I have a 12" Atlas Lathe with the slip clutch on the feed screw. The slip on the clutch is adjusted by turning a round sleeve with a spanner hole in it.
Is there a tool made to perform this adjustment? Anybody knows who sells this tool?
To date, I've been using Vicegrip pliers to tighten the clutch, which is taking its toll. I'd very much like to adjust the slippage by using the proper method.
Thanks in advance for any suggestions.
Harry C.
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Best Regards, Keith Marshall snipped-for-privacy@progressivelogic.com
"I'm not grown up enough to be so old!"
Clausing may sell one. They merged with Atlas quite a few years ago and still have many spare parts. Ask for Jolene Olds if you call.
Go to
hope that helps.
Many thanks for that lead....
I just spoke with Jolene and all that she had available were the same instructions that I have for the lathe. That is, to use a 1/8" rod in the adjustment hole to torque the proper tension. This simply does not do the job. No special tool from Clausing is available for the purpose.
That failing, I'm just going to have to mic the diameter of a adjustment sleeve and see if I can find someone offering a spanner of the appropriate diameter with a 1/8" pin.
Perhaps I'm a perfectionist, but it seriously troubles me to use something like Vicegip pliets on so fine a piece of metalworking machinery, as I'd like to leave the machine in the same or better condition than I received it.
Harry C.
You have a lathe, so build one.
Turn a thickwall tube ring with an ID equal to the OD of the clutch sleeve Drill a 1/8" radial hole centered 3/16" from the edge (optional) Drill a 2nd hole about 70 degrees away for the handle. Part it off at 1/4 Remove the larger part of the ring adjacent to your two holes. Insert a pin in one hole, handle in the other. Weld, braze or silver solder. If you don't have a welder, you will have to engineer a solid attachment for the handle Final dimensions will probably vary, but that's the general idea
Take it apart and clean it. Mine has been going for years just fine without adjusting it. IIRC its a leather washer in there that doesn't like too much oil. I've crashed it a couple of times so I couldn't have adjusted it too tight. Clean it and keep going tighter and tighter till the problem goes away.
EEE Vice Grips ! SW who has used Channel Locks in desperation to fix a tool on the lathe just so work can be done the next day to pay the bills.
replying to Rex B, VeeGee wrote: I made a tool from an old six inch adjustable wrench and a 1/8" dia. Rod. Works great. McMaster Carr sells one with a pin dia. Of 5/32."
replying to Rex B, VeeGee wrote: I made a tool from an old six inch adjustable wrench and a 1/8" dia. Rod. Works great. McMaster Carr sells one with a pin dia. Of 5/32."
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