Atlas 618 Lathe

[Gliden07]

Looking for tooling for Atlas 618 Lathe. Gone to Little Machine Shop, Clausing, Enco and Sears! Of course Ebay too! Anybody know of any other sources for these vintage Lathes?? Need some stuff to set up. Getting the Quick Change tool post kit from Little Machine shop was looking for a steady rest and any other odds n ends!

[bangerjim]

Woodcraft sells a steady rest.......inexpensive I have seen a couple buddies take it and mod it for metal lathes. It is cast iron and heavy with ball bearing contacts. Depending on swing, you will probably have to make a baseplate for it for centering. Use aluminum plate stock.....hard enough for that purpose.

Worth checking out!

bangerjim

[KCSO]

Try the Atlas forum there is always stuff there.

[Gliden07]

You wouldn't happen to have a link would you?? I Googled "The Atlas Forum" and didn't find anything??

Try the Atlas forum there is always stuff there.

[oldred]

I don't think there is an atlas "forum" but there is a Yahoo group dedicated to the Atlas/Craftsman, perhaps that's what he was referring to. Just go to "Yahoo Groups" and type "Atlas" in the search bar and it will be the first link to come up, those guys have the Atlas/Craftsman lathes down to a fine art!

[bob208]

i had a whole box of stuff for that lathe even a milling set up. the only things left are some face plates and tool holders.

[seagiant]

Hi,
Practical Machinist is a great site and while not having an Atlas dedicated section has a Southbend section and a lot of tooling will cross over!

[Bent Ramrod]

Contact:

Jolene (Jo) Olds
Customer Service Manager

Clausing Service Center
1819 N Pitcher St
Kalamazoo, MI 49007

Phone: 1-800-535-6553 or 1-269-345-7155
Fax: 1-269-342-7888
Web Site: www.clausing-industrial.com

Clausing Industrial still supports Atlas lathes (and other Atlas machinery to a lesser extent) with parts and some of the attachments and accessories. They might have a steady rest still available for your 618.

A lot of parts and accessories come up on EBay all the time. Also, if you live in a reasonable-sized metropolitan area, people sell those lathes and parts of them pretty frequently on Craig's List.

The Yahoo news group is where all the Atlas users hang out. There's one for all the lathes, and one for the shapers and milling machines.

[Reg]

Still hard to beat fleabay for any parts. Prices might be a bit steep but remember, if you keep the machine you are making a lifetime investment.
One of these little guys was my first lathe and still have it. Still use it as a second operation lathe for small parts and no, it's not for sale.

[Gliden07]

Thanks guys I'm very slowly gathering the parts to get it going. I took a good look at it the other day all the big stuff is in good shape. Tailstock assembly, bedways, gears etc... It does need some cleaning and TLC. Some of the little parts need replacing like the arms that move the crossfeed. Little things like that are just broken I'm sure from being moved improperly.

[Frank46]

I have one of the sears lathes such as you describe. It was my first one. Was supposed to go to a guy up north but that never happened. even tried to sell it on this forum. Has all the goodies that came with it and some extra bushings and the brass pieces for the compound, also milling attachment and the rather large drill chuck that screws on the threads on the headstock. Plus a small plastic container with tool bits already ground, faceplate, steady rest and follower rest. Frank

[bedwards]

Lost Creek has some parts for Atlas http://lostcreekmachine.com/
also try Plaza http://plazamachinery.com/
Yahoo has an atlas site also but you will probably need to join.

bedwards

[Gliden07]

Yours is way more complete than mine!! I wish I had the money to buy one ready to go but unfortunately I have to do it a little at a time. Its fun to mess with a little at a time. I have the Lathe which was pretty complete, I acquired a pulley for the motor, got a motor that has reverse. I need a drum switch for reversing the motor a belt and I should be able to get it running? After I get it running I will reassess what it needs adjust accordingly, then tooling and playing!! I look all the time on Ebay for "stuff" and all of the new sites provided here.

I have one of the sears lathes such as you describe. It was my first one. Was supposed to go to a guy up north but that never happened. even tried to sell it on this forum. Has all the goodies that came with it and some extra bushings and the brass pieces for the compound, also milling attachment and the rather large drill chuck that screws on the threads on the headstock. Plus a small plastic container with tool bits already ground, faceplate, steady rest and follower rest. Frank

[Frank46]

Had a lot of fun with that lathe. Got at sears and stuck the crate in the trunk of my '70 dodge dart. Probably have had it now for close to 30 years.Needs a good cleaning but still works for small stuff. Frank