size of belts and and age for atlas lathe?

I've gotten a good friend of mine interested in the hobby and he's picked up an old Atlas lathe of unknown age # 050101 model TH42. The price was next to nothing and it's not to bad for a starter but theres no belts or tooling. I can help him out with a chuck and such to start him off and theres a lantern toolpost that came mounted, but I thought if someone had the 2 V belt #s I could go to Napa and save some time? The moter has 2 speed pulleys and the spindle seems to have bearings, something I didn't think Atlas had progressed to!! By the way, spindle oil just runs right out through the oil cups! What weight oil should go in there? Or are we missing something?
Is there a Yahoo group he can go to and learn more and get up to speed on things?
Any help is appreciated, thank you!

Steve

Yes.....

[email protected]


If the answers are not available there, it ain't an Atlas....

By bearings, I assume you mean Timken type tapered roller bearings.

With all the many many faults of Atlas machines, they DID have Timkens for many many years.... Something SOUTH BEND didn't advance to on many models, if we want to get technical.....

The Atlas group has a lot of well-intentioned people, but I've found most of them to be a little short on info. I don't mean that as a put-down at all, just that the prevailing approach seems to be "well the cousin of a friend did it this way..." to questions that would best have a more researched answer. Not that I can do much better--my experience is strictly on a hobbiest level too.

Atlas used conical roller bearings on lathes practically forever. For a while it was an extra-cost option, by the '50s it was standard. If you're really curious I can dig up a post I wrote detailing the bearings and specifications.

20 to 30wt oil in the headstock cups. It's a total-loss lubrication system. But there are supposed to be felt wicks or wads of cotten waste to slow it down.

Age is a tough matter with Atlas machines. The serial numbers aren't coded at Clausing doesn't seem to keep historical records on them like they do for actual Clausings.

I'd have to look in the basement to be sure, but the belts are both 4L section, I believe 39" and 42". Any parts store or supplier should have them. Get normal rubberised cloth belts--open-side notched belts don't seem to play as well on the shallow sheaves.

I would use the Fenner Powertwist or equivalent linked belt for the center-drive belt (between the headstock bearings to the intermediate shaft). Otherwise, the spindle must be disassembled to install an endless belt....which is not a bad deal, but can be a little intimidating for a newbie. The Fenners are also somewhat smoother running in my experience.

The outer belt (intermediate shaft to motor sheave) is easily accessible and can be a standard classic "A" section v-belt.

This advice refers to the "horizontal" countershaft...Atlas also made a "vertical countershaft" version of the lathe, but I think is quite similar, just different positions of the components.

i second everything that matt_isserstedt
said....

the linked belt runs smoother on mine and is a breeze to install.....

OK, is it *all* belts like this one:

http://www.lathes.co.uk/atlas/img5.gif

or does it have back gears like this one:

http://www.lathes.co.uk/atlas/img1.gif

Jim

Does it have change gears?
those and anything else you can imagine are all over ebay.
I have one that I'm sorta parting out.
Let me know what he needs and I'll take a look.

The Atlas group has a lot of well-intentioned people, but I've found most of them to be a little short on info.

Click to expand...

As with any internet stuff, it depends on the source. Some folks have the info, and you can take their comments seriously. There are a few who basically have info second hand from cousin Lenny, and present it forcefully as gospel. They get corrected.

Not unknown here.... think of all the 5 ingredient substitutes for way oil......... or the 29.5 deg debates/feed with compound or crossfeed.

I think they are a bit further off on non-lathe info. For shapers they are less informed, and for my large (3MT) Atlas drillpress (really a Clausing, but badged Atlas), essentially no useful info, but lots of well-intentioned info about the little ones.

A TH42 is a "10F" lathe, with a horizontal countershaft, Timken bearings, changegears stock, and a 42" bed. This is a backgeared machine. The all-belt drive was only on fairly early models.

Despite the link belt recommendations I have yet to have a positive experience with one on an Atlas lathe. I tried a good one on mine and it was so stiff I would have broken the countershaft getting it tensioned enough to straighten out under the cover. It also had very poor grip and the sides felt abrasive. A friend of mine tried a cheaper link belt from Woodworker's Warehouse and it was flexible enough, but so tall he had to disconnect the belt to move it onto the largest headstock pulley, due to the clearance.

There was an old style of V-belt that would probably be great for these, but I haven't seen one in years. It's a normal jacketed belt, but punched with holes like a pants belt. One end has a metal shackle. You cut off the belt at the right length and snap it together.

Thanks for all the info! The lathe in question is a backgeared model. I never thought to look at Tonys site and would have been scatching my head trying to set the motor and pullys up like a South Bend!! Thanks for the link Jim!!
We'll put the old style belts on it as I'm sure he'll make plenty of oops + uhohs and I'd like to see a little slip here and there with those zamac gears! Speaking of which, RexTX, there is one side gear that has a wobble in it but ICRR which one it is, I'll find out tomorrow and e-mail you the # of teeth and maybe u2 can do business!
The machine "looks" light, until you pick it up!! I would say it's as heavy or close to my SB 9 in weight. The fit and finish is nice, especially the cross slide and compound rest. Couple that with the roller bearing spindle and the simplicity of the rest of the machine, why couldn't it be ressurected and compete with the Chicom crap thats being sent here today! But, thats a whole nother issue! Thanks again!

Steve