Question for owners of Craftsman 12" lathes with 1/2" ways

[wa5cab]

First, all of these machines should have the model number and serial number on a nameplate affixed to the right end of the bed. If anyone has one that is different, let me know. But I don't really expect to hear of one.

According to the database that I've been maintaining, a few are reported to have a letter "S" prefix to the serial number. I assume stamped into the nameplate. Although it could be printed with the serial number stamped. In any case, if you have (or had and remember it) one of the machines, please report Model Number and Serial Number with or without the"S" or "P". And if with, whether it is printed or stamped.

If you prefer, you can report via Conversation/PM to wa5cab . And this is only for the Craftsman versions. No one has ever reported an Atlas version model with an "S" or any other letter prefix to the serial number. There is no indication of any of the Atlas versions having a letter prefix.

 

[wa5cab]

Specifically, the following serial numbers of Craftsman late 12" have been reported and entered into the database as having an "S" or a "P" prefix to the serial number.

At least a third were entered by H-M members, one as recently as this past November. So let's see some responses. If possible, include a photo of the nameplate.

000436
001771
003645
005634
100796
101495
102077
103182
103279
103660
104392
105099
104932
105302
105402
107315
107875
108245
109008

 

[akjeff]

My Model 101.28990 is Serial Number 105910. No "S" on mine.

 

[wa5cab]

Thanks.

 

[Shotgun]

I also have a 101.28990 is Serial Number 10(3/8)428. No "S" printed or stamped.

Due to some damage to the plate, I can't tell if the third digit on the serial number is a 3 or an 8

 

[wa5cab]

OK. Thanks. 103 puts it in the middle of a bunch of earlier stated "S" and 108 doesn't. But I have yet to hear from any owners of any machines saying that there is a letter.

 

[Smudgemo]

Hi Robert,
I could swear I provided this years ago when I got mine, but if not, 101.28910 and 100676.

 

[wa5cab]

Ryan,

I went back and looked but although you did post when you got the machine, I didn't find any of the details. I probably wasn't asking for detailed info on the machines at that time. You gave the casting date as 1965 (or 65) but not the date and month. So if you will add those, And also confirm that the cross slide gib is steel and not plastic, that should take care of it.

 

[Smudgemo]

There are two tags I can see. One shows 058-016, and the one below it 9-8-65. Cross slid gib appears to be steel assuming plastic would be obvious.

 

[wa5cab]

OK. 058-016 is the Clausing style part number for the 54" bed casting and for the finished part. The same two bed numbers were used on all of the 1/2" bed models. 9-8-65 is the casting date. The casting was rough-machined and then allowed to "season" for, according to all of the MOLO's, "a number of months" before being finish-machined and then finish-ground, So your lathe was probably assembled sometime in 1966. Unfortunately, Atlas or more likely Timken ceased the practice of engraving the inspection date on the 10" and 12" circa 1952.

The date convention is YYYY/MM/DD. The current earliest known bearing date is 1938/10/19. The current latest known bearing date is 1952/12/20. However, the earliest example of the Timken bearings in an Atlas built lathe show up in Atlas and Craftsman catalogs that were printed in 1937 or late 1936. But in any case, whomever was dating the Timken spindle bearings stopped doing it in the early 1950's. So the only way to roughly date any of the 1/2" bed machines is the bed casting date or the headstock casting date.