Recent content by Mike Ginn

Guys - if it an't broke, don't fix it!! The beauty of this forum is the diversity of views. Some views I think are just wrong but it's their view and maybe I will come to agree. We should accept different views without being personal in the comments. I watch many YouTube videos and recognise...

My main criteria is to use a cutting fluid which has no smell. As an apprentice we used "soap water" which was cheap, very susceptible to bacterial growth unless the correct water was used and basically stunk. It got into your clothes and stunk! I only use cutting oil which has no smell and...

In my view the time that a process takes is irrelevant. What is relevant is the enjoyment of the process. This can range from trying to make a model in quick time, running it and moving onto the next project. Quality of the model would not be an issue to such a builder. Others try to make...

Brass should have a negative rake to prevent snatching when using a drill press. If the brass is held in a vice on a mill then a positive rake can be used since it can't snatch but the hole will be cleaner with a negative rake.. Copper is difficult due to its softness but a positive rake is...

Richard - thank you for enquiring. The answer is slowly - so many other things just keep getting in the way. I am "just" left with making the oiler and stand. Almost everything else in complete. The carb took ages and I tried to make a 0.005 thick copper float but it didn't float so I...

Guys I have never had success with lacquer on brass - what is the best spray material to use? Really excellent model - well done Thanks Mike

Interesting discussion on cutting fluids. As I said earlier, odor or lack of is important to me for a peaceful married life so no paraffin - just NeatCut. For threading on the lath I use guess what - Neatcut and for tapping I have a tin of Rocol RTD tapping compound which is really excellent. Mike

When I did my apprenticeship and spent time on large mills and lathes my clothes had a very unpleasant odour of "soap water" cutting fluid. Not nice. When I started making engines and purchased my first Myford I vowed to only use cutting oil with low odour. The oil also must not leave any...

So how long is the Allen key?

Thanks ninefinger - I had never come across such an arrangement before. I guess its a cheap method to load a seal! Mike

I did find the lost manual and discovered that the ring was to retain the oil seal and the screws were to hold the ring from turning - strange arrangement. I have tightened the ring, kept the screws in their original positions and all seems to be well! Mike

Hi Mark - steady on! You do need to check the saddle and half nut while you have everything apart. Good idea to mic up the bed to check how much wear there is. I am not sure which are the active surfaces on your bed - Myford made a change on the ML series at some point to increase saddle...

Mark I find it difficult to understand how the previous owner(s) stripped the gears - never seen anything like that before. You ask should you fix the gears or fit a DRO. Its got to be the gears and a complete strip down to find out what else is wrong. The half nut and cross/top slide...

The attached shows a screwed collar at the base of the quill. This has become loose and I am at a loss to understand its purpose. I have no diagram showing the spindle/quill or the collar. Any advice would be appreciated Many thanks Mike

I think you are onto a looser! I doubt that you will shift the set screw and drilling could work. I think I would drill several holes in line and tap with a tapered tap to about half way then force bolts into the casting (I am assuming cast iron) to split the pulley. Could use an angle...