Richard.
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- 18,344
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- Cambridgeshire
I think I'm in a fair position to detail my findings on the whole thing. I'm not even close to knowing about them like many of you guys but from a good weeks experimenting with it a brief review might help others in a similar boat.
Overall it's a well put together tool as this is one of the later ones having had a few revisions. 1983 metric version.
It is NOT a production tool that is very clear but it is a precise tool or I think so any way. Every different job requires tools, time, and fettling for example to turn an m8 thread from 10mm stock would take a number of small cuts to size it then a good 20mins changing the wheels, setting up the back gearing before getting to the thread. For a greeny like myself it's easy an hours work. So if your lathe is putting the roof on your head this one will do precise work but a lot of dead time.
I'm not sure what they are new but looking at others on YouTube talking about backlash this seems to be very good with around 0.1mm (0.004in) which is hardly any handle turn before it picks up and I hardly notice it's there when setting up.
The ml10 stand is rubbish nothing like the ones on the 7 series and I'll be modding it to make it ridgid and brackets to connect to the wall too. Belt change looks a right chore and this v belt will be the last single piece one it gets as I ain't stripping that out unless it needs it. Bad design if you ask me so the spendier link up ones will be on the cards for future replacements.
I had a look at a new lathe the other day cheap one similar size and I'm glad I went the way I did. The steadys alone on mine are twice the weight and the whole thing just seems more substantial and rugged if you like.
The fast speed on this one is a shy les than 900rpm which is slow when compared to the 2000 on some but I actually don't find it restrictive, maybe one day I might but I can get a lovely finish on what I've cut so far in steel brass and Alu on its top end. It's bottom end at 48rpm seems suitable for those threads as a beginner a little slower would be nice but again the cheap ones at 100+ would be hard work I think. The amount of various tools needed for it is a ball ache. I literally had them laying everywhere just to do a bit of maintence and set up for threads. Some of the grub screws are imperial hex some metric hex some flat blade screws and some cross heads and it's the same with the nuts and bolts they are all sorts of sizes. And can someone tell me what the designer was thinking with the little cap head 4mm alan key bolt on the side of the spindle gear when engaging the back gears. You need an Alan key about 10mm long to stand a chance so that will get changed For an 8mm hex as I ain't cutting up tools. I really love the tail stock on it. So smooth with a surprising amount of extension all clearly marked up. Locks up really positive and feels like a proper made thing. Haven't checked chuck run out yet but if it was significant I guess Id of noticed when I cut my brass tube to exactly 12mm which it was at both ends so must be ok but will check when I get a DTI. It's ideal for me on the whole despite obvious areas for improvement. It will be used for some of my fabrication projects that do pay but I don't mind that it takes time to do jobs as my work is private work and it's more important that it's right than done quick.
I've had 430 mm in length turning true in the chuck held up tight in both steadys. Again this is possible as I was getting nice finish but again it's a 20min set up And on its limit. I wouldn't go longer in steel. If that's the type of thing needed turning more than twice a year the ml10 ain't for you. I've also noticed on a browse that spares for everything seem available but they do fetch some brass.
Hope that is a decent summery from a weeks worth of life together. It's an honest veiw not a bios one.
Overall it's a well put together tool as this is one of the later ones having had a few revisions. 1983 metric version.
It is NOT a production tool that is very clear but it is a precise tool or I think so any way. Every different job requires tools, time, and fettling for example to turn an m8 thread from 10mm stock would take a number of small cuts to size it then a good 20mins changing the wheels, setting up the back gearing before getting to the thread. For a greeny like myself it's easy an hours work. So if your lathe is putting the roof on your head this one will do precise work but a lot of dead time.
I'm not sure what they are new but looking at others on YouTube talking about backlash this seems to be very good with around 0.1mm (0.004in) which is hardly any handle turn before it picks up and I hardly notice it's there when setting up.
The ml10 stand is rubbish nothing like the ones on the 7 series and I'll be modding it to make it ridgid and brackets to connect to the wall too. Belt change looks a right chore and this v belt will be the last single piece one it gets as I ain't stripping that out unless it needs it. Bad design if you ask me so the spendier link up ones will be on the cards for future replacements.
I had a look at a new lathe the other day cheap one similar size and I'm glad I went the way I did. The steadys alone on mine are twice the weight and the whole thing just seems more substantial and rugged if you like.
The fast speed on this one is a shy les than 900rpm which is slow when compared to the 2000 on some but I actually don't find it restrictive, maybe one day I might but I can get a lovely finish on what I've cut so far in steel brass and Alu on its top end. It's bottom end at 48rpm seems suitable for those threads as a beginner a little slower would be nice but again the cheap ones at 100+ would be hard work I think. The amount of various tools needed for it is a ball ache. I literally had them laying everywhere just to do a bit of maintence and set up for threads. Some of the grub screws are imperial hex some metric hex some flat blade screws and some cross heads and it's the same with the nuts and bolts they are all sorts of sizes. And can someone tell me what the designer was thinking with the little cap head 4mm alan key bolt on the side of the spindle gear when engaging the back gears. You need an Alan key about 10mm long to stand a chance so that will get changed For an 8mm hex as I ain't cutting up tools. I really love the tail stock on it. So smooth with a surprising amount of extension all clearly marked up. Locks up really positive and feels like a proper made thing. Haven't checked chuck run out yet but if it was significant I guess Id of noticed when I cut my brass tube to exactly 12mm which it was at both ends so must be ok but will check when I get a DTI. It's ideal for me on the whole despite obvious areas for improvement. It will be used for some of my fabrication projects that do pay but I don't mind that it takes time to do jobs as my work is private work and it's more important that it's right than done quick.
I've had 430 mm in length turning true in the chuck held up tight in both steadys. Again this is possible as I was getting nice finish but again it's a 20min set up And on its limit. I wouldn't go longer in steel. If that's the type of thing needed turning more than twice a year the ml10 ain't for you. I've also noticed on a browse that spares for everything seem available but they do fetch some brass.
Hope that is a decent summery from a weeks worth of life together. It's an honest veiw not a bios one.
anything up to half inch I have all the taps and dies anything larger gets thread cut on lathe
as ive not got there myself just yet 
