I thought its weak point was wear in the ways? Or was it only the earlier models which did not have hardened ways?

Plain bearings, properly lubricated or not over-speeded, were adequate for the lathe at the time of production. They would have quite possibly consumed more oil (as a total loss system) than a well sealed taper roller bearing set-up, over their lifetime.

Another weak point might be that of driving the carriage with the lead screw. But maybe they were not expecting their lathes to out-live the company.

Many have avoided the weak links, or have replaced the worn parts, over the lifetime of the machines.

They were a good machine at the price-point, which allowed the public to be able to join the model engineering fraternity. They have been used (and still are) to make some superb models, over the years, so the ‘weak points’ have been overcome or avoided by most users.

All lathes are a compromise to some degree. I believe there are modified lathes, with a larger spindle bore, that may have been fitted with alternative bearing systems.

You would want taper rollers, not balls, in such an application. The only MEW article I recall vaguely is one by Alan Hearsum when he converted an earlier M-Type Drummond/Myford to taper rollers, but it has a one-piece headstock casting which had to be removed and very carefully bored out in a milling machine to take the taper roller races.

The ML7 with removable bearing caps does not really appear to have enough "meat" to machine out for taper roller races. I've looked at it and thought about it, but the OD of taper roller bearings big enough to fit the spindle is too big for the casting to safely accommodate. And again it would be a major undertaking of very precise milling and boring so the spindle ended up parallel to the bed when reinstalled.

The white metal bearings are fine if shims are removed to tighten them up a bit as they wear over many years. But yes they are gawdawful messy. My pet peeve about the ML7 for sure. But not really a weak point. They are a very good chatter-free bearing when set up right. I can take 100 thou deep cuts all day long with mine. But I still hate that oily mess. Just have to live with it I am afraid. At least the bearings always have fresh oil with the total (dead) loss system.

Edited By Hopper on 07/05/2022 11:51:09

That link in Hopper's reply confirms what I recall. The articles are in MEW issues 210 and 211 and the conversion is, indeed, for an ML7.

John