It Lives

[DMI]

Ladies and Gentlemen may I present The Beast.

The Beast is a 1921 Drummond M Type, the forerunner of the Myford series lathes. During the re-assembly I discovered that several bits were missing so it has not gone back together as original. I'm getting some bits from other members of the Drummond User Group in exchange for the parts I will not be using.

When I span it up this evening one of the original bearings collapsed so a slight step backwards that should be fixed some time next week.



David.

[caskwith]

Looks goodm bears a striking ressemblence to the ML4, but then since it was the forerunner that is not surprising. One you have everything repaired I expect several more decades of good service.

[Charl]

Cool! You'll never look back. Good luck with the tool set up and learning to use it.

[DMI]

Does £60/$90 sound a lot for an all steel thrust bearing?

The original is made from phos/bronze alloy and a couple of the ball holes have split, could this be repaired by brazing or would it not be strong enough? I have had two different answers to this one.

Apart from this one thing the lathe is good to go, new belts, motor, tooling et al. I've even re-worked a turning clamp so the the bolts line up even though with all the bolts sticking out it scares the crap out of me.

In restoring this thing I have found the most wonderful engineering place, although they specialise in farm machinery the company has been in the same family since 1906 and they have got a warehouse FULL of goodies including old compressors the size of a small van, a WW2 USAF B-27 tug tractor (as original) which according to tradition was 'borrowed' at the end of the war. And best of all the old man is a pipe smoker who is fascinated by what I do

David.

[Charl]

And best of all the old man is a pipe smoker who is fascinated by what I do

Aah! That is the best place to be in!