Drummond Lathes

[AndyBParticipant @andyb47186]

[AndyBParticipant @andyb47186]

Hi all, but mostly to David,

 

I see a letter in the new issue that comes from someone enquiring about Drummond Lathes and an owners’ forum.

 

There is such a one, subscribed to by enthusiasts and collectors from all around the world:

http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/drummondlathe/

 

It contains loads of information and upgrade tips for all models.

Very helpful and informative; I use it a lot for my B, M, and RoundBed.

 

Now off to get another M for spares and parts…

 

Don’t forget that Tony Griffiths has a fantastic website for all lathes:

 

http://www.lathes.co.uk/

 

Hope this is help.

 

Andy

[NobbyParticipant @nobby]

Hi

A 125 micrometer dail dail fitted to my  drummond flat bed lathe .

[adyParticipant @ady]

I’ve got a bearing on my cross slide leadscrew now, and am just finishing off a milling spindle which is on a mini 180 degree turret holder with a unimat style forward/reverse headstock system for drilling/milling from weird angles, and am doing a headstock spindle locking mechanism this weekend.

 

Drummonds are kewl.

[NobbyParticipant @nobby]

Hi Andy

Drummonds are Kewl !!!!!

 

[adyParticipant @ady]

That looks like an ML4 tailstock to me.

 

Not a Drummond IMO.

Edited By ady on 16/01/2011 02:57:10

[adyParticipant @ady]

 

Drummond  tailstocks are pretty unique.

Edited By ady on 16/01/2011 03:27:07

[dcostaParticipant @dcosta]

Hello Ady!

 

 

However if You look at here you’ll find something completely different. At least to me…

 

 

 Dias Costa

Edited By Dias Costa on 16/01/2011 11:11:10

[Nicholas FarrParticipant @nicholasfarr14254]

Hi,

      well just to get you more confused, top pic Myford, Bottom pic Drummond.

The manufacturers plates are below each.

 

Sorry for pic quality, but they are under raps at the moment and a bit hard to get to.

 

 

 

Regards Nick.

 

P.S. The Drummond one is the same type as Nobby’s one.

Edited By Nicholas Farr on 16/01/2011 15:01:55

[Alan Worland 1Participant @alanworland1]

I can remember many years ago when my parents used take my brother and I to vist my grandparents at the weekend, if I was lucky I would get a glimpse of grandads round bed Drummond (treadle) lathe under a dust sheet – in the dining room!!

[AndyBParticipant @andyb47186]

Hello chaps,

 

Nice to see the Drummond fraternity is here too.

 

I’m afraid that you are mixing your models and ages.

 

Nobby’s is a 1903 – 1912 model, commonly known as a Pre A type. This was the first full production model of the 3 1/2 in flatbed lathe. It did not have a designation, but earned the Pre A type name when Drummond brought out the A type Roundbed in 1908.

 

Ady’s is a 1925 – 1940s M type.

 

In 1912 Drummond brought out a new model lathe, completely different to the previous Pre A type. This was the B, recogniseable by the strengthening loop casting on the headstock.

 

In 1925, Drummond brought out the M type which is really an uprated B with a stiffer headstock, so did away with the loop on the casting. They also added a rack and pinion for moving the cross slide along the bed but be warned…turning the handle clockwise moves the cross slide TOWARDS the headstock!

 

B and M parts do not fit the Pre A, but many are interchangeable between the B and M as they used the same bed, such as cross slide, topslide, tailstock, and changewheels.

The M tailstock is recogniseable from the screw adjuster at the back for offsetting while the B type is a plain ‘slide and hope’ type

 

In 1942 the Ministry of War Production told Myford to take over the manufacture of the Drummond M type so that Drummond could concentrate on their larger lathes.

 

Myford used Drummond-made parts until they ran out, and used the Drummond serial numbering system too…for a while.

 

By the end of the war, Myford had added a changewheel guard made of cast iron and went on to ‘electrify’ the M with an electric motor mounted on the back of the stand.

 

Myford brought out their new model 7 in 1946, but carried on supplying Ms until the late 40s/early 50s.

 

There are NO interchangeable parts between Ms and 7s! The beds and headstocks are completely different, as are changewheels. The T slots on the cross slide are slightly different dimensions and spaced differently too so topslides don’t fit except with a bit of engineering.

 

For a full account and some brilliant photo essays on the Drummond lathes go to Tony Griffith’s website as I mentioned originally…in fact, everyone should visit as it is the most comprehensive machine tool archive in the world!

 

Hope your workshops are becoming more habitable after the cold.

