Newbie from South Africa (Who posted in the wrong Section first)

[choprboy]

1) The early Atlas lathes had a bed that ran the entire length of the frame, like this Maximat. However I believe... though I may be completely wrong here, that the early Atlas headstock was bolted to bed thru fixed holes in to the frame... Where as the Maximat headstock appears to be clamped to the bed, allowing it to be placed anywhere on the bed (or slide off and on to he vertical column). That's what I meant by "mounted sliding on the ways".

2) Everyone keeps saying it has v-ways. Where are they? I'm not seeing it.

[Marcel333]

1) The early Atlas lathes had a bed that ran the entire length of the frame, like this Maximat. However I believe... though I may be completely wrong here, that the early Atlas headstock was bolted to bed thru fixed holes in to the frame... Where as the Maximat headstock appears to be clamped to the bed, allowing it to be placed anywhere on the bed (or slide off and on to he vertical column). That's what I meant by "mounted sliding on the ways".

2) Everyone keeps saying it has v-ways. Where are they? I'm not seeing it.

What you're saying makes sense. I have way too little technical knowledge about lathes to converse with you about it though so I'll just wait for someone more clever to come along and silently stand in the corner and listen intently to what you have to say [emoji16]

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[spro]

Hi. I confess to seeing what I believed a vee way at the back. It made sense because the saddle doubled as a milling platform. Upon closer look, it is "box" ways which could be better. I remember the Atlas 12" and it did have adjustments to reduce the play via an iron plate under the back way lip. I forget what adjustment was behind the apron. I expected Emco had an arrangement suitable for milling, especially after seeing that cast milling section.

[pete]

A very early Emco and one I'd not seen yet. Best guess and only a guess is some of the details may have been lifted from the Myford range of lathes with those flat ways and bed shape casting for the tailstocks mounting foot.Looks like your missing that door that had the gear arrangement for different threads. Today that would be a pretty rare lathe but it's possible someone might have a manual plus a picture showing that gear chart over on the Yahoo Emco group (maybe) And your lathe was certainly built for the European market with the longitudinal handwheel on the far right like that. Today unless you were extremely lucky used parts may be impossible to find since I doubt they made many of those lathes. The less you know about machine tools, their construction, and how critical there alignments really are then the more careful you need to be about removing parts for cleaning and repainting. If your not 100% sure of what your doing and that it won't cause more harm than good the please ask questions. Some good close in pictures of any bed wear or damage from dropped chucks might be helpful.

Taper tooling such as for the tailstock holds due to a wedgeing action. That means it's a real poor idea to use dinged and rusted tooling in the bore that may well be rusted, scored from shanks being spun in it, or damaged in other ways. That can only make things worse. That tee slotted cross slide is very handy for using the lathe as a light mill with parts bolted to the table and for through boring with a between centers boring bar. All lathes really should have been built with that feature.

[spro]

Hey Pete, we dig machines. I hadn't seen the "Standard" in person, either. When you look at the bed, see the tail base/feet are offset inward. That is where the vertical mill bed was mounted ( I don't call it a column because it is more a vertical bed). That also explains why the lathe head could slide. Operations, perhaps rare are very neat. Milling while turning is available and no doubt, the head was used as an index head because it could slide closer to the fixed vertical head.

[pete]

Maybe Spro, but the model that came with the built in screw cutting gear box couldn't have done that unless there was a telescoping dual universal shaft that I haven't seen yet. I suspect that head was meant to be fixed in one place even without the gearbox since the power longitudinal feed would have been disconected as well as soon as the head was moved.

[spro]

Yes but there were evolutions. I/We enjoy seeing these machines and how they did it.

[Marcel333]

Maybe Spro, but the model that came with the built in screw cutting gear box couldn't have done that unless there was a telescoping dual universal shaft that I haven't seen yet. I suspect that head was meant to be fixed in one place even without the gearbox since the power longitudinal feed would have been disconected as well as soon as the head was moved.

Yes but there were evolutions. I/We enjoy seeing these machines and how they did it.

