Great video. I really like the oilers. I have all the upgrades you mentioned except for the tool post. I've had my 1952 ML7 for 17 years and have used the original "boat type" and four-way tool post for many years. I fabricated a QCTP from scratch, about 3 years ago, using plans from the internet. I would never go back to the four-way post, but we all have our own opinions.

Nice to see that the machine is still in good condition after all these years.

The original chuck setup allows you to centre the part by loosening the three bolts. Then snug them back and tap the chuck body until its running perfect.

Good to see you back in the workshop. Little 'un must be giving you some time off.

This is great information and very useful, thanks. I believe the four way tool post on our colchester has a ball on the underside that engages at the 90 degree marks

eyup William Not too shoddy for it's age, you ought to have measured the wear on the one i worked as an apprentice, jesus!!!!, keep adding the upgrades and it will be a great lathe. atb Kev

Chronova Engineering has a few helpful things to say about 4-way tool posts. I prefer them as well. Although I started on Armstrong tool holders, which are pretty awful for anything except simple jobs.

i my self have an ml7..have so for few months now ..love the thing to bits..one thing i can recommend doing to yours is to make a guard to protect the motor as it looks similar to mine and does collect a lot of sworf belive it or not...made mine out of cardboard easy to make and easy to replace ...i do tend to make a steal back sworf guard and cover for the motor in the new year .....updated mine with a quick change tool post made life easier and made a carriage locking adapter otherwise mines just as worn as yours not bad for being made in the 50s ! my motor was re-wired as were it originally came from was hard wired to the shed electrics and was the original wire from the 50s

A word of caution on measuring the width of the ways... I have an older Super 7 which Myford called narrow guide where the carriage gib strip pushes against the front vertical shear of the front way and the carriage is pulled against the back of the front way. The gib strip did not make contact with 100% of the height of the front way with 1mm to 2mm at the bottom not contacting the gib. This results in an inverted "P" shaped wear pattern. This could be felt and seen. Micrometer measurements of the front way width were very inconsistent depending on the part of the way measured. Measurements from the bottom of the faces were close to Myford specs. Measurement at the top of the way were far from acceptable. Worse way width wear ended up at 0.111mm. I took 5 measurements every 75mm along the bed, discarded the smallest and the largest and averaged the three remaining readings at each point. Cheers

out of curiosity ..were did you get that fine feed tumbler gear from ? was from myford its self ?

Great vid William, I didnt know you could get a fine feed tumbler gear, where did that come from?

At 1:40 surely the ways are of the same cast material as the bed casting, not mild steel. I'm pretty sure the ways are machined on the casting on my ML7. I'm not sure of the exact alloy but I would guess it's a spheroidal graphite or malleable iron. Does anyone know?

The way you measured the lead screw wear and bearing wear don’t tell you much about the wear. The backlash in the lead screw at various points is what matters and the play in the bearing is what you want to know. The same way you measured the play in the tail stock. Great video as always.

"Thou" What micrometer are you using? metric or imperial? The lead screw's thickness is less important, what is important? How much pitch wear is there? Quick change tool post give a lot of versatility. the more holder one has, the greater the versatility; tool's only have to be set-up once. Thus carbide-inserts and tool-bits can have their own holder. One tool for ruffing P40s and one for finish P 10-15 and the same goes for inside turning, parting, grooving and all the rest. I have 10 tool holders, all with their own tool type. But of course, if one has no need for more that four holders, then a turret is sufficient. But for the more ambitious turner a quick change tool post is a must!! And I doubt if a Myford can handle carbide inserts efficiently.