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

wa5cab said:
Is the data plate on the rear or the right end of the bed?
Click to expand...
The date plate is on the right end. Unfortunately, there is no evidence of a number being stamped into the way as has been described. I've got two Atlas beds and haven't been able to find the number in that location on either. Possibly it's me, but the description seems simple enough to believe I'm looking in the right spot. And just in case I'm not, I've been over every square inch of unpainted metal and found only one mark. Someone, at some point, punched an & symbol into the end of the front way.

As for the paint: I had what I'd consider very good success with this hard plastic scraping device that is sold at Wal Mart for cleaning pans with baked on food remnants. I don' t think the repaint was done correctly, and there's lots of flaking. So it just took high point force with a non sharp, non marring tool to get it to break out, and flake off. My daughter is pretty talented with the old paintbrushes, so she's been commissioned to refresh the logo.

Thank you very much for the information, and the recommendations. I've found the correct MOLO and have read the section regarding babbitt bearings. I'll have it ready at hand when I get to that point with this machine. Just for clarity, are you saying this is most likely a lathe built in 1936-37?
 
No, definitely not 1936/37. The first 10F's (either Timken or Babbit) were made in 1938, probably late Summer. The two nearest bearing dates on Timken machines that have been reported are 1940/11/28 on 022114 and 1942/05/04 on 032618. So a quick calculation assuming constant production over that period yields 1941/06/08 as the estimated "bearing date".

One of the reasons that I bought many copies of the MOLO in order to figure out how many versions there were and when, and went to the trouble to write the MOLO History as an aid to figuring out the optimum MOLO version for anyone's lathe was that over the period early 1937 through 1953 Atlas printed 15 Editions and at least 6 versions of the MOLO, all with only Copyright 1937 on the Copyright Page. The 16th edition printed 1954 and 1955 was the first to show the print year on the Copyright Page. Most eBay sellers know little or nothing about what they are selling, and as often as not claim that the volume that they are selling must be a first edition if it was copyright 1937 and doesn't say anything about an edition number. Anyway, between maybe 1934 and 1938, atlas built the 10 through 10E, with the major versions being the 10 and 10D. The 10A, B, C and E were stripped down models. One of the numerous differencies between them and the 10F is that when they actually had change gears, they were different from those used on the 10F. So the threading charts are different.
 
Hi folks, I’m new to this forum and have found it to be a great source of information. Thank you all for your valuable input. Last week I bought an Atlas TH-48 from a nice lady in Centereach, NY. It belonged to her husband, but I don’t know when he bought it. I had been thinking about buying a lathe for a long time and started looking at the Chinese stuff, but quickly lost interest in that. When I discovered the Atlas/Craftsman lathes, I knew that was what I wanted. I’m interested in historical things like cars, guns and tools (I have some of each).

Anyway, I saw this lathe on ebay for $1350 or best offer. After watching it for a while I offered $1,000.00 and it was accepted. The next day I picked it up and it sat in the back of my Suburban for a week. I finally dismembered it and stashed it in my basement. As soon as I get the time I’ll build a table and set it up. Taking it apart gave me a good opportunity to see what shape it’s in. Aside from being dirty as all get out, it appears to be in great shape, with nothing broken or overly worn. It came with a three jaw chuck, all the change gears and a couple extra non-Atlas gears, a dial gauge, some micrometers, center drills and a bunch of cutting tools. I think I did well.

Serial number is 042415. Inside of the change gear cover is cast 10F-28. Being a 48” I know it must have been made before 1947. Any guess on the year?

