10" Atlas - Unidentified hole on tailstock

[mcenhillk]

I'm cleaning up my 10" Atlas and I have a hole on the tailstock that I can't find a use for. It looks like it's a blind hole about 1/4"-5/16" in diameter and maybe 3/4" deep. Anyone have any idea what this is?

[Bill Shields]

I put a chuck key or tooth brush in it.

I have seen others put white lead in them

Or an Allen wrench..

I have also seen them used to pivot push type tailstock lever assemblies.

[mcenhillk]

I saw a reference to white lead elsewhere on the interwebs. What is that used for? Isn't that a paint?

[GlennW]

White lead was used as a lube for a tailstock dead center.

[pete]

Try doing a Google search for Atlas 10" Lathe Tail Stock Dauber and you'll see what went in that hole as well as what they looked like. South Bends had them as well. Like Bill and Glenn said, white lead or other concoctions were used to lube the dead center point. Once live centers started to become much more common was about the time the factory's started changing there tail stock patterns and removed that boss for the lube storage hole.

[mcenhillk]

Thanks. Once you utter the correct incantations into the Google, you get what you want (I know, weird). I was just searching for 'white lead' and found all sorts of uses but adding 'metal lathe' to the search lead me to a really useful forum, maybe you have heard of it. http://www.chaski.org/homemachinist/vie ... hp?t=97498 :facepalm:

Mr. Pete also did a video I now remember watching years ago. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9MbZm4wkzKs&t=231s

Thanks for the help

[earlgo]

Yes indeed, a white lead pocket for the lubricating the dead center. My 1880's Sebastian and May Lathe has one.

But the dauber has long since disappeared.
--earlgo

[gwrdriver]

Some lathes with the tailstock "Hole" were furnished with a knurled pin to plug the hole, and of course that was the first thing which went missing once the lathe was put into service.