Another major advantage or running any Myford lathe is that most of the tooling can be used on any of the ML7, Super7 and ML10 models, and these can be easily found both new and used.

Only the "throw" needs to be checked when buying things such as chucks and faceplates to fit the smaller ML10 to make sure that they are not too big to clear the lathe bed.

One of the small inconveniences of running a Myford ML10 (or a Myford ML7) is that the tailstock is not "self-ejecting" .
This means that the end of the taper that is inserted in the tailstock needs to be "knocked-out" with something inserted into the hollow tailstock shaft.
A little tool shaped like the ones that I have can be easily made on the lathe and only need a light (hand held) tap to loosen what ever tool is held in the tailstock at the time.
This tool is convenient to use and protects the tailstock from having "unsuitable" items being pushed into the tailstock, and the large turned handle never needs anything other than a hand held "tap" to loosen the taper grip. 👍
This idea can be used on any make of lathe that does not have a self-ejecting tailstock, and the size can be adjusted to suite the tailstock of the lathe being used.

Your second video is visible now Nick, so maybe you can only load one video on MBW at a time? 👍

There should have been. Perhaps we are only allowed 1 link per post or summat so here it is again. Cast iron is my favorite metal to machine...

Only ONE video available to view here so far Nick.

Zooma, did both videos work?

I have never done anything like that with my ML10 Nick, but if nothing else - it does show just how just how solid and sturdy the ML10 is !

Zooma, Here is an example, It is amazing how versatile the ML 10 series of lathes is. Here we are boring out the cylinder for a half size hit and miss engine, and the boring and honing of the cylinder lining, from 2" cast cored Iron. I hope the original poster doesn't mind.

Nickthesteam...quote:-

"One advantage to having small machines is that project sizes are limited to the size of lathe so I can no longer go mad with silly projects...."

That is both a positive and a negative Nick 🤣

message from mturpin013

"Zooma please check your private messages"

Sorry I didn't see your PM at the time, but I did check and reply as soon as I saw your prompt.

I checked my private messages and replied to yours to confirm that my Myford ML10 is (sadly) available for sale, but I have had no response from you so maybe you have not checked your private messages and missed my reply?

My ML10 has not been advertised anywhere yet - other than the mention in this thread that I may have to part with it.

I had a late model Speed 10 long bed, it was almost as big as an ML7, you could throw anything at it. Due to circumstances beyond control it ended up covered in pidgeon guano and rust. My Dore Westbury went the same way. Luckily I got decent money for them and started again with the Sherline.. If I had the space and the cash I would get another tomorrow. One advantage to having small machines is that project sizes are limited to the size of lathe so I can no longer go mad with silly projects....

Hi Nick,

Taig also offer raiser blocks to increase the "swing over bed" height, and although I bought a set, I have never used them as they can only decrease the rigidity of the lathe......and I have a ML10 - so there was no need to use them.

Not sure what I will do when the ML10 sells, but for now I have no use for the raiser blocks.

The ML10 is a totally different breed of lathe - solid and very capable.

Bob.

Zooma, the Sherline is offered with I think 2 different bed lengths, 8 inches between centers and 17 inches between centers, I got a good deal on the long bed version. there are also riser blocks available to increase center height but care is needed and only light cuts can be made due to increased leverage. I have fitted mine winh Nema 23 stepper motors, an E Z CNC controller and a quick change toolpost, not that I can get my head round the cnc coding but I can also use as a power feed. I have mounted s strip of 5 mm x 40mm steel strip the length of the bed to ease use of a magnetic stand and dti..

Hi JB,

I have seen a few Winfield lathes before and yours is a very nice tidy example.

These lathes (like the Myfords) were made when they used to allow the castings to "age" long before they started to machine them to make sure that they were stress free and less likely to warp or fracture in later years.

IMHO these older lathes were the best and had far more character - and this is important if you are to spend a lot of time in the workshop together 🤓

Bob.

I have not seen a Sheerline lathe before Nick - it looks like it has a much longer bed than the Taig.

My baby is about 86 yrs old. It's a Winfield, somewhere between a MK2 and 3 . I have fitted a new 3 jaw chuck (turned a step the faceplate to fit the back of the new chuck) but can still use the original 4 jaw if needs be, - also fitted a new 1hp reversable (can be wired one direction or the other to suit) single phase motor, as the original Lancashire Crypto repulsion start motor wasn't repulsive enough, and needed a hand spin to run in the right direction. Added a new push button start as well. To fit the new motor, I had to make a new swing motor mount. The tailstock chuck was also replaced as the original had been butchered.

