- Joined
- Jan 25, 2015
- Messages
- 2,558
Too high, would put the lathe about mid chest level. Its long since been cut down level anyways....
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Building/modifying An Atlas Th42
- Thread starter great white
- Start date
- Joined
- Jul 9, 2014
- Messages
- 613
Well, I didn't get as much done on the lathe as I wanted to this weekend, but I did get a fair bit done.
Not done: Cut down the inside cabinet supports from when one side was taller , re-mount the medical grade power bar, make the drip/chip tray, make the tool pedestal/holder.
Things I did get done: Make the splash shield, mount the goose neck light, clean lots of bits, eliminate several sources of slop and lash.
Pics:
Lots of reach on that looong goose neck light
Lots of light right where I need it. Probably change the bulb in the future. That's just a regular house light for now.
I added a small (removable) chip deflector to steer chips and oil into the (soon to be built) chip tray instead of it all piling up in between the legs/supports. Can't stop all the chips/oil, but this shop cut down on the ones that don't make it to the tray. It's removable without tools, but it's slotted and press fit/slides under the headstock so it's in there solid.
Coming together and looking good says I!
Once fabrication is all done I'll blow it all apart and paint.
A few months ago I made a chip deflector plate to go under the headstock ..
Made it out of 3mm thick industrial grade construction dampproof membrane . It still left me with loads of crud under the foot of the bed for it was not a perfect closing fit . Now I think I'll be making two deflector plates like yours for the head & tail stocks , but before I insert them I'll either stuff the cavities in the feet with some thick grease & oil resisting foam rubber or use some spray insulation foam in them to fill the cavities as I put the deflectors in place then scrape the excess stuff away once it has cured.
That way means I should no longer end up having to use my long handled scraper/swarf scooper to try and drag out the oily turnings etc. & get bits in my knuckles
- Joined
- Jul 9, 2014
- Messages
- 613
Robert ,
Can you help me . I too have gib screw problems , my problem is a broken shoulder on one of the compound slide gib screws , it appears to be a quality steel.
I've spent an hour or so trying to find the right lathe exploded diagram to see if I can locate a size ( the brain is not working well tonight ..so I failed at my task .
I discovered the damaged screw after breaking a tapered parting blade in my QCTP ( twice ) so I decided to look for the cause & solution .
I found that the compound slide was wobbling 9 thou from end to end (the cross slide was about the same .
I adjusted three of the compound slide gib screws and found that the fourth one to the rear of the slide has a broken shoulder and is fairly deep inside the locking nut. .... Suggesting it is the reason it has been broken as it was much shorter than the others by about an 1/8 th of a inch .
I measured the major thread diameter of the screw and it comes up as 0.183 of an inch , thread count appears to be around 30 tpi ( I don't have a thread gauge yet ) .
I've looked on the thread charts in the MOLO and find 3/16 is the nearest major diameter to the thread with a 24 or or 32 tpi under the USA's national special thread series
The nut for the gib screw is a perfect fit in an 1/8 " BSW spanner ( 1/2 AF is too large. )
I'm hoping that this part of my lathe is a true Atlas part not a special made for the British war department " Sphere 10 " part .
Are all Atlas 10 compound slide screws the same length and thread form ?
If so can you advise me what they are please ?
I'll try and buy some of same sizes here in the UK as long threaded machine screws , get new nuts for them , then turn the end down to the same spigot size as the rest .
- Joined
- Jul 9, 2014
- Messages
- 613
Can you measure the gib screw major diameter for me please PD.
Then give it in inches or metric , as I don't have 0.1900 of an inch for the major diameter on my lathes damaged compound gib adjusting screw, mine appears to be 0.183 of a inch instead but it is slightly slack in the threaded hole .
It could be that I do indeed need a 10 x 32 replacement screw t .
- Joined
- Dec 25, 2011
- Messages
- 10,511
David,
The gib screws on the 10" and early 12" compound slides are shown on the various parts lists to be #10-32 UNF x 3/8" slotted dog point. The nominal diameter of #10 screws is 0.1875". The actual OD of the screws on my compound is 0.1870" but some other #10 screws in stock measure down to 0.1840" so 0.183" should still be OK. Definitely #10. My compound is actually the slightly heavier 12" Commercial version, and the gib screws are much longer, but still #10-32. Nuts for cap screws (1/4" nominal diameter and above) are readily available in two hex sizes, although one is common and the larger (called Heavy Hex) is not. But with machine screws #0 through #12), nuts for most sizes are available in three sizes. The common nut for #10 is usually 3/8" but they are also readily available in 11/32" and 5/16" nominal. 3/8" hex won't fit a 3/16" BSF/1/8" BW wrench. The nuts on mine are 5/16" which is a pretty good fit to a #2 BA 6-point driver. But too small for a 3/16" BSF/1/8" BW wrench. From which I have to conclude that your nuts must be 11/32" hex. Which are a good fit for a 3/16" BSF/1/8" BW wrench, even in 12-point..
