Cruiser.....or......Bruiser.....?

[27motorhead]

True... I rarely chuck anything until it's too small to physically get hold off to cut/machine or do something with! If it's mechanical and knackered I usually dismantle it for useable "material" and dump it buckets of similar junk! Somehow my brain logs I've got four of those unique odd fixings..........but Murphy's law says when I need those 4 I can only ever find 3

You sound just like me. Except your lathe is assembled and working! Never tidy up and throw out stuff, you'll live to regret it later when trying to repair/make something...

 

[27motorhead]

Found some old photos of the lathe. I think these were the eBay shots used to sell it. You'll see it's a bit like yours! Bloody old and requires an acquired driving style to get the best out of it!

 

[Mickeyspinn]

Great pics! That's a very early myford then? Lots of similarities....top slide and tool clamp are the same! Yours is different on the cross slide looks like it's got the ability for repeat angles I've just a simple set of three t slots for placing my topslide.
Same rack and pinion set up.... saddles got similarities too ..the engagement for the lead screw is the same ....Intriguing...I'm wondering if parts might be interchangeable? There's no after sales support with mine...
Does yours have a spindle lock and a bull gear set up? Thread cutting?
Wish mine had all that layshaft set up....mines a pain too heavy a cut and the flat belt starts to wander

 

[27motorhead]

Need to be careful this Cruiser-Hoosa-Bruiser (again Scottish accent required) thread doesn't turn into lathe lovers anonymous thread!

I used to know quite a lot of info about the Drummond and M-type Myfords, but that was a while back as I think I bought the above lathe aged 19! I sold it perhaps 15 years ago? That's why the shots are so low-res as they were taken with a digital compact camera...

Both lathes will share similar features as I'm sure they were essentially build around the same base. I never modified the lathe in anyway from buying it. I think I paid £350 from a guy who restored motorbikes, but he needed a bigger lathe. Turned out his son race XC MTB's like me so ended up chatting for ages!

4-way toolpost is handy, but less rigid than original single mount toolpost and most people seem to use multi toolpost these days for instant swapping of tools. Once you use one, you never go back. The lathe I can't get to/use has one! compound slide says what it does and could be adjusted to whatever angle you wanted.

My old lathe, does have spindle lock, reverse tumbler gear and back gear set-up so could do thread-cutting, but again elements of the lathe were quite worn and getting a good result was tricky. You could also fit a crank handle and turn by hand as the speeds never really went as low as you'd like so use to do some hand cranked thread cutting which took some considerable time.

Biggest issue with these little lathes is lack of rigidity and illuminating chatter just when you don't want it. Patience is key with these!

You should be able to get spares pretty easy. Things should be interchangeable with early Myfords and there must be a fair few forums out there... you just need to prepare yourself for another level of geekness!

 

[Mickeyspinn]

I've managed with a bit of handscraping and oilstoneing to get thing fairly good.. so finish wise on aluminium has really improved.... steel finish....hmm what Id call jobbing finish... lack of speed choices and I think my top slide and cross slide would really benefit from a surface grind....I think there's a bit of bounce coming from the toolpost that challenges the finish on steel.....plus it's standing on wooden floorboards! When I've got time it'll get moved to a concrete floor and get leveled properly

 

[27motorhead]

Little lathes can struggle on steel. Again depends on the quality of the steel, plus the tools you're using and too be honest these little lathes generally don't run as slow as they should which is why loads of guys fit variable speed motors/controllers on them.

I'd just keep using it as is and enjoy it for what it is as not many people have access to a lathe. Even new small lathes can suffer from the same thing, it's only when you get up to bigger lathes (Harrisons, Colchesters etc.) do the rigidity issues go away.

This is a great site:
http://www.lathes.co.uk/drummond-m-type-post-1924/ you'll spend hours on this!

 

[Mickeyspinn]

Yes I found that site pretty quickly... about all the info you'll find on the Winfield lathe is on there!
I am toying with the idea of using my direct drive wood turning lathe as the power.... infinite speed control and huge torque ...3 hp instead of a half

 

[27motorhead]

Yes I found that site pretty quickly... about all the info you'll find on the Winfield lathe is on there!
I am toying with the idea of using my direct drive wood turning lathe as the power.... infinite speed control and huge torque ...3 hp instead of a half

Now that sounds like a plan! 3HP with infinite speed adjustment, what could go wrong?!*

 

[Mickeyspinn]

Whilst the sparrows think about breaking into song I thought I'd make another widget of wonder....

A steerer tube....er....blanker/plug doofus....

This little thing keeps my options open depending on which way the project goes....it could be a mount....or it might just end up being a simple shiny plug of embellishment...we shall see..

 

[Mickeyspinn]

Was itching to make some more bits this morning....got cracking before coffee... Very unlike me... priorities first! Must be keen for this build eh

So we're getting nearer the proper mechanical bits ....but obviously it's still got to be shiny with a touch a funk!

One of the fun bits with GT's is getting a straddle cable round the seat post for a u brake...easyish with the original plastic doofer on the bigger frames! But on this little one it's tight as you like...hmmmm gonna try something...it'll either work or....erm not! Let's give it a go Joe!


Start with a little offcut nugget of bar...down to size...just a sniff wider than the seat tube

Ground a tool for a happy snug fit for a straddle cable and got a groove on....er in!



Cut the funky dish....this detail seems to be appearing on quite a few bits....think it'll appear again on others soon...



And do all of that over again for one half the size for the front...



Then drill some tiny little holes at cunning angles so brake and straddle cables dodge each other and drill then tap the threads for the pinch bolts ....aaaaaannnnnndddddd....a damn good polish of course!!!!!

and we have some rather cute straddle cable buttons perfect duo like the two Ronnie's!