lathe for sale; thoughts?

cjtoombs said:
You're probably right, for Detroit. Cali tends to have higher prices for machine tools, as it doesn't have the manufacturing history that the upper midwest does.
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The best state to hunt for great deals on machine tools is Ohio....... I have had the most luck there..... Everyone in Detroit thinks these machine are made from solid gold.....

I love this store, Its like going to the zoo.....
http://www.mckeanmachinery.com/


This in a bathroom stall there..... lol
IMG_0047.jpg
 
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I just found this one for sale for $400:
Atlas lathe in great condition, just really dusty from many years of storage. I believe it's a model 101.07403 with threading capability. Bed is 24", base is about 48" long so may have been for a 36" model. I believe the swing is 9". Great size for a home garage. I think the motor is a replacement. This lathe will clean up very nicely and will want to be oiled / greased before being returned to service. Comes with an extra head and some gears. Whatever parts and tooling I can find will also be included.

I emailed him, here is his response:
Called but didn't reach you. I've had several messages about the lathe just this morning so we're holding firm on the price. I'm helping an older couple sell it and will be there tomorrow around lunchtime, so if you're a serious buyer at the asking price and want to see it tomorrow let me know.

Here are some pictures. Thoughts?
atlas lathe 1.jpgatlas lathe 2 gears.jpgatlas lathe info.jpg

The model number he references is a 12" swing.
 
The lathe is a Craftsman 12" built by Atlas. It will have a 12" swing (US practice). That means that the distance between the spindle center-line and the bed is just over 6".

If the length of the ways (including the part under the headstock and tailstock) is about 48", then it is a 12 x 30 and it was made before 1948 (the year that Atlas quit selling 36" and 48" beds). It has a Timken headstock and if the lead screw diameter is 3/4" rather than 5/8", it is a 101.07403.

Another identifier would be if it has a pull-out knob sticking out the front of the apron for engaging power cross feed. I can't quite make out whether it does or doesn't in the first photo.
 
I would look for a lathe with an adjustable gearbox..... Pass on the Atlas.....
 
Cooter Brown said:
I would look for a lathe with an adjustable gearbox..... Pass on the Atlas.....
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What do you mean by adjustable gear box? I thought lathes came with change gears for threading. And I thought the belts on this one are used to change the speeds. Could you please clarify? Thanks!

Here's some more pictures:
atlas lathe 3 gears.jpgatlas lathe 4 belts.jpg
 
Smaller lathes come in 2 flavors:

Change gear lathe, where you have to remove the gears and re-install to make a speed change:

lathe.jpg

Or a lathe with a Quick Change Gear Box, which allows changes by changing lever position. Notice the unit at the left end
of the machine with two handles.

8129368417_c618a06ea2_b.jpg

Not talking about spindle speed here. That is controlled by belt position on pulleys, or on larger machines with a different gearbox. This applies
to the speed of the shaft (under the edge of the bed) that drives the carriage when power feeding.
 
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That lathe has not been used in a long time. There is no grease/oil on any of the gears. I would not run it for more than a minute or two without oiling the bearings. It does look to be in decent condition. If the paint is original it has not been used much due to a lack of what I would call worn spots in the paint. For $400 I would be there in a heartbeat and be standing first inline to look at it. Call the guy up and see if you can be the first to look it tomorrow morning. Not worth haggling on the price unless you find something really wrong with it when you look at it.

I blew up the picture and there appears to be a pull out nob on the cross slide.
 
Nogoingback said:
Smaller lathes come in 2 flavors:

Change gear lathe, where you have to remove the gears and re-install to make a speed change:

View attachment 279009

Or a lathe with a Quick Change Gear Box, which allows changes by changing lever position. Notice the unit at the left end
of the machine with two handles.

View attachment 279010

Not talking about spindle speed here. That is controlled by belt position on pulleys, or on larger machines with a different gearbox. This applies
to the speed of the shaft (under the edge of the bed) that drives the carriage when power feeding.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the clarification. That's what I thought you were talking about, but I wasn't sure.
 
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