Craftsman 103-23070 Wood Lathe

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Please Note: This article will be updated several times with Pictures, and tons of additional information as it happens during the restoration process. I just wanted you to be aware. I suggest you book mark this page and return often. Also, I welcome any and all comments and postings of further related resources. Also please note, that when these lathes are finished being refurbished one of them will be sold to afford further equipping my shop. If you are interested contact me.

Recently I managed to recycle some 16” aluminum rims and was merrily on my way back home when suddenly I stumbled upon a yard sale. Not just any yard sale, but a manly yard sale! Cash in hand I had to stop.

: : For those of you not familiar with yard sales and their genders, here is a brief explanation. A "manly" yard sale is one that predominantly features men’s interests, like car parts, tires, stereos, hardware, and especially tools. A "girly" yard sale features women’s interests, such as crafts, nick knacks, furniture, and especially clothes. : :

(May 3rd)
Anyway, at this yard sale I just couldn’t pass up a vintage Craftsman wood lathe and jointer. I managed to get them both for a total of $40. Each came with a motor. And the lathe came with a complete set of Craftsman gouges, chisels and skewers. Both seemed to be in pretty fair shape, but without stands to mount them on, it will take some time before I will be able to test them out, assess them and repair as needed. (especially the jointer)

(May 9th)
Then shortly after my first great find, I came upon an amazing deal on Craigslist (Inland Empire) for another Craftsman 10323070 wood lathe. This one included a full set of tools, and a small face plate too! I had priced face plates on Amazon and found them listed between $30 to $60 each. So that item alone made this a really killer deal. Also, it was already mounted on a custom built steel cart. Complete and ready to use. I ran out to Riverside and picked it up for $50. Well worth it for the overall condition and many extras. Especially the excellent cart making it ready to use!

In my typical backwards fashion, “I got involved in a cool project and then after I began working on it, I realized that it would make for a great article on Xomba.” So, here we are.

I will give you some background on the 103-23070 Craftsman Lathes, a few good resources for more information, and my favorite part, I’ll do my best to chronicle all the juicy details, specifications, and happenings as I work towards the refurbishment of 2 Craftsman Model: 103-23070 Wood Lathes. One of which will be resold to further other shop projects & equipment. I have in the works. Sorry that I won’t have a complete set of pictures for before and after, since I have already begun.

BACKGROUND ON THE CRAFTSMAN 103-23070 WOOD LATHE

Craftsman Model Numbers Prefixed with "103" were manufactured by: Herberts Machinery Co. King-Seeley Corp. Ann Arbor, MI / Ypsilanti, MI
1947 was the first year that Sears sold the Craftsman “Model 80”. It featured a 9” swing by 30” between centers. My Craftsman lathe was built sometime between 1948 and 1959, unlike the 1947 model; it features ball bearings and a threaded headstock spindle. Which was common from 1948-1959.

The first thing I did for my 2 lathes, was to make room for them to sit. I will refer to these lathes as; Lathe 1 and Lathe 2. (Lathe 1 being the first one I acquired and Lathe 2 being the second.) This way you will know which I am talking about as I describe the different things I have done to restore them.

Model# 103-23070 Features:
No.1 Morse Taper
¾” Threaded Headstock Spindle
9” Swing
30” between centers (foot print is 46” end to end)
Cast Iron bed, head stock and tail stock
Finished in Grey Enamel, with Chrome Plated Fittings
4 Step “V-Groove” Pulley
Spindle Speeds: 875, 1350, 2250, 3450 rpm, respectively
Standard 1/3 hp motor running at 1760rpm
¾” Left Hand Threaded Spindle End on outboard side of Head Stock

What's a Morse Taper you ask? A Morse Taper is a standard taper on a lathe drive center which enables the bit/tool to be removed from, or attached to, the lathe quickly.

