Pr3ssure Posted December 24, 2018 Share Posted December 24, 2018 So one of the things my dad got me and brought in for the holidays is an old Atlas lathe. The motor works, everything on it seems to move. It is missing the tailstock or what ever it's called, I think that's it though. It also needs the belt for the drive shaft. I had a few questions about it. First, how do I figure the size of the belt I need? Can I just use a string and wrap it around the pulleys and that's the length belt I need? I'm not sure how belts are measured and labeled so I'm fairly clueless. Also, do you think it will be possible to find a tailstock? I've not been able to find what I believe to be a model on the lathe but have found very similar looking ones through google. I've found markings on a few pieces as well but they might be part numbers for the specific part it's on. At least it seems it might be that way to me. If anyone has any advice as to how I should go about restoring this thing to working order I would more than appreciate it Edit: I've found the exact model. It's an Atlas 618 . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted December 25, 2018 Share Posted December 25, 2018 Google atlas lathe 618 manual, pick one of the sites and order the manual. The first hit from Vintage Machinery has one to down load in PDF format. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pr3ssure Posted December 25, 2018 Author Share Posted December 25, 2018 thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted December 25, 2018 Share Posted December 25, 2018 BTW that's a nice lathe. Once you figure out how to use it, should serve you well. It does appear to be missing the tailstock but I would bet you can find one, try searching on eBay. Might have your dad check with whoever he got it from, may be in a drawer or on a shelf there. I think it's the same as a Craftsman 101 lathe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pr3ssure Posted December 25, 2018 Author Share Posted December 25, 2018 He actually saw someone throwing it in the trash in New York and asked if he could have it. I found a few on eBay for around $100. So I'll be saving a few dollars while I search more and get it all taken apart and cleaned up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farmall Posted December 25, 2018 Share Posted December 25, 2018 I use the link belt where you can add or subtract length to get the fit right. I get it at my local woodworking store. They use it on machines to lessen vibrations supposedly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIGGUNDOCTOR Posted December 25, 2018 Share Posted December 25, 2018 Link belts are used for emergency applications or where belts are difficult to change. They will actually add vibration whereas a solid one will not. When you get the tailstock the main concern will be matching it to the headstock. To get the most accuracy they need to be perfectly aligned vertically. Side to side is adjustable, but vertically they are not. Taller would be better as it can be lowered by grinding / scraping. Now if you are not working down to tight tolerances it won't matter much, but as a machinist I can tell you that even .0001" can make a difference in fitting items up. There should be a ton of info out there for ATLAS lathes, probably even a forum. Those also use change gears for threading, feeds, but you may be able to get by with the combination you have. As for a belt. They come in A,B, C,,, profiles and the size will be the circumference of the belt. The mounts are adjustable, so if you get close you should be able to make it work. Depending on the width of the belt needed, a 5/16"-3/8" rope wrapped around the pulleys and marked where the end meets should get you in the ballpark. A lathe is one of those tools where once you have one you wonder why you didn't get one earlier. A couple of safety items. NEVER leave the chuck key in the chuck. Get into the habit of laying it in the pan now so you don't get injured if it gets turned on with it sticking out of the chuck. NEVER wear loose clothing, loose long hair , gloves, long sleeves, or necklaces/ear bud cords when working around rotating equipment. If they get caught up it can cause great harm or possibly kill you. ALWAYS wear eye protection. A hot chip on your lip or nostril-don't ask-is painful, but it won't be like getting a hot chip in a non replaceable eye. ALWAYS be conscience of the rotating chuck jaws. At high speed they tend to fade from view , but they can bust a hand really easy. See if a local community college has a machining night class you can take. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anvil Posted January 3, 2019 Share Posted January 3, 2019 i picked up one of these about a year ago. i have all parts. im guessing you found the manual. heres another source for parts. And tail stock prices are not near $100. closer to $20 http://lathecity.com/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted January 3, 2019 Share Posted January 3, 2019 The link will probably be removed TOS. Just google lathecity dot com. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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