Atlas metal lathe woes

RidgeRaider

RidgeRaider

Member
Well, the further I dive into cue-making and repair with my 12" atlas lathe, the more I find out how unfit this machine is for cue-making..

I knew the spindle bore size was small, but it never dawned on me that I'd need to be able to pass most of the handle / forearm through the spindle to do pin installs and such.

So, now I am at a fork in the road. Keep throwing some money trying to solve these problems with workarounds, or just divert and invest in an actual machine fit for cuemaking such as a woodscue lathe or a metal lathe with a 1.375 spindle bore size?

I ordered a steady rest and am going to try doing a pin install on my atlas with that and see how it goes, but I am not hopeful yet.
 
Buy a large bore mid America headstock and build a mount to go on your cross slide or make a mount for the ways.

I adapted a wood lathe for my machine and built an er50 center steady that is quickly removable and stays centered. I like that better than going through the headstock because it takes less space and is dead accurate.
 
DeeDeeCues said:
Buy a large bore mid America headstock and build a mount to go on your cross slide or make a mount for the ways.

I adapted a wood lathe for my machine and built an er50 center steady that is quickly removable and stays centered. I like that better than going through the headstock because it takes less space and is dead accurate.
Click to expand...
Damn, that's actually a really good idea, taking a mid america headstock and making it a steady rest.

I guess I could just weld up a stand for it to sit on top of the ways and lug it with a t post type deal.
 
RidgeRaider said:
Well, the further I dive into cue-making and repair with my 12" atlas lathe, the more I find out how unfit this machine is for cue-making..

I knew the spindle bore size was small, but it never dawned on me that I'd need to be able to pass most of the handle / forearm through the spindle to do pin installs and such.

So, now I am at a fork in the road. Keep throwing some money trying to solve these problems with workarounds, or just divert and invest in an actual machine fit for cuemaking such as a woodscue lathe or a metal lathe with a 1.375 spindle bore size?

I ordered a steady rest and am going to try doing a pin install on my atlas with that and see how it goes, but I am not hopeful yet.
Click to expand...
I started with an Atlas. I used a steady rest with a bearing in place. Appropriately sized donuts were used for various sizes. Got by 2 years before acquiring a 1236 Jet. Been using it since 1985.
 
RidgeRaider said:
Damn, that's actually a really good idea, taking a mid america headstock and making it a steady rest.

I guess I could just weld up a stand for it to sit on top of the ways and lug it with a t post type deal.
Click to expand...

Thanks, I spent a lot of time considering it as a solution.

Just make sure to allow for adjustment up (shimming is a fine solution), and alignment of the MA headstock to the lathe axis. Then all you have to do is ensure that the stand goes on the lathe the same every time and you are there.
 
I would sell it to free up both money and space and get a 13x40 with a 1.5" bore, That's what you'll end up with eventually anyway.
If a new lathe isn't in your budget, there's deals to be had out there. Check the usual places like Craigslist, Facebook etc.
But also reach out to companies specializing in selling used equipment, they often sell higher grade stuff like Colchester, Harrison and other well known brands.
In fact I just bought a used Harrison M300 for a good price, so I know these deals are out there.
 

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RidgeRaider said:
Damn, that's actually a really good idea, taking a mid america headstock and making it a steady rest.

I guess I could just weld up a stand for it to sit on top of the ways and lug it with a t post type deal.
Click to expand...
It's not necessary to buy an entire headstock for a steady rest - individual steady rests with adjustable chucks are available.
1757079681776.png
 
RidgeRaider said:
Well, the further I dive into cue-making and repair with my 12" atlas lathe, the more I find out how unfit this machine is for cue-making..

I knew the spindle bore size was small, but it never dawned on me that I'd need to be able to pass most of the handle / forearm through the spindle to do pin installs and such.

So, now I am at a fork in the road. Keep throwing some money trying to solve these problems with workarounds, or just divert and invest in an actual machine fit for cuemaking such as a woodscue lathe or a metal lathe with a 1.375 spindle bore size?

I ordered a steady rest and am going to try doing a pin install on my atlas with that and see how it goes, but I am not hopeful yet.
Click to expand...
What is the center-to-center distance on your Atlas?
 
RidgeRaider said:
Well, the further I dive into cue-making and repair with my 12" atlas lathe, the more I find out how unfit this machine is for cue-making..

I knew the spindle bore size was small, but it never dawned on me that I'd need to be able to pass most of the handle / forearm through the spindle to do pin installs and such.

So, now I am at a fork in the road. Keep throwing some money trying to solve these problems with workarounds, or just divert and invest in an actual machine fit for cuemaking such as a woodscue lathe or a metal lathe with a 1.375 spindle bore size?

I ordered a steady rest and am going to try doing a pin install on my atlas with that and see how it goes, but I am not hopeful yet.
Click to expand...
I built cues on one for a few years and the steady rest method is actually more accurate than going through the headstock if your steady rest bearing bushings are concentric.
 
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