Author Topic: Small vintage lathes  (Read 12993 times)

Offline Rex

  • Wise & Enlightened
  • *
  • Join Date: Apr 2017
  • Posts: 1701
  • Karma: 8
Re: Small vintage lathes
« Reply #195 on: 03.03. 2022 19:01 »
When you get some spare cash maybe invest in a  quick-change tool  fixture?
Just set the tools up at the right height in the holders and you can fit the tool you need with a quarter turn of the wrench.  Makes life a lot easier.

Offline Greybeard

  • Jack of all trades; master of none.
  • Wise & Enlightened
  • *
  • Join Date: Feb 2011
  • Posts: 9972
  • Karma: 50
Re: Small vintage lathes
« Reply #196 on: 03.03. 2022 19:37 »
Yes Rex, I may do that. There are so many other things I need for the lathe, it may end up costing me the price of a well equipped ML7.
First off I need a decent three-jaw chuck. The one I have is not great. It has a knurled ring to tighten the jaws rather than a chuck key. I'm seeing work moving back into the chuck when I apply a tool to the end face. I have a keyed independant four-jaw chuck that I haven't played with yet.
I thought I would just be able to buy a new chuck and screw it onto the lathe shaft but I've been told that I will have to carefully match a new chuck to a backplate with correct thread for the Myford Lathe No. 4.
I will need a knurling tool. I may buy one of the Hemingway kits, but it's not cheap, especially as the knurling wheels are extra.
http://www.hemingwaykits.com/cgi-bin/sh000029.pl?REFPAGE=http%3a%2f%2fwww%2ehemingwaykits%2ecom%2f&WD=knurling&PN=Knurling_Tool%2ehtml%23aHK_201110#aHK_201110

I reckon a face-plate is an essential plus dogs and clamps for it.

I bought a dead centre but I will need a running centre as well.
Greybeard (Neil)
2023 Gold Star
Supporter of THE DISTINGUISHED GENTLEMAN'S RIDE https://www.gentlemansride.com

Warwickshire UK


A Distinguished Gentleman Riding his 1955 Plunger Golden Flash

Offline Greybeard

  • Jack of all trades; master of none.
  • Wise & Enlightened
  • *
  • Join Date: Feb 2011
  • Posts: 9972
  • Karma: 50
Re: Small vintage lathes
« Reply #197 on: 03.03. 2022 19:48 »
G'day GD.
Great work mate.
Now all you need is https://tinyurl.com/y9fzqfmd  *smile*
Cheers
I'm OK for books thanks. They are old so the language is antiquated. Mind you they are writing about lathes from the same era as mine.
Greybeard (Neil)
2023 Gold Star
Supporter of THE DISTINGUISHED GENTLEMAN'S RIDE https://www.gentlemansride.com

Warwickshire UK


A Distinguished Gentleman Riding his 1955 Plunger Golden Flash

Offline RichardL

  • Outside Chicago, IL
  • Wise & Enlightened
  • *
  • Join Date: Nov 2007
  • Posts: 6471
  • Karma: 55
Re: Small vintage lathes
« Reply #198 on: 03.03. 2022 21:11 »
it's not cheap, especially as the knurling wheels are extra.

Here's one I saw home-made with a scissor clamp, which I suppose is relatively cheap.

Richard L.

Offline RichardL

  • Outside Chicago, IL
  • Wise & Enlightened
  • *
  • Join Date: Nov 2007
  • Posts: 6471
  • Karma: 55
Re: Small vintage lathes
« Reply #199 on: 03.03. 2022 21:14 »
G'day GD.
Great work mate.
Now all you need is https://tinyurl.com/y9fzqfmd  *smile*
Cheers
I'm OK for books thanks. They are old so the language is antiquated. Mind you they are writing about lathes from the same era as mine.

Someone throw GB a life preserver. He's gone in with both feet, adjacent to me in the water.


Richard L.

