On 2012-02-11, Michael A. Terrell wrote:

I was offered an Atlas lathe the other day for $50. The owner said
that there were two damaged gears. He is supposed to give me more
information next week. Comments?

Which size? The little one (6x18") uses zamac (pot metal)
gears, and if they are run with the mesh too tight, they start to
crumble. My example was a Craftsman rebrand of an Atlas 6x18". The
early ones were bronze bushing bearings, the later ones had Timken
roller bearings. Even with that, they aren't rigid enough for serious
work. And the beds are box not inverted V, so things aren't kept as
straight. The 12" is better, but still not the same as my 12x24"
Clausing with a bore big enough to handle 5C collets and lever drawbars
for them.

But at $50.00, that is not a bad price. The question is --
*which* gears. If it is the back gears, it is part of the heart of the
lathe, and you will either have to hope that Clausing (who merged with
Atlas at some point) still has those parts. If it the thread cutting
gears, especially on one without a quick-change gearbox (and *all* 6x18
lathes had no quick-change gearbox), you can likely find replacement
gears -- or make them with the right tools. They are plain spur gears
with a double key, and you could make them of something other than
Zamac so they will outlast the rest. :-)

Good Luck,
DoN.

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