Member postings for C. Williams

Thanks Engine Builder and Jim. Your posts rather confirm my suspicions. It is the rear bearing which seems to be the issue, as I found when I took the spindle out, turned it around and part-mounted it (but supporting its weight) in just the rear bearing. I have loosened the rear bearing clamping bolt, but the bearing did not spring up. It may still be stuck down by the factory paint.

I think I will leave doing anything more (other than a good clean), until I am in a position to atleast partly re-assemble the lathe.

Thanks again.

Hello All. Thanks for the responses to what I had thought was a daft question!

An update on my limited progress: I was going to get some PlusGas, but it is not available locally (sure Halfords used to stock it!), but luckily copious amounts of WD40 seemed to loosen the spinlde sufficiently. I then proceeded to dismantle further and extract the spindle, which was very reluctant to come out. There seems to be no damage to either spindle or headstock bearing surfaces, but I am really surprised at how tight a fit it is when temporarily re-inserted - I have to mount the faceplate and turn the spindle whilst pushing it back in.

Now, from the condition of the headstock and the fact that the factory paint still covered the bearing clamping bolts, I am quite sure that the spindle had never been removed since its factory assembly, and would doubt the lathe had ever seen much use before I acquired it all those years ago!

So I have a new question: just how tight a fit in the bearings should the spindle be? Should I be able to spin it by turning the faceplate round? Or am I just witnessing 'factory newness' ?

(I should perhap add that this one of the earlier ML10s with plain bearings.)

Thank you for those prompt replies! I will see which I can try out next week.

Hello All. I am hoping someone here will be able to point me in the best direction to resolve the first issue I have with 'refurbishing' a Myford ML10:- the headstock spindle is apparently seized and I can not turn it by hand.

Perhaps I should explain that I purchased this ML10 some twenty years ago, and it has been in a dismantled state (but in dry storage) ever since. So, ideally, I should simply be able to just put it all back together, once I have completed the new bench for it, but I thought I should check the components first.

There is no evidence of rusting on the spindle and indeed there was still oil in the rear oiler when I looked yesterday. The backgear is not engaged (and rotates fine).

Is it simply a question of soaking with a penetrating oil until the spindle turns ?

Any guidance would be appreciated!