Need Help Replacing Bearings In Old Lathe

Hi Marv
I have the 12-inch version of that lathe and have rebuilt the whole thing. I never had to remove the spindle bearings, but had the rest of the headstock apart. The gears and pulleys are Zamak, not cast iron. They are quite fragile, but should not pose a problem for you. The collar on the left end of the spindle sets the pre-load on the bearings, which are tapered roller bearings (Timkin). Have you adjusted the bearings yet to see if that takes care of the problem? There are PDF versions of the manual from Atlas available online that will tell you the correct adjustment procedure. I don't remember the specifics exactly, but it is not difficult. The idea is to run the lathe long enough to bring the bearings to running temp, then use the adjustment collar to remove all end play, then tighten very slightly past that (I don't remember exactly how much the manual says to tighten). The manual will also describe the procedure for removing and reinstalling the spindle and bearings. It is not difficult to do the spindle, but I have not R&Red the bearings to say how difficult that is. I imagine it is like any other bearings of this type. Hope this helps you. :)
 
Randall Marx said:
Hi Marv
Have you adjusted the bearings yet to see if that takes care of the problem? There are PDF versions of the manual from Atlas available online that will tell you the correct adjustment procedure. . :)
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Thank you Randall... very good information. It appears I need to get the Model # and then the manual to figure out how to adjust and/or remove the Bearings. With the drive belt on or off, power or hand turning they are very noisy... as in very LOUD...!!!
 
Is it loud regardless of the back gears being engaged? If so, then the bearings are most definitely junk. Removal of the spindle goes like this: loosen set screw in retaining collar on the far left end of the spindle, then remove the collar (threaded onto the spindle). Slide gear and washer (if present) off spindle. Loosen or remove the setscrew in the collar just inboard of the left bearing, along with the one in the right bullgear and the one in the pulley. (The setscrew in the pulley should never be tight because it is just a plug for the oiling hole.) Start sliding the spindle out of headstock, moving it from left to right. As space becomes available between the bearing and the spindle (inside headstock), start removing the parts. When the spindle stops moving to the right, slide the remaining parts as far as they will go to the left and remove the woodruff key from the spindle. Once that is out, the spindle may be removed, taking care to keep track of all the pieces in their proper order and orientation. From there, press out the bearings and press in the new ones, then reverse the process to reassemble the spindle. Also, I found the specification for bearing preload: remove all endplay, then tighten 1/16 of a turn more (which is 2 teeth on the spindle gear).
 
A very big YES. Because I just disassembled the rear Pulley Wheel assembly and cleaned and added oil cups to those bearings, and left the belt off while I tackle the front assembly... all I'm turning is the front bearings, because the main drive gear for the table feed gears was removed long ago as it was not needed for the dedicated operation this lathe preforms for us now.

Many thanks for the step by step guide for the bearing removal & bearing preload. You make it sound easy? I shall also take photos as I go so I can get it back together right.

Are those bearings pretty easy to find these days?
 
I don't know about availability for the bearings. Mine were OK still when I had it apart for a complete cleaning and rebuilding all that required it. The process is fairly simple. That's why it sounds easy. The actual DOING it is somewhat tedious and fiddly but not excessively difficult. As I said, though, I was able to leave my bearings in the headstock since they were OK. Spindle removal and all went pretty well once I figured it out. Another note for you, also, the woodruff key will look like there is not room for it to come out. There is a notch cut into the top of it so it can rotate out of its seat in the spindle, so don't fret it. :)
 
Here is a link to an exploded parts diagram and parts list for your lathe http://vintagemachinery.org/pubs/detail.aspx?id=3454 . The bushings will not come out separate from the gear and pulley as shown unless there is significant problems there because they are pressed into those parts. Also, the baffles shown in the illustration stay in the headstock until pressed out. The parts breakdown does give the Atlas part number for the bearings needed, though. If they cannot be crossed to a stock bearing number or if Atlas doesn't have them in stock, the numbers on the bearings themselves should be able to be matched to current bearings. I hope this is helpful for you and not confusing things more.
 
Randall Marx said:
Here is a link to an exploded parts diagram and parts list for your lathe http://vintagemachinery.org/pubs/detail.aspx?id=3454 . The bushings will not come out separate from the gear and pulley as shown unless there is significant problems there because they are pressed into those parts. Also, the baffles shown in the illustration stay in the headstock until pressed out. The parts breakdown does give the Atlas part number for the bearings needed, though. If they cannot be crossed to a stock bearing number or if Atlas doesn't have them in stock, the numbers on the bearings themselves should be able to be matched to current bearings. I hope this is helpful for you and not confusing things more.
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Thanks Randall... this is great information & not confusing at all. The link is perfect. Looks like I have a 10A-2BXH.
Sounds & looks like one of those "fun" projects. I'm good at these kind of projects, but I think we will see if we can locate bearings from the Atlas part #'s first... then decide "when" we are in the mood & slack production mode to tackle this. Meanwhile I've downloaded the manual and have hard copies of your suggestions.

I thank you very much. This from is a great place to get support on this kind of stuff.
 
I'm glad this is helping you. I've gotten much help here, mostly just from reading along the existing threads. Finally, it seems I'm able to offer some useful information for someone! :) Hope the bearings aren't difficult to find.
 
If there is no indicated movement in the spindle, I would first remove the oil cups and thoroughly clean and flush out the bearings with solvent and re-oil before disassembly to see if that corrects the issue. Mike
 
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