Myford ML10

John,

Production has been discontinued but Myford still give full support with spares, etc.

Possible disadvangages are

• No gap in bed so maximum turning size over the bed is 3 1/4" radius. This can be a problem for model engineers who want to occasionally turn large(r) diameter items.

• The original ML10 had comparatively low top mandrel speeds which made turning small diameter material a bit difficult. The later Speed 10 and Diamond 10 versions had double the mandrel speed which improved matters

• As supplied, the original ML10 had a 'short' cross-slide which was a bit cramped when using a back toolpost. Myford supply an upgrade kit which gives an extra slot on the cross-slide which makes setups a whole lot easier.

• No tumbler reverse on the leadscrew feed.

• The maximum length between centres could be a bit longer since things can get a bit cramped with a chuck in the headstock and something like a 1/2" drill in the tailstock, but they did make a long bed version (they had a re-conditioned one on the Myford stand at the Bristol show).

• (Personal one) The rack feed of the cross-slide is accomplished by having a

16T gear in mesh with the leadscrew. This doubles as a thread indicator but the gearing of the arrangement, with a smallish handle, makes use of the rack feature a bit difficult and I tend to do a lot of cross-slide movement using the leadscrew.

I can't think of any more :-) I've had my original ML10 for well over 30 years (it was bought during Ted Heath's three day weeks) and it has worked extremely well for everything I've used it for. It can use a lot of the Myford accessories, and has it's specific accessories like fixed and travelling steadies. The original lathe has plain steel in cast iron bearings which do need to be looked after. I actually ran the bearings in my countershaft early on in the life of the lathe due to forgetting to lubricate it. I fitted wick feed lubricators to the headstock bearings to try and avoid forgetfulness and try and remember the countershaft. I probably over-lubricate it as the vertical line down the wall behind the lathe shows :-)

I would say that the lathe is a very good buy. You can move it around by yourself if you strip off some bits, and the bed looks as though it would be an easy matter to re-grind if you ever thought of having that done.

If you're looking at buying a secondhand one, I would check out the headstock and countershaft bearings if it is an original ML10. If well looked after, they should be OK (I still haven't had to adjust my headstock bearings in 30+ years), but if there's any play then get a bit worried since that might be a sign of the bearings being shot and I think that means a replacement headstock and mandrel.

Jim.

Here is a useful link with lots of pctures & Data, choose the ML10 link. the others are worth a look also Mike

Many thanks guys. A lot of information to get through for a beginner, but getting there. How much should one be paying for a good condition ML10 and tooling? Thanks. John.

John,

In the region of £500+ for an original ML10 and about £700+ for Speed or Diamond

10s, but prices might go higher depending on whether it's a long bed or how much tooling is included - a couple of Myford vertical slides could add £100+ to the basic price. That's based on adverts I've seen and I keep an eye on ML10 prices to give me an idea of what my asset might be worth :-)

Handy accessories to look out for are the raising blocks and drip tray, and the leadscrew clutch, and a graduated ring for the leadscrew hand wheel. You can get these from Myford new, but should be much cheaper bundled with a second hand machine.

The re-conditioned long bed ML10 on Myford's stand at Bristol had a price into the thousands - I think I remember it being £1500.

Jim.

Unless you are going to restrict yourself to small stuff, and I have no problem with that, you would do well to look into larger machines that do not attract such a price premium.

Lathes that are still worthy tools include the Raglan Littlejohn and Raglan 5" (my personal favourite, although I only have a Littlejohn here at work) and the Boxfords.

Nothing worse than paying a lot for a machine and finding out afterwards that you can't expand into larger models or whatever because the lathe is too small...

Peter

-- Peter A Forbes Prepair Ltd, Luton, UK snipped-for-privacy@easynet.co.uk

By the looks of it the Raglan will be even further from my budget LOL.

Peter, wish I had found your site a few months ago, took me ages to find 20 off chargers that would charge 6 bank at a time (deep cycle Hoppeke stuff).

I have to admit, I agree with you guys concerning up sizing but there is always that big BUT. John.

We have a lot of chargers on Hoppecke nicads around the country, shame they didn't put you in touch ! :-)

You's be surprised that Littlejohns and 5" Raglans would go below your budget price most of the time, Arthur Griffin bought an ex-college unit with tooling for a very reasonable price, and I was able to collect it for him and get it up to north-west Wales where he works for him to transport from there onwards.

