Atlas vs. Craftsman acessory numbers?

[Neeko_6810]

In looking for accessories for my Atlas 618 I have noticed that there is a one digit increase for Craftsman over the Atlas numbers. For example:

Atlas # Craftsman #

Steady Rest M6-325 M6-326

Follower M6-395 M6-396

They both seem to be interchangeable but why would they go to all the work to change the numbers if there was no difference in the tool itself? The Craftsman steady rest has brass/bronze jaws while the Follower has steal jaws but believe the PO changed them for better friction control.
Many of the Atlas 618 and Craftsman 101 parts and accessories are interchangeable, not all but I would say most, so why change the numbers, If there isn't a difference between the two, is there a sales brochure for the Craftsman accessories? If there is I have been unable to find it. Can someone point me in the right direction?

Tom

 

[LB-1911]

You might find the publication your looking for over at Vintage Machinery

Good Luck

 

[Neeko_6810]

LB-1911
Thanks for getting back to me. I have seen the material offered at that website but my question is more of a curiosity than a have to know. I tend to like knowledge. It kind of satisfies an itch in me.
Another curiosity is the 3 jaw universal chuck in the pics that is closes to the lathe bed. To tighten and loosen the chuck you turn the outer ring that is closest to the headstock. It has about a 4 inch pin that inserts into holes located around the chuck for tightening and loosening. Can you you give me any more information about the chuck?

 

[MayerMR]

Neeko,

I work as a Product Category Manager and before that, as a Product Owner. It's quite common for companies that source products from other companies who then "private label" them to have a different part number or just a slight variation. This is done for a couple of reasons; sometimes to get the part number to line up with the rest of their line, sometimes to obscure the original source of the part/item, with the latter being because they want to obscure where they sourced the item/part from in the first place. Basically, they buy the part from, in this case, Atlas for say, $50 and then say it's from Craftsman and mark it up and sell it for $70. If the customers knew they could go buy the part from Atlas for $50 then they'd never sell them for $70, right? So many many companies want to make it more difficult for the consumer to find the source company. In the case above, the part number was just slightly altered, most likely to ease communication between the companies when reordering, or even more likely, because the "Craftsman" numbered items receive a "Craftsman" stamping somewhere while the non-Craftsman numbered items received either no, or "Atlas" stampings, but can easily be sorted by looking at the part numbers due to the standard variation between to the two.

Make sense and help satisfy your curiosity?

 

[Neeko_6810]

Thanks for the info. I figured that it was a "Follow the money" thing. Hope to finish my restoration on the commutator under cutter in the next couple days. My first project will be to turn the new backing plates that I ordered from Little Machine Shop.

Again, thanks for the info. Curiosity Meter @ 2 now.

Tom

 

[MayerMR]

Thanks for the info. I figured that it was a "Follow the money" thing. Hope to finish my restoration on the commutator under cutter in the next couple days. My first project will be to turn the new backing plates that I ordered from Little Machine Shop.

Again, thanks for the info. Curiosity Meter @ 2 now.

Tom

Tom,

That's great. Do me a favor and post some pics and, if you don't mind, the parts you picked up from Little Machine Shop. I just picked up an old Atlas Pick-o-Matic lathe last week and I need to get a backing plate, 4 jaw chuck, quick change tool post, and I'm sure a bevy of other things that my ignorant-to-metal-working self doesn't even know about yet!

 

[Neeko_6810]

I'll post some more pics as soon as I get a new motor restored to take the place of the one that is on it now. Motor burned out while turning the new backing plate for the 4" Craftsman 4 jaw independent. I think it could have been burned out from the start. It was only a 1/4 HP anyway but was the only one I could find at the time. Had two more motors given to me, also 1/4 HP. I will continue to look for a descent 1/2 HP split phase. It felt good to be running a lathe again.
I contacted a co-tech instructor of mine, he taught the metals area while I taught other tech areas. I wanted to dig at his knowledge on getting smooth cuts in cast iron. We talked about an hour last night on the phone.

Tom

 

[MayerMR]

I'll post some more pics as soon as I get a new motor restored to take the place of the one that is on it now. Motor burned out while turning the new backing plate for the 4" Craftsman 4 jaw independent. I think it could have been burned out from the start. It was only a 1/4 HP anyway but was the only one I could find at the time. Had two more motors given to me, also 1/4 HP. I will continue to look for a descent 1/2 HP split phase. It felt good to be running a lathe again.
I contacted a co-tech instructor of mine, he taught the metals area while I taught other tech areas. I wanted to dig at his knowledge on getting smooth cuts in cast iron. We talked about an hour last night on the phone.

Tom

sounds like a plan. Lookin' forward to the updates!

 

[Asport]

Could have been a number of reasons. Paint color could be one reason. The casting numbers are the same, just a different part# label slapped on a box.