Atlas/Craftsman lathe

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Cutting a window in the chip pan.

A few years ago I picked up an Atlas Craftsman metal lathe off of craigslist.  At the time I didn't know too much about what to look for when buying a lathe, and after talking to a friend at work who eagerly tried to buy it before I could, I put myself to work at buying the machine. The lathe came with a cart that the seller was looking to get rid of, a few gears that could be used to adjust the speed of the carriage feed when cutting threads and a tailstock.  

Lathe on original cart

Model 101.07383

The marking plate is located on the back side of the ways.

Lathe stand painted

Lathe stand feet

The lathe stand feet installed.

Window in chip pan

The motor for the lathe was interfering with the chip pan my father in-law made, so I had to perform a little surgery before everything would fit.

Bring it home

The lathe and cart are all tied down for a long trip home.

( Atlas / Craftsman lathe photos )

Before loading it into my trailer, the seller had turned the lathe on to show how the machine vibrated when in operation, while assuring me that if I were to bolt the machine to a bench-top the vibrations would go away... a story I was all to eager to believe.  

After a while my father in-law offered to build a metal stand at his machine shop, with the hope that the stand would alleviate some of the vibration.  The stand however only seemed to increase the vibrations, leading me to discover that the bearings in the motor needed to be replaced.