Atlas 12 vs Heavy 10

Maverick302 · Jan 23, 2019

I recently just purchased my first lathe, a late-model Craftsman branded Atlas 12" long bed. I picked it up for a decent price, and it's in excellent condition, with a decent amount of tooling to get me started. Of course, shortly after I got it home, modified the stand and built a cabinet to fit it, cleaned it all up, adjusted/leveled/tuned it up, a decent looking Heavy 10 pops up for $1000. Now I'm very strongly leaning towards picking up the SB and selling off the Atlas I just put a bunch of time and money into setting up. The SB is a 1944 with taper attachment, single tumbler, underdrive with some less than stellar pictures of a box of tooling (steady rest with no bottom, collet set, faceplate and dogs). Owner says there is no appreciable wear but admits he is not that knowledgeable about it. Seems he picked it up not too long ago and lost interest.

My uses for a lathe are very general, from motorcycles to tractors, projects for the wife and home, general fabrication... I do have access to larger machines at work (a Leblond 16", and a 12" Ganesh).

Would it be worth it at this point, having hardly even used the Atlas I just got, to upgrade to a Heavy 10 now? Should I just hang on to the Atlas until I outgrow it and look for something newer and bigger (a more modern geared head, lever-closed machine)?

Hodge · Jan 23, 2019

Maverick302 said:
I recently just purchased my first lathe, a late-model Craftsman branded Atlas 12" long bed. I picked it up for a decent price, and it's in excellent condition, with a decent amount of tooling to get me started. Of course, shortly after I got it home, modified the stand and built a cabinet to fit it, cleaned it all up, adjusted/leveled/tuned it up, a decent looking Heavy 10 pops up for $1000. Now I'm very strongly leaning towards picking up the SB and selling off the Atlas I just put a bunch of time and money into setting up. The SB is a 1944 with taper attachment, single tumbler, underdrive with some less than stellar pictures of a box of tooling (steady rest with no bottom, collet set, faceplate and dogs). Owner says there is no appreciable wear but admits he is not that knowledgeable about it. Seems he picked it up not too long ago and lost interest.

My uses for a lathe are very general, from motorcycles to tractors, projects for the wife and home, general fabrication... I do have access to larger machines at work (a Leblond 16", and a 12" Ganesh).

Would it be worth it at this point, having hardly even used the Atlas I just got, to upgrade to a Heavy 10 now? Should I just hang on to the Atlas until I outgrow it and look for something newer and bigger (a more modern geared head, lever-closed machine)?

Yes, it would be worth it. While not in the same class as your machines at work the heavy ten is a much more capable machine.
Not to mention the atl@s is specifically prohibited from discussion on this site per the guidelines. With the sb you can discuss till your hearts content.

CarlBoyd · Jan 23, 2019

Unless very, very, very worn, the Southbend is many times the lathe the Atlas is.

CarlBoyd

Maverick302 · Jan 23, 2019

Without knowing all that much about these in particular, can anyone tell me anything that may stand out about this one? Red flags? Desirable/undesirable configuration, missing parts...?

lazz · Jan 23, 2019

Run buy the Southbend.
A taper attachment, the larger thru hole, a clutch, V ways,in general a WAY better machine. These are just some reasons to not look back.

mmarquette · Jan 23, 2019

Bet you will want one bigger better than it too. wouldnt take much to get ahead of it either.Just my opinion.

Rob F. · Jan 23, 2019

Not a deal breaker by any means but does it have a chasing dial for threads?

Maverick302 · Jan 23, 2019

It does come with the threading dial. Not sure what that big nut looking thing is by the steady rest.

SteveM · Jan 23, 2019

So, I am more qualified that most to speak about this, as I actually HAVE an @tlas 12" lathe, and right now I am looking for a South Bend heavy 10.

Trust me: this is the correct move and you won't look back.

The H10 can take 10 times the cut that the @tlas can.

You will probably never see your toolpost moving under a cut with the H10 unless you do something stupid.