 

Andy

[JACK SIDEBOTHAMParticipant @jacksidebotham67303]

Hello all,l am a newcomer to this site though have been a modeller for many years,l have just taken possesion of my very first lathe!!!,such excitement !,as far as l can find out,it seems to be a "DRUMMOND PRE-B TYPE 3.5 FLAT BED" it does not have a compound saddle/cross slide,simply a traversing tool post,l would like a compound slide if anyone has one for sale,the tailstock clamp is by way of a rod some 8" long with a fixed hand wheel on top,l cannot find any referrence to this method anywhere so must assume it is non original,the tail stock is also fitted with jacobs chuck on a screw thread,how does one fit a live or dead centre??,clean up is under way (it is a sort of "barn find)any help/advice will be most welcome,l will post some pics when l get a chance…Jack

[Martin NewboldParticipant @martinnewbold]

Does anyone have a casting for one of these please? Its from a Drummond M

[AndyBParticipant @andyb47186]

Hi Martin,

There is a complete one on eBay right now, item number 182652846395.

They come up fairly regularly and are more common than castings

Andy

[Martin NewboldParticipant @martinnewbold]

Ta andy have been busy with my ml7 conversion. Its great and everying can be retro fited back to the original

Edited By Martin Newbold on 17/07/2017 19:49:24

[Martin NewboldParticipant @martinnewbold]

I still need a metric dial and gib plate but Myford Ltd are to busy in thier work shop to make gib plates at present

[Andrew TinsleyParticipant @andrewtinsley63637]

I have tried to get onto the Yahoo Drummond Website on several occasion. Nothing makes a lot of sense and the odd thing I do manage to find, contains pretty brainless comments. Now I am sure there is a lot of very good information there, but exactly how does one access it? I am sure I have gone through the correct joining procedure more than once, but I can't make much sense of what is on the website.

Andrew.

[BazyleParticipant @bazyle]

A lot of beginners buy Drummonds because they are cheap and then clutter the Yahoo group with general questions about machining and oil that should be asked on a forum like this. The group should be reserved for topics specific to the product. The format of the Yahoo site is appalling but if you put the setting to email you with the updates they come through in sequence and can be read more easily.

[AndyBParticipant @andyb47186]

Hi Andrew,

Are you going to the right site? It should be DrummondLathe.

What makes me think that you are not in the right place is that I have just been on and the current discussions are about back gear on M Types and change wheels for screw cutting – hardly brainless.

Andy

[Andrew TinsleyParticipant @andrewtinsley63637]

Hello Both,

Yes I am on the correct site and indeed there are some M type screwcutting comments, all of which are fine. What I am having difficulty with is getting anymore than the last 20 contributions or so. To be much good I would expect at least a search facility and or access to an archive. I can see the tab for an archive but cannot open it.

It almost looks as though I am not a member, but I have gone through the registration process, so I can't see what else I can do. The whole site seems very messy without any intuitive process to it. I am a member of another Yahoo hosted site and that is easy enough to navigate and understand. I must be missing something on the Drummond site!

I would like to have a look at back gears for the Drummond round bed (another long term restoration!). I know there is a lot of info on the lathes UK site, but I was hoping someone had made a back gear and could provide a crib to get me started!

Andrew.

[HillclimberParticipant @hillclimber]

Martin, I PM'd you – but my sent box still unread!

I'm trying to figure out if you've used a Myford 'new' topslide here, and milled the top off it to improve tool height? Question is really how much you managed to take off? And what machining it involved?

Cheers, Colin

Posted by Martin Newbold on 17/07/2017 19:41:07:

Ta andy have been busy with my ml7 conversion. Its great and everying can be retro fited back to the original

Edited By Martin Newbold on 17/07/2017 19:49:24

[David George 1Participant @davidgeorge1]

Hi Andy The Yahoo Drummond web site I have got is https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/drummondlathe/info

Also if you look in my albums there is some pictures and information to look at. I have done some mods like fitting a better saddle clamp and extra spindle thrust bearing which improves Finnish and spindle stability. And also fitting a quick change toolpost. Any help with a Drummond that you want that I can give just send a message.

David

[geoff walker 1Participant @geoffwalker1]

Also if you look in my albums there is some pictures and information to look at. I have done some mods like fitting a better saddle clamp and extra spindle thrust bearing which improves Finnish and spindle stability. And also fitting a quick change toolpost

I can highly recommend David's saddle clamp, I have one on my M type. Would not be without it, no more leaning over the machine to lock the saddle. With all the materials to hand you could fit one in 3-4 hours, no problem. Geoff

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