Basic Littlejohns start at about £300, the later 5" at £500, both have 10" swing and better still are fitted with replaceable taper roller bearings in the headstock which can be replaced quite easily.

You do need to look around a LOT before buying, and ask around, people like the newsgroup guys and also look on Chris Heapy's website and also the newer one that John Stevenson and Charles Ping started up.

Peter

-- Peter & Rita Forbes Email: snipped-for-privacy@easynet.co.uk Web:

"Peter A Forbes" wrote

Who's this Arthur Griffin, then? The name's familiar............

Confirming what Peter says, my Raglan 5" was far cheaper than the likes of a Myford S7, with all of the facilities plus a bit, greater capacity and a good range of tooling. I can also confirm his kindness in the transport department. Thanks again, Peter. I can't imagine the space taken up by a Raglan or Boxford would be much more than a Myford. Watch out for three-phase motors if you pursue this course, though.

Having only previously used a Harrison with 6" centre height , and finding the Raglan 5" a little limited at times, the limitations of of a 3 1/4" centre height fill me with dread. I hasten to add I have no experience of using Myford products and await the outraged response with interest. ;-)

Regards, Arthur G

In article , Arthur Griffin & Jeni Stanton writes

I had an ML7 sitting next to my Chipmaster for a couple of years. It was only when I realised that I hadn't switched it on for a couple of years that I decided to s... se... s... sell (there, said it!) the thing.

Chip off the old block ?

-- Regards,

John Stevenson Nottingham, England.

Visit the new Model Engineering adverts page at:-

Arthur,

Raglan 5" a little limited at times, the

have no experience of using Myford

Not outraged :-)

But I haven't found the centre height a problem over the years - but I'm not building, for example, larger scale traction engines or steam locomotives with large diameter wheels. I got the lathe to do relatively small scale work - 1/2" scale and under - and for that work it has more than adequate capacity. I think you might be hard pressed to make most larger scale models on the ML10.

The lathe was designed to a (low) price and I was able to (just) afford it new after suffering for years with my first lathe - a well worn ML2. I suspect that if a gap had been designed into the bed, then the design of the bed casting would have had to have been much more complex and probably pushed the cost up considerably.. And up till I got my Centec a year or two ago, I did all my milling on it as well with no problems excepting the setting up hassle.

It does what it says on the box :-)

Jim.

They also have a Yahoo! group

should help providing support, advice, etc, plus the folks there may know of an example for sale. I know they discuss Raglans on eBay quite frequently.

Another possible contender for the ML10 (if you don't need the extra size of the Raglan) might be a Drummond/Myford "M" lathe, you can sometimes find a good example for 200 quid or so. Again, there's a Yahoo group -

- Brian

Appreciate the help guys, I have a more defined idea of what I want now. What do you guys think (no bad language please) or the far east Mini lathes as sold by these.

Thanks. John.

This subject has been thrashed around here many times over the years, go to Google / Groups and enter this newsgroup in the newsgroup box, then do a search for Warco or Chester.

You will have more hours reading than you have time for....:-))

Peter

-- Peter A Forbes Prepair Ltd, Luton, UK snipped-for-privacy@easynet.co.uk

I expect what you want is what you intend to do. Secondhand Myfords are not that cheap but they are versatile. I have an ML7 now over 40 years old which has recovered it's cost many times over.

A few years ago I bought a secondhand Portass S for 120 or so pounds. No particular reason other than what I had thought about when I bought the Myford. The Portass is fairly primitive but presents a challenge and I use it a lot and it can produce accurate work. It too has recouped it's cost many many times over.

I also have a Dore Westbury Mill built from what was in modern terms a fairly expensive kit. Notwithstanding this the Mill is versatile and does accurate work and has recouped it's cost.

There are times when I wish I had larger lathes but having said this there are those who have come to me having been to those with such machines who could not do the job.

I'd better shut up now before I talk about firmer calipers and fits.

Donald South UIst

i bought a chester conquest minilathe about 3 yrs ago as it was all

could afford. with the money i spent on it i would have been bette saving my money and buying an ML10. i wouldnt buy another chines lathe

-- bolma

----------------------------------------------------------------------- bolmas's Profile:

this thread:

ML10 it is then. Thanks Guys.

John,

At the last Bristol ME exhibition, I went round all the equipment stands and had a play with the machines. When I compared the feel of the far East machines with the UK machines - like the reconditioned long bed ML10 I mentioned earlier - there was no comparison. The UK made machines were so much smoother to operate and I would prefer than kind of feel.

Jim.