D has a 5/8" lead screw and the F is 3/4". Atlas often continued to use the same part numbers on newer models of lathes, so you'll see parts stamped with D or even 9 (from their earlier 9" lathe) on the 10F.
@@MrHarvard88 Thats great, thanks for tip. It would seem many of the parts are interchangeable. I'm gonna grab a parts manual. The F seems common but no D's to be found. thankyou madman.
@@gsh319 The D's were only made for a few years in the 1930s before they came out with the 10F. The 10F was made up until 1959, I believe, so there are a lot more of them around.
Hi , I have just purchased one of these. (the British copy, Halifax 524) I have stripped it down to check each part and then will clean and reassemble. What I can't understand is that the headstock bearings on mine were packed with grease but it has oilers on the caps. My bearings are like car wheel bearing style so do I pack them with grease when fitting or do they run on just oil and whoever owned the lathe before packed them with grease? any advice appreciated thanks.
From your description, it sounds like you have Timken roller bearings (similar to wheel bearings on an auto). They should NOT be packed with grease. Use a good grade of machine oil, and oil them each time you use the lathe.
Hello, does this atlas model have a total of 17 gears? I'm Brazilian, I found one of these here, I think some gear is missing. If you can answer me I will be very happy. Thanks for the video.
Do you have advice for removing a chuck that is stuck on the spindle? I want to make sure I don’t mess up the threads or anything else while trying to get the chuck off. I recently inherited an atlas lathe similar to this and have a lot to learn! I really appreciate this video.
I know some people will disagree with me on this, but this is how I have removed stuck chucks in the past. First, rotate the spindle so the hole for the chuck key is at the top of the chuck. Then engage the back gears to lock the spindle in place. Place the chuck key in the hold and pull it toward you to loosen the chuck. If that doesn't work, get a long (2 to 3 feet) length of steel rod, 1/2" to 3/4" in dia. Slide one end of the rod crosswise between a couple of the chuck jaws. (You may have to open or close the jaws a bit.) Use the rod to pry against the sides of the jaws, applying increasing pressure until the chuck breaks free. This was how I removed the chuck from the lathe in this video, as well as the other Atlas lathe that I owned previously. Once you get the chuck off, clean the threads on both the spindle and inside the chuck and use a drop or two of oil on the spindle threads each time you mount the chuck so it won't get stuck again. Hope this helps.
@@MrHarvard88 yeah that makes sense. Is there any kind of lubricant or something to put on to loosen it up? Do you recommend any certain brand of cleaner for general clean up for the spindle threads/ lead screw and other parts?
Hi Vince. do you reckon that the white metal bearings give a better & smoother finish to the material than the taper roller bearings., as I have both headstocks with my Atlas lathe
John -- The consensus seems to be that the babbitt bearings are smoother IF they are in good condition and not worn out. The disadvantage to them is that they aren't as easy to replace and they can't be run as fast as the Timken bearings. If I was given the choice, I'd probably pick the Timken bearings, all other things being equal. But with that being said, I've used this lathe a couple of times now and I haven't noticed any real difference over the Timken-bearing Atlas I used to own. It runs pretty smooth (for an Atlas) and leaves a decent finish.
@@MrHarvard88 Hi. I am already using the headstock with the Timken bearings it's just that I had the opportunity to buy a headstock at a reasonable price as a spare sort of just in case. John
@@MrJpsspecial It doesn't hurt to have spare parts available for these older machines. I'm keeping my eyes open for a good deal on a Timken-bearing headstock to have as a back-up, but I'm not in any big rush to find one.
Good video. When I bought my house in 06 the previous owner left behind a 10F TH54 with lots of attachments. Never thinking I was going to need or use the attachments I sold them all off. Not the smartest move, but live and learn. I took the lathe apart to give it a good cleaning and painted it and it sat for years I recorded a vid on it before putting it away (ruclips.net/video/k7gVe0CpIzg/видео.html ). Recently I took it out of storage and cut the bed down to 36" so it doesn't take up so much space. I'm looking for a QCTP because I found the lantern too difficult to work with. I think it's a good starter lathe.
