Myford ML4 Identification

[Steven VolzParticipant @stevenvolz60568]

Hello. I’m new to the forum and have a Myford ML4 which I would like to add to Jon Cameron’s archive.

The serial number is D2638, stamped on the underside of the tailstock and on top of the bed at the tailstock end. It has the older, unsatisfactory tailstock.

However, the mandrel appears to be 1⅛x12 and it has vee belt pulleys. The headstock has a painted-over grub screw on each bearing, which I presume is for locking a bronze bush.

Most of the machined surfaces have been scraped, which may or may not be the original factory finish.

I would be interested if anybody could take a stab at its age. AI says it’s 1945/6, but, given the tailstock, that’s probably wildly incorrect.

[Martin Johnson 1Participant @martinjohnson1]

Might even be my old one!  I converted it to V belt drive (to stop the flat belt slipping) and scraped it all up (so saddle and cross slide would actually go the full travel without resorting to gorilla tactics) .  I do recall the tailstock was pretty rubbish and would lose it’s setting just by cranking the clamp up.

Martin

[JAParticipant @ja]

I had an early Myford which was far better than its appearance. I don’t think the serial number will mean anything now since I am under the impression Myford ignored their earlier lathes after the success of the ML7. However you should take a look at lathes.co.uk which a fabulous website.

JA

[Steven VolzParticipant @stevenvolz60568]

Martin, I bought it in Cornwall about 20 years ago. It does get uncomfortably tight towards the tailstock. I like the scraping.

Myford’s cavalier attitude towards serial numbers is a shame.

[andrew998Participant @andrew998]

I wouldn’t put too much faith in the date suggested by AI, especially with these older Myfords, as parts may have been changed or carried over between different versions. The 1⅛ x 12 mandrel and the vee belt pulleys are interesting clues, but I’d be inclined to compare the headstock and bearing arrangement with examples of known dates before drawing any conclusions.

The older tailstock might help narrow things down, although it isn’t necessarily proof that the whole machine dates from an earlier period. Hopefully someone familiar with the ML4 serial numbers can give you a better idea. It would be interesting to see a few pictures of the headstock, pulleys and tailstock as well.

[Steven VolzParticipant @stevenvolz60568]

Thanks for your reply Andrew. I shall attempt to add some relevant photos. By the way, it has a humungous Brook ¼hp motor. Is that normal?

[bernard towersParticipant @bernardtowers37738]

better a larger underworked motor than an undersized overworked one

[BazyleParticipant @bazyle]

There are 4 lathes in the basic ML range. 2 & 4 are the long bed versions of 1 & 3. Then 3 & 4 have higher centre height by only a little. All the details are on the Lathes.co.uk site. Make sure your tailstock height matches the headstock.

[Howard LewisParticipant @howardlewis46836]

The fact that the spindle thread is 1.125 x 12 implies that it is one of the later ones (Early were 3/4 BSW 9 tpi, then 3/4 x 12 tpi) with the very last being the larger thread, production ceased about 1941.

The difference between the 3 and 4 is that the 4 was a slightly greater centre distance.

The 1 and 2 were lower centre height  (Look at Lathes UK, to verify all this)

Changewheels are dimensionally the same as those for the 1947 introduced ML7, but are compounded, or locked to the driving collars by 3/32″ pins, where the ML7 series use keys.

It is therefore possible to drill a 7 series gear for use use on the 1, 2, 3 or 4.

HTH

Howard

[Steven VolzParticipant @stevenvolz60568]

Thanks all for your very welcome information. I will attempt to get out some photos in a while.

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