My first lathe (Clausing 6300)

[kunkernator]

Alright, found this about a month ago on Craigslist in NY (i live in Texas). It is an Atlas Clausing 6300 lathe with lots of extra tooling.



Anyhow, got a buddy in CT to go take a look at it and he snagged it for $750.









Fast forward a month, and it is now in a crate.







My buddy just dropped it off at a local Fastenal store that will ship it to my local store. Cool program they have called 3PL, they basically sell space on their trucks for your freight shipments and it jumps from store to store until it reaches it's destination. The cool part is it is REAL cheap. Cost me $300 from CT to TX.

Now, what people have to understand is that it is next to impossible to find a lathe or machinery of this vintage anywhere near me in the midwest (at least at a reasonable cost). So i expanded my search back east to near where my buddy lives.

The lathe is in really good condition, was owned by a retired machinist who used it for personal use in his home shop. My buddy has machining experience and ran it thru it's paces before it was disconnected and loaded. It is dirty, but VERY well maintained. Included is a full collet set, a 3 jaw chuck, faceplate, live center, quick change tool post and many tool holders, plus a lot more.

I will keep this thread up to date with the lathe when i receive it, and setup. I am learning on this, so it will be slow. I am considering restoring it, but have yet to see it in person.

Next to find; a Bridgeport!


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[justanengineer]

Good looking machine. The one in my profile pic is also a 6300, 6329 IIRC. I repainted it last summer but its sitting in a container now as we moved 700 miles in January. If you have any questions feels free to ask, I've had most everything apart on that machine and know it well. PM me if I dont respond in a thread. Its a good light-duty industrial machine, reasonably light and easy to move but still able to take a decent cut. Its also got some real industrial features and options, hardened ways (less prone to wear) being top of my favorites list. You'll likely see the Atlas badge on it but dont mistake it for one of their pot-metal toy machines, these were made late 50s-early 60s AFTER Atlas had bought out the Clausing brothers but during which time they were working for and operating the Clausing plant separately. The 6300's interesting gearbox is supposedly the last project they designed before quitting Atlas and retiring shortly before the factories were combined. My lathe is from 1961 and spent most of its life in the high school I bought it from for $400 a few years ago. Not sure what you got for accessories but there was a full complement available and many interchanged with other Clausing models like the 4800 and 5400 - eBay has them occasionally if you want/need a collet rack, drawbar holder, either rest, taper attachment, etc.

A new manual from Clausing was ~$8 when I got mine prior to Keith's site's existence but here's a link to the freebie option.
http://vintagemachinery.org/pubs/181/6990.pdf

Somewhere on the web there's also a pdf of the original catalog for these showing all the options and tooling you could package with them. If I come across it I'll link or upload, had it downloaded on my previous work laptop but not sure if it moved to one of my personal machines and cant find the link at the moment.
http://ozarktoolmanuals.com/wp-content/uploads/pdfcatalogs/Clausing_1958.pdf
edit: Found it!

 

[Outlawmws]

When you get the lathe you may have rebuild/maintenance questions, or need parts. A great support group is at https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/clausing_lathe_and_mill/info

Lots of info in the files section as well, including many manuals.

 

[kunkernator]

Good looking machine. The one in my profile pic is also a 6300, 6329 IIRC. I repainted it last summer but its sitting in a container now as we moved 700 miles in January. If you have any questions feels free to ask, I've had most everything apart on that machine and know it well. PM me if I dont respond in a thread. Its a good light-duty industrial machine, reasonably light and easy to move but still able to take a decent cut. Its also got some real industrial features and options, hardened ways (less prone to wear) being top of my favorites list. You'll likely see the Atlas badge on it but dont mistake it for one of their pot-metal toy machines, these were made late 50s-early 60s AFTER Atlas had bought out the Clausing brothers but during which time they were working for and operating the Clausing plant separately. The 6300's interesting gearbox is supposedly the last project they designed before quitting Atlas and retiring shortly before the factories were combined. My lathe is from 1961 and spent most of its life in the high school I bought it from for $400 a few years ago. Not sure what you got for accessories but there was a full complement available and many interchanged with other Clausing models like the 4800 and 5400 - eBay has them occasionally if you want/need a collet rack, drawbar holder, either rest, taper attachment, etc.