Pete
 
Best guess at the moment is late 1942 or early 1943. I would like to see a photo of the front of the lathe that clearly shows the front of the headstock. I would also like to know where the serial number and model number were found. Choices are stamped into the top of the front way near the right end, stamped on a plate attached to the right end of the bed, or stamped into a plate on the rear of the bed.
 
wa5cab said:
Best guess at the moment is late 1942 or early 1943. I would like to see a photo of the front of the lathe that clearly shows the front of the headstock. I would also like to know where the serial number and model number were found. Choices are stamped into the top of the front way near the right end, stamped on a plate attached to the right end of the bed, or stamped into a plate on the rear of the bed.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the date info. Did Atlas continue to make these lathes during the war? The model and serial number are on a plate at the right end of the bed, photo attached. I haven't attempted to remove the chuck mounting plate, so the attached picture is the best I can do at the moment. By the way the bolts attaching the chuck were a weird size. 1/2 inch is too small and 9/16 too big. 13mm too small and 14mm too big. I don't have a 17/32 or 13 1/2mm wrench, so had to use an adjustable.

end plate.JPG

HeadStock.JPG
 
Last edited:
Yes, Atlas probably made more lathes during the War years than they did before or after.

The plate that is still attached to the spindle is called the backing plate. Hopefully you match marked the chuck body and backing plate before you removed the chuck body. If you didn't, when you put it back on, you will have to temporarily mark the four holes in the backing plate 1, 2, 3, 4. And mark one of the four holes in the chuck body with an ID mark. Holes should be such that they are visible with the body on the plate. Then re-mount the body to the backing plate @ #1. Install a precision ground round bar in the chuck (a piston wrist pin for an automotive engine will be OK). Measure and record the runout. Do not remove the pin. Remove the body from the plate and reinstall it with the ID mark @2m then 3, then 4, recording the runout at each position. Pick the lowest runout and reinstall the chuck body with the ID mark at that hole. Remove the temporary marks.

Before you go though reinstalling the chuck body in the correct position, apply some good penetrating oil on the threads on both sides of the backing plate (WD40 is good for several things but is a poor penetrating oil. After you get the body re-mounted, rotate the chuck and spindle until the socket for the chuck wrench is at about 11:00 O'clock. Put the wrench in the socket. Lock the spindle by engaging the back gears without pulling out the direct drive pin (confirm that the pin is all of the way in). Grasp the chuck wrench firmly with both hands. Push the wrench away from you as far as it will go. Pull the wrench toward you smartly. If necessary, repeat. When the threads break loose, remove the complete chuck from the spindle.

If four tries doesn't break it loose, you officially have a stuck chuck, which is a different subject.
 
Thanks for the advice. Of course I didn't think about match marking the chuck so I'll follow your suggestion. I might even have a wrist pin somewhere.
 
I forgot to add that if the chuck is made in England, as some chucks for the A/C machines were, the three bolts (post originally said four by mistake) holding the chuck body to the backing plate may be either BSF (British Standard Fine) or less likely, BW (British Whitworth). BSF (the fine thread) and BW (the coarse thread) are both inch-based fasteners. The basic diameters are for example 1/4", 5/16", 3/8" etc.. But the thread pitches are different from UNF and UNC, and the bolt heads are slightly larger. As you said that 1/2" is too small and 9/16" is too large, the bolts may be 5/16" BSF.
 
Last edited:
wa5cab said:
I forgot to add that if the chuck is made in England, as some chucks for the A/C machines were, the four bolts holding the chuck body to the backing plate may be either BSF (British Standard Fine) or less likely, BW (British Whitworth). BSF (the fine thread) and BW (the coarse thread) are both inch-based fasteners. The basic diameters are for example 1/4", 5/16", 3/8" etc.. But the thread pitches are different from UNF and UNC, and the bolt heads are slightly larger. As you said that 1/2" is too small and 9/16" is too large, the bolts may be 5/16" BSF.
Click to expand...
Note from the photo that the backing plate has only 3 bolt holes. Any thoughts on that? When I get a chance, I'll measure the threads and bolt heads and post them.
 
Yeah, I have no idea why I wrote four. You would only find multiples of four on a 4-jaw.

Light duty 3-jaw chucks and adapter plates will have three.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top