Lubricating Myford ML10 Lathe

Hi

I've inherited a Myford ML10 lathe but sadly was not able to be given any instruction in its use by its previous owner. I've read the Ian Brady book a couple of times and watched lots of Tubal Cain videos on Youtube so I've got a fairly clear idea about how to use it but I'm not clear about lubrication. I've got the original Myford maintenance manual so I know where all the lubrication points are.

My first question is about lubricating the headstock spindle bearings - do I need to tool to force the grease in or is it ok to push it in with my finger (clean of course!).

Question 2 is about the tailstock barrel. There is a very small nipple with what looks like a very small ball bearing in - I'm guessing that the oil has to be put in through this nipple - what sort of oil gun do I need for this?

I'm sure these fall well into the category of beginner questions! Many thanks in advance.

Is it an earlier ML10 with plain headstock bearings - i.e. steel spindle running directly in the cast iron headstock - or the later Speed 10 which had bearings fitted in the headstock?

Jim.

Hi Jim

It's a plain ML10. Photo attached

That's one of the older ones that uses oil ,not grease, in the oil cups above the bearings. The oil nipple in the tailstock needs one of these pump action oilers that are notorious for leaking oil all over the place. I rarely use the tailstock oiler on my own machine, just smearing some oil on the extended tailstock barrel now and then.

Doug

Hi

As has been said - use oil not grease on this early version of the ML10. It is a plain bearing machine so be liberal with the oil application to headstock and countershaft. There is nothing wrong with this lathe - I had one for years and we spent many happy times together! It is a capable small lathe and should set you well on the path through this hobby or, as some wives might say, obsession - (not my wife of course!)

I note from your 'photo what looks like a tumbler reverse on the left. This was a useful modification I added to my ML10 - I think it was from one of Hemmingways kits.

I don't know if you are aware but there is a Yahoo group for Myford lathes - click HERE - and, in the "Files" section there is some information on the machine. You can, of course, ask here and you will receive (mostly!) useful information.

Oh yes. Another very worthwhile mod. is to add a leadscrew clutch. These are available ready to fit HERE  but I made mine quite easily.

Regards

Norman

Edited By NJH on 21/08/2012 15:01:14

Thanks, Doug and Norman

So I assume each time I use the lathe a few drops of oil in each cup and then every half hour or so should be ok. I've had a closer look and seen an oil nipple on the cone pulley which the manual says to lubricate half hourly when using the back gears - does this need one of the leaky pump action oilers? Then again, the manual I've got says to use lithium grease on the headstock bearings...

Thanks for the other links, Norman.

Cheers

Stewart

Not very scientific aproach but I just give all moving parts a liberal squirt of oil now and then - not had any problems so far.

Stewart,

That should be fine with your few drops of oil regularly. I actually modified my ML10 to put wick feed lubricators on the headstock bearings which meant cutting away parts of the belt cover to clear them. I got a bit paranoiac after running the countershaft bearings early on in the life of my lathe - I forgot to oil it. I fitted a new countershaft and oilite bushes and it's still going strong almost forty years later.

Myford did bring out an improved oil pump and it does work a bit better than the original one, in that a higher proportion of the oil actually seems to get into the nipple. I'm not sure if RDG are still supplying that pump. I second the recommendation to join the Myford Group on Yahoo.

Jim.

If you look on the second link by NJH, you will findall the oilers you need pluss the Wanner oil gun. The only thing wrong with that site is that although they have a good achive section, they forgot toput any informative labeling on the photos, which makes many of them useless, specially to the non Myford veiwer. Perhaps someone from that Myford site might see this, and do something about it, and create a bit of interest. Ian S C

It's just worth noting that the 'Tubal Cain' videos on Youtube are not by the same 'Tubal Cain' (the late and erudite Tom Walshaw) who wrote in ME many years ago but by someone who has chosen to take on that pseudonym more recently, so view accordingly!

Robin

Edited By Robin King on 22/08/2012 10:35:40

Thanks, Jim, Ian and Robin. I'm reassured I'm doing the right thing now.

Stewart

Jim says, rightly :- " Myford did bring out an improved oil pump and it does work a bit better than the original one,"

I bought a better type of gun a while ago on ebay so I had a search there for "Myford Oil Gun" There is an original up for auction or, an "improved" version - buy it now", at an eye-watering £72!

I hasten to say this is not the same "improved" version as mine - at that price I think I could live with the leaks.

Norman

Edited By NJH on 22/08/2012 13:44:59

I have an original myford oil gun, but the endcap had a crack in it and it leaked badly at the lid. I found tecalemit 2802 greaseguns on Ebay that were previously supplied with old british cars. These have a simple push-fit fitting in the end of the "piston tube" that delivers the grease - if this is pulled out and a pipe thread cut on the piston tube, a simple long nose nozzle could be turned up on the lathe with an o-ring fitted to help seal on the Myford oil nipples. The 2802 guns had a cast metal screw on lid that was more robust. I think there may be a leather seal inside the lid.

Might be a low cost way to get yourself an oilgun (once the grease is washed out) as they normally sell for about £5 which is a lot less than any used genuine myford gun.

Neil.

I still use my 25 year old myford oil gun, its not perfect but I always place a piece of cotton cloth between the nipple and the oil gun nozzle, this seals the joint. My dislike of the gun is it doesn't hold enough oil. I often wondered if automatic transmission fluid would be ok to use for lubrication if the recommended oil was not available.

Richard

I use a good synthetic engine oil on my S7B lathe (10-40 or 5-40 depending on what I last used to fill my bikes!). I also have the original oil gun that came with the lathe but if you leave it standing upright on a shelf while full of oil then the next time you pick it up it is sitting in a puddle of oil. It's always done that despite the seals being replaced. It says Made in Switzerland on the base, so not everything Swiss-made is wonderful