A new manual from Clausing was ~$8 when I got mine prior to Keith's site's existence but here's a link to the freebie option.
http://vintagemachinery.org/pubs/181/6990.pdf

Somewhere on the web there's also a pdf of the original catalog for these showing all the options and tooling you could package with them. If I come across it I'll link or upload, had it downloaded on my previous work laptop but not sure if it moved to one of my personal machines and cant find the link at the moment.
http://ozarktoolmanuals.com/wp-content/uploads/pdfcatalogs/Clausing_1958.pdf
edit: Found it!

Wow, some great information! I already have the factory manual, but the second link you provided is a lot more informative. I was aware that the lathe is badged Atlas, but still made by Clausing, that is why i chose it. It is good to know that you have had one apart, so you may be of great help.

I also found a lot of great information on this website

http://www.lathes.co.uk/clausing/index.html


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[Maui]

That is quite a friend you have who would pay for the lathe, bring it home, box it up well, and then drop it off for shipment to you. I don't have a single friend I can think of who would do that for me.

Maui

 

[APEowner]

Nice! You basically paid for the tooling and go a free lathe thrown in. Even more valuable is the fact that you have a very good friend.

 

[kunkernator]

That is quite a friend you have who would pay for the lathe, bring it home, box it up well, and then drop it off for shipment to you. I don't have a single friend I can think of who would do that for me.



Maui

He is a great friend. Known him for a long time. He knows i would do the same for him, as we have similar interests.

Nice! You basically paid for the tooling and go a free lathe thrown in. Even more valuable is the fact that you have a very good friend.

After all is said and done, i think i still got a good deal, even paying for shipping. I will take tons of pictures when i get it here. And like i said, my buddy gave me a brief description of what tooling there is. In his words "everything is there, the only thing that you will need is a boring bar, as i dont see that".



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[kunkernator]

Fastenal called me and the lathe arrived. Actually they called me Monday! My buddy shipped it last Thursday. Anyhow, i am out of town, so will go down next monday and pick it up


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[kunkernator]

Got back from my trip early and went to Fastenal to get the lathe. Arrived safe and sound. The counter lady didnt know how to cash me out and had to call her manager, but other than that it worked well. Used my little Harbor Freight trailer, as i had to put it in my garage until my buddy swings by tomorrow with his service truck. Anyway, a couple pictures.... It will get steam washed, blown dry, and coated down with WD40.




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[neuralsnafu]

You ****. Id love to get my hands on something like that

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[larry_g]

Personally I would never steam clean a machine unless it was disassembled and each part could be done seperatly. You have open gears under the apron that you will not blow dry, nooks and cranny's that will hold water out of sight. Your better off with solvent and a brush and rag. Do NOT take any abrasives to any of the ways or other machined surfaces.

I would advise that you find out how to lube things before moving things much because a bit of rust or grit on a way can do a lot of damage if run dry. Make sure that all lube passages are open and working because over time a lot of them clog up. Don't do a bunch of damage to the machine because you didn't know better when trying to clean it and recommission it to running status.

Are you mechanic enough to remove and clean the carriage and apron? Find all the lube points in the drive? Able to lubricate the back gears if the machine has them? This is not the best place to guess and make assumptions. A bit of caution and understanding may save you a bunch of $.

lg
no neat sig line

 

[paulsomlo]

Personally I would never steam clean a machine unless it was disassembled and each part could be done seperatly.

Glad to see that it arrived safely, Brian. Agreed, no steam cleaning.

 

[kunkernator]

Alright, well, i do have a copy of the original manual so i will verify all the lube points and capacities. As for the steam cleaning, i was actually just planning on steaming the side far from the headstock. I would not touch the headstock, just cleaning the cabinet and the chip pan. On the flip side, i could spray it down with mineral spirits at high pressure.... That would probably work better. I also have a case of brake clean. It is REALLY grimey, although everything is there and working.