Online chaterlea25

  • Wise & Enlightened
  • *
  • Join Date: Jun 2009
  • Posts: 4116
  • Karma: 54
Re: Small vintage lathes
« Reply #200 on: 03.03. 2022 22:09 »
Hi All
GB,/ Rex
There is very little room on an M4 to fit a quick change toolpost due to the height of the compound slide

I did not know that the M4 had a different chuck thread to the later M7's etc ?
It would be worthwhile putting an ad in   https://www.homeworkshop.org.uk/   for a replacement keyed chuck

That said, I use a 4 jaw independent almost all of the time , It is the only way to true up an existing part to modify
plus the Colchester chuck weighs a ton  *eek*

John
1961 Super Rocket
1963 RGS (ongoing)

Offline Greybeard

  • Jack of all trades; master of none.
  • Wise & Enlightened
  • *
  • Join Date: Feb 2011
  • Posts: 9972
  • Karma: 50
Re: Small vintage lathes
« Reply #201 on: 03.03. 2022 22:40 »
I did not know that the M4 had a different chuck thread to the later M7's etc ?
It would be worthwhile putting an ad in   https://www.homeworkshop.org.uk/   for a replacement keyed chuck
No, I was meaning that I don't know if the spindle thread is the same as the 7. I hope it is.
Greybeard (Neil)
2023 Gold Star
Supporter of THE DISTINGUISHED GENTLEMAN'S RIDE https://www.gentlemansride.com

Warwickshire UK


A Distinguished Gentleman Riding his 1955 Plunger Golden Flash

Online groily

  • Wise & Enlightened
  • *
  • Join Date: Jul 2007
  • Posts: 1945
  • Karma: 33
    • www.brightsparkmagnetos.com
Re: Small vintage lathes
« Reply #202 on: 04.03. 2022 06:56 »
From https://www.model-engineer.co.uk/forums/postings.asp?th=171047
Myford used three different spindle nose threads for the ML4, all Whitworth profile:

Earlier ones were 7/8" x 9tpi or 7/8" x 12 tpi.

Later ones were 1 1/8" x 12 tpi, the same as the ML7 but with a smaller register diameter ( 1 1/8" instead of 1 1/4" ).


This might help on thread on ML4 headstocks GB - but doesn't look as straightforward as we'd have hoped! This will affect availability of faceplates as well as chuck - fingers crossed you have the ML7 version even if there's a small register issue to deal with.

Richard L's knurler is similar in principle to the one I use - a bought one that wasn't too silly a price, but can't remember who from. A clampy one is, I think, a whole lot easier to use than a wheel or wheels shoved in by the topslide, which will necessitate the use of a fixed or travelling steady to maintain pressure on anything that isn't chunky.

A running centre shouldn't set you back that much, for a reasonable quality one. Lots to choose from, at least. And better than using a fixed  'half-centre' and loads of lube, certainly.

The topslide does seem close to centre height on them, as chaterlea  remarked. Which poses a problem for a non-Myford toolpost perhaps. Nonetheless, it would probably be possible to make a four-way one to take certain sized tooling. For my 7 I used a cube of mild steel to make a 4-way (no register underneath on the slide, so it sits anywhere you want) and a different much chunkier single tool holder - but it does need a miller or access to one to do a half-decent job.
Bill

Offline Greybeard

  • Jack of all trades; master of none.
  • Wise & Enlightened
  • *
  • Join Date: Feb 2011
  • Posts: 9972
  • Karma: 50
Re: Small vintage lathes
« Reply #203 on: 04.03. 2022 09:41 »
From https://www.model-engineer.co.uk/forums/postings.asp?th=171047
Myford used three different spindle nose threads for the ML4, all Whitworth profile:

Earlier ones were 7/8" x 9tpi or 7/8" x 12 tpi.

Later ones were 1 1/8" x 12 tpi, the same as the ML7 but with a smaller register diameter ( 1 1/8" instead of 1 1/4" ).