When you go to buy new $10-32 nuts, you may not have all three choices over there. So just make sure that you have a wrench that fits. Nothing in either Metric or BSF/BW will adequately fit a 3/8" but a #1 BA is a good fit. I've already given the other two sizes.
Given a choice, go with socket head instead of slotted head, if you have the proper driver. Much easier to hold the screw while tightening the nut with an Allen driver than with a slot screwdriver!
To turn a cup point set screw into a dog point, make a holder from a piece of round bar by drilling and tapping a hole in it. Run the screw in backwards and run down and tighten a nut to lock it. Face off the end flat, and remove about one to one and one-half threads down to the minor diameter.
The gib screws on the 10" and early 12" compound slides are shown on the various parts lists to be #10-32 UNF x 3/8" slotted dog point. The nominal diameter of #10 screws is 0.1875". The actual OD of the screws on my compound is 0.1870" but some other #10 screws in stock measure down to 0.1840" so 0.183" should still be OK. Definitely #10. My compound is actually the slightly heavier 12" Commercial version, and the gib screws are much longer, but still #10-32. Nuts for cap screws (1/4" nominal diameter and above) are readily available in two hex sizes, although one is common and the larger (called Heavy Hex) is not. But with machine screws #0 through #12), nuts for most sizes are available in three sizes. The common nut for #10 is usually 3/8" but they are also readily available in 11/32" and 5/16" nominal. 3/8" hex won't fit a 3/16" BSF/1/8" BW wrench. The nuts on mine are 5/16" which is a pretty good fit to a #2 BA 6-point driver. But too small for a 3/16" BSF/1/8" BW wrench. From which I have to conclude that your nuts must be 11/32" hex. Which are a good fit for a 3/16" BSF/1/8" BW wrench, even in 12-point..
When you go to buy new $10-32 nuts, you may not have all three choices over there. So just make sure that you have a wrench that fits. Nothing in either Metric or BSF/BW will adequately fit a 3/8" but a #1 BA is a good fit. I've already given the other two sizes.
Given a choice, go with socket head instead of slotted head, if you have the proper driver. Much easier to hold the screw while tightening the nut with an Allen driver than with a slot screwdriver!
To turn a cup point set screw into a dog point, make a holder from a piece of round bar by drilling and tapping a hole in it. Run the screw in backwards and run down and tighten a nut to lock it. Face off the end flat, and remove about one to one and one-half threads down to the minor diameter.
- Joined
- Jul 9, 2014
- Messages
- 613
Thanks ever so much Robert,
I've ordered three different types of #10 -32 UNF machine screws some with Allen cap heads, some hex head . They should all be much longer than I need , I'll have to nip out and buy a 3/8 UNF tap & die as I only have BA's , Metric standard , a few Whitworth and a set that came in the metric case that is marked as " NC " ,which I hope is American National Coarse , but it may be a European Continental " National Coarse " and refer to the coarse metric sizes instead .
I've also ordered 20 plain 10 - 32 UNF nuts to fit them , so I can make the sleeve for turning the spigot out of them . I noticed this afternoon that the broken screw has the spigot end as a taper & is nearly 3/16 " in length and it is also less than the minor thread diameter ... possibly so that there is a clearance space for gunge & oil.
It's certainly hard quality machine steel . I made a screw driver slot on the other end after " kiss " grinding it square , it produced some of the brightest full blown delicate almost white sparks I've ever seen off steel.
Putting the now adapted adjuster screw back in the compound slide and being able to tighten it correctly has certainly made a massive reduction to the amount of play on the slide as indicated on the DTI.
I also set the the other gibs ..it seems that since I stripped and cleaned everything in August last year the lathe has now been well used /abused
and as a result it has settled down and worked the gibs , slides & ways to the point of almost re lapping them in . I should have realised/ remembered that things would bed in after the massive deep double de gunge I carried out .
Play is now down to 0.03 of a millimeter on the compound slide and only 0.09 mm overall when measuring play diagonally at the saddle . I was surprised to find it almost exactly the same from end to end of the bed , so not much wear despite being around 72 yrs old .
