Myford (Drummond) M type lathe chuck

[Mark WhelanParticipant @markwhelan39130]

Old chuck queries

[Mark WhelanParticipant @markwhelan39130]

Hi all,

Debating buying an old myford M type 3.5″ lathe but it only has a 4 jaw chuck with it.

Do the ml7 Chucks fit or can anyone recommend a suitable 3 jaw?

Appreciate the help, don’t want to buy a lathe that no bits are available for

[geoff walker 1Participant @geoffwalker1]

Mark,

Back plates are available for the M type 1" dia bsw x 12 tpi.

The chucks made specifically for the ml7 etc with the integral thread in the body of the chuck will not fit the M type. The ml7 thread is 1 1/8" dia.

You can use any chuck with a removable back plate and then fit one suitable for an M type.

The back plates occasionally come up on ebay, Tony griffiths at Lathes.co.uk supplies them as do ( or have) Rdg in Halifax.

The back plates that fit inner thread of the ML8 woodturning lathe are identical.

geoff

[HopperParticipant @hopper]

Posted by Mark Whelan on 11/10/2016 13:23:35:
…

Appreciate the help, don't want to buy a lathe that no bits are available for

Everything is available for the M Type. Nothing particularly special on them. As said, chuck backplates are readily available and you simply screw them on the lathe spindle, turn the register step to match your choice of modern or used chuck and bolt the chuck on.

Plenty of M Type parts, and complete machines with accessories at knockdown prices, are on Ebay UK. That wuold include 3 jaw chucks from time to time. Change gears are readily available there too, as are just about all parts. No need to look for the special metric conversion gears as the standard set of change gears will cut all metric threads within tolerance more than adequate for home shop use. (See Martin Cleeve's book "Screwcutting IN the Lathe" , available cheap.)

Also, the yahoo group Drummondlathes is a great source of info and parts for these lathes.

Only a few ML7 bits will bolt straight across, but some accessories will, such as vertical milling slide and rear toolpost. One good mod is to fit a simply modified ML7 (ML10?) cross slide end bracket to allow about 2" of extra cross slide movement.

From memory, (getting dimmer all the time!) change gears and chucks and faceplates from the earlier Myfords such as ML2, ML4 will fit the M type with a little simple modification.

The M Type is my only lathe, used every week for whatever is happening in the shed and to me is every bit as good as many much newer lathes, and definitely better than some.

Edited By Hopper on 12/10/2016 09:06:13

[Mark WhelanParticipant @markwhelan39130]

Thanks Guys,

I took a punt on the lathe, which will by my first. Quite excited

I also took the dore westbury mill the guy had too. both Should be delivered in about 2 weeks

Hope to be machining up a storm in no time

[Russell EberhardtParticipant @russelleberhardt48058]

Enjoy!

Russell

[HopperParticipant @hopper]

Posted by Mark Whelan on 19/10/2016 10:32:20:…

I also took the dore westbury mill the guy had too.

A nice addition to any heritage workshop.

Time to start reading the heritage books as this is your first lathe and presumeably mill.

The Amateur's Lathe by Mr Sparey is a great place to start. It comes from the M-type era and does mention the lathe in places.

[Martin NewboldParticipant @martinnewbold]

I brought a chuck converter from ML7 to Drummond from Myford Ltd and its seems to wobble on the shaft when its screwed on tight . Am talking to Myford about this but have no clue whats wrong. I may have to find a chuck backplate for my 4" bernard instead?

[HopperParticipant @hopper]

Sounds like the converter has been machined too loose a fit on the register collar. Tightness of the thread matters not. It is the location of the chuck backing plate, or in this case converter, on the plain register diameter behind the thread that makes things run true. Tony at Lathes.co.uk used to stock Drummond back plates at a reasonable price. Not sure how you wouild go fitting a ML7 chuck to it thouggh, as it has no register turned in it for the back plate to locate into. You wuold have to turn one into it yourself, which would take some careful setting up but could be done. Or you could make the register a loose fit on the back plate and drill and tap four grub screws to make it a homemade Grip-tru type set up.

[egaParticipant @ega]

Mark Whelan:

I have a good used 4" ML8 backplate. PM me if you are interested.

When you get going you will be machining this sort of thing yourself and wondering why the commercial items are so expensive!

[David George 1Participant @davidgeorge1]

Hi Mark I have an M type lathe and have done a few mods to it, see in my albums as to what I have done so far. If you need any information just send a message. PS where in the world are you, if near enough, and if you need any help just ask.

David

[Martin NewboldParticipant @martinnewbold]

it is correct pitch 1" x 12tpi but cant understand why it wobbles

[HopperParticipant @hopper]

Posted by Martin Newbold on 25/10/2017 16:44:41:

it is correct pitch 1" x 12tpi but cant understand why it wobbles

As I said, the wobbling has nothing to do with the fit of the thread. The thread is supposed to be a loose fit, deliberately so the chuck is not located by it. The chuck, or in this case converter, does not seat on the thread. It seats on the plain register collar that sits to the left of the thread on the lathe spindle when standing at the machine. It is supposed to be a neat sliding fit between the outside diameter of the spindle collar and the recess machined into the chuck or convertor. Plus the back surface of the chuck or convertor comes up against the shoulder on the register collar and must therefore be machined true to the chuck or convertor.

Most likely, your convertor has been machined too large at the unthreaded recess that is supposed to fit neatly over the register collar. Or it could be the threaded section in the converter is too short so is not allowing the convertor to screw all teh way on until the machined face in the converter comes up hard against the machined face at the end of teh spindle register collar.

Here's a drawing that will make it easier to see than explaining in words. This shows a catchplate and centre rather than a chuck but exact same principle applies. If you look a the thread on the spindle, then look to the left you will see the catchplate is machined to be a close fit on the smooth register collar that is slightly larger diameter than teh thread. This is where the locating is all done. If you've got wobble, it's too loose a fit here, either on the OD or the small shoulder area.

Edited By Hopper on 26/10/2017 09:41:01

[egaParticipant @ega]

Martin Newbold:

Please check your PM Inbox if you have not already done so.

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