Has the expected small amount of play due to its' age and having split bronze head bushes, but quite useable (cut and measure) and perfect for modelling. I've fitted bearings with it, so still good -(just did my Optimist yacht winch bearing). Came up quite well with a new paint job as well. For a mill I use a large benchtop Taiwanese RY15 Lux Drimill I bought about 15yrs ago which has been invaluable. Once you have a lathe, (or mill) you keep finding jobs for them😊
Pics, A few things done on this lathe

JB

JThe Sherline is of similar construction but whithout the concrete. Here is a few photos of my much modified Sherline, please excuse the untidyness, I have bust my wrist so workshop activities have been somewhat curtailed...

I have not seen a Sheerline lathe, so I cannot compare it with my Taig(Peatol) lathe, but I have found the Taig to be a surprisingly rigid little lathe - far better than I expected it to be.
The alloy main bed casting (to keep the weight down) and the steel bed top (for durability) makes a better combination than I thought it would be.

I remember when I first bought my Taig (Peatol) lathe and read the instruction leaflet to advise that the bed needed "lapping-in" using a domestic abrasive cleaning powder such as 'Vim" or "Ajax" (!) - I initially wished that I had bought a similar sized Unimat or a Cowells lathe that had been factory finished!
This process all seemed a bit "Micky Mouse" at the time (probably because I wasn't expecting the need to do it), but once the scouring powder has been mixed into a paste and applied to the bed and was gently lapped-in with the traveling toolpost carriage, it became a very satisfying experience - and the end result was perfect.

I had a Peatol, very similar in size to the Sherline, same spindle thread, and a lot of the accessories are interchangable. The beauty of the Peatol (Taig) is that they can be purchased as a kit of parts and you can start with a basic machine and build as you go. A capable nachine for it's size, but not quite as rigid as the Sherline.

I also have a much smaller little model lathe called a Peatol in the UK, but it is known as the Taig lathe elsewhere.

Although it has sometimes been referred to as being bit "basic`" or "toy like" (probably due to its small size?), this is a very capable miniature lathe that really does work very well for its size.

Is the Sheerline a similar size lathe to the Taig?

Hey Dave, I would kill for a Cowells, their mills are just as exquisite. I couldn't afford one, even second hand, so I settled for a Sherline...

I have a Cowells 90ML for sale. Very good condition, lots of tools with it. Looks like the going price for these hand made lathes is £1,800.00.

Zooma please check your private messages

For anyone considering buying a Myford lathe, the slightly bigger and older ML7 models can often be found on eBay etc at bargain prices - especially if you are prepared to buy a slightly tatty" looking example and "do it up" yourself.

With handbooks for almost all but the very early Myford lathes (ML4 etc) still readily available, all the information needed regarding part numbers and illustrated drawings etc help to make restoring an old Myford lathe less forbidding.

Used parts can often be found to keep the budget affordable too, but nice clean mint examples of the Myford Super 7 and ML10 still command quite strong prices.

I agree about trying to find a Myford lathe (rather than buying a cheap Chinese made lathe) if you can find one at a price that suites your needs.

There is a good reason why the Myford lathes are still highly regarded - years after they stopped being made - its because they are solid and dependable and spare parts (original and copy parts) are widely available.

Here is a picture of my ML10 having a rest under its Myford dust cover (borrowed from a Super 7 that I used to have). 🤣

May I suggest you try and make contact with a Model Engineers Club in Canada and ask about a small lathe, ie Myford that might be forsale by one of their members. Cheers Ian

Thanks for all your replies. It doesn't leave many options unless I can find one maybe second hand in Canada.

Hi Jock. Avoid those little Chinese 12v lathes like the plague. I tried one, it was pants, nowhere near rigid enough fo anything other than plastics or wood. Sadly I had to get rid of my Speed 10 and DW mill due to loosing my large workdhop space. I now have a long bed Sherline and a Sherline mill. Fantastic little machines but rather expensive.. .

Hi Jock, I understand about your space problem but honestly I would be keeping clear of Chinese stuff, its the old story, you get what you pay for and I would certainly reccommend if you can fit in you should seriously consider one. With being a machinst its always nice to be able to machine that slightly larger component when it comes up. Myfords quality is top class and you can still source all the parts for them going way back. The smaller version, which started this conversation, maybe a good choice. Have a look on Myford's website and check out what is available then you could search for a second hand one. Cheers Ian

When I get back home to NZ I will post some photos etc of my lathe. They are easy to use and ideal for model work and they are built to last. Good English engineering. 👍👍👍

Metal lathe is one thing on my wish list for my building project. These Myford lathes look beautiful but too cumbersome for limited space and maybe a bit over the top for my needs for doing small scale fittings. My brother used to have an Emco back in the fifties which was also nice to work with. I wonder if some of the cheaper Chinese made 12 volt table models would be useful for mostly use of Aluminum for material.

