whats the difference

C

carlbob

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This question may have been asked before, but what is the difference between the 12x36 craftsman commercial and a regular 12x36 craftsman lathe? I have the 12x36 lathe with the qcgb and I don't see any difference.
 
Are you referring to the cabinet machine versus the later bench model? I believe the cabinet machine says "commercial" but the bench version may not-
The bench version has a 4 step spindle pulley and rear countershaft, the cabinet version has a dual sheave spindle drive pulley and an underdrive system
mark
 
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Sears introduced the "Commercial" badge around 1974 with no changes to the actual lathes. The primary differences between the early 12" Craftsman and the late 12" Atlas and Craftsman are that the late ones have 1/2" thick ways instead of 3/8" found on the early ones and all 9" and 10". In addition, the late 12" have heavier headstock, tailstock, carriage, cross slide and compound slide. And the back gears are in the headstock below the spindle instead or attached to the rear of the headstock. The gears, however, are the same.

In addition, the final 12" version introduced in 1967 has a slip clutch on the lead screw, a lever to engage power cross feed, and a heavier right lead screw bearing with ball thrust washers.

The only differences between the cabinet and the bench/stand versions of the two late versions after 1957 are in the belt drive mechanisms (spindle pulleys and countershafts).
 
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wa5cab, correct me if I am wrong but didn't the commercial version have a slightly different compound? I thing my 12" is commercial and the t-slot is close to the same level as the top surface of the compound but there is another version I have seen where the t-slot is raised up about 3/4". I could be wrong but that's what I thought.
 
Both sub-versions of the Atlas & Craftsman 1/2" bed version that was introduced in mid 1957 have the same compound slide. The 12" with the noticeably raised T-slot top surface is on the early Craftsman-only 12" with the 3/8" bed. The compound slide height is the only difference on the carriage assembly between the 10" and the early 12", at least on a year by year basis. There was a change around late 1936 to both the 10" and 12" I think. But the heights of the parts didn't change. That was the change where the cross slide and the part between the cross slide and the compound slide changed from having two bolts running in a radiused slot to the inverted truncated cone (pintle) on the cross slide and hole in the bottom of the compound swivel with the two beveled locking pins and square head bolts. Judging just from the catalog photos, the compound slide also changed around the same time. But on both versions of the 3/8" bed 12" compound slide, the top of it was 1.000 inches taller than the ones on the 10".
 
Thank you all for your input. I have the late model 12x36 bench top lathe and I'm really happy with the way it turned out. I know its not a monarch or leblond, but I didn't pay an arm and a leg either. I've added a cool mist and have done the Mr. Pete modification to drive the feed screw with a 12 volt wiper motor and it works very well for those mirror finishes we all strive for. I enjoy this website since there is a forum just for our types of lathes that most people put down. Thanks again!!
 
Yeah, bad-mouthing someone else's equipment is usually a rules violation that can get you banned if you persist.
 
One other difference on the late model 12" lathe: the cross feed and compound dials have either thumbscrews (Atlas) or knurled friction rings (Craftsman)
Mark
 
OK. I forgot about that difference. But it wasn't Atlas thumbscrews and Craftsman knurled friction ring. It was late 12's made between Summer of 1957 and Summer of 1967 had friction rings and late 12's made between Summer of 1967 and March of 1981 had knurled thumbscrews in the dials.

And before someone reports having a machine that's the other way around, let me say that (a) unless you bought it new, you may not actually know how it came off of the assembly line. For example I know of a 12x24 cabinet model that was made around 1960 but the present owner picked up a late 12x36 with a bad bed or something like that for peanuts and today his 12x24 is a 3995 in all respects except nameplate. Plus, Atlas had a history of turning out "crossbreed" machines for a few days around the time that changes were made.
 
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