Myford ml4

tHi everyone I have posted on here once before I am a born again toolmaker but not touched a lathe since 1974 . I have just purchased a ml4 lathe only extras are a 3 and 4 jaw chuck My questions are 1) do the ml7 change gears work on my lathe 2) what milling slide attachment should I look out for 3) has any one got any attachments they are interested in selling e.g. A tailstock chuck no. 1 mt

Thanking you in anticipation Colin

Hello Colin,

Welcome to the forum, I'm sure you will find much of interest.

The ML7 change wheels are interchangeable with those for the ML4, the only difference being that the earlier wheels were linked together by a small diameter steel pin, the later ones use a key to link them

The standard Myford milling slide will fit, the tilting version is the better buy but you will need deep pockets.

I can't help with attachments but look in the For Sale section of the Forum, you might find something there

Regards Brian

Edited By Brian Wood on 16/10/2017 10:28:35

As Brian said, the change wheels were linked by steel pins. The original Myford pins were silver steel 3/32" diameter, beautifully finished with slightly domed ends. The holes in the changewheels were blind to prevent the pins dropping out. I believe that Myford originally provided the ML7 wheels with blind holes as well as keyways, so they could sell the same wheels for either lathe. If you want to keep your wheels compatible with other ML4 lathes I can measure the locations on mine. Let me know if you do.

George

Hi George. That would be good any info will be gratefully received, do you.know what are the most commonly used change wheels

Regards Colin

Ps foregot to mention in my history I am a classic car enthusiast with a tr4a and a Morris minor van which I am currently restoring

Hi Colin

Tailstock chuck / arbor ( and lots of other "stuff" ) see HERE

Good luck with your " swarf making" activities!

Norman

Hello Colin,

I have a copy of the ML4 handbook which gives threading tables as well. I can't post on the Forum as there is a compatibility issue with my server, but if you would like a copy sent me an email.

wood_y(at)btinternet(dot)com all in lower case without gaps.

Regards

Brian

Colin,

According to lathes.co.uk the ML7 change wheel assembly can be grafted onto any ML4 which doesn't have tumbler reverse. This might be your simplest route, if you have deep pockets.

If you want to use the ML4 set-up here are some dimensions taken from original parts. They are in the native English units which would have been used when they were designed in the 1930s.

Drive pin: diameter 3/32", length 15/32", material silver steel.

Drive pin hole in change wheel: diameter 0.096" (No.41 drill), depth 1/4" minimum, location 13/32" from change wheel centre. Hole diameter must give clearance for the pin, and also allow for any misalignment of the matching hole on other wheels. The depth can usefully be greater to allow for the build-up of crud at the bottom of the hole.

Drive collars: These transfer the drive from mandrel to gear train and from gear train to leadscrew. They are 3/8" thick like the change wheels, and 1" diameter. The drive pin hole is located as for the change wheels (though on mine the pins are a press fit and are not removable). There is a 1/4" BSF x 1/4" grub screw to secure the collar to the shaft.

Retaining the intermediate change wheels: I have owned two ML4s. The earlier one has plain studs for the change wheels, and needs plain collars with grub screws to retain them. The later one has cross-drilled studs, and the change wheels are retained with split pins.

George

Hi Colin and welcome. I too have an ML4 and the perceived wisdom here is 'don't try and use it as a milling machine', it just ain't built for it ! The ML4 is quite lightly built in comparison to the Myford 7s and you are likely to find that play in the saddle and cross slide mitigates against milling. Even with the gibs nipped up the use of a small fly cutter on mine had the thing moving. Admittedly the fly cutter is making an interrupted cut but I could feel the cross slide moving with every strike of the cutter. I decided against the not inconsiderable expense (compared with the value of my ML4) of vertical slides etc. and have resigned myself to the need for a milling machine

Nige

Hi I have never tried to mill on a lathe but I can understand the problems on such a small lathe thank you all for the information you have posted