Thank you. I'll check later.
Greybeard (Neil)
2023 Gold Star
Supporter of THE DISTINGUISHED GENTLEMAN'S RIDE https://www.gentlemansride.com

Warwickshire UK


A Distinguished Gentleman Riding his 1955 Plunger Golden Flash

Offline RichardL

  • Outside Chicago, IL
  • Wise & Enlightened
  • *
  • Join Date: Nov 2007
  • Posts: 6471
  • Karma: 55
Re: Small vintage lathes
« Reply #204 on: 04.03. 2022 14:12 »

Thank you. I'll check later.

Right after he orders this: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/334346975427?hash=item4dd8a1f8c3:g:0iMAAOSwuzVho9ud

(Kidding GB, don't do it, you might need something bigger. OK, that's kidding too.)

Richard L.

Offline Greybeard

  • Jack of all trades; master of none.
  • Wise & Enlightened
  • *
  • Join Date: Feb 2011
  • Posts: 9972
  • Karma: 50
Re: Small vintage lathes
« Reply #205 on: 04.03. 2022 15:51 »

Thank you. I'll check later.

Right after he orders this: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/334346975427?hash=item4dd8a1f8c3:g:0iMAAOSwuzVho9ud

(Kidding GB, don't do it, you might need something bigger. OK, that's kidding too.)

Richard L.
If I chucked out the Beeza, I'd have room for a milling machine.
Greybeard (Neil)
2023 Gold Star
Supporter of THE DISTINGUISHED GENTLEMAN'S RIDE https://www.gentlemansride.com

Warwickshire UK


A Distinguished Gentleman Riding his 1955 Plunger Golden Flash

Offline Greybeard

  • Jack of all trades; master of none.
  • Wise & Enlightened
  • *
  • Join Date: Feb 2011
  • Posts: 9972
  • Karma: 50
Re: Small vintage lathes
« Reply #206 on: 05.03. 2022 22:37 »
I made a plumbob from stainless steel.
The brass one, I made at school in 1964
Greybeard (Neil)
2023 Gold Star
Supporter of THE DISTINGUISHED GENTLEMAN'S RIDE https://www.gentlemansride.com

Warwickshire UK


A Distinguished Gentleman Riding his 1955 Plunger Golden Flash

Offline RichardL

  • Outside Chicago, IL
  • Wise & Enlightened
  • *
  • Join Date: Nov 2007
  • Posts: 6471
  • Karma: 55
Re: Small vintage lathes
« Reply #207 on: 06.03. 2022 16:09 »
You just made this on the ML4? Nice work. First part should be celebrated. *yeah* *beer* I just read that a plumb bob could be used to level a lathe, but not sure how that works, especially on a bench lathe.

Richard L.

Offline Rex

  • Wise & Enlightened
  • *
  • Join Date: Apr 2017
  • Posts: 1701
  • Karma: 8
Re: Small vintage lathes
« Reply #208 on: 06.03. 2022 16:20 »
I made a plumbob from stainless steel.
The brass one, I made at school in 1964

Plumbob? You sure that's not a homemade weapon for the Ukranians?
Nice finish for a first go, too.

Offline Greybeard

  • Jack of all trades; master of none.
  • Wise & Enlightened
  • *
  • Join Date: Feb 2011
  • Posts: 9972
  • Karma: 50
Re: Small vintage lathes
« Reply #209 on: 06.03. 2022 17:37 »
You just made this on the ML4? Nice work. First part should be celebrated. *yeah* *beer*
*beer*
Quote
I just read that a plumb bob could be used to level a lathe, but not sure how that works, especially on a bench lathe.
Richard L.
Maybe if the lathe is going to be mounted up the wall  ;)
Greybeard (Neil)
2023 Gold Star
Supporter of THE DISTINGUISHED GENTLEMAN'S RIDE https://www.gentlemansride.com

Warwickshire UK


A Distinguished Gentleman Riding his 1955 Plunger Golden Flash