Pictured above is a new style drive spindle shank that features a typical Morse taper. See how the shank is wide near the head and tapers down at the other end? This area is the Morse taper and it is easy to pop in and out of the drive shank without the use wrenches, or much else, yet it has a terrific grip due to it's contact surface area while it is being driven inside the spindle shaft.


The first thing I discovered about Lathe 1 is that it is going to require some new bearings. The good news, Sears still carries them for about $15 each. The bad news, I tried to order them from a bearing whole seller to save $$$ and ended up with 2 that didn't fit. Lesson: "It doesn't save money when you buy the wrong parts." [Restoration set back....]

Assessment of Lathe 1
Lathe 1 is going to require:
- 2 new bearings in the headstock
- Stripping and repainting (Rust)
- Replacement of a missing left handed jam nut.
- clean up and light oiling of all the steel parts (morse tapers, spindle, etc)
- Repair or replace motor pulley
- Replace wiring on motor and switch
- Acquire a work table and mount lathe accordingly
- Repair or Replace Tool Rest Hold Down Bolt and Washer

Assessment of Lathe 2
Lathe 2 is going to require:
- 2 new bearings in the headstock (they work fine for now, but make some noise on occasion)[WD-40 for now...]
- Stripping and repainting (The tail stock and tool rest had been painted white)
- Clean up and light oiling of all the steel parts
- Upgrade cart with lower shelf, new tool board, and a few other extras.

So, both could use some real TLC. This should be a lot of fun!

REPAIRING A STRIPPED BOLT ON THE TOOL REST OF LATHE 1

Inspection of the tool rest on Lathe 1 revealed that the hold down bolt had about four threads stripped near the head. This likely occurred during normal use due to a washer that was too thin and failed to maintain its shape.

I removed the bolt and placed it in my bench vise. Using a fine triangular file (a thread file would have been ideal for this repair) I gently reformed the stripped threads with a few simple strokes of the file. If you are going to file stripped threads, be sure to keep your file positioned at the right pitch to best match the threads. Next I located a much thicker washer and drilled it out to fit snugly on the original bolt, giving it the support that it was lacking.

The only thing left to do for the tool rest on Lathe 1 will be to strip and repaint it.

MY REPLACEMENT BEARINGS ARRIVED TODAY (May 18, 2008)

I had ordered 2 sets of replacement bearings from Sears on Friday 5/15/08 so I can get both lathes started out right.
Pictured below you can see one of the old bearings on the left, adjacent to one of the new bearings on the right.

I cannot confirm that the bearings in my two lathes are original equipment. But, seeing the "Made in the USA" stamp on the side of them encourages me to believe it to be so.
The markings on the old bearings say:
"Made in the USA - NORMA XF-135" and so far repeated Google searches have come up with nothing.

The New replacement bearings through Sears are marked:
"6203Z - 3/4" and the sticker on the bag reads Sears part number - "816868."
and repeated Google searches have revealed only a sears listing for the "816" number. But, searching for the 6203z 3/4 number has revealed a few different sources on bearings.

This was an interesting find, as one source listed for $9.95 ea and the other for only $6.75 ea. However there is no guarantee that either of these is the right type of bearing. Better to pay Sears their $15 each than to waste time and money. See the link below to be taken to the Sears Parts Ordering Site.

If you find a better source for the right ones, please post it in comments below.

UPDATE ON BEARING INFORMATION
Submitted 5/23/08 by Mr. John Pitkin - "The bearings you needed are widely available. Norma Bearing is a Canadian company. They were founded in 1978. The Norma XF-135 with seals is a XF-135-KK.

The Z on the end of 6203Z means it has a metal seal. A 6203RS would have a rubber seal.

Thanks John! Thanks to you many others searching for these bearings may not have to get gouged like I did.
Here is a link to Consolidated Bearings, they do carry the Norma XF-135-KK. They do not offer ordering through their website however, so I will make some calls and get back with a price quote and such. :)

REFINISHING LATHE 1’S HEADSTOCK MAY 20, 2008

Today was a very exciting day. I seized the opportunity to begin the restoration on the Headstock of Lathe 1.

