Hi Ivan,

The "manual" is available online as a PDF,

http://vintagemachinery.org/pubs/detail.aspx?id=6592

An earlier copy of "The Amateurs Lathe" by L Sparey is also a good reference for this class of lathe.

I have a ML2 but it has been over a year since I've done anything to it due to other pressures.

Robert G8RPI.

If you do searches on this forum for "ML4" and down to "ML1" you will find a wealth of information distilled over the years, and it will likely answer many of your queries.

George B.

+1 – ..the quadrant is prevented from rotating by a nut that tightens (against a curved slot cast into the upper front of the banjo) onto a stud that is screwed into the end of the leadscrew bracket above the leadscrew shaft.

The hole for the drive pin in the larger gears is blind, so only present on one side – check the other side of the gear..

The gear should be held in mesh with the pin by a separate collar with a grubscrew..

Edited By DiogenesII on 07/05/2020 18:17:44

Edited By DiogenesII on 07/05/2020 18:19:45

Hello Ivan,

Please don't try to engage the banjo again whilst the motor is running, firstly this could cause harm to you. secondly it could damage your change gears or even jolt the spindle dependant on speed, and it wont like that much at all.

The change gears will all be joined in pairs by a small metal pin as Howard says above 3/32" dia, and around 1/2" long. this fits into holes drilled in all of your change gears. (unless they have had ML7 ones added later in life). To set up the gear train I always start at the leadscrew, on the leadscrew put your largest gear, (hole for pin facing outwards). The nut you describe sounds like a dodge to an earlier crash to the lathe where the collar that should be fitted has suffered damage, insert the pin into the change gear on the leadscrew, and assuming there is a grub screw tighten this onto the flat on the leadscrew. This should now have the gear engaged with the leadscrew. Add the bajo bolts and working in pairs set up a reduction on each banjo, 60/20, 65/25 teeth gears. again joined with the pin through their holes. to set the gear spacing correctly, I ran strips of printer paper through the gears before finally tightening down on their position, the paper sets a small gap in the gears, Too tight and the gears will sound awful and wear quickly.

Once the gears are set up and nicely spaced. With the power off, bring the banjo up to the gear on the spindle, there should be a 1/4" BSF hex bolt by the leadscrew that bolts into the banjo from the bracket. Tighten this bolt (replace if missing) to set the banjo into position, spin the lathes spindle bay hand a few turns to make sure there is nothing going to instantly jam up, then set the lathe away under power. The handle at the front leading side of the apron is to engage the halfnuts that clamp onto the leadscrew to drive the saddle.

This pic will show where the bolt goes through the banjo into the bracket, you are viewing the banjo from the headstock side, not the changegear side in this photo, also shows the small holes for the pins in the changegears, as you can see these are not drilled through.

As Howard says If you can provide your Serial number and possibly a picture of the lathe I will do my best to date it. The serial number can also be found stamped under the cross slide, which is possibly the easiest one to get at without disturbing any setting of the lathe, (just make sure you catch the gib thatll fall from the right hand side, and install it the same way when screwing the cross slide back on). The other easy one is under the tailstock casting. Going off what you have posted above I would say its pre 1938. But I cant be much more specific than that just yet, as i'm still compiling the data.

Edited By Jon Cameron on 11/05/2020 12:11:47

Hi Howard,

I may be wrong on the bolt size, would have to check mine. I've just read your post above.

Jon