Atlas/Craftsman Serial Numbers and Bearing Dates (if applicable) For Database Entries

[UtTex]

I just brought home an Atlas Craftsman 12" lathe model 101.07383 with 48" bed and Babbit headstock. It's in pretty rough shape overall, but the gears and bearings look OK. The ways look serviceable; a few dings and some wear that is too shallow for my available tools to measure.

 

[Engineshop]

Robert,
I have a 12x36 Craftsman that came with my Automotive Machine Shop business when I bought the place in 1987. 54" long bed. I do not know what bearings are in it. The ways are worn quite a bit up near the headstock. It does OK for what I normally do with it but I am planning on trying to refurbish it some. Model 101.28970 Serial number 004656 It does have the quick change setup and it all works fine

Any way of finding out when it was made from the serial number ?

 

[wa5cab]

Bill and Wayne, you can tell whether it has Timken or Babbit bearings by lifting the spindle cover and looking at the spindle bearing locations. Babbit has 2 nuts and studs per bearing. Timken has one oil cup per bearing. And for an MFG date, look at the lathe listings in Downloads for the serial numbers around yours that have dates. Many of the estimated dates have comments of some sort. Actual bearing dates mostly don't.

The assumption is that the lathe was made within a year or less after the bearing inspection date (only Timken head stocks have inspection dates)..

Note that for full access to Downloads you must be a donor (any level).

 

[Engineshop]

You can instantly tell whether it has Ttimken or babbit bearings by lifting the spindle cover and looking at the spindle bearing locations. Babbit has 2 nuts and studs or two Hex Head Cap Screws

per bearing. Timken has one oil cup per bearing. And for date, look at the lathe listings in Downloads for the serial numbers around yours that have dates. Most of the estimated dates have comments, of some sort. Actual bearing dates mostly don't.

The assumption is that the lathe was made within a year or less than the bearing inspection date.

Ahh . . . I should have know better since I was just doing some babbit bearings on an old motorcycle engine. My lathe definitely has bearings so I guess they are Timken. Ill take a look in the morning. I am guessing it is from the mid 60's or so.

 

[wa5cab]

I just brought home an Atlas Craftsman 12" lathe model 101.07383 with 48" bed and Babbit headstock. It's in pretty rough shape overall, but the gears and bearings look OK. The ways look serviceable; a few dings and some wear that is too shallow for my available tools to measure.

 

[wa5cab]

I just brought home an Atlas Craftsman 12" lathe model 101.07383 with 48" bed and Babbit headstock. It's in pretty rough shape overall, but the gears and bearings look OK. The ways look serviceable; a few dings and some wear that is too shallow for my available tools to measure.

All 101.07383 lathes have babbit spindle bearings. So no bearing inspection date to directly help date the machine. In this case, the equivalent headstock but with Timken bearings would be the 101.07403. However, so far as we know, the machine serial numbers were determined by the machine's place on the assembly line so using the nearest 07403's date would probably be close enough.

 

[pigboy]

Model TH42
Serial # 049575
as I recall it has timkin roller bearings, but will need to verify that and take a look to see if there are date stamps on the head

came with a tool post grinder
Model 10-450
Serial # 009387

this was owned by my aunt's father. I don't know if he bought it new, but based upon some of the paperwork he was buying parts for this lathe in the 1980's. it seems like it's it great shape, but I haven't measured wear on the ways or done any other evaluation other than casually examining the lathe before I took it apart for transport. the bench appears to be the original cast iron legs and original wood top.

 

[wa5cab]

PigBoy,

Thanks. I forget the exact serial number but Atlas discontinued the babbit spindle bearings in 1945.

Robert D.

 

[mvagusta]

I was recently given an Atlas 618 by a friend. It was missing some parts like a chuck, change gears, jackshaft, etc., but it looks like it is in pretty good shape for how old it is. The serial number is 011120 and I am guessing it was built somewhere between 1958 and 1964. Would that be about right?

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Robert,

I have learned some things about this Atlas 618 machine since I wrote the message above in July of 2022. Since then I took the lathe all apart and measured everything and also acquired about 30 Atlas factory drawings from Clausing. It occurred to me that I might be able to find out when the parts for my lathe were manufactured by comparing measurements and features of a particular part to the features and dimensions listed in the revision block of its factory drawing. Knowing when the parts were made would give a clue as to when the lathe was manufactured. I found 14 factory drawings that had useful revision block information and was able to figure out which revision part I had and approximately when it was made. It looks like all the parts listed could have been made in late 1946 through 1947. See chart below.



I also found that some parts were on my lathe that were discontinued or replaced by common hardware as indicated in the Atlas "Instructions and Parts" bulletins that were released by the factory on a regular basis. I have pdf copies of this bulletin for the years 1940, 1945, 1950, 1960, 1962, 1967, and 1976., and there are some parts on my lathe that are present in the 1940 and 1945 bulletins but not in 1950. There are also parts that were present in 1950 but not in 1945. So the lathe itself was almost certainly made in the period after 1945 and before 1950. In other words, between 1946 and 1949. See chart below.



So my first guess for lathe serial number 011120 is 1947. Second guess is 1948. However, Hobby-Machinist user David S has a lathe serial number 015294 he bought from the original owner who purchased it in 1949, so 1947 seems more likely. Thought this might be useful for the database.

Robert ... any thoughts on this? Is it a legit way to estimate date of manufacture?