The headstock of a lathe is where the drive spindle is mounted. Many newer lathes are direct drive, where the motor is often directly connected. In the case of the Craftsman 103-23070 Wood Lathe, the headstock consists of; one cast iron body, one 4 speed aluminum pulley, two sealed ball bearings, one drive spindle, two left hand threaded jam nuts, and two retaining clips for the bearings. (Sadly Lathe 1 is missing 1 of it's left handed jam nuts. A replacement nut costs $10 from the local fastener dealer, and it doesn't match. So, I will have to resolve this dilemma later.)

After complete disassembly of the headstock, I sandblasted the cast iron body and threaded ends of the drive spindle. Next I cleaned the dust off and I used a quality all purpose iron oxide primer made by Valspar. I masked off the machined surfaces and then spray coated the cast iron body.

Then while waiting a few hours for the primer to dry. I utilized Lathe 2 and it’s faceplate. I mounted the drive spindle of Lathe 1 to the faceplate on Lathe 2 and then, used Lathe 2 to spin it at high speed then I carefully, lightly sanded the spindle with 400 grit wet dry sandpaper to reduce some scratches and followed up with 0000 steel wool for a nearly mirror finish. Next I mounted the 4 speed pulley on the spindle and again turning it at a high speed, used the sandpaper and steel wool to clean it up and really make it shine. See Below.

Finally after much anticipation, the body of the headstock was dry enough to put the first coat of Dark Grey paint on it. I used Rust-oleum “Painter’s Touch” Multi-Purpose Latex Paint in the shade "Dark Grey" to match the original color as much as possible.

Seeing the first steps of this restoration come together has really got me excited to carry forward with the rest of the project.

DISASSEMBLED TOOL RESTS AND TAIL STOCK May 22, 2008

Today my son and I tackled; the final touch-up and assembly of the headstock, the complete disassembly of the tail stock, and the disassembly, sand blasting and priming of the tool rests for both lathe 1 and lathe 2.

The assembly of Lathe 1's headstock went a little too smoothly if you ask me. With a light coating of oil, I was able to tap the bearings in to the headstock with minimal efforts. Then when installing the drive spindle, again minimal pressures were required to slide it into place. The small index pin adjacent to the inboard drive spindle end was not removed and does appear to be somewhat worn. However a suitable replacement pin is not readily available and not necessary for regular lathe operation. After careful assembly it does make contact with the notches on the pulley as it should, but it appears to be worn enough that it will not lock the shaft for installing a face plate. This is hardly a nuisance as it is quite easy to hold on to the pulley inside of the headstock to facilitate attachment of a face plate.
Prior to changing the bearing the index pin didn't even make contact with the pulley.

For some reason it does bother me, so I may yet try to make an adjustment to the spindle position in order to allow the index pin to work, if so I will definitely tell you about it.

(May 23, 2008)Update
"For some reason" Please! If you couldn't tell by my writing, I am anal about the details. I took the head apart again. The problem with the index pin and the spindle play seemed to be the bearings and how they fit in the head. They came right out without having to press them. They seem to be a few thousands too small, so I opted to place a drop of epoxy on two points of each bearing outer case and then reinstalled them into the head to set up. Once they set, I reinstalled the drive spindle and pulley. I set the pulley and shaft in alignment with the index pin. Now the index pin locks the pulley, making it easier to remove face plates and adjust the outboard left handed spindle nuts. Just like it was intended to do.

Now the drive spindle is solidly mounted and ready for years of action. The next challenge to finish up the headstock on Lathe 1 is creating a nice finish for the headstock cover plate. The original plate is filthy, but cleaning it up has left it devoid of it's old machine finished look. Now it is plain and dull. Since replacement parts are not readily available for this cover, the only option is to dress it up with a custom paint job. (more on that later) Lathe 1 is still missing a jam nut, and the outboard spindle cover and clips to hold it in place. We'll have to see what can be done about that... (I am thinking perhaps I can use Lathe 2 to turn a custom wooden outboard spindle cover to replace the missing one on Lathe 1.)

