Drawbar

Just bought an ML10 with MR mini miller, the mill has no drawbar. If I get a collet set that uses M10 can i just use an M10 threaded bar, couple of washers and nuts?

And the killer lathe, original purchaser died before he had the chance to use it, second ownder diagnosed with cancer before he had the chance to use it. Fingers crossed I make it to the shop for cutting tools and back.

Paul,

Studding washers & a nut will be perfectly OK. Just use a washer with O/D larger than the spindle and don't do it up too much. Drawbars only need "nipping" up not "torqueing" up.

Eric

Assuming they are both the same taper, probably MT2 the only other variable is length. If the drawbar turns out to be short for the mill you may be able to use a threaded tube extension. Worst case is the Rodney has a smaller bore that either the drawbar doesn't fit or there isn't room for the extension. However it would be ok to thin down and re-thread the end as there is very little strain on the drawbar.
For milling you will only really require a couple of sizes of cutter to start with, say 1/2" and 1/4" so you could just get a couple of Morse collets for that and unless you are making clocks not get the lathe collets yet. For the lathe there is the decision of whether to go to the more modern ER type collets and a non drawbar holder.

By the way don't use your reversing drum switch as an on/off or you will burn out the contacts. Get an NVR off ebay for a tenner.

Third time lucky!

Look's a good acquisition.

I preferred to make a thicker Tapered sliding Spacer on the Drawbar to fit into the back of the Spindle Bore so that the Drawbar was always centred with the Bore when the nut is 'Nipped up'

3rd Owner Lucky hopefully!, Only Killer I see is that Chuck Key stowed in the Chuck !. I'm sure it won't be left in there

Remove that b***dy chuck key

Roy ( Please )

Will be fine. You could machine up a disc with a boss that fits into the bore of the spindle to keep the threaded rod centralised at the top, even though the collets will centralise the bottom you cannot ensure that the screwed rod is straight.Just remember NOT to torque up the collet, a 'nip' is sufficient. Nice purchase by the way, looks in pristine condition.

George.

I have a Mill/Drill which came with an English drawbar, I bought a Cutter chuck which had a metric thread so I made a drawbar from threaded rod and a washer which was shouldered to allow it to centre the drawbar and thicker to support the nut better.

Martin P

It may be worth going to a fixings supplier and getting high tensile studding, rather than the stuff made from spaghetti as sold by some DIY outlets.

Regards.

David.

I should add, not so you can lean on it with an 8 foot spanner, more for durablity.

David.

Thanks folks, first project will be to make the drawbar then.

The chuck key is where it should be now (seller's photo) on the wall behind the lathe (I shudder every time I see a photo with the chuck key left in also).

A few storage marks but a very clean 30 year old.

I know nothing about the mini miller, but do check that it will accept a 10mm drawbar before going too far....

As ndiy says, check the diameter of the hole through the spindle first. A lot of Myford milling add-on machines were intended to be used with Myford collets, closed by the external closing ring, and had a small hole through the spindle.

When I wanted to fit a drawbar on an Amolco machine it had to be fitted from below and the collet put in after it as the hole was too small to take an M8 thread.

The curse is carried at the leadscrew/saddle intersection. The sight of swarf landing on the screw and being carried inside leads to undue stress, rising to a rupture and the rupture rising to a flux and the flux to a conflammation, will occasion an absolute abruption in the vital functions at all.

if it has a tapped hole for fixed steady in the sadde you can bolt a bit of ally plate projecting forward to keep swarf off the bed and leadscrew. make it so that when the tool is up against the chuck jaws the plate abuts the headstock. Any longer and it becomes a nuisance

10mm was a bit snug, 3/8" is ideal. Thanks for the lead screw cover tip, it'll save me standing there brush in hand.

....or try a Myford collet set if you are only going to use a small number of different diameter size tools.

I have my Myford leadscrew protected from swarf with a short length of corrugated plastic tubing. As supplied, it has an axial slit, enabling it to be slipped over the L/S. It was made for covering vehicle wiring loom. I got it from Cliffords of Brighton, in Hove,actually. Now sadly closed down this year, another useful business killed by thhe internet.😂