Craftsman 6" lathe

[markwesti]

Hi , this is my Craftsman 101.07301 6" lathe (not to be confused with a Craftsman 618) . This model was made form 40'-56' it has a plain bearing (bushing) head stock . I still need some tooling for it , but I'm off to a good start . Hope you like the pics , Mark .

 

[jywilli69]

That is very nice looking. Congrats!!!!!!

 

[Socket Pounder]

Nice. I'm not a metalworker but someday I hope to run across one of these little metal lathes at a nice price.

 

[nine4gmc]

Really nice job, welcome to GJ and thanks for posting!

 

[larry4406]

And the milling attachment! nice.

 

[Squashfest81]

Great looking machine! Can't wait to get mine cleaned up.
What's the plan for the motor mount? What size motor did you decide on?

 

[ritestuff]

Nice machine. these are awesome little lathes that are very capable of doing precision work within their limitations. I have owned and used several of them over the years. I have a 618 that I use almost daily out in my shop. I have a larger 10" Logan 820 that I use also, but I still do a lot of my small stuff on the 618.

There will always be naysayers that will say that these little ones are junk. too small, flat ways, yada, yada, yada, but if set up correctly, they are very useful for the hobby machinist.

Just a few suggestions from my experience with these machines.

1) They become much more rigid, and perform much better if they are mounted to a steel plate between the wood table top. Thicker plate is always better, but even 1/4" is a huge difference maker. Especially if you are working with steel and other harder materials. You can take bigger cuts and way less chatter when using a parting tool. Those beds can flex under a heavy load, especially if the machine isn't properly leveled.

2) Most of them original came with a 1/4 HP 1750 rpm motor. Those are mostly under powered, and were sold to the public to protect the operators from themselves, and extend the life of the machine. I'm running a 1/2 HP on mine and it is light years better, but you have to use your own judgement not to push the machine too hard, or to make any mistakes. With more HP comes bigger consequences in case of a crash or other mishap.

3) Get rid of the old style lantern tool post setup and upgrade to an OXA size quick change set. It greatly reduces set up time between performing different operations and tool changes, and it increases rigidity by 10X. There are some really nice Asian sets available for fair money. I'm using this one. http://www.ebay.com/itm/271686769803?_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

The more you use your machine and figure out the little nuances as you gain experience, you'll really come to appreciate how nice these little 6" machines are.

 

[markwesti]

Thanks for the reply's and welcomes! About a year ago I was in my friends hot rod shop making a part on his 10" Logan , the little 6" was sitting next to it and I kept looking over at it . My friend says "you want that thing ". Of course I said yes , he told me it was given to him by a customer over 30yrs. ago and he turned it on once when he first got it . All it needed was a dissemble and lube . @Squashfest81 the motor mount set up I have there is kind of my own design because of space limitations I have . It is temp but it works well so I think I will refine it . The motor is a 1/3 hp 1750 RPM . @ritestuff , thanks all good info there , steel plates , I will try that . One thing that is different between my machine and a 618 is that mine has only 3 mount points , 618 4 but really for such a small machine 3 points eliminates bed twist so your steel plates I think will be a good Idea . Thanks again guys , Mark .

 

[bubinga]

Really nice job, welcome to GJ and thanks for posting!

And the milling attachment! nice.

That is very nice looking. Congrats!!!!!!

&1 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Get a wiper motor, a Voltage supply, a PWM board, reverse switch, few pulleys, and a belt, and make you up an electric lead screw feed.
You can do it to where it is 100% reversible too, so as to not take away from the aesthetics of the machine.
Lots 0 examples on YouTube.
Just an Idea Now, and only if you wanted to.
I would not go without the one I did though.

 

[bubinga]

17 thousand is too fast.

 

[bubinga]

I was supportive too Mark!

 

[disston]

It really looks clean. Looks brand new. Pretty.

Which part is the "milling attachment"? For those novices amongst us.

