Extensively re-worked as a centre lathe (to a very high standard) this Myford ML2 has also been fitted with a very compact and effective capstan attachment. In addition to making the capstan head, the builder, Alan Suttie, completely reconstructed the headstock to take roller bearings and mounted a stiff apron with reduction gearing between the carriage handwheel and rack. The tailstock, a notoriously weak point on these lathes, has received considerable attention with the addition of a much stiffer side plate and other modifications. Unusually, the cross slide is larger than that normally found on an ML2 or ML4, but was supplied with the lathe when new; it has been improved by the addition of a 4-bolt end plate and a zeroing micrometer dial of a decent, easily-read size. A built-on countershaft system, complete with clutch, completes a most impressive conversion.
During WW2 Myford offered two small capstan lathes, the ML5 and ML6, together with a number of others probably built to special order and in limited numbers. In addition a capstan conversion kit was offered to fit both the ordinary ML2 and ML4, thus allowing small machine shops to press into urgent service lathes which would otherwise have been of little use. As all these lathes were hard used on war work, it is unsurprising that, today, few remain.