Atlas 6" up and running!

Sam Salvati

Sam Salvati

Joined
Aug 6, 2007
Messages
5,060
My Pop let me have some space in his old shop in the basement (ahh heat) and I brought in my lathe to fix it up and get it running, which I did tonight! GOD BLESS Link Belt, did not have to take the spindle out to put a new belt on.

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I had that exact same lathe when I grew up. My parents gave it away when they moved to the US from South Africa... Man do I miss it...

Congrats on getting it running again. And yes - link belts rock!!!
 
Nice Sam! Congrats. I'm envious of the lathe action, I really want one for metal but space is gettin tight.
 
thanks guys. I have had this one sitting for about a year, figured it was time to get it going.
 
oil it every time before you use it. Get yourself some 20W20 non detergent oil (unless the oiling guide plate is still on it and says something else) and make sure you oil all of the oiling holes (I believe you have babbitt bearings, every place that something rotates there is a hole to get oil in it somehow, you want a trigger/pump oilcan to push the oil in)

-page
 
Sam, what does a blacksmith do with a lathe? Oh, I get it, for turning down your own hammer handles! Nice acquisition for your shop! How incredibly thoughtful to name your lathe after my son!

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Congrats Sam,

I picked up an Atlas 618 about 6 months ago, and now have it working more or less correctly.

Mine is a little older model without the back gear, but otherwise very similar!

It's a fun little lathe and more useful than I'd hoped.

The link belt not only saves having to disassemble to add a belt, but reduces vibration compared to regular belts.

I picked up a quick change tool post for mine from LittleMachineShop - it makes a big difference in repeatability of setup when doing multiple operations on a part, but may not be worth the expense depending on how much you'll be using it.

If you need replacement parts, many are still available from Clausing.
 
zaph1 said:
Sam, what does a blacksmith do with a lathe? Oh, I get it, for turning down your own hammer handles! Nice acquisition for your shop! How incredibly thoughtful to name your lathe after my son!

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Click to expand...

Holy crap your son's a badass!
 
Thanks guys!

Tait, I saw little machine shop has a starter kit for this little lathe, once i make some dough it is mine! With the quick change setup, I love that whole bit it makes things real easy to work on.
 
Very cool buddy!!! :D :cool: :thumbup: It's a pretty amazing feeling, watching the chips curl off away from the cutter, isn't it? :D

When you get the time/money, a more substantial stand will really help too... more rigidity equals smoother running machine, better accuracy, better surface finish.

Like I mentioned before, it seems some of the most successful blacksmiths have some machining tricks in their bag, to go along with the mill and lathe in the corner of their shop! :thumbup: :)
 
Nick I agree, I especially like making the extra fine cuts were the tiny fine chips come off.

I am not sure about skill, but I know how to run a lathe and a mill like a blacksmith :D Get's me in trouble and sometimes keeps me out of it not knowing what I can't do on a machine hehe. I got a piece of 1" plate, thought about using it for a powerhammer base when I finally build one but it might end up used for this instead.

I look forward to using this to make some spring swages for some semi intricate designs.
 
Blacksmith's lathes ?? They're the ones without that CNC stuff !! Nathan wouldn't know how to use one !
 
That's great Sam. I did take the spindle out on my Southbend 9A and it wasn't that bad of a job but I would still go with a links belt if I had to do it again.
And I remember the first few cuts I took with it, I was hooked! :D

Thanks for sharing.
 
Nice work. I never realize how much I needed a machine, until it is up and running. Then I wonder how I ever lived without it.
 
Old Atlas lathes were fine tools. I had a 4" one for years. (That was when Sears still sold quality tools.) ;)Just remember to keep the oil journals full.

Gary
 
I turned up this little guy for making a spring swage for making chisels, I got a good bit of this 5/8" round W1

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