Toyo ML1

I have been after one of these for a few years always liked the look of them they are a bit quirky as the spindle taper is morse 1.5 and the tail stock is a short MT1 they were designed in Japan to make cameras and not for general sale.

But just look at that bed, a huge casting superbly accurate been drilling with 0.5mm solid carbide PCB drill in silver steel to a depth of 7mm no problem modern taper bearings in the spindle with a 12mm through hole.

The lathe only weighs 15kg (34lb) so easily lifted out of the way when not use so perfect for clockwork in my tiny workshop so I made a MT0 adapter for my Cowells tooling for the tail stock and a adjustable backplate for the three jaw and ER16 collet chuck just need to knock up a fixed steady adapter for my Cowells steady to finish.

Love my Cowells but that will stay in the garage for proper machining jobs with lots of swarf, the ML1 is to be used inside for re-pivoting and boring barrels and the like.

Well done, Stephen

... I always fancied one of those.

MichaelG.

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P.S. ... There was a previous thread here, by another lucky buyer.

Edited By Michael Gilligan on 29/03/2016 21:21:01

A nice key operated 3 jaw chuck too, none of that unimat tommy bar nonsense

Edited By Ady1 on 29/03/2016 21:27:54

I've heard a "rumour" from some one that reckoned they had seen it that Toyo made one lathe that used a ball screw for the lead screw. Ball screw is my impression as he said it gripped very tightly and I am sure he would have known what jam nuts were.

I've always wonder which lathe it was used on and exactly what it was.

? John

PS I am thinking very seriously about sorting out a hobbymat for similar things. I finally found one with the bits that are ideally needed with it.

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John,

I would be very interested to know more [if your contact knows any more] ... First big question is: Was that the original [Japanese camera manufacturer] Toyo, or the successors ?

MichaelG.

Well I can tell you my lathe has a standard leadscrew and the more I play with it the more I like it

It was some time ago Michael. I went to look at a colchester student that was for sale semi privately. His sons ran a used tooling business that has long since gone. No chance of buying it and he showed me his workshop and we chatted for a long time and he mention Toyo and the gripping tightly aspect and advised me to take a look. My general impression was that it had been seen at an exhibition.

I've wondered if it was a model that didn't make it to the UK as again from the conversation I would expect it to be bigger than what normally carries the brand name.

I'll have a go at putting a time slot on it but don't hold out much hope. I need to think of something else to tie the date down,

John

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Thanks, John

I must admit that I suspected that there may have been some confusion with **LINK**

MichaelG.

As near as I can put it, age of son it must have been over 25 years ago and other thing suggest less than 28. There is always the possibility that it was a cnc lathe but that wasn't mentioned. I do know that CNC was on the go around 1969 but no idea at all how they were doing it.

Personally I would have to question if a camera manufacturer actually made a lathe as against getting some one who already made them to do it.

John

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It's pretty well-documented that [at least] he designed and developed it, John

Large Format Cameras ... Reasonable 'skill transfer'

MichaelG.

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They certainly had the camera maker's name on them:

http://www.lathes.co.uk/toyo/page3.html

Edited By Michael Gilligan on 31/03/2016 00:00:02

Edited By Michael Gilligan on 31/03/2016 00:04:32