How old is my Craftsman lathe

Last updated on August 4th, 2022 at 09:13 pm

 Finding out the age of your Craftsman lathe isn’t hard, and you can find the answer in a few different ways. First, you could try to divine the lathe’s age by looking inside the machine. Craftsman lathes come in a variety of models and sizes. Craftsman lathes come with a serial number stamp that shows the machine’s age. Let’s look at some ways to find out how old your Craftman lathe is.

General tips for checking my craftsman lathe’s age?

A hypothesis based on only the two points and the available catalog dates (years) would suggest it originated about 1957. When calculating the actual age, the serial numbers 101.21400 and Atlas 618 are irrelevant. Atlas produced the 6″ in three (or possibly four) primary variations. Timken bearings 612 and 618 with a 1 “-10 spindle nose originated from 1937 through 1972 (according to the oldest Atlas catalog). 

However, it wasn’t until 1957 that Sears began selling them. The Craftsman model 101.07300 debuted in the 1938 catalog for the first (and only) time. It had a 34 “-16 spindle nose with a 3/8” diameter through a hole and split bronze sleeve bearings. The 101.07301 had a new headstock and a bigger spindle with a 1 “-8 nose and 17/32” dia. in the 1939 catalog. 

A hole appeared through it. Bronze sleeve bearings were also present. Sears sold this model until 1956, when it was replaced by the 101.21400 (same as 618), and the serial numbers reset.

The Power Tools catalog is an excellent resource for determining the age of a craftsman lathe. You can obtain scans (or originals) of the Power Tools catalogs or the lathe sections from the Big Books from 1931 to 1982, except 1965. You should also be aware that in 1979, 1980, and 1981, the Atlas lathes were not present in the Big Books. You could find more Atlas catalogs if only it were possible.

Craftsman serial number lookup 

A label on the back of the deck displays the model and the serial number of the craftsman. Please write down the first six numbers of the craftsman’s serial number to find out how old it is. The first two numerals indicate the mower’s month of manufacturing. The second and third digits represent the date of manufacture, and the third and fourth numbers represent the year of manufacture.

To begin, determine when your Craftsman lawn mower date of manufacturing. By reading a tractor’s construction date from the serial number, you can achieve this. You can get the manufacturing month from the first two digits of the serial number. The other two digits are the month’s day. 

Second, the artisan serial number lookup includes the ability to read the provided serial number. To accomplish this:

1. Take the first character of the model number and read it aloud.
2. Look at the second label to see what kind of lawnmower or accessories you have.
3. Use the third character to figure out the product’s year of manufacture.
4. If your model has one, write the numbers after the dash and before the letter at the end.

Understanding craftsman serial numbers

101.214 lathe is a revised reproduction of the original Craftsman 6″ Lathe Operating Instructions and Parts List for Model # 101.21400, not a photocopy. Atlas made this Craftsman lathe, which is identical to the Atlas 618.

Craftsman 101.07301 lathe

A man from Wisconsin first purchased this lathe in 1950. After obtaining it from Sears, he decided it was too little for what he wanted, but he didn’t return it. He kept it in its carton and kept it in his restored Model A Ford. 

After 2000, another guy purchased the Model A Ford, perhaps from the original man (who was rather elderly) or from his estate or family. After a few years, he decided he didn’t need it and put it up for sale. When the second man returned home and unlocked the car, he discovered the lathe was still in its carton after more than 50 years.

Craftsman lathe model 101

Craftsman Lathe Model 101 (Refurbished) is a single-phase 120-volt lathe. It’s a spotless machine with all components and parts cleaned and lubricated. It comes with an installed new motor and an on/off switch. Everything is in working order and runs smoothly and quietly. A complimentary 8″ 4-jaw chuck and a 5″ 3-jaw chuck comes with the machine. 

Atlas craftsman lathe 

The Atlas Press Company manufactured the atlas lathes, founded in Kalamazoo, Michigan, in the United States. They were available in 6, 9, 10, and 12-inch variants. The “10F,” a power-cross feed area of the “10-D,” and the helpful little back geared and screw-cutting 6-inch are the most commonly encountered types today since they are sold in such large quantities (3-inch center height). 

The vast number of thread pitches that you could create on all variants of the 9, 10, and 12-inch lathes was possible using a carefully engineered multi-slot change wheel arm that enabled an almost unlimited variety of change wheel combinations set up.

When the screw-cutting section was present in the handbook, strangely, it was missing from the first edition of 1937 despite the space provided. The bulk of the publication included charts showing how to organize pitches and feeds and many wire-winding options. Change wheels with a 14.5-degree pressure angle, a face width of 0.375 inches, a bore of 0.753, and a double multiplied keyway of 0.1875 inches wide were very useful on all Atlas 9-inch, 10-inch, and 12-inch lathes. 

The gears are interchangeable across types to the extent that they fit on the same studs; however, the 9-inch kit has a thinner central boss. The typical change wheelset of 2 x 20t, 24t, 32t, 36t, 40t, 44t, 46t, 48t, 52t, 54t, 56t, and 3 x 64t may be helpful to obtain most threads between 4 and 96 t.p.i.

How can I tell what year my south bend lathe is

It can be challenging to get a Craftsman lathe serial number precisely right. Most people attempting to decode a Craftsman serial number are hunting for the month, and year the lathe emerged to locate new parts.

1st step

On the lathe, look for the serial number. It’s generally under the belt guard or at the bed foot, although it could be anywhere on the lathe, depending on the manufacturing year.

Step 2

After the period in the serial number, try to distinguish a month and year. The “0368” in the serial number 1173.M0368, for example, refers to a March 1968 manufacture date. Similarly, the serial number 8104.M0789 denotes a July 1989 manufacture date.

Step 3

Before the period and letter, look for the initial digits of the serial number. These numbers usually indicate where a Craftsman lathe ended in the manufacturing process. And this gives the Craftsman Lathe serial number its individuality, but it is otherwise unimportant.

Step 4: On the lathe, look for the model number. XXX.XXXXX

Step 5 

If you’re looking for a part for your lathe, go to the Sears Parts Direct website through a web browser.

Step 6 

To get the part number for your Craftsman lathe, look up your model number and click on the parts diagram.