Note that that particular H10 has what many call the "single tumbler" gearbox. Some don't like it, thinking that it has fewer ratios that the double, but that is not true. While it has one tumbler lever, it has the three-position lever on top of the box, and the sliding hear on the left side, so it has the same number of ratios as any SB gearbox that has positions A thru E on the left tumbler (some later models added F and G to the left and they have more ratios).

That particular model is probably the most capable lathe you are going to find that fits in that footprint.

Steve

Rob F. · Jan 23, 2019

That box makes it an even better deal. Have you got it yet?

packrat2 · Jan 23, 2019

I have had a @tlas 12" lathe at one time too, like has been said RUN and buy the South Bend, you can sell
the other lathe easy, there are @tlas fans looking for a lathe..

SteveM · Jan 23, 2019

packrat2 said:
I have had a @tlas 12" lathe at one time too, like has been said RUN and buy the South Bend, you can sell
the other lathe easy, there are @tlas fans looking for a lathe..

Yes, there may even be people willing to pay MORE for the @tlas that the H10 will cost you to buy.

Steve

Maverick302 · Jan 23, 2019

Thanks for all the help. Sounds like I should be asking a more pertinent question - who wants to buy my @tlas?

iwananew10K · Jan 23, 2019

might want to check the spindle bore, as it could be a 10R with the small bore spindle...10R= ~1", 10L= ~1.375".

If that matters to you...( you can swap a large bore spindle if needed too)

hsracer201 · Jan 23, 2019

Make sure the bed isn't cracked anywhere.

JohnEvans · Jan 23, 2019

iwananew10K said:
might want to check the spindle bore, as it could be a 10R with the small bore spindle...10R= ~1", 10L= ~1.375".

If that matters to you...( you can swap a large bore spindle if needed too)

Going by the size of the hole in the collets in the one picture it is a 10L

SteveM · Jan 23, 2019

Maverick302 said:
Thanks for all the help. Sounds like I should be asking a more pertinent question - who wants to buy my @tlas?

Probably nobody here. The eight of us here that have one are looking to upgrade.

If it's the late model with the 1/2" thick ways (vs 3/8" for the older ones), and it's on a bench with two chucks, a toolpost and an assortment of toolholders and bits, I would put it on craigslist for $1,000. If there is a thread dial, keep it with the lathe, as it is important to have. Other accessories are not as critical.

If you have more accessories, like steady rest, follow rest, micrometer carriage stop and the like, I would put those on ebay, looking up sold prices to see where to start. You're going to be shocked at what they will go for, and you can use that to buy more tooling for the new lathe.

None of your existing chucks is going to fit without changing the backplate, so just sell them with the lathe, unless you have something particularly good you want to keep.

If your current lathe ha a quick-change (aloris-type) toolpost, keep that; it will fit the H10.

Steve

Maverick302 · Jan 23, 2019

How much bed wear would be an acceptable amount to live with?

Demon69 · Jan 23, 2019

hsracer201 said:
Make sure the bed isn't cracked anywhere.

LOL

And make the sure the guy setting up for you has a precision level - indicator - slug of 8"x2" bar and a glint in his eye

SLK001 · Jan 23, 2019

Maverick302 said:
Without knowing all that much about these in particular, can anyone tell me anything that may stand out about this one? Red flags? Desirable/undesirable configuration, missing parts...?

Not much can be said with these photos. What most buyers would look at is general wear in the V ways 6"-18" away from the head. They should be straight sided, with minimal grooving from the carriage. Also, check the tailstock for droop on extension, a common H10 problem on the old machines. Also, check the spindle bearings for looseness using a two foot 1" bar stuck 6" into the spindle and lifting on the end.

When you go look at the machine, take the steel bar, a 0.001 dial indicator with a magnetic mount and a precision level to check for excessive bed twist.

Atlas 12 vs Heavy 10

Aluminum

Stainless

Hot Rolled

Aluminum

Attachments

Stainless

Cast Iron

Diamond

Aluminum

Diamond

Diamond

Hot Rolled

Diamond

Aluminum

Diamond

Hot Rolled

Titanium

Diamond

Aluminum

Titanium

Stainless

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