spaco wrote:
Finally got the correct parts to convert my Atlas 10F lathe to a quick
change gear box. By now I have learned a lot more than I ever wanted
to know about it. I suppose I could have saved myself a lot of time,
effort and money if I had subscribed to the atlas-craftsman listserver,
but when I did do that some years ago, I was pestered with about 20
extra emails a day from it.
Anyhow, if you are interested in converting a standard-change-gears
Atlas 10 or 12 inch swing lathe to a quick change gear box, email me off
list a I will fill you in on any details you may need.

The biggest problem I had was that the machine I have is one with the
lead screw reverser down just to the left of the leadscrew. It is nice
because the system also acts as a clutch, so you don't have to stop the
lathe to change lead screw directions.
Yes, that is one nice feature lost in the conversion. But,
there was never a stock QC that worked that way. In fact, the
end of the leadscrew was the shaft for a bunch of the gears in
the QC. My Sheldon R-15 has that feature, the reverser is on
the output of the QC, but their QC (80 threads, 80 different
feeds) is more complicated than a 5-speed automatic transmission
with overdrive and lock-up torque converter.

I hope it all goes OK. I did my 10" Atlas some years ago, but I
did get all the required parts the first time.

Jon