I just thought I'd introduce myself (additionally to the automatically created thread, anyway) and post a couple of pictures of my lathes.
I bought these a few years ago (probably.. four or so) when I decided it would be nice to be able to make the odd widget while in the process of building my kit car. Both projects stalled for quite some time and although progress has been made on the car, not a lot of progress was made on restoring the lathes or indeed using them very much.
After a house move they now have a new home in an area that should make a nice workshop in the long term, just as soon as I make some space in front of them!
Anyway, the first lathe I purchased was a 1970s vintage ML7 with the quick-change gearbox. Now that I know more I know it has a reasonable amount of wear in the bed near the headstock, but at the time I was happy for something that would just turn a nice widget (a sort of brass pawn, was the first thing out) under instruction:
Doing more research I decided I really wanted a unit with the clutch - actually I really wanted a clutch and Tri-leva speed control, but in the end I settled for a model with a clutch alone. This is a 1950s vintage unit if memory serves and actually seems to have considerably less wear in the bed, with some other parts being more worn (the lead screw bushing housing at the tailstock is loose, cross slide has quite a bit of backlash etc):
It came with a much newer 3-jaw chuck and a pile of accessories (some of which don't even appear to be for the Myford), so that was a nice bonus.
Of course, knowing what I know now I would probably not worry about the clutch or the tri-leva, and given the gearbox offers (as it stands) imperial threads, the gearbox either.. I'd have spent the extra money on a VFD and 3-phase motor instead!
Now if I could just liberate them both from behind the accumulated pile of stuff, I might be able to start restoring one of them and actually get somewhere
I should probably do that before I go looking for a that mill I really want..
I bought these a few years ago (probably.. four or so) when I decided it would be nice to be able to make the odd widget while in the process of building my kit car. Both projects stalled for quite some time and although progress has been made on the car, not a lot of progress was made on restoring the lathes or indeed using them very much.
After a house move they now have a new home in an area that should make a nice workshop in the long term, just as soon as I make some space in front of them!
Anyway, the first lathe I purchased was a 1970s vintage ML7 with the quick-change gearbox. Now that I know more I know it has a reasonable amount of wear in the bed near the headstock, but at the time I was happy for something that would just turn a nice widget (a sort of brass pawn, was the first thing out) under instruction:
Doing more research I decided I really wanted a unit with the clutch - actually I really wanted a clutch and Tri-leva speed control, but in the end I settled for a model with a clutch alone. This is a 1950s vintage unit if memory serves and actually seems to have considerably less wear in the bed, with some other parts being more worn (the lead screw bushing housing at the tailstock is loose, cross slide has quite a bit of backlash etc):
It came with a much newer 3-jaw chuck and a pile of accessories (some of which don't even appear to be for the Myford), so that was a nice bonus.
Of course, knowing what I know now I would probably not worry about the clutch or the tri-leva, and given the gearbox offers (as it stands) imperial threads, the gearbox either.. I'd have spent the extra money on a VFD and 3-phase motor instead!
Now if I could just liberate them both from behind the accumulated pile of stuff, I might be able to start restoring one of them and actually get somewhere
I should probably do that before I go looking for a that mill I really want..
