Hi Rich..

Although I only have the Atlas 10F and a Myford S7, after reading through Tony's Lathes website on the 12" Atlas I should imagine there is no appreciable difference apart from the Atlas has got a greater swing and what is of much greater importance is that it also has a bigger spindle bore, something I miss using the S7.

To even things up I am assuming the Atlas and Myford both have the gearbox fitted… rgds..Bob.

If the Atlas is in good condition, buy it and save yourself a bunch of money. Myfords are often a bit overpriced these days, especially the Super 7 models, and somewhat over-rated. I don't rate my ML7 as anything more than a good basic machine but not fantastic. I would swap it for an American South Bend or one of its clones in a heartbeat.

The Atlas I have little personal experience of other than using a mate's a few times in the US and it seemed a nice machine. Same flat bed as a Myford so prone to the same bed wear problems versus the more durable inverted V ways of the South Bend, Boxford etc. The Atlas is that big bigger and sturdier with the mentioned larger spindle, so that is always good. It's taper roller headstock bearings would be preferable over the Myford's plain bearings to me. Way less oil dripping mess everywhere.

But as SOD says above, it really all comes down to the condition of the individual machine when they are this old. A well preserved mediocre-quality machine is better than a top-quality machine that has been flogged to death in a commercial workshop all its life and left clapped out.

Personally, I would be giving the Atlas a good looking at and if in good condition would be my choice. Spares should be available from the US. A bit of shipping cost involved but not prohibitive. I get all my Myford parts shipped UK to Oz and costs are high but infrequent so I can live with that. But in the UK, you can get many more accessories and parts for Myford more easily and cheaply so that is something to consider I suppose.

Very much so. Playing the odds, though:

• Dreadnought is a pre-war lathe, bit old-fashioned, not that it matters, but sold for light-engineering work, too expensive for hobbyists. Light-engineering means the lathe is likely to have been worked hard for a living. Many, not all, finished up worn and weren't well maintained, especially as they approached end of commercial life. Except many of them went to the military for occasional repairs – lightly used, and well maintained, but likely to have been sold as surplus after WW2. Mostly went to industry because even surplus prices were too high for most hobbyists. So, could be in good or bad condition. Spares thin on the ground.
• Altas, depending on model, spans WW2. In their day, good machines, also targetted at light-industry, so subject to the same risks as the Dreadnaught. Spares, I don't know. Popular machines in the US, so likely to be easier than the Portass.
• Myford, post WW2, a well-balanced effective design, which hit the hobbyist bulls-eye. Not perfect, because they were made down to a price,but they tended to end up with hobbyists and light-industry for light duty work. Many led sheltered lives, which is good, but not all: a proportion have significant wear or damage. Over the decades I suspect a good many have been mistreated by enthusiastic beginners blissfully unaware lathes have their subtleties. Sort of chap who starts by stripping the machine down completely, loses the shims, and reassembles it incorrectly and maladjusted: half-nuts not meshing correctly; gibs upside down; grease in the oil nipples; giant motor fitted; everything polished with a wire-wheel; bull-gear broken trying to get the chuck off; incompetent rewiring etc. He might smack the tool-post hard into the chuck, have incorrectly gripped work spring out out of the chuck and ding the precious ways, or cause a serious wrenching stall due to not understanding which tool and how to align and use it. Perhaps ending up with the machine in a box of bits, which someone else gets back into working order – sort of, with a wonderful paint job, but who sells the accessories and change wheels separately on ebay. All part of the game except the Myford reputation forces prices up, even if the machine isn't in good order.  Spares: excellent, but the machines are out of production.

Bottom line, the maker's name or how good the machine was when new doesn't help much if the lathe has had a bad history. Much safer to buy a grubby lathe that can be demonstrated cutting metal than exactly the same model in shiny perfection where the owner is reluctant to switch it on… Of course condition matters less if you enjoy repairing machines rather than using them: refurbishing is a fascinating and rewarding hobby in itself. But it's probably not one a beginner wants to get into by accident!

Rather than get entangled in buying second-hand whilst inexperienced I decided to buy new Far Eastern from a reputable UK supplier. This makes a lot of problems go away – like delivery, electrical safety, and what to do if a lemon turns up. I intended to use the machines to gain experience and upgrade later to ex-industrial kit when I knew what to look for in a second-hand machine. As it turned out, my Far Eastern hobby lathe does all I need, and I'm unlikely to change it. But my needs are mine, not yours – if I spent a lot more time cutting metal, or was working against the clock, or the sort who enjoys using good tools or celebrates solid Western technology, then I'd probably move upmarket.

Horses for courses and condition rather than 'quality' and 'accuracy'. Unless of course you can specify exactly how accurate, and what measurable features constitute the quality needed. Otherwise they're technically meaningless synonyms for 'nice', a word banned in my school!

Dave

Edited By SillyOldDuffer on 12/06/2022 11:44:31

Lathists that’s do lathe-ing !!

good look with your lathe, but please do not be tempted to strip it and paint ….at least not yet

regards

derek