It will be nice to see some of the things you have made on your Myford lathe Ian...and maybe a picture of your Super 7 too?

My first Myford was also an older Super 7 painted in the original grey colour, and it was a really good lathe that never gave me any trouble....but it was a much heavier lathe and not quite so easy to lift and relocate to a new location.

I also fitted a TESLAR variable speed control to that one as well - and it transformed the lathe.

Bob.

I am time served fitter and turner and finished my apprenticeship in 1967, some years ago. I have always enjoyed turning and now own a Myford Super 7 which was made in 1952 so quite old but still cuts true and parts off without any issues as long as you work within the boundaries of the lathe. When I get home to NZ,currently on holiday in Fiji, I will post some of the things I have made on my lathe. I think its a good idea for members, if they have a machine, to post what they do so others may follow. Cheers Ian

I have found the Myford ML10 a very easy little lathe to live with.
Its size makes it easy to place on a bench (or a suitably sturdy cabinet) and it is reasonably easy to lift it into the boot of a car to transport it from one place to another.... although this is much easier with two people lifting it with one on each end!
I have owned some cheaper (usuallyChinese made) budget lathes in the past, but I prefer the solidity and "feel" of a traditional classic Myford lathe.
In my early lathe owning days I remember seeing the lathe bed "twisting" as I was "parting-off" a steel bar on my first inexpensive little budget lathe, and that convinced me to spend a little more cash and buy a Myford!
Over my 75 years I have owned the bigger Myford ML7 and (more recently) the newer Myford Super 7 lathes and both types were nice to own and use.
The smaller Myford ML10 has been able to turn anything that I have wanted it to do since I retired, and I can honestly say that I have not missed the larger size lathes for any of my own model engineering projects.
The ML10 has been more than good enough ("over-kill" even) for any of my recent jobs such making new prop-shaft bearings, stand-off pillars, couplings and spacers etc......and other projects such as machining some Stuart Turner steam engine parts etc.
Recent "health scares" have (sadly) convinced me that the time has come to part with my ML10 lathe, and is why I wanted to share it here with anyone that may find it interesting.......before it goes.

Different metals and plastics etc need to be turned at different speeds so that they cut cleanly and don't over-heat the cutting tool (or the material being cut).
For general purpose turning the speed of the chuck can be judged without reference to any charts, and practical experience of actually using the lathe soon determines what speed you are comfortable with when machining different types and sizes of materials.
To avoid any gear changes at all, I removed the traditional motor and on/off switch and replaced them with a TESLA variable speed control and that makes turning with this machine "whisper quiet" and is a very pleasant experience.
Fitting the TESLA variable speed control system has transformed the lathe.
It has a simple (green) start button and a (red) stop button.
A knob allows you to select the direction of turn (clockwise or anti-clockwise) and another knob allows you to dial-in the speed that you would like to use.
The speed control is variable and is very precise and has plenty of power.
Simples 👍

The speed of a Myford lathe (ML7, Super7 and ML10) is determined by the size and sequence of gears that are placed onto the drive shafts - as well as the size of pulley that the drive belt is positioned on.
There are a LOT of different sizes of these cast steel gears that can be fitted, not only to control the head speed for general turning, but also for use when machine cutting screw threads.
These gears are known as "change wheels" and a chart is available to show what change wheel sizes need to be fitted (and in which sequence) to give a specific head speed.
A simple cast iron cover slides over these gears and can be locked in place to stop anything (!) getting tangled-up in them when the machine is running.

My current Myford ML10 is one of the later types that has a ball raced headstock.
The earlier Myford ML10 lathes used white metal shims for headstock bearings so they needed more careful maintenance and more skill to change them when they became worn.
The ball bearing headstocks need very little maintenance and never need adjusting.
Changing the two large ball raced headstock bearings (if ever needed) is a very simple process when compared with replacing and adjusting a new set of white metal shims.
The early type Myford ML10 lathes were painted in a grey colour and this is one easy way to identify those that have white metal shims for head bearings.
Later Myford ML10 lathes were painted in a green "crackle finish" colour (like mine) and mostly came with the updated ball-raced headstock.

I have owned several Myford ML10 lathes over the last 40 years or so, and in my pursuit of perfection - I have upgraded them every time I have found an ML10 better than the one that I already had.
This ML10 is the best example that I have ever seen, and has been in my centrally heated workshop for the last 20 years or so.....because I have never found a better one than this one!