New member with Atlas Craftsman QCGB 12” and a few questions

[DaveInHouston]

I bought this old lathe a couple of weeks ago and, after reading a few posts here, am wondering what I really have. The old gentleman that I bought it from had owned it for thirty years and only used it for occasional wood working! I cleaned, lubed, adjusted and tuned it and it seems to be running pretty good. I assumed it was an old Babbitt bearing lathe but not sure. I ‘d like to know the approximate date of manufacture. Got 40 gears with it but 15 are steel gear with “Boston” and the tooth count on them. Not sure why I would need all those gears with the QC. Photos attached. Any information, advice, recommendations etc. would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Dave

 

[dparker]

Dave: I have a bench mount 12x36 Craftsman/Atlas, (bought new in 1968) model # 101-28910 SN 104454. It has Timken bearings. The other lathe is a Craftsman Commercial 12x36 Model # 101-28990, SN 105937 that my Dad bought used and it also has Timken bearings. Your lathe has a very much earlier Serial Number but the headstock and oil cups look just like both of mine leading me to think you also have Timken bearings. The things on mine that have shown the most wear have been the half-nuts and the lead screw, I bought replacements for both from Clausing many years back and still have one set of half-nuts and the new lead screw in reserve. With the QCGB I am wondering if the gears you received might be for another lathe, but they may come in handy for mounting them on the outboard of the spindle and use them for indexing purposes.

 

[DaveInHouston]

I appreciate the reply and the information. I wish my lathe were a 12x36 or a Commercial cabinet model but they don’t come along very often around here. I bought this one to “play” with and get back into machining. The gentleman I bought it from couldn’t tell me much about it even though he had owned it for thirty years. Clearly some of the items I got with it didn’t belong as there was a box of forty odd 3/4” carbide cutting bits! The gears may well have come from another machine too. There was a nice, complete collet set with it. Again, thanks and Happy New Year!
Dave

 

[westsailpat]

Hi Dave , nice score and welcome to the group . Do you have any projects in mind ?

 

[DaveInHouston]

Thanks. I have tons of projects in mind, just not sure where to start! I’m the farm hand on my wife’s little horse farm, so have almost limitless opportunities between the tractors, barns, welding machines, etc. I’m actually looking forward to putting it to use, understanding it’s size and power limitations. Thanks again!
Dave

 

[thomas s]

Dave,Welcome to the forum.

 

[wa5cab]

Dave,

Your lathe is a Craftsman 101.07403. It has Timken tapered roller spindle bearings. If it had babbit bearings, first it would have a model number that began with either 101.0736x or 101.0738x. And second, the parts of the headstock casting that the spindle fits through would be split horizontally and each would have two hex head bearing cap bolts.

As originally sold, it was a change gear lathe. When Atlas first offered the QCGB for the Craftsman 12" lathes circa 1950, they could be retrofitted to any of the 48 different earlier models from the 12x36 101.07403 back to the 12x18 101.07360. The loose gears that you have with 3/8" faces, 1/2" hubs and two keyways are the change gears that presumably came with the lathe and were used before the addition of the QCGB, What the other gears are, I don't know.

I don't see the serial number in any of your photos nor in any of your posts. It should be stamped into the top of the front way near the right end. If you will post that, I can tell you within probably 2 or 3 years of when it was originally made.

You didn't say what the bed length or the nominal maximum distance between centers is. Up until 1948 or late 1947, Atlas made and supplied Sears with four beds of different lengths, 36" (12x18), 42" (12x24), 48" (12x30) and 54" (12x36). From the one side view photo, I would guess that your machine is a 12x24, but you could confirm that when you give the serial number.

 

[kd4gij]

Your model # 101.07403 is a 12x36 change gear lathe. The quick change gear box was a add on Some one add later in it's life.
I have the same lathe. I added the qcgb after I got it.
Nice score and welcome to the site.

 

[DaveInHouston]

Dave,Welcome to the forum.

Thank you!

 

[DaveInHouston]

Dave,

Your lathe is a Craftsman 101.07403. It has Timken tapered roller spindle bearings. If it had babbit bearings, first it would have a model number that began with either 101.0736x or 101.0738x. And second, the parts of the headstock casting that the spindle fits through would be split horizontally and each would have two hex head bearing cap bolts.

As originally sold, it was a change gear lathe. When Atlas first offered the QCGB for the Craftsman 12" lathes circa 1950, they could be retrofitted to any of the 48 different earlier models from the 12x36 101.07403 back to the 12x18 101.07360. The loose gears that you have with 3/8" faces, 1/2" hubs and two keyways are the change gears that presumably came with the lathe and were used before the addition of the QCGB, What the other gears are, I don't know.

I don't see the serial number in any of your photos nor in any of your posts. It should be stamped into the top of the front way near the right end. If you will post that, I can tell you within probably 2 or 3 years of when it was originally made.

You didn't say what the bed length or the nominal maximum distance between centers is. Up until 1948 or late 1947, Atlas made and supplied Sears with four beds of different lengths, 36" (12x18), 42" (12x24), 48" (12x30) and 54" (12x36). From the one side view photo, I would guess that your machine is a 12x24, but you could confirm that when you give the serial number.

Thank you so much. Although I was okay with babbit bearings I would prefer Timken bearings. The serial number is 11998 S. I assume the S is for Sears? And you are correct that it is a 42” (12x24) lathe. I suspect the owner prior to the one I bought it from accumulated the extra gears and parts. I put a new belt on it and lubricated everything and it runs very smoothly.