Atlas Back Gears

[Billy Jim]

cAN ANYONE TELL ME HOW TO ENGAGE THE BACK GEAR ON MY 6" ATLAS LATHE. i KNOW ABOUT THE LEVER ON THE HEADSTOCK, BUT HOW DO I FREE UP THE SPINDEL/

[Don Young]

I do not know about the 6" Atlas, but most lathes have a pin in the face of the large "bull" gear next to the chuck. This pin is pulled out to free the gear from the drive pulleys when engaging the back gears.

Be sure that your pulley turns freely on the spindle and has lubrication. There is generally a small setscrew somewhere near the center of the pulleys which is removed to oil the pulley bushings. The back gear shaft also needs lubrication and is sometimes oiled the same way.

Someone with more knowledge may give better information.

[Ken_Shea]

Go here Billy and scroll down to the color picture, that should help explain the locking ring that has to be turned.

http://www.lathes.co.uk/craftsman/page6.html

[packrat]

I had a 6" Atlas lathe at one time, kind of wish I had it back....

[MrDan]

I do not know about the 6" Atlas, but most lathes have a pin in the face of the large "bull" gear next to the chuck. This pin is pulled out to free the gear from the drive pulleys when engaging the back gears.

I have a 10" Atlas. Don is correct. There is a pin in the face of the gear closest to the back of the chuck. You simply pull it with finger pressure. Otherwise the whole thing locks up if the back gears are engaged.

Wow! I finally knew something rather than asking a question. Let me go write this down on the calendar.... Where is my calendar?

Dan

[davidh]

on my 6" craftsman there was a collar on the far left end of the spindle that i had to pull out. . . . it was hard to figure out even with the book. . .

[Al Messer]

Was ypur Craftsman made by Atlas or some other company? My 6 inch Atlas Mk 1 had the pin in the bullgear as referred above.

[RPease]

Shouldn't someone try to figure out "which" Atlas lathe he has.........before offering advice on how to engage the backgear???

Just a thought..............

If it's a MK 2........I've got 2 of them and can provide pictures of the locking ring..........