Operations

Changing the Millhead Assembly MI-1220 and MI-1220XL

Please refer to page 83 or 78 (XL) in your machine manual. It is best to remove the millhead casting and the millhead column together as a unit, then switch the column over to the new millhead assembly.

Remove the upper belt cover, the belt, the belt tensioner and the lower belt cover. Unscrew the 4 #30 bolts from the driving pulley bearing seat, #29. Raise the millhead using the height adjustment collar, #14 until it stops.
Notice the key-way in the top of the drive shaft #7. The T-key #8, rides in the drive shaft key-way, and can fall out. Pull the #31 pulley and bearing seat assembly off of the millhead, watching for the T-key. Lower the millhead back down.
Score the paint with a utility knife, between the millhead column flange and the lathe head, to help prevent the paint from chipping.
Unscrew the 4 #10 screws from the Millhead Support Column flange. It will be necessary to turn the millhead in order to remove the screws. Also, check inside the pulley box, above the lathe spindle pulley and remove any screws that may be there. Cation: Be sure to support the spindle side of the head as you loosen the screws because it will try to tilt as you loosen the screws.
Lock the millhead casting to the support column with the millhead lock lever. Pull the millhead straight up with slight side to side motion, to separate it from the lathe head casting. Cation: The bevel gear is made of a composite material and can be damaged if the weight of the millhead is placed on it or if it gets pinched while removing or installing the millhead.
Place the millhead assembly on the work surface with quill-feed handles up. Unlock the millhead lock and pull the column out of the casting. Remove all the other parts from the millhead. See other instructions for removing the mill quill assembly.
Insert the column and reinstall all the parts you removed from the old head.
Replace the millhead assembly on the lathehead. Caution: Be sure to align the teeth of the bevel gear by turning the drive pulley when dropping the millhead into position. Reinstall all of the screws.

Removing the Quill & Quill Feed Assemblies MI-1220 & MI-1220 XL

Have the owner’s manual available when doing any machine maintenance. The items referenced in these instructions can be found in the parts section of the owner’s manual on page 78 unless otherwise specified MAKE SURE THE MACHINE IS UNPLUGGED BEFORE STARTING ANY MAINTENANCE PROCEDURES Note: There is a hidden screw located under the feed dial, it will be necessary to remove the dial to get to the screw.

Release the tension on the quill retract spring by loosening the setscrew 32 that comes in underneath the spring housing. Be sure the quill is retracted into the mill head completely, and to hold on to the spring housing with a rag or a glove so it does not spin suddenly. Then remove setscrew 50 on the dial side, opposite setscrew 32 .
Unscrew and remove the spring cap (72).
The outer part of the spring is still under tension, and can be dangerous if pulled out of the housing! Now you will need to unhook the inner part of the spring from the screw 51 on the shaft 76. Use needle nose pliers and a flathead screwdriver while rotating the shaft to unhook the spring.
Remove the screw (51) with needle nose pliers from the side, and slide the spring housing out of the casting while making sure the spring stays inside the housing.*
Pull knob (80) outward to disengage the fine feed and remove the knob.
Remove setscrew (63) and then turn the feed handles until setscrew (68), spring (67), and ball (66) are facing down. Lock the quill in place and remove the setscrew(68).
Tap the dial with a non-metallic mallet to dislodge the spring and ball.
Use two screwdrivers between the dial face (64) and the feed housing (88) to pry the dial off the shaft.
Remove the 3 screws (70&71) and pull the feed assembly put of the casting.
Remove the setscrew (81) from the casting, support the quill with one hand and release the quill lock. Lower the quill out of the casting.

ASSEMBLY

Basic assembly is the reversal of the above steps.
It is important to make sure all parts are clean and properly lubricated where needed.
A thin coating of light grease should be applied to and sliding or rotating surfaces before assembly.

*NOTE: If you should need to remove the spring, the easiest way to rewind the old spring is to make a mandrill from a piece of round stock about ½ inch in diameter. Drill and tap a hole in the rod for a screw similar to the end of the shaft (76) on the machine where the spring is to be installed. Put the mandrill in the lathe chuck and slip the spring over the screw head. Drill and tap a hole in the side of a lathe tool and install a screw similar in size to the screw in the spring housing. Put the tool in the tool post in a manner that the screw head can be hooked to the end of the spring. Slowly turn the lathe spindle by hand as you also feed the tool post inward to keep pace with the spring as it winds up and gets smaller and smaller in diameter. When the spring is wound to a size smaller than the spring housing, wrap wire around the housing to hold it wound while you remove it from the mandrill and install it into the housing.

Mill head not tightening

There are two things that can keep it from locking tight.

On the left side of the mill head casting there is a large vertical grove. When the lock is tightened, it pulls the casting together. If there is any debris in that grove, it can keep it from coming together properly. You should be able to look into the grove and see the mill head column. If you can not see it, use something to clean out the area.
The most common cause of the mill head not locking is the heavy grease the factory puts on the mill column during assembly. It is thick and very slippery. It can cause a film on the column and not allow enough friction to lock it into place. Raise the mill head up, leave it unlocked and spray a solvent such as WD40 into the grove on the side of the mill head casting while you rotate the head. This will wash out the excess grease. Wipe the exposed areas of the column and then lubricate with a thin coating of oil.

Midas Lathe to Mill Operation

How do I change from Lathe to Mill on my Midas 1220 XL machines?

Answer: Both the lathe and the mill are driven by the pulleys. The last or upper pulley comes with the clutch. Pushing it in the mill will engage and pull it out the lathe is engage. (Need to rotate the black plastic until you feel the lock is engage.)

Midas Nose Quill

How do change the nose quill on the Midas machine
Answer: It’s all handled with pulleys and belts change the belt status to change the speed.

Subject: Midas XL table

How to tighten the table at Midas XL machine?

The table lock for longitudinal table can found at the side of the carriage table.
In the cross feed you have to tighten the sets screw in between the gibs adjustment screw.

Subject: E gear

How do use the option E gear at Midas machines?

Answer: E gear has a couple of functions on the 1220 or 1220 XL E gear is use to reverse the direction of the lead screw. But not the spindle direction the lead screw moves in relation with the spindle.

You can use it do threading and to run any gear combination. When the gear is too small or the combination doesn’t much E gear will help to mesh the gear together. It bridges the gap and doesn’t change the ratio but reverse the rotation of the lead screw. Cutting of right hand thread need to use gear.

Midas Tailstock Chuck and Arbor

How do I remove the chuck and arbor at the tales stock? I forgot to put the thread on it.

Answer: Normally, after you use the chuck you just reverse the narrow then the chuck pop out. Tale stock and Quill has the same taper. If you forgot to put the screw (to eject easily) in the chuck and it will be difficult to eject it at the tailstock you could only punch the arbor out to take the chuck out. All of Midas machine are that way.

Cutting Treads

How do I set my machine to a regular position in cutting threads?

Answer: The machine initial comes with the slowest speed or gear set up. It shows on the first row of the chart. Slowest gear need to show the small gear to a big gear set up.

Chuck removal

How do I remove the lathe chuck on my machine? (Midas 1220 series)

Answer: There are three volts that run on the back plate of the chuck. Back the 3 bolts out on the chuck and it’s a good idea to have a piece of wood across the waste in case it slips to protect the waste of the bed.

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