 

[nine4gmc]

Disston, first pic, the vertical piece on the table behind the lathe with a round crank handle on top. That's a lathe milling attachment. It goes where the tool post is and clamps the part in there. You can then put an end mill in a collet that goes in the head stock and use the saddle as your mill table to move the part around the bit.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[markwesti]

17, 500 yikes ! Typo , it's 1,750 haha. @bubinga thanks for the support , I have thought about a tread mill motor and maybe ditching the counter shaft . The wiper motor sounds interesting , all that electronics , and hide it all I like that . Only problem is you don't want to make a cut in reverse with the chuck mounted because it screws on . You could do it if you had a collet system , and I'm planning one . @disston , the milling attachment is in the first pic behind the lathe , and the set up is you remove the compound slide , (it's holding the lathe cutting tool) and you replace it with the milling attachment . Now you have a x and y axis , you hold a end mill cutter in the spindle and now you have a horizontal mill set up . It is very light duty and very limited but you can do mill operations .

 

[bubinga]

No, Do this, Tread Mill Motor, and KEEP the C/Shaft...................
More options, and if you keep the spindle speed slow, through the counter shaft, and the cone pulleys , you can crank up the T/Mill motor Higher.
They say the treadmill motor develops it's torque @ a higher RPM,
so My thinking is Higher RPM at motor, reduced speed at the spindle= more torque out of your motor.
My wood lathe has a Reeves drive, AND a 3 Phase Motor, with VFD.
I was kidding, I knew you had an extra 0 in it. (the motor speed)
Right, You don't want to spin the chuck off.
I'm going to do a tread mill motor for my spindle one of these years.
My wiper motor drives the lead screw, and that drives my longitude feed , and My powered cross feed, don't know if the Atlas has powered cross feed ?
So you won't have to change Gears, or even use the gears except for threading.
I'll see if I can find ,my video.
The electronics are all in a work box or 2, nice and clean.

the pulley I pointed to, in the photo from above, is usually MUCH larger,
Slowing the shaft much more.

 

[bubinga]

here's the leadscrew drive.
Not a lot of detail, but gives you the Idea.

<iframe width="854" height="480" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/j7n2UPLpDcY" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[markwesti]

Cool set up bubinga , and yes I don't at the moment have the correct pulleys for the counter or the motor . Chuck goes round and I make part now and then . As you know it's amazing how much support tooling one needs to do even the most simple job . I'm gettin' the band back together , From 85' to 2010' I had a pretty nice shop then sold it all and thought I never wanted to see any of it ever again . Well that was wrong , but now it's different . Mini stuff for fun and when I get tired of it I go do something else . And even more I'm into the antique aspect of it . Atlas made cast iron legs for this machine eventually I hope to get a set but right now the Steam Punkers / re purposeser's have em' all .

 

[bubinga]

Aww, too bad you gave up your shop, Well good you're getting it back together.
I'm hoping to move around the end of the summer, (need more room) and I have so much stuff,
I totally dread the move.
don't want to get rid of none of it though.
I wish I had the legs for my Logan, It's on shop built stand, I am not too fond of.
I was lucky, The PO, before The PO was a machinist, this was his toy at home,
so It came with a lot of stuff. some of it, IDK what it even is.
I have the legs for My Oliver wood lathe, They are pretty nice.
Yeah, I think you would like the power feed.
I could help if you need it when/if you're ready.

 

[bubinga]

l did the tread mill conversion on my drill press, and just did the center pulley conversion to it.
<iframe width="854" height="480" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/XYtWwAqu7Zo" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[bubinga]

The "Steam Punkers / re purposeser's" need to give that stuff up, so it can be used for it's rightful use.

 

[markwesti]

Nice , I like the Craftsman drill press I call those the art deco model . the guy that gave me the lathe has one like that but I don't think it has the counter shaft .
PS thanks for the aww about my past shop , but don't feel to bad for me at the end it was becoming a real PITA .
Really appreciate the offer on the feed drive perhaps I will take you up on it one day . Mark .

 

[disston]

Thanks. I see it now.

Good luck with the new shop. Mini stuff sounds neat too.

 

[James-W]

Looks like a really nice lathe. Welcome to the forum.

 

[bubinga]

Thanks Mark.
Let me know.

 

[Farmall 1066]

Nice lathe! I've got the Craftsman 109 and it does ok for what little I use it.