New Bench Lathe

[kide]

I've wanted a good small bench lathe for quite a while. A Unimat SL is great for teensy stuff, but any real work is tough on it (I mean - the motor is a German sewing machine motor....). I've had a Craftsman 109.21270 for years, but the headstock spindle on that is weak (I just recently got the upgraded spindle for that, along with a new belt and a couple of other parts from Home Shop Supply in New Jersey, but I haven't had time to get that together yet.) Sooo, the other day when a friend asked if I was interested in a small lathe that had been his dad's - I told him yes (of course). He said it was a Sears, so I immediately assumed that it was another 109 - still OK, I'd take any extra parts. When I got it home,, I realized that it wasn't a 109, but a 101.21400. Not knowing too much about it, I started surfing and found out I'd gotten a rebadged Atlas 618, which Atlas made for Sears. Not only that, but it's got real tapered Timken rollers in the headstock, a carriage rack, along with a carriage leadscrew and you can still get parts if you need to from the company that bought Atlas... So far, all I can really see I need are the cross feed handles on the carriage and the handwheel on the tailstock. The ways were covered with a soft rust, but under the tailstock and carriage they were still shiny! As a matter of fact, the only place they're really not smooth is where somebody "cleaned" a little spot off to show that the ways were in pretty good shape.. The best part was when he called me a couple of days later and said he had a box of "stuff" to go with it. Face plate, dog, set of internal bits, another four jaw chuck (for a 109 series..???) Here's some pics of the "before" - I'll be working on getting it cleaned up - just wondering if there's any opinions on the best way to clean the ways up without losing their flatness..

 

[bbrigham]

I used to use WD40 and steel wool, the wool isn't agressive enough to harm anything and the only thing WD40 is usefull for IMHO is cleaning.

Bren

nice find by the way

 

[kide]

Brendan:
I'll let ya know - crappy weather today, give me a chance to work in the shop. I'll probably use Gibbs with the steel wool. I'm going to try the electrolysis rust removal method (Washing soda, battery charger, 5 gallon pail, water and a bunch of rebar for anodes) on some of the non-critical stuff - I got the Arm and Hammer washing soda last week, almost bought their laundry soap (woulda made good smelling rust..)

 

[kweaver]

Kendell - Big ol marine battery worked better for me than a charger, I used Cascade.
It'll pull more or less straight so you'll need to place your anodes in creative places to get it all.

Want to do the whole thing at once ... catch her head turned and put it in the bath tub.

 

[kide]

KentucK - unless I want to restore (paint???)it, I'll probably just clean the bed and headstock. Pieces I'm looking at soaking include the back pulley setup(might not be able to because of the bushings..) and the four jaw and all the misc. stuff. I'll have to read again what they say about non-ferrous material (like babbitt and bronze..)

 

[kweaver]

some reading
<center><table border=1><tr><td>

rust.html (22.3 k)</td></tr></table></center>

A link with acid ecthing

And the electrolytic process This guy has home-made EDM also

... and my test I did years ago ...

I've not seen anything about using with babbit or other nonferrous metals.

 

[kweaver]

I stripped my 1934 South Bend lathe down when I moved here (all but headstock) and cleaned it up good with acetone then shot it with Rustoleum Smoke Gray enamel. It still looks 100% better than it did when I bought it. I like that color ... friend of mine that was in the Navy hates it

 

[mgonitzke]

I believe that various acids don't play nice with lead and brass or bronze, because they have lead in them. IIRC from Chem class a few years ago, most acids will react with lead. So if it were mine, I wouldn't put babbit bearings or bronze in contact with acid. Actually, acetic acid (vinegar) is not good for cast iron, either.

 

[kide]

Matt:
You are absolutely correct.. here's from one of the links on electrolysis rust removal:
"The process works- and works well, but is not very effective in shielded areas like water jackets. Immerse only ferrous metals-the alkali process tends to eat up babbit, brass, zinc and even harm bronzes."

I did some more cleaning on the headstock tonight. I'm amazed at getting screws out without a fuss.. Nasty little tapered slotted nuts on the cross feed knobs came out after just a little soaking with Gibbs...

 

[jegstad]

KenTuck,

I think the Navy calls it Haze Gray. ". friend of mine that was in the Navy hates it"

That's probably because of the Navy motto "Haze Gray and Underway"

 

[lbaker]

Hey Jim, remember the other one too,"if it moves, salute it. If it don't. paint it!!"