M16 in S304 on a model L Clive ,are you sure? I've got one and although I haven't tried I would expect something to break.
Frankly no I'm not sure of Model L capabilities as I don't have one myself and my only experience was in checking out and setting up one bought by a now deceased friend. It certainly seemed sturdy enough on test cuts and not uber fast but it was a chuck machine with no collets which may or may not make a difference. One things for sure there isn't enough money in the world to persuade me to pull and put back the countershaft and motor unit again. 'kin heavy and no space. Bleugh! However its irrelevant now I see that the OP needs to deal with 24 mm A/F material which is, I think beyond the collet capacity of all the small repetition lathes and bench lathe derived capstans.
Wouldn't write off the 1024 when it comes to this job. I've done a couple of similar jobs on my Mk2 VSL (batch of 20 and the customer paid a hefty quantity surcharge plus treble shop time for Sunday work), something around a couple of minutes per piece should be realistic once he gets into the swing. I gather there is a reasonable 1024 within pick up range for the OP so probably worth going through how I'd set-up to give him an idea of what else is involved beyond the basic lathe to go into "pretending to be a capstan" mode!
Needs Dickson QC tool post with four holders, coventry die head and dies, roughing tool, finishing tool, trimming tool, six position turret bedstop and cross slide setting spacer. Smart and Brown didn't make a 6 position bed stop but ones to fit can be found, no idea what make mine is as it was a no name "found" ages back. My basic setting is with the topside 25° from parallel with the cross slide i.e 75° on the scale and, obviously, the tool post set so one carrier will be perpendicular to the bed and one parallel to it. Cross slide setting spacer drops between the end of the cross slide and the flange on the dial assembly so that the cross slide can be bought back into position after parting off. Position defined by coventry die head which needs to be on centre line. Spacer can be anything roughly right as the topside has plenty of adjustment. Consider bonding a magnet into a recess on the spacer so it stays in place.
Turret bed stop settings give end of cut saddle travel position for :-
1) workpiece length, I usually use the parting tool as a stop to gauge how far to pull the workpiece out from the chuck.
2) roughing tool cut, roughing tool is set to give correct depth of cut in one pass with the cross slide pulled back against the spacer.
3) trim tool position to clean up flat under the AF as the roughing tool will leave a distinct taper
4) finishing tool stop, finishing tool is set to give correct depth of cut in one pass with the cross slide pulled back against the spacer.
5) die head stop
6) parting tool stop
Work sequence assuming starting with rough sawn bar which may not be square ended:-
Mount bar in chuck with sufficient projection to trim square.
Mount parting tool, set stop position 6, part off.
Move saddle back, set stop position 1, bring saddle to stop, loosen chuck, pull work forward to touch parting tool and tighten chuck.
Move saddle for clearance, replace parting tool with roughing tool, fit cross side spacer and pull slide back into position against spacer.
Set bedstop to position 2 and make cut. Either under power or hand feed for saddle, I usually rough by hand. Saves changing feed setting or hanging around at slow finishing feed.
Move tool away from workpiece, run saddle back to access the end and use the side of the roughing tool to put a small chamfer for the thread start.
Bring the cross slide back against the spacer, replace roughing tool with trimming tool.
Set bedstop to position 3, bring saddle up to stop and feed trimming tool in to clean up under the head. Ideally arrange things so that the cross slide spacer can stay in place.
Move saddle for clearance, replace trim tool with finishing tool and bring cross slide back against the spacer if need be.
Set bedstop to position 4, make cut under power with suitably fine feed for good finish. Tool tip radius needs to be such as to make proper blend under the hex head.
Move saddle for clearance, mount coventry die head and select back gear.
Set bedstop to position 5 and make rough threading pass with die head. There is a definite knack to hand feeding the saddle as the die head works to keep things engaged.
Run back, set die head to finishing position and repeat pass.
Move saddle for clearance, remove die head and fit parting tool.
Part off. I use a fine power cross feed setting, back gear with HSS tool or HSS turning speed with carbide tool.
Select direct drive and repeat until all parts done.
This sort of job you need to minimise futzing about so single good enough compromise speed and feed settings always beats shifting for optimum and avoids forgetting a shift when you get into the swing. How do I know!
I'd be using HSS tooling at around 100 rpm direct drive speed and corresponding back gear speeds with mist coolant. If running flood coolant a chuck guard is essential to protect against splatter. Right carbide tooling can probably work dry but I don't know what tools to recommend. Allow time to get all the coolant out from under the saddle when finished. A pain of a job on the 1024 but if left it will wreck the bed. Wipe way oil on after cleaning for protection. I use Hyspin AWS 32 as the basic lathe oil, Magna BD58 as way and drop gear oil and Rocol Ultracut 370 as coolant mainly 'cos RS deliver next day off my credit card. Ultracut is expensive at £100 for 5 litres but at 50:1 dilution is goes a long way and doesn't go stinky in the tank.
Limey and Forrest will now tell me I've been doing it all wrong.
Clive