I'll hang fire till I see the machine screws before I buy any Allen keys etc. as I have a fair set of metrics in 0.5 mm sixes to 15 mm and a slack handful of imperials in 1/64 th's up to half a inch or so . Sometimes I've also had imperial sized nuts & bolts that have metric sized heads & Allen key caps etc.
Aka. The modern British standard metrified indianpackistankoreanchinese imperial sizes
I looked on eBay USA early on this afternoon and found full sets of gib screws for the Atlas lathe with internal Allen key sockets ... .. I might just buy some , even though the postage to here might rack up another $19 USD on the purchase price .
I've ordered three different types of #10 -32 UNF machine screws some with Allen cap heads, some hex head . They should all be much longer than I need , I'll have to nip out and buy a 3/8 UNF tap & die as I only have BA's , Metric standard , a few Whitworth and a set that came in the metric case that is marked as " NC " ,which I hope is American National Coarse , but it may be a European Continental " National Coarse " and refer to the coarse metric sizes instead .
I've also ordered 20 plain 10 - 32 UNF nuts to fit them , so I can make the sleeve for turning the spigot out of them . I noticed this afternoon that the broken screw has the spigot end as a taper & is nearly 3/16 " in length and it is also less than the minor thread diameter ... possibly so that there is a clearance space for gunge & oil.
It's certainly hard quality machine steel . I made a screw driver slot on the other end after " kiss " grinding it square , it produced some of the brightest full blown delicate almost white sparks I've ever seen off steel.
Putting the now adapted adjuster screw back in the compound slide and being able to tighten it correctly has certainly made a massive reduction to the amount of play on the slide as indicated on the DTI.
I also set the the other gibs ..it seems that since I stripped and cleaned everything in August last year the lathe has now been well used /abused
and as a result it has settled down and worked the gibs , slides & ways to the point of almost re lapping them in . I should have realised/ remembered that things would bed in after the massive deep double de gunge I carried out .Play is now down to 0.03 of a millimeter on the compound slide and only 0.09 mm overall when measuring play diagonally at the saddle . I was surprised to find it almost exactly the same from end to end of the bed , so not much wear despite being around 72 yrs old .
I'll hang fire till I see the machine screws before I buy any Allen keys etc. as I have a fair set of metrics in 0.5 mm sixes to 15 mm and a slack handful of imperials in 1/64 th's up to half a inch or so . Sometimes I've also had imperial sized nuts & bolts that have metric sized heads & Allen key caps etc.
Aka. The modern British standard metrified indianpackistankoreanchinese imperial sizes
I looked on eBay USA early on this afternoon and found full sets of gib screws for the Atlas lathe with internal Allen key sockets ... .. I might just buy some , even though the postage to here might rack up another $19 USD on the purchase price .
- Joined
- Jul 9, 2014
- Messages
- 613
Most of the nuts & bolts suppliers over here wouldn't know a set screw from a machine screw or a mild steel bolt even if the bit them in the butts .
- Joined
- Jan 25, 2015
- Messages
- 2,558
Thought I'd post a few pics of my growing lathe area. I've been using it more than working on it, but that's the way it's supposed to be, isn't it?
Overall area:
Powerbar setup, storage for my ultrasonic cleaner and the original keyboard drawer:
The power bar came with the cart and it had an on/off switch wired to it:
It's a handy little thing, I can turn power off to the complete cart with one switch when I walk away.
I'm not exactly sure how I'll use the drawer yet. Here's one idea:
Built myself a little stand by the tailstock:
I'm thinking I'll get the DC motor set up during the xmas break. Once that's done, I'll probably get around to stripping it all down for a nice fresh coat of paint.
I think it's just about the best little shop lathe going. Not because it's more accurate, or nicer, or newer than other lathes becasue it's not.
I think it's just about the best lathe becasue it was a reasonable price, will work to the tolerances that I need but most of all: it's mine.
Overall area:
Powerbar setup, storage for my ultrasonic cleaner and the original keyboard drawer:
The power bar came with the cart and it had an on/off switch wired to it:
It's a handy little thing, I can turn power off to the complete cart with one switch when I walk away.
I'm not exactly sure how I'll use the drawer yet. Here's one idea:
Built myself a little stand by the tailstock:
I'm thinking I'll get the DC motor set up during the xmas break. Once that's done, I'll probably get around to stripping it all down for a nice fresh coat of paint.
I think it's just about the best little shop lathe going. Not because it's more accurate, or nicer, or newer than other lathes becasue it's not.
I think it's just about the best lathe becasue it was a reasonable price, will work to the tolerances that I need but most of all: it's mine.
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