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

Hey folks! New here but thank you for the approval into the forums :) here is my baby, just got it in maybe January, came with a whole bunch of other goodies as well :) I think you guys will really like a certain other picture that will follow

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Now I have not gone through every post in this thread to see but anyone have some dates for this guy? Looks to me like it's the lowest serial number out of all of us

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Bill,

I can't make out all of the digits after 001 plus I think a 2 on the end. But I can explain this. When the QCGB and the QC models first appeared sometime in the latter half of 1947, Atlas did what as far as I can determine they didn't do with the major revisions from 10 to 10D and then to 10F. Which was to start the serial numbers over at probably 000001. The lowest serial number we have of this early group or QC models is 000423, belonging to Jerry H Freeman in Coventry, CN. Then around 1949 at or above 004882, they changed back to the old way and the serial numbers jumped back up to coming out of the same pool as the change gear 10F. Lowest number that we have in that group is 082925. And the highest 10" serial number that we have is 091054.

Sometime in the mid 1930's, either Atlas or Timken started engraving an inspection date on the spindle bearing cups and sometimes the cones. This sets the earliest date that the machine could have been made. We know that Atlas did not practice FIFO with their bearing stock. The largest difference between dates engraved in the two bearings is about a year. We only have two reported examples where the dates on the two bearings are the same. The practice of dating the bearings ceased some time after 08/14/1951 and serial number088726 . If you ever for some other reason pull the spindle, record and report the dates. Absent you finding the original invoice on the machine, that is as good a fix as you are going to find on the actual production date.
 
Sorry but of a really bad pic lol

Its 001517 that's awesome though how much variety there is throughout them would be really cool to track down the life they have had and what all they have been a part of
 
Unfortunately though the quick change gear box seized must have gotten a chip inside or something and that ate a tooth or two off the main gear for the gearbox so now I have to source that and get my gear box running properly again so I can do threads
 
Hmmm. That's bad. You do know that you have to go through the lubrication procedure for the oiling points daily or before every use? The only exceptions are the gearbox if the tumbler is left in neutral, and the spindle pulley bushings and back gear bushings are before every use of back gears or every 30 days, whichever comes first. All Atlas machines use a total loss lubrication system.
 
Hi all I am new on this site, Just got a atlas aka craftsman lathe 10 " has QC42 and a ser number 086888 it also has 942 cast into the ways so i'm guessing 9/42 10F lathe it has the 3/4" lead screw, it also has a quick change gearbox on it, and timken bearings and uses v belts it has a square hole for a switch but the motor has been changed to one that is reverseable and has a three position switch up foward, middle is off, and down is reverse, the switch also stops at each position so you cant go from foward to reverse without stopping and is mounted under the lathe. It had a bad bull gear when I got it and was sitting for 20 years so it was very dirty, so after cleaning it up painting it and replacing the bull gear it works very good so far. If I would of known of the date being marked on the bearing cups I would of knocked one out and saved the date when I replaced the bull gear. It also has the power cross feed,
 
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fkrel,

Weldome to H-M and the Atlas/Craftsman forum. "942" is the Atlas part number for a 42" bed. Some beds do have a casting date cast in but (a) the date is often either missing or illegible, (b) it is typically in the format mm/dd/yy, and (c) the date will typically be about two years older than the lathe. The raw castings are allowed to "season" for a year or two before being machined.

From your serial number, your machine was made late 1950 or 1951. However, it is a 10F.

Also, the 10F and QC 42 is an Atlas, not a Craftsman. Up until 1957, Atlas made and sold 9". 10" and 6". And Atlas made and Sears sold, under the Craftsman badge, 9". 12" and 6". After 1957, Atlas made and both Atlas and Sears sold 6" and 12", up until early 1981.
 
Thanks for the welcome, I have been wanting a lathe for alot of years and just could'nt see buying a harbor frieght one. I have looked at several lathes and and figured it was going to be an atlas or a south bend or a logan and found this one with alot of tooling including a quick rest but still am looking for a steady rest and a milling attachment but they dont give them away and I am a little cheap or should I say frugal.
 
We have the 7B Shapers pictured below how do we get the Serial Numbers in the data base

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