need help with Atlas Pick-O-Matic lathe

The 'pin' on top is the barrel clamp for the ram. There should be some threads on it for the clamping arm to screw on to. You can tap the clamping bolt out, gently without damaging the threads, and a lune shaped clamping dog should drop out in the tailstock body recess. Once the clamp is out, the ram should slide/screw out all the way, exposing the tailstock screw. You can examine/clean/lubricate the screw and thread to restore its function. It's really a pretty simple mechanism. Nothing more than a horizontal jack fitted with an M2 Morse taper for holding lathe centers, chucks and other tools. Bugs

That belaying pin could be one of two things:

On the operator (front) side there is a well about 3/8" diameter. Into this sits a short dauber for white lead. It's a blind hole, and the piece that fits there is only about 3/4" long. Most of these are lost by now. Directly behind that, on the backside of the upper casting, is the locking lever for the ram. You need to be aware of the short screw in the casting body just underneat where the ram should come out. This screw sticks into the opening and a groove in the bottom of the ram fits over it. This is to keep the ram from rotating so that the lengthwise screw can push it out. Removal of the small screw is straightforward but often overlooked. The ram should push all the way out and disengage from the threads, at which point you just pull it out.

I think maybe I turned the wheel too hard with the locking lever set.

I saw that screw but couldn't remove it. The slot disintegrated when I turned it with even moderate force. It turns 1/8 turn either way with vice grips but doesn't feel like it engages any threads. It just jambs. I will study it some more. Thanks for your reply.

If I follow you I already tapped that out. It was part of lever that locked some part of the tailstock. It was just a bolt with a square head. It didn't seem to free anything up but was awkward to get back in for some reason.

You mean the pointy end with the measuring marks on it screws out? The opposite end is where the wheel is. After I remove the wheel and crescent shaped keyway wopsugan (woodruff?) it's a threaded screw which isn't going anywhere at present.

Thanks much.

I neglected to mention the setscrew under the front end of the tailstock body. It is the guide and stop for the ram slot. Remove it to get the ram out. Once you take off the handwheel, the whole screw assembly should slide out. Bugs

Sounds like the guide pin has been damaged. You will need to extract the setscrew/guide pin before the ram will come out. Bugs

I have a ton of Atlas pics and doumentation on my PC at home. If there's anything in particular you need, let me know and I'll look.

- - Rex Burkheimer WM Automotive Fort Worth TX

mark wrote: