Best book for Atlas 12x36" lathe.

I've had this lathe a while. Played with it, turned down, polished, cut off a few items.

I'd like to do serious work; threading, boring, inside threading.

I've watched some vids on YouTube, but I like books.

I have South Bend's How to run a lathe, and the Operators manual from Atlas. Any thing better than these?

Thanks.

I have the same lathe, as well as, the the books you mentioned. I am like you and prefer to hold a book in my hand and bought a lot of books on metal work, but the best one out there is still the old "South Bend". At least that is my experience.
To be honest with you I have found the wealth of knowledge out there on the internet far exceeds any book. This forum is a fine example of that.
I apologize for not answering your question, but I'll be watching this thread closely for some good reference information.
Mike

Craftsman Manual of Lathe Operation. Some times referred to as MOLO.
Atlas built the Craftsman lathe.

1950DAVE said:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Manual-FIt...a-e573-4dc6-9f3d-2361c27eea6b&redirect=mobile

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I have that one, actually 2 copies. One I bought 22 years ago from Clausing, a well worn aged copy my mentor gave me.

mikeinpa said:

I have the same lathe, as well as, the the books you mentioned. I am like you and prefer to hold a book in my hand and bought a lot of books on metal work, but the best one out there is still the old "South Bend". At least that is my experience.
To be honest with you I have found the wealth of knowledge out there on the internet far exceeds any book. This forum is a fine example of that.
I apologize for not answering your question, but I'll be watching this thread closely for some good reference information.
Mike

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The best YouTube channel I've found is by Tubalcane.

Look for classroom books from Tech schools. Here are vol 1 & 2 that I used in college.

Eterry said:

The best YouTube channel I've found is by Tubalcane.

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Agreed, but his channel is named mrpete222: https://www.youtube.com/@mrpete222

Best thing I did to learn was watch videos, and find scrap pieces of metal to practice on. Speeds and feeds for different metals still challenge me, as does threading. It helps if you have someone knowledgeable to guide you. Not everyone does.

Joe Pie is another good YouTube channel for machining.

Eterry said:

I've had this lathe a while. Played with it, turned down, polished, cut off a few items.

I'd like to do serious work; threading, boring, inside threading.

I've watched some vids on YouTube, but I like books.

I have South Bend's How to run a lathe, and the Operators manual from Atlas. Any thing better than these?

Thanks.

Click to expand...

To be honest, I haven't seen anything better than How to Run a Lathe. It is still considered the beginner's bible.

This booklet might be helpful for threading:
http://vintagemachinery.org/pubs/1617/3537.pdf

Another good YouTube machinist is Stefan Gotteswinter: https://www.youtube.com/@StefanGotteswinter

ZUG said:

Look for classroom books from Tech schools. Here are vol 1 & 2 that I used in college.View attachment 210640

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Thanks Zug.

Tyler L said:

Agreed, but his channel is named mrpete222: https://www.youtube.com/@mrpete222

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I couldn't remember his channel, just his handle.

Rawhide67 said:

Best thing I did to learn was watch videos, and find scrap pieces of metal to practice on. Speeds and feeds for different metals still challenge me, as does threading. It helps if you have someone knowledgeable to guide you. Not everyone does.

Joe Pie is another good YouTube channel for machining.

Click to expand...

There's a master machinist at my lodge, uses his Clausing lathe at least 4 days a week. We're meeting for breakfast in the morning.

A clausing is like the holy grail of non cnc lathes.

Rawhide67 said:

A clausing is like the holy grail of non cnc lathes.

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Indeed. His has a 6' bed, I believe an 18" swing.

That's a big machine I love watching guys who knows what there doing work on lathes and mills

I have a 12x36 Atlas / Craftsman Professional in the basement. Does ok for messing around stuff. Flat ways, small thru spindle bore, threaded spindle nose, fast minimum feed rate…. Not the most rigid thing in the world, Babbitt bearings….

I have a low mileage G4003G grizzly in the shop for doing barrel work and other precision stuff since my main use is barrel manufacturing for long range competition rifles - mainly prone rifle (Palma). For what it is it does a very respectable job and is about 100X the machine that the Atlas is and my Atlas is dang near like new….

Not trying to be negative but realistic. As with any machine tool learning the machine’s idiosyncrasies is paramount to what you can produce with it.

My 12X36 Craftsman Commercial, 1968 vintage does most anything I need. Ball bearing , quick change. I would like to have something with a larger bore spindle though. 3/4" limits you on a lot of work you mite like to do.

Think I still have a copy of the original Atlas manual from a 10x36 I had. I have a Clausing 14x46 now.