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Great video! I have a 1938 Timken bearing Atlas 10F, they hand scribed the bearings with month day and year from factory it looks like.I purchased 6 years ago in working condition. I'm currently restoring the Ol girl and have spent some serious money throughout the project. Great working machines for light duty processes. I found your video very helpful and full of ACCURATE information.
Lovely lathe - the white metal bearings you have produce a smoother finish than the Timpkins so you’ve done well!
I have an atlas lathe that looks just like that but with the Timken bearings. It’s a model TH42. My great uncle gave it to his brother, my grandfather, back in the late 70’s. My grandfather was a machinist and I learned a little about running the lathe from him but regret not learning more before he died.
The first Atlas lathe I had was a TH-42. That's a good model. You're lucky to have a machine that has been handed down through the family. I don't have any machinists in my family, so I envy you. I think most of us regret not learning more from our parents and grandparents when they were still alive. But rather than dwell on that, I think it's better to cherish the memories of the times we did spend with them. Thanks for your comment!
Great clean fast video!!! Thanks for posting!!!
Thank you for doing this video. I just picked up a TH48 with zero paper work. This video cleared up a lot of grey area.
Scott -- I'm so glad you found it helpful. Congratulations on your new lathe. Atlas stopped making the TH48 shortly after WWII (around 1948, if I recall). The extra bed length of that size lathe can come in handy for certain tasks. Thanks for taking the time to comment on my video. Best -- Vince
The best thing about flat ways lathes like Atlas is you can in theory flip it around. You would have to drill new holes to fit everything. The problem is the ways usually get worn out where it is mostly used, 10-15 cm part closest to the chuck. Of course you could make a machine shop grind the bed into speck but that usually cost a lot...
nice score. Always big fun to get a new old machine
Yes, it sure is. It's addicting!
Nice,,,,l have 6 atlas lathes,,, 2 12x54s with quick change gear boxes and 3 6 inch 618s and a 109 and pretty much all attachments for the 12s and 6s and alot of tooling, have one 618 that's never been used on display,,, only one 618 has babbet bearing rest timken, can't beat the vintage lathes,,, people realize there value and prices are climbing,,, most atlas lathes was hobbyist lathes and well taken care of..
Nice! I have a 618 that is taken apart and awaiting restoration. Even though they are hobby lathes and built to a certain price point, they still are capable of turning out some decent work if you're willing to take the time to nurse them along. Thanks for sharing your experience.
Fantastic as always Vince! I love watching these videos from you. At some point, I'll start adding some machining items to my shop!
Thanks Logan!
Awesome find!
nice video - i have a 10F myself and it still works well
There are a lot of them still around. If you can find one for a decent price and don't mind spending some time tuning them up, they can be a good alternative to a Chinese mini-lathe.
Great video! Thanks for posting it.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Great find Vince! I have a similar or same wrench for my Craftsman/Atlas 10” HD wood lathe. I believe the square end also does the screw heads on the milling attachment as well as the steady and follower rest.
Thanks Brian! That's good to know. I have another wrench like it for a smaller lathe that is actually marked with the Atlas Press name.
Very thorough. Thank you….
GUYS...when buying one of these older lathes, make sure most all parts are there and included. Parts such as chuck cross slide carriage tail stock and motor drive pulley sub shafts etc are very important. This particular lathe has lead screw Forward & Reverse box is junk most always broken or missing but there is a way around this and much better overall. You may soon learn about the snakes & jackals on Egay who will charge insane prices for that single part you need to get the lathe going. DON'T think....hey all it's missing is a few this & that's and can get everything needed from Egay. You would be better off finding & buying another entire lathe for parts than try to piece part one together from Egay.
Hi from UK I have Atlas 10 complete with cast legs these Lathes are quite rare in UK its got Timken bearings has a little wear on bed near headstock but perfectly useable . Its got good assortment of gears but could do with a 18 or 20 gear for it seen some nylon gears on eBay but rather go for metal for such a small gear . Any places in US that sell these gears I,m normally over in US once a year apart from last 2 years
Hello. You might try Clausing Industrial (formerly Atlas Press Co.) They still stock some parts for these lathes, including some of the gears. Their website is clausing-industrial.com. Other than that, ebay is probably the best source for used gears but buyer beware.
i don't know how you got my buddy old lath but mitch is watching and he wants you to take very! good =care of it he really loved that machine he died in 1998 and the state confiscated all of his stuff he was one of the smartest men I have ever met in my life it was given to him by his old employer in the 50s
It could be the same lathe. Did your buddy live in Iowa? The person I bought it from said the owner was an old man who had a stroke in 2020 and was in a nursing home. I don't know when he bought it though.
