# Old Craftsman lathe



## Donovan's Corner (Jan 20, 2012)

I have a friend who is wanting to make pens.  She is chomping at the bit and she will be learning on my lathe but wants her own.  She owns an old Craftsman wood lathe from around 1950.  The MT looks to be a 0.  I think that pen making could be possible using a 0MT Dead Center for the head stock and a jamb chuck for the tail stock.  Can anyone cast some light on the situation?  I have attached a link to a picture of the model lathe.  Hers is a little more worn.

VintageMachinery.org - Photo Index - Craftsman - Model 103.23070 wood lathe

0 MORSE TAPER 0 MT DEAD CENTRE WATCHMAKERS LATHE ETC | eBay


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## Rick P (Jan 20, 2012)

My first lathe was an old Rockwell, pre 1950. What I did was mount a piece of flat stock on the face plate that came with the lathe the size of a MT1, you could just as easily drill one for MT2. Then I simply used that jig to hold the drive end of the mandrel and mounted the tail stock as you normally would. My lathe was old enough that it had a solid drive arbor. When I updated my stuff the old lathe and the jig went to a friend who was interested in turning, he is still turing bowls to pens and back again on the same lathe.


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## TerryDowning (Jan 20, 2012)

I love those old machines.  They are so repairable.


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## Wildman (Jan 20, 2012)

Are you sure on Morse taper in headstock?

Some of the other Craftsman lathes listed show MT-1 head-tailstock.  
VintageMachinery.org - Photo Index - Craftsman - 103.23071
VintageMachinery.org - Photo Index - Craftsman - Craftsman Lathe (King-Seeley) Model 103-23070

If both head/tailstock on your lathe MT-1 would make life lot easier. Can get a MT-1 dead/60 degree live center anywhere.


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## Donovan's Corner (Jan 20, 2012)

Wildman said:


> Are you sure on Morse taper in headstock?
> 
> Some of the other Craftsman lathes listed show MT-1 head-tailstock.
> VintageMachinery.org - Photo Index - Craftsman - 103.23071
> ...



No I am not entirely certain about the MT.  It may be a MT1.  I personally have a MT2 in my machine.  If it were a MT1 Then life is a lot easier I will have to take it out and have a more knowledgeable local wood turner look at it closer.


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## Donovan's Corner (Jan 21, 2012)

Here is the Cup Center from my friends lathe (MT unknown by me) next to my #2MT Live Cup Center.  Can someone tell if the smaller is a #1MT or not.  If you can positively id. it I would appreciate it.


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## hunter-27 (Jan 21, 2012)

Yes it appears to be MT 1, but I am no expert.


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## Donovan's Corner (Jan 21, 2012)

hunter-27 said:


> Yes it appears to be MT 1, but I am no expert.



An educated guess is helpful.  I've not had or handled any MT1 parts or accessories.  She will be very glad to hear that she only has to invest into her machine rather than buying all new.

Thank you


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## hunter-27 (Jan 21, 2012)

Donovan's Corner said:


> hunter-27 said:
> 
> 
> > Yes it appears to be MT 1, but I am no expert.
> ...


Here is a bit more education for us all: MT SIZES


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## ctubbs (Jan 21, 2012)

Here is a listing of the MT dimensions.  Machine Tool Shanks (Tapers)
Hope this helps.
Charles


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## Donovan's Corner (Jan 21, 2012)

This information will help a lot.  Now I only need to find my digital calipers.


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## dogcatcher (Jan 22, 2012)

I am pretty sure it is a 1MT, mine is a little newer, 1953 and it is a 1MT.


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## widows son (Jan 22, 2012)

The head and tail stock should both be MT1 and the thread on the head stock 3/4 X 16. Been there done this on a similar lathe. Finding some parts short of making them myself was impossible.


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## oneleggimp (Jun 8, 2014)

That lathe appears to be in beautiful shape for it's age.  I had one just like it.  It was a great lathe for it's day.  Specs are 3/4-16 headstock thread.  Number  one (1) Morse Taper in both Headstock and tailstock - not zero.  There was a real small Craftsman metal lathe that had no.0 mt but this wood lathe was no 1mt.  It's built very well.  Sears at the time sold two qualities of tools:Craftsman which was the "best" line and another brand which was called "Dunlap"  and which was in the "good" category. (in those days many Sears items came in three qualities: Good, Better, Best and tools were only two qualities of which Craftsman was the best. This Craftsman lathe was really built well - unlike the  dreck that Sears sells now.   At the time Sears sold bed extensions for this lathe to enable you to turn longer spindles.  I think they added either 18" or 24" each to the bed length.  I had two of them so I could turn real long spindles.  I loved that lathe.  Sadly I became disabled and couldn't get down the basement to use it so it got sold along with a drill press and a band saw.  Because of it's age, I'd be concerned with the headstock bearings, condition of the pulleys, and condition of the headstock spindle threads and most important the condition of the Morse tapers in both headstock and in the tailstock.  A minor thing is the indexing pin.  It could get sheared off easily if you had a powerful motor (I had a 3/4 horse) and started the lathe with the index pin engaged.  That's a small thing.  You can still use the lathe without the indexing feature.. If all that's okay, it should be fine for pen turning.  Rockwell, Woodcraft and Penn State all make Mandrels, mandrel savers, drill chucks etc in Morse 1 taper.  If I still had mine, and could get to where I could use it, I'd certainly use it for that purpose.  



Donovan's Corner said:


> I have a friend who is wanting to make pens.  She is chomping at the bit and she will be learning on my lathe but wants her own.  She owns an old Craftsman wood lathe from around 1950.  The MT looks to be a 0.  I think that pen making could be possible using a 0MT Dead Center for the head stock and a jamb chuck for the tail stock.  Can anyone cast some light on the situation?  I have attached a link to a picture of the model lathe.  Hers is a little more worn.
> 
> VintageMachinery.org - Photo Index - Craftsman - Model 103.23070 wood lathe
> 
> 0 MORSE TAPER 0 MT DEAD CENTRE WATCHMAKERS LATHE ETC | eBay


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## loydstuts (Jun 9, 2014)

Looks just like my MT1. I took mine to Woodcraft and had them verify that.


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