Photos I just got my new (old) lathe! Advice?

The_Iron_Joe

The_Iron_Joe

Knifemaker, Jeweller. Custom Books Open!
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May 3, 2012
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This beautiful Atlas lathe was sitting unused in someone's shed for nearly 10 years, and I just got my hands on it the other day. Actions are very smooth, all things considered, although there is considerable cleaning that needs to be done before it sees any use. I thought I'd ask here if anyone has some experience or advice with these kinds of lathes that they could share with me, as although I've used lathes before, this is the first I've owned. I've got a bucket or two of miscellaneous tooling and raw stock along with it that I haven't been able to go through yet as well.

I'll upload more pictures as I get cleaning done.
(Yes, that is the motor behind the tangle of cables in the back, and while it's not in the picture, I do have the tailstock.)
dLSPNB4.jpg
 
I’ve restored a few old iron tools including lathes. Hobbymachinest.com is a forum you will want to visit.
There is an Atlas sub forum there. They are a wonderfully helpful group of folks. Nice find!
 
Get yourself a gallon of way oil.
If you weld; weld up a nice stand for it with leveler feet so it is stable.

Hahaha when I got mine when I was pretty young (and militant) the guy at the machine tool supply said "you'll need a gallon of way oil".
I thought he said whale oil . . . I said "I don't want to contribute to the extinction of whales so forget the whale oil".

We had a good laugh.
This photo sort of shows the stand I made out of large square steel tubing.
My Little Lathe.JPG

I like to put a big plastic cover (plastic bag) over mine so garbage blowing around the shop doesn't collect in the whale oil . . . I mean way oil.

You could search out old back issues of Home Shop Machinist Magazine. There are some articles in those on your Atlas lathe and making tooling for it etc.
 
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