Questions: Myford ML 10

Just purchased a Myford ML 10 from out of the Netherlands (I live in Belgium). It is in pretty good shape for its age and all tolerances appear to be tight. Only a few little problems to be sorted.

Warning: I’m a bit of a newbie with Myfords, so please bear with me. I’ve experience with metal lathe work (Sheldon, Taig, Unimat), just not with the British made Myford.

Stupid, obvious question first: What wrenches are needed for the Myford? Do I need to purchase a set of British (Whitworth) wrenches to use on the hex head bolts, or will American inch-measure wrenches serve?

A similar question applies to the Allen head screws on the lathe. It sort of seems like metric Allen wrenches fit (??), but can that be correct?

The biggest issue is that prior to my purchase most of the change gears went missing. That means no threading and no auto feed (horrors!). I see that almost all change gears are still available, either from Myford UK, RDG Tools or on eBay. My big concern here is that the splined bush for the center transfer idler gear pair is also missing. I could probably make it with a bit of fussing, but far easier if I could just purchase a replacement. RDG tools offers a change gear stud assembly. Is that what I am looking for?

- **LINK**

Another problem: The lathe came with two Pratt Burnerd chucks. The 4-jaw independent is just fine. The 3-jaw self-centering chuck is missing two out of the three external jaws. Are replacement jaw sets for these chucks to be found? Or is it simpler to avoid the grief and just buy another (complete) 3-jaw chuck for external use?

I see from the literature that a dog clutch was once available for this lathe. I don’t really need to tackle this issue right away, but it would be quite useful to have in the future. It doesn’t appear to be so very difficult to machine such, but are there any plans or literature available to help me with this?

Any other tips or pointers gratefully accepted.

Edited By Ignatz on 12/07/2017 07:58:20

Maybe the missing bush is still in one of the missing gears? You are still needing retaining washers and screws for the gears anyway.  There should also be another bolt and spindle for the fitting of 2 gears. .Do the mod. to the cross slide spindle as well. 

Clive.

Edited By Clive Hartland on 12/07/2017 08:45:15

The cross slide spindle bearing mod. is from Arceurotrade. Is the lathe metric or imperial? Clive

You will need Whitworth or BS spanners to fit the nuts and bolts on a Myfrod. American AF spanners will not fit.

But ordinary American AF Allen keys will fit the Allen head bolts on the Myford.

No metric fasteners on the machine that I know of, unless fitted by previous owner etc.

Note too that many of the smaller threads such as oil nipples and gib adjuster screws are BA threads. The hexagon nuts on the gib screws use a Whitworth/BS spanner though and the oil nipples a small BA spanner (AKA shifting spanner in my shed.)

I havent come across a standard dog clutch for the Myfords but have not extensive experience with them. But Martin Cleeve's book Screwcutting in the Lathe has plans for a shop-made screwcutting dog clutch that could be handy if doing a lot of screwcutting but not really needed for occasional use.

Ignatz,

The two open ended spanners supplied with the plain bearing ML10 were

1/4"BSW:5/16"BSF + 3/16"BSW:1/4"BSF

5/16"BSW:3/8"BSF + 3/8"BSW:7/16" BSF

I can't remember ever having to look for another spanner for my ML10 in 40-odd years.

The Allen keys required were Imperial and there is one special one to use on the cap head screw holding the locking dog on the bull wheel. It has its end at around 70 degrees rather than the normal 90 degrees and is shorter than normal. This lets you get at the screw in behind the front headstock bearing.

Another mod you might consider is fitting a calibrated ring to the leadscrew handle so that you can move the saddle by known, accurate amounts. If you do this, you will need a leadscrew clutch to avoid having to put your gearing out of mesh when using the hand wheel. There should be a groove ground round the leadscrew which showed where to cut the it for the Myford clutch.

I note that one of your lathe's previous owners did what I did, and fitted wick fed lubricators requiring a cut out on the belt guard.

Jim.

Edited By Jim Guthrie on 12/07/2017 11:25:35

If you look through the pictures in this link, there are some clear views of the leadscrew clutch - **LINK**

Google "Rotagrip" a UK supplier based in Birmingham for the chuck jaws. It may though be cheaper to buy a complete chuck. I have a 160mm Pratt Burnerd three jaw and the jaws cost around £180 Brittish Pounds.

Thanks, Chris, for the tip to Google for Rotagrip. However, their prices! For some time I have been looking for outside jaws for a 4in for a 3-jaw Pratt Burnerd. They want £149.04. I know we have to pay for quality, but a complete chuck of Indian origin from ARC Eurotrade costs a lot less than that, and would be quite accurate enough for my purposes.

Pump oilers are available from here:-**LINK**

Hi

The lead screw clutch is pretty simple to make and it is very useful.

I knocked this one up quite quickly. I don't recall the dimensions now but I worked it out from measuring the machine.

The nut holding the bottom of the lever is a locking one and it is tightened just enough to allow easy movement. The collar at the left retains the short end of the (cut) lead screw. The lead screw has a groove at the point it is split and the LH mounting bolt provides a convenient place for the pivot to be located. The two pins are made from steel rod and threaded to fit the two points in the lead screw. Sorry I can't give dimensions as I don't have the machine now having swopped it for a S7 some years ago.

Good luck!

Norman

Wondering if such a dog clutch could be applied to a WM280 and similar lathes...the lead screw connection look similar - any one tried this before?

I think it'd be quite a lot of work - though I'm thinking from the WM250V point of view, not 280.

You'd have to lose or substantially mod the telescopic leadscrew cover to make room for it.

Plus the only reason I can think of for doing it - the purpose I used it for when I had a Speed 10 (ML10 derivative) - is to have a handwheel and dial on the distal end of the leadscrew for precise setting of saddle position. But if you add one o' them, you'll then be stuck with manual crossfeed for facing or milling unless you can be sure to remember to lock the saddle and disengage the halfnuts before re-engaging the dogclutch. All seems a bit much to hold in the head to me, with a bit higher risk than I generally like.

A dog clutch as shown above would have an added advantage. It would be very easy to add an adjustable rod, running leftwards from the saddle, which would disconnect the clutch at a set position. This would enable you to cut threads without the worry of overshooting. So, I'm going to have a good look at my ML7 to see if I could make something up.

Regards, Tim

A cheap alternative is to use a 16 Gauge blunt tip dispensing needle fitted to the end of a regular oil can. Searching on eBay will turn them up for a mere dollar or two including free shipping from China.

I am still waiting for the tips to arrive that I ordered from an eBay seller a few weeks ago, so can't personally vouch for the method, but if the above video is anything to go by this definitely seems to be the cheapest way of oiling a Myford.

Clive