Great condition lathe find. The handle tool cutter looks like its for radius cutting . The hardening compound can be toxic if not used right. Don't throw it out guys like me use it to surface harden carbon steels. It has cyanide properties to bring carbon surface hard . I'd buy it if you don't want to much.
Thanks! Yeah, it does look ore like a radius-cutting tool than a ball-turning tool. I think it might only be partially complete. Thanks for the info on the Kasenit. I didn't realize it was no longer available. I think I'll hang on to it and try using it on an upcoming project I have.
Nice score. But dober, white lead? Care to explain?
What motor will you be using on the lathe, may I have a link to that motor. Greatly appreciated.
Unless it's obviously shop made that boring bar holder may well be a commercial item. I remember seeing the exact same design in the Enco? catalogs maybe 15 years ago. Armstrong was one who made them. If it's not shop made you might either find the Armstrong logo or maybe just some stamped numbers.
It very well could be a commercially-made item. Atlas actually sold one that looked very similar as well, so it could have been purchased at the same time as the lathe. I didn't see any logo or name or numbers on it, which is what made me think it was shop-made.
@@MrHarvard88 I have the identical holder. Works well on my TH-42. You're right about the zamak gears. Knocked some teeth off one of the bevel gears taking a (too) deep cut. Good score. Nice machine
Great Video Ware can I get a copy of oil and lube points on the atlas lathe you have on your wall. Willing to pay for it. Thanks
What does the deadly dobber for?
I have the th54, great machine. I dont have that nor the tightner adjustment in the tail stock which I'm sure has alot to do with the chatter I get when using the tail stock?
Let me know if you would please. I'm confident I could make them...
Thanks
The dauber is just a little stem that was used to apply white lead to the tip of the dead center. The white lead came in a paste-like form and served as a lubricant for the dead center. As you were turning, you would have to periodically reapply it to keep things greased up. With the use of live centers, you don't really need the white lead or the dauber.
The clamps on the tailstock are often missing. They were made out of Zamak, a soft zinc-alloy, and can crack or deform if you overtighten the tailstock too often. You could probably make replacements out of aluminum or brass or some other soft metal. And yeah, not being able to lock the tailstock could lead to chatter.
This looks identical to the lathe I inharited from my dad. I need to get a new chuck, the 3 jaw thats on it has been broken off and rewelded, good for one chuck projects :( any suggestions on where to find replacment chucks? BTW I do have the steady rest :) and my eyes lit up seeing that milling attachment :)
You basically have three choices for a replacement chuck -- 1. Scrounge for a used one on ebay or a used machinery dealer. Ebay is a crap shoot, but you might want to try lostcreekmachine.com. I've purchased several items from them in the past and have been happy with their service 2. Buy an inexpensive import chuck from a place like LittleMachineShop.com. 3. Buy an expensive chuck like a Bison or a Buck. For nos. 2 and 3, you will have to make a backing plate for the chuck.
Ive searched high and low,........ with lots of conflicting markings on the lathe do you know any sure "no doubt" difference between the D and F lathe to help me determine which one I've got. After watching and researching, I'm still unable to determine which one I have here. Ive got "D" stamped on the body with what looks to be F style parts.... Either way, I'm a winner, I love this old machine and I'm gonna do a mint restoration over the winter... stoked!
Check the diameter of the lead screw. The D has a 5/8" lead screw and the F is 3/4". Atlas often continued to use the same part numbers on newer models of lathes, so you'll see parts stamped with D or even 9 (from their earlier 9" lathe) on the 10F.
@@MrHarvard88 Thats great, thanks for tip. It would seem many of the parts are interchangeable. I'm gonna grab a parts manual. The F seems common but no D's to be found. thankyou madman.
