Smart and Brown model M Mk1

[eLuSiVeMiTe]

Too many projects on the go and acquired another one this morning. Went in the van on a forklift. Getting it out the other end wasn't so easy. Couple of hours prep got some oak board underneath it in the van as a sled and built a ramp out of stacked 2x5 and two scaffold boards. Called in a favour and got a couple of extra hands in for the main event. Smooth as silk and sitting in the garage on rollers now. Bed had a couple of Dink's but doesn't look worn at all. All the slides move freely with no backlash or play even though someone drove it into the chuck at some point. Zero movement in the spindle too. All dials are metric and has a Bearnard 3 jaw. Have a good collection of change wheels and collets but possibly missing some bits to secure the collets in the spindle. Both front and rear tool posts present and a few odds and ends I can't place yet. Tumble revers needs looking at. Looks to be complete but can't move the lever. Possible been tightened up and locked in place. Need to have the crossslide off too. Leadscrew turns under power but crossslide fails to engage the screw to power the slide.
Spent the last ten years at a goldsmiths as evidenced by the gold dust I'm seeing all over the bed. has a reconditioned plate fitted so its been worked on since new. Not far off to there workshop for advice. Half hour down the road for me (a factor in my purchase)
All in all very happy with my purchase. Just need to find a new home for my myford now. Can't keep both.
Didnt really have any passion for the ml1 but I'd love to get this beauty looking factory fresh again.
If anyone has had any experience with this lathe I'd welcome your advice as it progresses. First job. A good clean before anything gets removed.

 

[cumbriasteve]

Spent the last ten years at a goldsmiths as evidenced by the gold dust I'm seeing all over the bed.

Will be an interesting project thread to follow, take loads of pictures

If the gold dust is in your way then bag it up and send it to me and I will dispose of it for you FOC.

 

[eLuSiVeMiTe]

Will be an interesting project thread to follow, take loads of pictures

If the gold dust is in your way then bag it up and send it to me and I will dispose of it for you FOC.

Lol. Be lucky if I scrape up 1/4 of a gram.

I'll be taking a lot of photos. Mainly so I know how it goes back together.
Glad I had the chance to strip and rebuild the myford. Given me a better idea of what I'm going to be dealing with. First glance suggests I'm missing 3 change wheels. On the plus side I found the rest of the collet so they should be usable. Shame it didn't come with a 4/jaw too. Anyone know any lathes using 1 3/4" 8tpi spindle threads?

Won't be a quick project. Baby number 3 was due 6 days ago and I've got a van requiring a fair bit of bodywork too. If I can get it cleaned and running properly over the next few months I'll be happy. Stripping paint ect might be some time later.

 

[eLuSiVeMiTe]

After arriving at a customers house to find milk on the door step and curtains closed I found myself at a loose end. Earned some garage tokens with some jobs around the house before getting it into its temporary home. Time consuming getting it off boards and rollers on my tod.
Stripped doors and covers off so I could see what's going on and gave it a quick once over. Tumble reverse was just nipped up tight and works although somebody's positioned the cogs so it won't run backwards ATM.
Leadscrew isn't turning under power won't know why until the headstock comes off. Clutch spears to engage so I'm hoping its the shear pin at the end of the leadscrew.
Going to concentrate on tail stock and continue stripping cross slide and saddle down this week. Fingers crossed all it needs is a clean to free up power feed engagement.

 

[eLuSiVeMiTe]

Another one of those pesky side projects got in my way again. This ones worthwhile mind...

I'd hit a snag removing the saddle and apron before he was born so when I was able to grab half hour I decided to test the motor. I saw it running when I bought but was on blocks in a big workshop and the motor vibration wasn't as obvious. Belt on under load there's a nasty knock. No load the motor sounds smooth as silk so I'm hoping bearings and a clean will see me good. Along with some isolation from the cabinet. Unfortunately the only way I can fathom getting the motor out is through the hole currently covered by the chip tray (not a small motor ) bang goes the plan of a clean and tweak for the time being. (The myford reform will have to wait until running so I can machine the parts needed.) Full teardown started tonight. As always a few more snags slowed it down but made reasonable progress. Can't get the ball handles off easily. Looks like silver steel pins through the ball and the shaft and struggling to remove the chasing dial from under the apron. Applied oil liberally a few weeks ago and topped up occasionally so I'll have another fiddle.
The most important decision still to make. paint.
Anyone got recommendations for paint/primer??
Thinking about a pale green ATM. Tractol is the paint I've been eying up.
Impressed with the quality of the machine and fixings. Other than the chasing dial everything's coming apart easily. Had to fab a screwdriver to remive gib screw locking nuts. Slot within a slot. Some areas of surface rust but all the critical ways are very good. Shouldn't need long in the tank.

Trigger to release halfnut at the stops. Working well but sticky. Tomorrow's job.

Powerplant. Did debate replacing with 3ph vfd but wife would go spare. Might just squeeze out the pulley access.

Once I've got the handles off shouldn't take long to get the 2 slides cleaned, painted and back together.

Can't remove untilni can disconnect the dial. Don't want to force it so plenty of penetrating oil and come back to it later.
All the dishes I saved from my Indian takeouts are coming in handy. Every part has its own box for fixings.

 

[slim_boy_fat]

@eLuSiVeMiTe Congratulations on the new little mite - I'm surprised you're being allowed garage time with him/her(?) in the house.......