I'm not sure if you're talking about the same thing I'm thinking so at the risk of sounding even less knowledgeable, the head (i.e chuck) does move forward and can lock in place. I'm at work at the moment but I'll see if I can snap some close up photos tonight. Let me know what you want to see and I will try my best to oblige. [emoji4] there is a photo of the driving pulleys at the back that I couldn't load up the other night. Just for the sake of showing all sides.


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[Marcel333]

A very early Emco and one I'd not seen yet. Best guess and only a guess is some of the details may have been lifted from the Myford range of lathes with those flat ways and bed shape casting for the tailstocks mounting foot.Looks like your missing that door that had the gear arrangement for different threads. Today that would be a pretty rare lathe but it's possible someone might have a manual plus a picture showing that gear chart over on the Yahoo Emco group (maybe) And your lathe was certainly built for the European market with the longitudinal handwheel on the far right like that. Today unless you were extremely lucky used parts may be impossible to find since I doubt they made many of those lathes. The less you know about machine tools, their construction, and how critical there alignments really are then the more careful you need to be about removing parts for cleaning and repainting. If your not 100% sure of what your doing and that it won't cause more harm than good the please ask questions. Some good close in pictures of any bed wear or damage from dropped chucks might be helpful.

Taper tooling such as for the tailstock holds due to a wedgeing action. That means it's a real poor idea to use dinged and rusted tooling in the bore that may well be rusted, scored from shanks being spun in it, or damaged in other ways. That can only make things worse. That tee slotted cross slide is very handy for using the lathe as a light mill with parts bolted to the table and for through boring with a between centers boring bar. All lathes really should have been built with that feature.

I appreciate the advice. I'll definitely go check out the group for some pointers. I found out a manual for this specific lathe is €39 which is, frankly, just too much so I'm hopeful that they'll be able tp help me. I have worked on an old Colchester Master lathe for a few years but never took it off or payed too much attention (which I'm kicking myself for now) because this was during high school, so I do know the very basics. I won't remove any pieces that I k ow will affect the precision of the machine though. I'll clean those small corners with a toothbrush.

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[earlgo]

1) The early Atlas lathes had a bed that ran the entire length of the frame, like this Maximat. However I believe... though I may be completely wrong here, that the early Atlas headstock was bolted to bed thru fixed holes in to the frame... Where as the Maximat headstock appears to be clamped to the bed, allowing it to be placed anywhere on the bed (or slide off and on to he vertical column). That's what I meant by "mounted sliding on the ways".

2) Everyone keeps saying it has v-ways. Where are they? I'm not seeing it.

Choprboy: You are right. The ATLAS that I am referring to is a 1958 model 3853 and in the picture you can see the 2 bolts that go through the 'box' ways and further in the clamp that holds the front end secure.

ATLAS headstock

And you are right, I mistook the edge of the box way as a slope on the v-way.

spro: There are shims on the ATLAS carriage under the back way that adjusts the fit of the carriage. There is also an adjustment for in and out clearance.
--earlgo

[Marcel333]

Got the belts for the pulleys I got a 660mm and a 630mm and they work, I also acquired a manual for it and apparently the correct belt sizes are 580mm but oh well will get them next time. First project done. Got some 25mm Aluminium bar and made 2 handles just to see how it turns and I'm very impressed. What do you think? Keep in mind I didn't really give it a nice finish. That will come with the cleaning if the machine.

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[choprboy]

Nice, looks like they came out quite good for a first go. A bit of emery cloth and successively finer grit, they should take a high polish (not that you necessarily want that). I'm betting that coming up will be another set of handles, this time with a fixed stub and free-floating knob.

Now you just need to make yourself a ball turning attachment to put a curved surface on them. Than a taper attachment for a long graduated handle. Then a grinding attachment for turning to exact size. Then a quick change toolrest, and a few dozen different tool holders. Then an indexing plate for accurately inscribing radial marks. Then a turret tailstock for holding multiple tools. Then a self-release die holder for repeated thread to a set depth. Then a ....

(I think we have another one hooked boys!)