My dream realized - or at least a start

[Propforward]

Well, little update, I have spoken to other machine tool rebuilders, and the best so far reckoned he could grind the ways and refit the headstock for a thousand dollars. Too much for me - he was really helpful actually, and was pretty much offering to do it at cost - was talking about all kinds of additional processing to build up ways and so on. That's not really the point of the atlas project, so I'll pass on that.

I have found someone else who wants to take a look at the bed, and I have made it quite clear that I am talking about a low cost, basic refinish of the bed only, trying to keep it to 400 bucks, and he is still interested, so that might work.

I have decided that if I can't get anyone to touch it for $400, then at this point I will continue the rebuild, and mic it once finished and just see how close I can get it. I have a brand new lathe outside in the garage, so there is no point sinking too much into this. The question is - how much is too much?

Anyway, just sniped a NOS traverse gear box assembly of ebay, so we continue to make progress. Last coat of paint went on the headtsock today, so reassembly of the headstock can begin, and we slowly move towards getting things going back together, instead of laying around on the bench!

 

[BillH]

Well, little update, I have spoken to other machine tool rebuilders, and the best so far reckoned he could grind the ways and refit the headstock for a thousand dollars. Too much for me - he was really helpful actually, and was pretty much offering to do it at cost - was talking about all kinds of additional processing to build up ways and so on. That's not really the point of the atlas project, so I'll pass on that.

I have found someone else who wants to take a look at the bed, and I have made it quite clear that I am talking about a low cost, basic refinish of the bed only, trying to keep it to 400 bucks, and he is still interested, so that might work.

I have decided that if I can't get anyone to touch it for $400, then at this point I will continue the rebuild, and mic it once finished and just see how close I can get it. I have a brand new lathe outside in the garage, so there is no point sinking too much into this. The question is - how much is too much?

Anyway, just sniped a NOS traverse gear box assembly of ebay, so we continue to make progress. Last coat of paint went on the headtsock today, so reassembly of the headstock can begin, and we slowly move towards getting things going back together, instead of laying around on the bench!

Unless you are an anal perfectionist with machine tools, you very well could be satisfied with the results that Atlas lathe will give AS IS. My 1941 Southbend 9c has some wear on the bed and it never stopped me from making parts that work. Now the spindle "might" be bent on it, that is of much more concern than the bed having .003 of wear near the headstock. .003 difference in height near the headstock, for making parts near the headstock doesn't amount to JACK when turning down diameters. If you want to turn within .0005 along 12" between centers, you'll never get good results unless you bolt down and level the lathe with a precision level that costs a pretty penny. A problem I had to come to terms with is an undeniable desire to have everything perfect, never mind being practical. Being practical and making parts that work can be achieved on a clapped out lathe most of the time. Anyhow, your brand new Grizzly will do the jobs that your atlas won't.

 

[Propforward]

I think that's a very good point Bill. It's easy to get carried away when you start getting into a machine, and I could easily end up spending 500 dollars or more refurbing this machine, which could be better put to use against a milling machine.

I think I am going to ahead and complete the rebuild as is, and at least find out how much wear it has. I can always grind the bed another day, and as you say this will likely only be used for small parts anyway.

The headstock casting is repainted now, and I am going to begin assembly of that this week.

Cheers!