# Myford M4 Lathe. - refurbishment



## Tgandef (12 May 2021)

First post on the site. Delighted to see so many people with the same passion for tools and blether.

I am helping an old friend refurbish his 1941 (?) Myford M4 metal Lathe. My first task is to cut a new shaft for the drive pulley.

Anyone have experience and/or any advice?

I have gleaned a lot of information from lathes.co.uk but finding it very difficult to get any definitive technical data.


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## Gordon Tarling (12 May 2021)

Suggest that you do a search here first. If that proves unhelpful, then join the forum or a similar one and ask away! Here's probably not the best place to get answers about a metalwork lathe.

Gordon


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## Tgandef (12 May 2021)

Thanks Gordon. Got good information from that site.


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## Gordon Tarling (13 May 2021)

Glad that it helped.

G.


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## Trextr7monkey (13 May 2021)

There’s a Drummond /Myford owners group on Facebook which is full of fellow enthusiasts of ageing machinery. ML4s are more common than you think


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## Fergie 307 (13 May 2021)

I have one of these, heavily modified but a good old machine. Not sure what exactly you mean by drive pulley shaft. There are loads of different drive variations on these machines. Probably the most common is the upright casting with the motor at the back and the driven pulleys on a shaft at the top. This has a lever on the right to bring the pulley shaft into engagement. If you need to change this then you need to assess wear in the two bronze bushes which support it. If they are badly worn, but still have plenty of meat on them, then you might choose to use a slightly larger shaft and machine all the matching components to suit. Some photos would be helpful.


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## Tgandef (13 May 2021)

Thank you everyone. Fergie 307, it is the shaft from the upright casting which the motor attaches. However, friend delivered shaft and hasn't let me see the rest of the components yet, that is why I was researching previous refurbishing sites. Once I get the parts I will post photos so what I am doing may be beneficial to present and future members. My friend would like to fit bearings to the shaft and the frame, but I will need to wait until I see the frame before I determine a way ahead. Thanks again everyone.


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## Fergie 307 (13 May 2021)

standard set up incorporates two bronze bushes which are held by adjustable studs. Very simple and effective. You will see what I mean once you have them. Most important things to check on one of these are the condition of the bed, and the main spindle. If either is too badly worn then you will find it very difficult to set it up accurately. Both can be repaired but very expensive to do. I would check these first before you do anything else, then you can assess whether it will do what you want or not. Mine is very accurate but only after regrinding the bed and having the spindle and bearings refurbished. Have spent far more on it than it is worth financially, It is semi retired now as I bought a Harrison a couple of years ago, still use the Myford occasionally as it's just a nice old machine to work with.


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## Tgandef (21 May 2021)

I now have the shaft I have been asked to cut for a friend. (Honest) Quite a bit of damage. This the Bench Motor Unit MA97 or MA97a for the Myford ML4. So, what type of metal should I use as a replacement? I was thinking mild steel! The rational behind this is he would like to fit bearings to the drive frame seen in the photo below, which holds everything in line.




That too has the guide studs damage. The shaft is 18mm in diameter and the diameter of the shaft guide is 40mm with a depth of 35mm. As you probably know, the shaft is held in place by guide bushes, which were damaged too. Any advice on who would supply bearings this size? 

Or, are bearings ideal. I looked at Bronze and the only supplier I could find is asking £87 for six inch by 2 inch. Anyone know another supplier? He nearly fainted when I told him how much it was

Any advice is appreciated.

Keep safe


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## parvum (22 May 2021)

ball races with 17mm id and 40mm od are a standard metric size. Can you turn down the end s of your shaft to suit ?
See Bearing boys or simply bearings.


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