SWMBO must be very understanding of a man's priorities.

 

[eLuSiVeMiTe]

Thanks mate.
Only allowed out weekend evenings when I've been home all day. Tbh gives her a chance to snooze on the sofa while he's asleep. I struggle to take him off her. He just snuffles around on me trying to find a boob and gets angry when there's no milk to be had. Slow progress on the lathe but as Kong as it moves in the right direction I'm happy.

 

[eLuSiVeMiTe]

Result. One down 3 to go.
No way was it being punched out. Dressed the mushroom end with a file and it still didn't move at all. 2mm drill bit in a hand drill. A proper hand drill. No batteries included. Then stepped up to a 2.5 and 3mm and it located in the soft steel perfectly. Gentle pressure and it slid off silky smooth. Didn't get much else done. Had to strip and grease the clutch on my tech gun ready for the morning too. Another eBay bargain. Old hilti.

 

[eLuSiVeMiTe]

Colour chosen and primers and paint on route. Another seized thread soaking overnight then the slides are ready for reassembly.

 

[eLuSiVeMiTe]

Productive evening. Seized thread came out easily. That's all the slides ready for cleaning and reassembly now.

Leadscrew came out with little effort. A little persuasion was all that was needed.

2 sets of these bearings at the tailstock end either side of the leadscrew. Simple but effective and look brand new.

Top of the apron was a little stiff to slide off. Some light corrosion where the tail stock has been sitting probably didn't help.

Lower half of the apron is a ball ache. Obviously I remove things in the wrong order making my life harder. Once its all stripped I'll do a procedure in writing. Might save someone else the troubles I'm having. On the plus side. I can engage the half nut but for some reason the handle is only turning the inner shaft probably find a keyway insert missing when I get the last few bits out.

Planning to clean prep and rebuild as.much as I can before i start stripping the headstock. I'll only forget how it goes together otherwise and have parts everywhere.

 

[Tiggy_dorset]

All the dishes I saved from my Indian takeouts are coming in handy. Every part has its own box for fixings.

Bloody great them tubs. When I ran out of takeaway stock, I bought a load of ebay.

Liking the rebuild

 

[eLuSiVeMiTe]

Bloody great them tubs. When I ran out of takeaway stock, I bought a load of ebay.

Liking the rebuild

Yup. Saved stacks of the things for just such an occasion.

Looking forward to actually using the thing. Own two lathes and can't finish rebuilding the first till I've built this one.

 

[Tiggy_dorset]

Own two lathes and can't finish rebuilding the first till I've built this one.

Think I have just come up with a new term, I would consider that as 'Progressive Project Syndrome'-- Cannot complete a project until that one is done, cannot complete that one until this one is done....

 

[eLuSiVeMiTe]

Fresh pair of eyes and fingers spotted a couple more hex heads. Plain sailing from then on.

Looking rather clean after a quick brush and spray.

Handle appears to be a taper fit and has a keyway. Doesn't want to give up its hold even though its loose on the taper.

Half nuts in good shape. All the grease and oil underneath preserved it well.

Little more disassembly then phase 2/can begin.

 

[eLuSiVeMiTe]

Touch wood. This is the only part I've found damaged. Gear for chasing dial.

 

[eLuSiVeMiTe]

Between donkey saws, shed racking and supermarkets not stocking soda crystals I haven't progressed much. Spent the day swapping parts out in the electrolysis tank and started some reassembly this evening. Old paints coming off easily. Not going mad with the primer and oxide removal its in fair shape. . The top coat was badly done in the past though and some areas look like it was dribbled on with a stick :/ few more days should see the rest of the parts cleaned and part assembled ready to paint the apron.

 

[eLuSiVeMiTe]

Managed to grab half hour and got the rest of the slides together. Nice to see at least a small part go back together.

Ball handles are just pushed on for now. Still need polishing up. Hopefully finish pulling the apron apart this week.

 

[Dieselman 63]

Nice progress. I got bored of tripping over bits in the garage and put my Bantam back together, found a 1ph motor for a bit of a test run. I would advise against doing this when you haven't finished restoring it as I now do not want to dismantle it again, it's so much fun! Are you going to do a full repaint or just get it all moving again?

 

[eLuSiVeMiTe]

Nice progress. I got bored of tripping over bits in the garage and put my Bantam back together, found a 1ph motor for a bit of a test run. I would advise against doing this when you haven't finished restoring it as I now do not want to dismantle it again, it's so much fun! Are you going to do a full repaint or just get it all moving again?

Sorry bud. Haven't had time to pause over the last 3 days. Falling out with the contractor I sub for has turned life upside down. Had to bring plans forward 12 months in a hurry. Keeps life interesting.

I've got to get the motor out for servicing. Most access holes are too small. (Most cabinets had lourve doors but mine appears to be an oddity )The 2 I can get it out requires dismantling wooden shelves or taking the bed and chip tray off. Makes sense to strip and paint if I've got to get that far inside. Few little items painted up. Helping me decide if I can live with the colour. Looked a little brighter than I expected when I opened the tin.

 

[eLuSiVeMiTe]

3 weeks of 16 hour days and I'm missing my garage. A lot.
Looks like this projects on hold at least for the summer. Make hay while the sun shines.

On the plus side I've had 3 weeks solid work and a further 12 weeks ahead of me. Not bad for a new start-up