Hi Kim,
Re : a lot boxford lathes came with metric dials as has mine its just the lead screw that's imperial.
That would probably have been a machine in an educational environment that was originally built & supplied as all Imperial. To reduce the costs to educational establishments when we went Metric, Boxford did a kit of metric cross & topslide screws, nuts & dials but just supplied a conversion gear for the Imperial leadscrew rather than a new screw, half-nuts & additional changewheels (or gearbox). IIRC it was a 100/127 gear – I had one for my CUD, but both lathe & gear are long gone now.
Boxford did supply all Metric machines unlike Myfords with the "7s", whose "metric" machines retained Imperial leadscrews AFAIK.
Nigel B.