Myford ml4 lathe help

[Eddie Sprigg]

Morning all I don't know if anyone on here can help but here goes I need a headstock casting and main shaft for my Myford ml4 any advice on where I can obtain one would be great iwould also consider purchasing a srap ml4 .
Regards Eddie

 

[Fergie 307]

I have the same lathe and have picked up various stuff on E Bay. Parts and whole machines come up fairly regularly. I would keep your search broad as a lot of people don't know what they are, so Myford lathe for example. You will get a lot of hits, but If you search specifically for ML 4 you may miss some.
The other issue is that whilst a headstock from one machine will fit another, the likelihood is that the centre height will be off as they were set up individually. Can I ask what is wrong with it?
If the bearings are worn then companies like A.M.Philpot hard Chrome in Luton can restore the shaft, and in my case I got them to make it slightly oversize so the existing bearing shells could be reamed out to suit. If you go that route then of course you have to bore out the components that run on the shaft as well.
Not cheap, cost me about £250 a few years ago now if I remember correctly, but restored it to like new.
It was my only lathe at the time so worth it to me.

 

[Doris]

Could you post up a photo of the lathe as it is now? I thought the headstock was part of the main casting.

HWMBO used to own one of these and I think he built his own countershaft for it.

 

[Fergie 307]

Could you post up a photo of the lathe as it is now? I thought the headstock was part of the main casting.

HWMBO used to own one of these and I think he built his own countershaft for it.

ML 1&2 had an integral headstock the ML 4 is separate and bolted to the bed.

 

[Doris]

ML 1&2 had an integral headstock the ML 4 is separate and bolted to the bed.

I just googled ML4 to refresh my memory and the headstock joined to the bed looked pretty seamless which might be why I presumed it was a solid casting.

EDIT. Just realised the one I referenced to on google IS HWMBO's lathe but the photos taken by it's new owner. So you can see the rebuilt counter shaft in the background. I think it went to a UKworkshop member. Small world!

 

[Eddie Sprigg]

I have the same lathe and have picked up various stuff on E Bay. Parts and whole machines come up fairly regularly. I would keep your search broad as a lot of people don't know what they are, so Myford lathe for example. You will get a lot of hits, but If you search specifically for ML 4 you may miss some.
The other issue is that whilst a headstock from one machine will fit another, the likelihood is that the centre height will be off as they were set up individually. Can I ask what is wrong with it?
If the bearings are worn then companies like A.M.Philpot hard Chrome in Luton can restore the shaft, and in my case I got them to make it slightly oversize so the existing bearing shells could be reamed out to suit. If you go that route then of course you have to bore out the components that run on the shaft as well.
Not cheap, cost me about £250 a few years ago now if I remember correctly, but restored it to like new.
It was my only lathe at the time so worth it to me.

Thanks for the info already scanning ebay but it appears that the front end of the shaft is bent or damaged as there is no play In the bearings but you can see the chuck moving up and down as it rotates this is also apparent when I fit a 4 jaw chuck or faceplate
Regards Eddie

 

[Fergie 307]

Just above the copper tube you can see the nut on the end of a stud in the headstock that holds the front, similar on the back. There is then a larger stud and nut in the middle under the pulleys, not really visible in the picture.
The design of the tailstock says this is quite an early one.
Nice old machines but share the problem of all the small Myford lathes of really too narrow a bed, which makes them a bit flexible.
Great for light work in brass and aluminium, not so good for steel as you get a lot of push away.
Mine only really used for plastics now as I have a big old Harrison for other stuff.

 

[Fergie 307]

Thanks for the info already scanning ebay but it appears that the front end of the shaft is bent or damaged as there is no play In the bearings but you can see the chuck moving up and down as it rotates this is also apparent when I fit a 4 jaw chuck or faceplate
Regards Eddie

Well worth getting a dial gauge on it to try and work out exactly what is going on.
If you are lucky it might just be that the indexing surface behind the thread has been bruised or damaged, causing the chuck to sit wonky. That is pretty common, and might be a fairly easy repair.
I have found they are like buses on E Bay, none for a while then two or three come up at once!
Any decent machine shop could make a new one easily enough, what it would cost is another matter!

 

[Fergie 307]

Another quick check, assuming the taper is in good condition and you have a suitable MT to go in it, a centre or even a drill. Does that show the same wobble? If it does then the shaft is probably bent. If not then the problem is going to be with the chuck mounting, probably the index.

 

[Eddie Sprigg]

will give that a check thanks

 

[redhunter350]

Eddie, as a matter of interest does your machine have a No1 or No2 Morse Taper in the spindle ? I have just been having a look on the lathes.co.uk site at ML2 ; 3; & 4 --- the 2&3 seem to be the same spindle and not sure about the ML4, probably different and particularly if its a No 2 MT.
I recently made a new spindle for a chap with an ML3 and having the same problem as you, his was bent -- how I don't know but it would take a serious "accident" !!! to do so.
If it happens that yours is the same spindle I have a drawing of the one I made which you are welcome to if its of use.

Fergi's idea of using some tooling fitted in the morse taper and clocking the end of it is a sure way of checking whether damage has occurred.

 

[Fergie 307]

Pretty sure from memory mine is MT2 head and MT1 tail.

 

[redhunter350]

Pretty sure from memory mine is MT2 head and MT1 tail.

In that case I feel sure your spindle will be larger -- whats the spindle nose thread on your machine ?
Did you try Fergi's idea to check the spindle runout ?