- Joined
- Mar 4, 2024
- Messages
- 44
Here's the story: I came across this site while looking for parts and information regarding an Atlas bench lathe I purchased last summer, thinking that it was a 618 6 inch lathe. And I was happy with that, having had one in the late 70s. And it was a good deal, with lots of stuff included in the transaction. My nephew who lives in eastern Massachusetts, picked it up for me and stored it until the end of October. His wife was traveling, and the timing worked out rather nicely, and he stayed the weekend, helping to make the stand for it.
So needing some parts, I'm surfing the internet and stumbled upon this site, joined, and in less than 12 hours, learned that I had actually acquired an Atlas TH42 lathe. Good thing for serendipity, as now that I knew what it actually is, I was better equipped to purchase the bits and bobs that I needed, the last of which should be here Saturday or Monday. Then I can start to make scrap metal... err, that's parts for the Whatever project.
And now I know that everyone here is asking, what the .... is the Whatever project? And I have to say, yes! I'll show you what it is by a couple of pictures of it as it's currently standing.
Never mind the paper hood, just needed to be able to visualize what it was going to look like eventually. I call it a cross between a track roadster of the late 40s, early 50s, and the the dirt modifieds I built and raced in the 70s.
This is 1976's iteration, a Pinto bodied, tube chassis, powered by an injected methanol fueled small block Chevy. And here's a picture of the car that inspired me to use a model T Ford fiberglass replica body:
This is the Spaulding Brothers' track roadster from around 1950.
When I started building this thing, however, I didn't actually have that first pair of pictures in my mind's eye. I had made the front suspension, axle, hairpins, and many of the smaller parts using the machinery in the shop at the lab Iworked in. And no, I am definitely not a machinist. I have 10 years experience as an industrial mechanic/millwright, before going to college, ending up with a couple of degrees in mechanical engineering. I can operate machinery in a very basic level, but will never, NEVER, call myself a machinist.
So that's all for now, I'll update as I attempt to continue making parts for the Whatever project, or the next project already percolating on the back burner, Sonny, Son of Whatever. Like I imagine all of the people on this site do, I collect stuff! There's machinery, automotive parts, tools of all vintages, and things that also scratches the steampunk itch.
So needing some parts, I'm surfing the internet and stumbled upon this site, joined, and in less than 12 hours, learned that I had actually acquired an Atlas TH42 lathe. Good thing for serendipity, as now that I knew what it actually is, I was better equipped to purchase the bits and bobs that I needed, the last of which should be here Saturday or Monday. Then I can start to make scrap metal... err, that's parts for the Whatever project.
And now I know that everyone here is asking, what the .... is the Whatever project? And I have to say, yes! I'll show you what it is by a couple of pictures of it as it's currently standing.
Never mind the paper hood, just needed to be able to visualize what it was going to look like eventually. I call it a cross between a track roadster of the late 40s, early 50s, and the the dirt modifieds I built and raced in the 70s.
This is 1976's iteration, a Pinto bodied, tube chassis, powered by an injected methanol fueled small block Chevy. And here's a picture of the car that inspired me to use a model T Ford fiberglass replica body:
This is the Spaulding Brothers' track roadster from around 1950.
When I started building this thing, however, I didn't actually have that first pair of pictures in my mind's eye. I had made the front suspension, axle, hairpins, and many of the smaller parts using the machinery in the shop at the lab Iworked in. And no, I am definitely not a machinist. I have 10 years experience as an industrial mechanic/millwright, before going to college, ending up with a couple of degrees in mechanical engineering. I can operate machinery in a very basic level, but will never, NEVER, call myself a machinist.
So that's all for now, I'll update as I attempt to continue making parts for the Whatever project, or the next project already percolating on the back burner, Sonny, Son of Whatever. Like I imagine all of the people on this site do, I collect stuff! There's machinery, automotive parts, tools of all vintages, and things that also scratches the steampunk itch.
