Only if l knew

Can anyone recognise what model myford lathe this is.

probbly a Myford ML4

Lathes.co.uk will help you

Thanks Ady1 will have a look.

The edarly Myfords were distinguished by the centre height and centre distance.

the ML 1 was 3.125 centre height, and was 15" centres,, from memory (Dheck with Lathes UK )

The ML3 was 3.5" centre height, 15" centres, and the Ml4 was, like the ML2 a greater centre distance.

The thread for the chucl, originally was 7/8 BSW, (7/8 x 9 tpi ) but later was changed to 7/8 x 12 tpi.

Possibly, some of the very last were 1 1/8 x 12 tpi, but lacked the 1 1/4" register used on nthe ML7

A peculiarity is that there is no gear in the Saddle so that moves the opposite way to the handle rotation.

i.e..Clockwise rotation of the handle moves towards the Headstock

The gears ar 20 DP, 14.5 PA but are driven, (by driving collars on the spindle and Leadscrew ) or compounded by 3/32 pins, rather than the keys used on the ML7.

The bore and width of 7 Series gears is the same, so by drilling through an existing gear, it can be used as jig to drill a 7 Series gear for use on the earlier Mls.

But try not to drill right through, so that the opin is retained.

Threads will be 1/4 BSF , mostly with a few BSW included. The gib screws ar probably BA.

For full details, look at lathes UK pages on the Ml1, 2, 3 and 4.

It may be ols, but if in reasonable trim is quite useabl.

It bmight be nworth getting an extra 20T or two, so that a fine feed can be set up 20:60/20:65/20:60 on the Leadscrew. This should give a fine feed of abouyt 0.004" per rev. Yiou may need to fettle the spindle end of the banjo. to allow the stud to give good gear mesh.

The Tailstock barrel is prevented from rotating by a 1/4 BSF grubscrew with a key in the end that engages the keyway in the barrel. Once adjusted, it is secured by a locknut.

It might well be worth making an adaptor so that the later 1.125 / 1.25 register "standard" Myford fitting chucks can be fitted. I did this for somone who acquired a ML4, which we eventually got sorted and useable.

HTH

Howard

Howard,

That is incorrect. According to contempary Myford literature:

ML1 and ML2 are 3-1/8" center height 8.6" swing (in gap) and 15" Capacity (assume between centers).

ML3 and ML4 are 3-1/2" center height, 10" swing and 24" capacity.

The ML2 and ML4 were "superior" models with sthouded thrust bearings, bronze spindle bearings, longer cross-slide and quick release tailstock.

Lathes.co.uk was / is wrong / inconsistent in the descriptions.
Obviously with older lathes parts may be changed so a ML1 might have a later tailstock.

ML1/2 and ML3/4 are easilly differentiated by bed length. For ML1/3 and 2/4 differntiation you need to check the bearings in the headstock.

They did not make a 3-1/8" x 24" model (or 3-1/2" x 15"

EDIT the OP's lathe is either a ML3 or ML4. cross side loks like ML4

Robert.

Edited By Robert Atkinson 2 on 08/02/2023 14:37:43

And also the ML1 had the headstock and bed as a single casting, from the ML2 onwards the headstock was a separate casting retained by bolts. Phil