Myford ML10

[ericswool22Participant @ericswool22]

Hello everyone, I have recently acquired a Myford ML10 from the 60’s. I am trying to set it up for fine feed and screw cutting but can’t get the change gears to align with the headstock drive gear.

I’m very new to this and would appreciate if anyone has a nugget of knowledge as to what I’m missing please!

[Martin of WickParticipant @martinofwick]

checked mine, position of spindle gear, driven gear and quadrant clamp looks much the same as yours.

All I can suggest is that the headstock on your lathe is set at about 1/4 inch from the left end of the lathe, which ain’t right. On my ML10 the back plane of the headstock sits flush with the back plane of the lathe bed.

You will need to loosen off the clamps move the headstock as far as you can along the lathe bed to clear the attachment area, give a bloody good clean to the attachment area, vee edge at front etc, removing old swarf and other grot (from the base of headstock too, if you can get to it, or are prepared to free the belt to release the headstock entirely).

When replacing, set back of headstock face flush to the rear face of the lathe bed and check fit of change gears. Make final adjustments to headstock position to give best fit of gears (it wont be a hanging offence if the headstock is displaced plus or minus  a mm either side of the back face of the lathe bed).

Now here’s the thing, you will need a DTI and say a 1/2in to 1in D x 6in  L  piece of quality steel bar (or silver steel if you can get hold of any).  If you trust your chuck, clamp the steel in the chuck. As you tighten headstock clamps, move DTI on saddle back and forwards along bar to make sure the headstock remains aligned with bed as you crimp it down. This is even easier if you invest in a 2MT test bar, not used a lot, but bloody useful when it is!

Plenty of stuff on line regarding lathe alignment, the method I have suggested is kwikn’durdy as it will not give a good result if you chuck is suspect. That is why a test bar is better. I suggest an iterative approach with repeat attempts until you are satisfied.

 

[ericswool22Participant @ericswool22]

Thank you Martin, that’s very helpful. I hoped someone would be able to see something I couldn’t! I’ll give it a go when I get a free afternoon and try to remember to post a photo here to show the results.

[Martin of WickParticipant @martinofwick]

Something else to consider,

best to check alignment of the drive pulleys on the countershaft with those on the spindle using a straight edge on the outside of the two sets of pulleys. If there is no displacement with the headstock as currently arranged, you may need to re-adjust the position of the countershaft pulley (or possibly the entire motorising unit as I see that this is carried on the old style independent mounting bracket bolted to the swarf tray/table). If the pulleys are clearly offset at present, then moving the headstock back will likely solve that issue too. While you are at it, check alignment of motor pulley to countershaft drive pulley.

If you have a manual, that will describe or show how to adjust countershaft etc. Lathes.co sell a complete info. pack for the ML10, Myford ltd also sell the user manual (at a price). You may be able to find other sources cheaper.

 

 

[ericswool22Participant @ericswool22]

I wondered why the drive pulleys and spindle pulleys were out of line – I assumed (wrongly) that it was some kind of design compromise that allowed the belt to be used in more configurations.

Thank you once again for the extra info, looking forward to getting it sorted out and working nicely now.

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