Mellor Lathe

[Paul Relf-DaviesParticipant @paulrelf-davies37806]

[Paul Relf-DaviesParticipant @paulrelf-davies37806]

I'm about embark on the restoration of a Mellor lathe from the '30s/'40s. Its not in too bad a condition. It'll need a deep clean and there a few missing pieces which'll need to be either found of made, but it seems to have relatively little wear (especially on the ways).

Speaking of the missing pieces, I seem to be short a couple of parts of the power feed mechanism.

It seems there should be a gear attached to the end of the cross feed lead screw. Also I think there is a lever missing that I think would have controlled the powerfeed – as in Off / Power for the saddle traverse / Power for the crossfeed.

I wonder if any members have a Mellor lathe and if so, perhaps they could post some photos of the complete power feed mechanism, and ideally, maybe post some video of it in operation…?

Additionally, I'm short quite a few of the change gears. Would any one know if the Mellor shares equivalent gears with a nother (perhaps more widely used) lathe?? They are 16DP with a 3/4" bore and a 5/32" key slot and 3/8" thick.

Many thanks for any input.

cheers

Paul

[Mike HurleyParticipant @mikehurley60381]

Check lathes.co.uk – Seems loads of info on Mellor.

rehgards Mike

[Pete RimmerParticipant @peterimmer30576]

The small gear is a circular pitch but you could make one with a mod 2 cutter I think and 2 degrees of helix. The exact helix you can calculate from the pitch and diameter of the screw at the rear of the bed.

This gear is almost always missing because the star wheel that engages it falls off, closely followed by the gear itself.

[Paul Relf-DaviesParticipant @paulrelf-davies37806]

Posted by Mike Hurley on 02/04/2023 16:45:31:

Check lathes.co.uk – Seems loads of info on Mellor.

rehgards Mike

i already have! its a great resource, but didn't have what I was looking for, unfortunately. Unfortunately in all the images, the missing gear is under a shroud, though so be fair there area couple of (I assume) brochure drawings showing the actuation lever. TBH I was hoping someone kligh be able to post an actual photo of that piece, too.

Edited By Paul Relf-Davies on 02/04/2023 17:24:36

[Paul Relf-DaviesParticipant @paulrelf-davies37806]

Posted by Pete Rimmer on 02/04/2023 16:52:36:

The small gear is a circular pitch but you could make one with a mod 2 cutter I think and 2 degrees of helix. The exact helix you can calculate from the pitch and diameter of the screw at the rear of the bed.

This gear is almost always missing because the star wheel that engages it falls off, closely followed by the gear itself.

ah yes – i hadn't initially spotted that the large gear ws slightly helical…i guess this will make cutting a replacement more…interesting!

Do you perhaps have a photo pf what the correct arrangement looks like?

[Brian WoodParticipant @brianwood45127]

Paul,

Mk I Raglan lathes used 16 DP change wheels, the later machine with gearbox used 14 DP. Both of these would have been with 14.5 degree pressure angle. I should think the dimensions for bore would be adequate and the keyway could be recut if necessary.#

Regards Brian

[Paul Relf-DaviesParticipant @paulrelf-davies37806]

Posted by Brian Wood on 02/04/2023 18:19:10:

Paul,

Mk I Raglan lathes used 16 DP change wheels, the later machine with gearbox used 14 DP. Both of these would have been with 14.5 degree pressure angle. I should think the dimensions for bore would be adequate and the keyway could be recut if necessary.#

Regards Brian

thanks..i'll keep an eye out for them

[Pete RimmerParticipant @peterimmer30576]

Posted by Paul Relf-Davies on 02/04/2023 18:00:23:

Posted by Pete Rimmer on 02/04/2023 16:52:36:

The small gear is a circular pitch but you could make one with a mod 2 cutter I think and 2 degrees of helix. The exact helix you can calculate from the pitch and diameter of the screw at the rear of the bed.

This gear is almost always missing because the star wheel that engages it falls off, closely followed by the gear itself.

ah yes – i hadn't initially spotted that the large gear ws slightly helical…i guess this will make cutting a replacement more…interesting!

Do you perhaps have a photo pf what the correct arrangement looks like?

Paul, take a look here:

Mellor cross slide gear

[Paul Relf-DaviesParticipant @paulrelf-davies37806]

Posted by Pete Rimmer on 02/04/2023 19:44:14:

Posted by Paul Relf-Davies on 02/04/2023 18:00:23:

Posted by Pete Rimmer on 02/04/2023 16:52:36:

The small gear is a circular pitch but you could make one with a mod 2 cutter I think and 2 degrees of helix. The exact helix you can calculate from the pitch and diameter of the screw at the rear of the bed.

This gear is almost always missing because the star wheel that engages it falls off, closely followed by the gear itself.

ah yes – i hadn't initially spotted that the large gear ws slightly helical…i guess this will make cutting a replacement more…interesting!

actually – i came across (I think) the same person's later thread on the same forum, documenting the start of the restoration of that lathe….it seemed to peter out after the base, motor mount & headstock were complete – in the middle of scraping the eways….i'll have to see if he just started a new thread….thx

Do you perhaps have a photo pf what the correct arrangement looks like?

Paul, take a look here:

Mellor cross slide gear

thanks! that looks like quite a project!

Edited By Paul Relf-Davies on 02/04/2023 19:52:46

[Paul Relf-DaviesParticipant @paulrelf-davies37806]

Re the change gears, I suppose I could buy off the shelf gears and machine them down to match the lathe (reduce thickness, increase the bore, add a keyway). I'd just need to find commercial 14.5°PA gears, or go with (the more common) a 20°PA and buy/make a full set. The thing is, I don't really have the equipment to cut my own gears from scratch.

[David NobleParticipant @davidnoble71990]

Morning Paul,

I'm just coming to the end of the same project. I'm happy to help if I can.

Here is where I'm up to.

David

[Paul Relf-DaviesParticipant @paulrelf-davies37806]

Hi, David,

That machine looks great…

As I said earlier, mine is mostly complete, really just nedig a thorough clean and reassembly, to be ready for use.

I don't have the original struts used to support the lay-shaft, so I'll need to fabricate something to replace them. U'm thinking of incorporating a drive belt tensioner mechanism so I can easily adjust the tension and release it for ease of changing pulleys (mine used a V-belt, rather than a flat belt).

Apart from that, I need to make the lever that (I assume..?) operates the power feeds as well as the gear, cone clutch and wing but which control (??) The power cross feed.

Could you confirm how the power feeds actually work, pls? I assume the possible modes are: power feed off; carriage feed on/Cross feed off ; Cross feed on/carriage feed off? How does one engage each state?

As an aside, I like your carriage stop…I made something almost identical for my other lathe. I use 2 rods..one plain, like yours, as a basic hard stop for repeatability, plus a second that holds a dial indicator for turning to an accurate dimension.

Cheers

Paul

[David NobleParticipant @davidnoble71990]

I've sent you a pm Paul

David

[BazyleParticipant @bazyle]

BTW when doing such a restoration remember to take photos of any parts/assemblies that are not adequately covered on the Lathes.co.uk site and send them to Tony for inclusion. Doesn't hurt to include a few notes like number of teeth on a gear and a rule or scale reference in the picture.

[Paul Relf-DaviesParticipant @paulrelf-davies37806]

Bazyle, interestingly, I did just that when restoring me 1st lathe, nearly a decade ago, and got no response from him at all…

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