This evening i got all the tooling cleaned up, surface rust removed and whatnot. Tomorrow when my buddy gets here with his service truck we will unload it and fab up a dolly. Then time to clean it.

....and the more i think about it, i will probably hold off on the steam cleaning, ya'll are right about the unsealed areas that couldnt be blown dry.

Anyhow, more pictures to come tomorrow!


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[bmk]

You so ****!!

 

[kunkernator]

Got it unloaded today. Woke up bright and early and headed to the steel supply house. Came back with 3x1 tubing, and flattened mesh (not on yet). Cut to length and welded up. Welds ground flat so the casters and lathe could be mounted.





And.... Unloading it. This is a real heavy SOB, according to the catalog, it is 1100 lbs. I dont know if i believe that.





I forgot to take a picture of it on the rollers, but we put it directly on, and it rolls nice and easy and smooth.

I did NOT steam wash it, as per suggested. I scraped all the crud off the chip pan, and cleaned the geartrain (and applied new lube). Taking a break real quick, then will get back at it.
M



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[kunkernator]

Its been a little while since i posted an update. I got the lathe fully cleaned up, probably took me a good 20 man hours to scrub it down by hand with mineral spirits. The thing that pissed me off is that at one point in time i looks like it was repainted, but the new paint is just flaking off. I got most of it off, and the original paint mixed with the bare metal creates a really nice patina that i love. I got it bolted on the caster base, and i am making blocks for it, then it will sit on block and not the actual casters. Installed one of those Costco LED lights above it, and hung a moving blanket as a backsplash (in a rental right now).




Fooled around a bit yesterday with it and made this little thing, not for any reason.





So far, i love it! Everything works as it should! I still have to cut some steel mesh and weld it in for the lower shelf.



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[Outlawmws]

Good Progress Kunk!

A suggestion to replace the moving blanket though. It will soak up oil and become a giant oily rag...

I'd suggest a three piece affair: one hung on the wall spaced out a bit, a second under it, draining into the tray. (so at an angle under the wall piece)

And a third angled from the top of the wall piece leaning over the lath bed to catch spray.... That one could be clear plexi so it's not creating much of a shadow.

Gotta love those LED shop lights, Iv'e now got 5 in the garage, and two in the screen room...

I could do 2 more for sure, and possibly a third and maybe a fourth in the garage, - but the sale went off and they are $30 again...It's still not too a bad a deal.

 

[kunkernator]

I can see the concern about the moving blanket. Are you suggesting making the new "gaurd" out of steel or plexiglas? I could even mount it on the rear of the chip pan, there are already bolt holes drilled, maybe the previous owner had something similar?


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[kunkernator]

Had a member PM me with some questions, so figured i would answer here for all to see.

It has a single phase 115/230V motor, i currently have it wired for 115, but will most likely rewire it for 230. All rewired with with 12 gauge wire. It is 1.5HP, 1725RPM i believe.

To clarify on how i am going to block it up... I am going to make wood blocks that are just barely larger than the casters, lift the lathe up with an automotive jack, and set the blocks underneath. That way the lathe is sitting on the blocks, not the casters, which will be more solid.

I will get a better picture of the base, out of the house right now.


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[kunkernator]

Double post

 

[Outlawmws]

I can see the concern about the moving blanket. Are you suggesting making the new "gaurd" out of steel or plexiglas? I could even mount it on the rear of the chip pan, there are already bolt holes drilled, maybe the previous owner had something similar?


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Either will do the trick, or some of the other sheet plastics could be an option.

 

[kunkernator]

Got my first project done. It is a special application extra deep 3/4" drive 2-5/16" socket.

Started with the socket, and a scrap piece of black pipe i had laying around.



Parted the socket in half, then turned them to the sizes i needed. Turned the pipe down and created a lip on both ends to center the socket ends.








Welded the ends on, hit it on the wire wheel and.....






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[Strouty]

Gotta love it when a tool makes another tool make a tool.