Thanks for the input guys. I had not even thought about the plastic option, might be a bit too modern for the old girl though! And yes cast iron could be a good option too.

Addy, my M has surprisingly little wear for its age. I think it was maybe refurbished over the years, as leadscrew has only .oo4" wear on the carriage end high-use area. I have only clocked the tops of the flat ways on the bed, but only .001" measureable wear there. And spindle runnout is .0002" since I nipped up the bearing adjuster rings as per factory procedure. Chuck jaws need setting up and regrinding though, as the runnout there is .004" and belmouthed like 1960s trousers.

I think the lathe may have belonged to a model engineer before my old man bought it. It has had a thread chaser dial and brass swarf guards added to the carriage and graduations added to a flat machined on the leadscrew handwheel. All the sort of stuff that used to be in ME magazine back in the day.

Although, the secondhand dealer who sold it to Dad in the UK in the 1950s told him the lathe had been used to make aircraft parts during the war. So who knows? Salesman's patter or historic relic?

But my son and I are having a lot of fun sorting the old thing out and it does a lovely job, cuts to size nicely and gives a good finish with the right set up. Just all the sort of "running gear" like half nuts, chuck, countershaft bearings, motor bearings that seem to be mostly worn. Plus missing a few change gears and the backgear guard.

Ian I reckon mine has had a new leadscrew fitted at some stage, not a lot of wear on that part. Just the halfnuts are worn down to .010 thick threads. I like the cutting and reversing leadscrew idea though, if i ever wear the thing out. Carriage is almost never at the far end of the bed on these lathes so it measures up like new there.