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

Is there a letter "S" to the right of the serial #? Or could the "5" be an "S"? Maybe make a closeup photo of the serial number.

The legs are the wider asymmetrical ones like found on the 10F. All of the photos I've seen of 10D's show the symmetrical rectangular ones. So maybe 1938 just before the 10F came out. And the horizontal countershaft is later, too. Generally associated with the 10F. But the 5/8" lead screw does make it a 10D.

Is the milling attachment also home made?
 
It could be, here are a couple of pics of the numbers but really hard to read. Maybe you can make out serial #'s. Does the D & 760 5/S make sense from a serial # perspective? The 7 looks different, could it be a 2?
Yes, what we think is the milling attachment looks homemade. Would you like a picture of the steady rest and milling attachment? Can try to get a better picture of the serial number but no natural light.

1.jpg2.jpg
 
OK on the motor mount. We can go back to the Horizontal countershaft appearing with the 10F.

Forget what I said about the legs. The only parts list that we have an original of that is older than the 10F is on the 10E and it shows (reminds me) that the asymmetric leg part number is 10D-150.

I think that you have the part number correct. The "5" couldn't be an "S" because the easily visible mark is straight and vertical, whereas an "S" would have been curved. And serial number 760 would have been much too low for a "D".

The model numbering system for the 10 through 10E was the "10" plus bed length plus nothing or a suffix letter (A through E). The 10A through 10C were the same as the 10 but less some of the components like change gears, back gears, carriage, guards, etc. . What came with the 10, 10A, 10B or 10C is shown in Catalog 15, which we have. The complete machine was just 1036, 1042, 1048 or 1054. The 10E is a 10D less back gears, change gears and guards. The full model number of your lathe is 1054D
 
Okay, good to know our lathe is a Model 1054D. Going to try to high lite those bed numbers with a soapstone chalk pencil to see if they can be made more legible. If that first letter/digit was a 1 instead of what I think is D would 1 7605 be more in line for a 10D serial number if 760 is too low for the D machines? When we get the compound, cross slide & saddle off the bed, would you like me to take pictures of any parts numbers on the those items plus the bed & legs? Would having parts numbers off the other machine pieces be of any use for your records? The lathe needs to be taken apart for cleaning so it would be easy to get pictures of parts numbers if shown.
 
S/N 17605 would put it in 1940, and we have several 10F's reported with 5-digit serial numbers beginning with "17". If the "D" were a "1" it would be slightly to the right. The consistency with how the serial numbers were stamped (character spacing and orientation) indicates that they were stamped all at once with the characters all in a holder. Although I'm sure that they must of had 10D's still on the shelf after the first 10F was made, there is no indication that they continued to make 10D's after the introduction of the 10F. So if there is any overlap in the serial numbers of the "D" and the "F", we don't have any reported examples and the quantity must have been small.

I don't think that you need to bother with photos of the parts as you disassemble the lathe. The casting and part number of the headstock should be 10D-2 and the saddle and apron casting should be 10D-9. Those are two parts that available information indicates are unique to the 10D and 10E.
 
Okay, will let you know if the serial number becomes more readable after applying soapstone. Thanks for all your information.
 
Best guess would be March 1946 +/- 6 months.
 
Craftsman Commercial 12
MODEL
101.28990
SERIAL NUMBER
105099

Plastic gibs in Cross Slide, Carriage, and Milling attachment.

Lathe was purchased for the family farm by my father in about 1974 and shipped to Loma, Colorado. Ordered with Craftsman tool post die grinder, endmill holder, milling attachment, steady rest, 3 and 4 jaw chucks, and the lathe is a cabinet (underdrive) model.

Aside from a cheap QCTH and some basic tooling I have only begun to "restore" the lathe and have been learning it's capabilities and limitations.

I have been considering building a longer Cross Slide with t-slots to accept a rear tool post to aid in parting.
 
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