@@gsh319 The D's were only made for a few years in the 1930s before they came out with the 10F. The 10F was made up until 1959, I believe, so there are a lot more of them around.
Hi , I have just purchased one of these. (the British copy, Halifax 524) I have stripped it down to check each part and then will clean and reassemble. What I can't understand is that the headstock bearings on mine were packed with grease but it has oilers on the caps. My bearings are like car wheel bearing style so do I pack them with grease when fitting or do they run on just oil and whoever owned the lathe before packed them with grease? any advice appreciated thanks.
From your description, it sounds like you have Timken roller bearings (similar to wheel bearings on an auto). They should NOT be packed with grease. Use a good grade of machine oil, and oil them each time you use the lathe.
@@MrHarvard88 many thanks for the info. oil it is then
Hello, does this atlas model have a total of 17 gears? I'm Brazilian, I found one of these here, I think some gear is missing. If you can answer me I will be very happy. Thanks for the video.
Mine has 13 change gears, plus the gears on the headstock. The change gears are 24 teeth, 32, 32, 36, 40, 44, 46, 48, 52, 54, 56, 64 and 64.
Do you have advice for removing a chuck that is stuck on the spindle? I want to make sure I don’t mess up the threads or anything else while trying to get the chuck off. I recently inherited an atlas lathe similar to this and have a lot to learn! I really appreciate this video.
I know some people will disagree with me on this, but this is how I have removed stuck chucks in the past. First, rotate the spindle so the hole for the chuck key is at the top of the chuck. Then engage the back gears to lock the spindle in place. Place the chuck key in the hold and pull it toward you to loosen the chuck. If that doesn't work, get a long (2 to 3 feet) length of steel rod, 1/2" to 3/4" in dia. Slide one end of the rod crosswise between a couple of the chuck jaws. (You may have to open or close the jaws a bit.) Use the rod to pry against the sides of the jaws, applying increasing pressure until the chuck breaks free. This was how I removed the chuck from the lathe in this video, as well as the other Atlas lathe that I owned previously. Once you get the chuck off, clean the threads on both the spindle and inside the chuck and use a drop or two of oil on the spindle threads each time you mount the chuck so it won't get stuck again. Hope this helps.
@@MrHarvard88 Thank you! This is helpful.
@@alandills3393 You're welcome. Just be careful not to apply too much pressure or you risk stripping teeth off the back gear or bull gear.
@@MrHarvard88 yeah that makes sense. Is there any kind of lubricant or something to put on to loosen it up? Do you recommend any certain brand of cleaner for general clean up for the spindle threads/ lead screw and other parts?
Hi Vince. do you reckon that the white metal bearings give a better & smoother finish to the material than the taper roller bearings., as I have both headstocks with my Atlas lathe
John -- The consensus seems to be that the babbitt bearings are smoother IF they are in good condition and not worn out. The disadvantage to them is that they aren't as easy to replace and they can't be run as fast as the Timken bearings. If I was given the choice, I'd probably pick the Timken bearings, all other things being equal. But with that being said, I've used this lathe a couple of times now and I haven't noticed any real difference over the Timken-bearing Atlas I used to own. It runs pretty smooth (for an Atlas) and leaves a decent finish.
@@MrHarvard88 Hi. I am already using the headstock with the Timken bearings it's just that I had the opportunity to buy a headstock at a reasonable price as a spare sort of just in case. John
@@MrJpsspecial It doesn't hurt to have spare parts available for these older machines. I'm keeping my eyes open for a good deal on a Timken-bearing headstock to have as a back-up, but I'm not in any big rush to find one.
Good video. When I bought my house in 06 the previous owner left behind a 10F TH54 with lots of attachments. Never thinking I was going to need or use the attachments I sold them all off. Not the smartest move, but live and learn. I took the lathe apart to give it a good cleaning and painted it and it sat for years I recorded a vid on it before putting it away (ruclips.net/video/k7gVe0CpIzg/видео.html ). Recently I took it out of storage and cut the bed down to 36" so it doesn't take up so much space. I'm looking for a QCTP because I found the lantern too difficult to work with. I think it's a good starter lathe.
ps the film cans gave it away
dont put valuables in pods
Off to google white lead.