Below you can see the pics of the fully disassembled tail stock of Lathe 1 and the tool rest from Lathe 2. My son sand blasted both tool rests and both look nearly identical after being stripped of rust and paint. So, not much point in taking pics of both of them.

103-23070 Six Inch Tool Rest

103-23070 Six Inch Tool Rest (Sand Blasted & Ready for Primer and Paint)

USING THE CRAFTSMAN 10323070 WOOD LATHE

Below is a picture of my first attempt at wood turning. (May 14th)
I sharpened all the tools a few days before I began and they cut really nice. Pictured below is Lathe 2 with a nearly finished mini-baseball bat, turned from an old 4x4 post I had lying around. I made this miniature 14" bat for my 3yr old son. It took just under 2 hours to complete and will require a final clear coat to be applied.

He is a very active kid and based on his current skills and coordination, I believe he has a good chance of learning how to use one of these right now. I really don't care for sports myself, but that won't stop me from promoting my children to do what they are good at. :)

WHAT CAN A WOOD LATHE REALLY DO?
Did this article get you itchy to just get out there in your workshop and start turning? Ever hear of the American Association of Wood Turners? You have got to check these guys out, if for nothing more than the pictures of their finished work. They are a truly awesome example of what a wood lathe can be used for!

"HEY JACK, I SURE COULD USE AN OWNER'S MANUAL FOR THIS THING. GOT ONE?"
Well my friends, you are in luck! I just so happen to have one in pdf format for this very lathe, and I will offer it to you for free, at least for a limited time!

Click Here to Download the Craftsman 103-23070 Wood Lathe Manual FREE.

$$$ SO WHAT IS A CRAFTSMAN 9x30 LATHE WORTH? $$$
That question must be coming to mind because you have one of these vintage pieces of iron lying around your garage, and you found this article hoping to research and set a fair sales price...

Well, as you can get a feel from my experience, if you're selling a Craftsman 103-23070 model wood lathe, in Southern California, in near complete, but "worn-out" condition. You can expect to get between $20 & $100. Please note, that "worn" would indicate, that the bearings have pretty much reached the end of their usefulness and will need replacement. Most of the machine is covered with rust, bolts may be stripped, etc. However, if you are going to sell one of these machines you might want to consider refurbishing it first.

It doesn't take a whole lot of money, or experience to repair simple lathes such as these. The big money is in the cost of the replacement parts. After that, it is a matter of lovingly restoring it to it's former glory. (Unless you are missing parts, then you could be looking at some real $$$)

I would not set your price based on what I paid for mine. I know a really good deal when I see one. If I were to sell one of these lathes, in worn condition with a full set of tools, and a stand. In worn but ready to use condition, I would be looking for around $200. Maybe, $250 if it included a faceplate & other accessories.

Now, consider if you restore it to like new condition. It should be worth substantially more. I would estimate in the neighborhood of $500 or so. Again, fully functional, like new, with a cart and some tooling.

That is my current estimate as of May 15, 2008. I have just began the process of restoration. And we will see this through up to the sale of one of these two lathes.

WHERE CAN I GET PARTS FOR MY CRAFTSMAN WOOD LATHE?
Need new bearings for your Craftsman Lathe? So far, the only resource I can find is http://www.sears.com/ under the parts section. At least you can still buy bearings through Sears, just click on this link, and input your model number.

More Great Information on Lathes and other equipment is available at the sites below:

http://www.lathes.co.uk/

http://www.owwm.com/

http://home.vicnet.net.au/~pwguild/aa-artic.htm

SOME OF MY OTHER DIY PROJECT ARTICLES

Build Your Own Sand Sifter, Cheap and Easy!

Wire a 220 volt Circuit

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FreeCracker4Jack
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