# Myford ML7 cover on ML4 lathe??



## JCSteam (May 14, 2017)

Hi I am wanting to source a change gear cover for my ML4 I purchased recently, would a ML7 gear cover fit the lathe without having to drill new holes in the headstock casting?

This is one I've seen....

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Genuine-M...004669?hash=item361665ce3d:g:KpYAAOSwA3dYfM2~

I also need to find a top gaurd cover too, for that I already know there is a tapped hole free. Which leads me to another question what are the bolt sizes on an ML4? Would be handy to have one or two spares. 

Thanks in advance 

Jon


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## fcheslop (May 15, 2017)

Most likely BSW or BSF


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## goldstar31 (May 15, 2017)

Initially, there is no such thing as A Myford7 gear cover.  I think there are 3- perhaps more!

Again, there WAS a cover for the early ML's but there were other covers too.



What ever you decide, the ML7 and its variants  were totally different to the earlier ML's and the ML7 and Super 7 were balanced differently. 

I would fabricate if you are concerned with Health and Safety

Cheers

Norman


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## goldstar31 (May 15, 2017)

fcheslop said:


> Most likely BSW or BSF


 
Of course, you surmise is correct. These later fastener things came in - after WW2. Most of Myford was BSF despite the use of lots alloys- after WW2.

Of course there was the Drummond and then the Myford Drummond.

And a sneaky remark-- there WAS an Australian copy:hDe:

Norm


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## JCSteam (May 15, 2017)

looks like ill be fabricating then

I have five young children, so health and safety is a concern, not that they'll be around the lathe when operating, but id much rather have a guard on there than a child with only 9 fingers. 

The guy I bought the lathe from said it was all Whitworth apart from a few M10 bolts on the toolpost, is Whitworth BSW, (assuming British Standard Whitworth).

Is it sinking in yet that I'm new to this?


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## fcheslop (May 15, 2017)

Yes British Standard Whitworth  and British Standard Fine its from the days when we actually made things and during the war I believe they shaved a wee bit from the hex hex heads so a 3/8 bolt will take a 5/16 spanner just to confuse things
Im sruprised the Myford didna reject those funny metric bolts another non standardised system


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## JCSteam (May 15, 2017)

Ok thanks


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## fcheslop (May 15, 2017)

Keep an eye open around car boot sales you often see good quality whit spanners


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## Hopper (May 15, 2017)

> Goldstar: Of course there was the Drummond and then the Myford Drummond.
> 
> And a sneaky remark-- there WAS an Australian copy



Was that a copy of the Drummond/Myford M type? Or of the later Myford? What name was it marketed under?


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## fcheslop (May 15, 2017)

The ML4 was made into the 1980s as an Advance machine in Aus .Perfecto in the UK and Iv forgotten what it was known as in some other countries
Its all here
http://www.lathes.co.uk/myford-ml2-ml4/page3.html


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## goldstar31 (May 15, 2017)

I'm in the belief- right or wrong, that Baz had an Advance which was a cantilever bed lathe very similar to the earlier ML's.

Best is to look at Lathes.co.uk which gives more details.

Some-- a LOT of years back, Tubal Cain the Tom Walshaw one did an article in Model Engineer about what we are talking about and how manufacturers bought in castings which eventually took different names.

One supplier was Tyzack of London who obviously never made a lathe but sold Zytos. I had one which a local doctor had made Gauge 1 locos. His wife brought my late wife into the World as one of her first efforts!

What is missed is History because small lathes were actually commandeered during WW2. I also had a Pools Major still in in Wartime Grey. My earliest fixed slide was on the Zyto but I reckon that it came from a Perfecto but it had and still has a' Myford' zinc alloy dial.

The waters get further muddied when many small lathes had either no dials or had 62.5 degrees and not 100's. 

I've got an old Enox topslide on my rotating table on my Mark 1 Clarkson. You have to chalk because it had no division dials.

Or am I blinding people with science?????

And then when Myford changed spindle noses it used UNF but with a Coarse Whitworth rounded profile.

Well, you DID ask

Norm

Frazer is a faster typist than me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!11


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## bazmak (May 15, 2017)

Yes you are correct Norm,i did a thread on refurbing the advance lathe
It did have a cast cover for the gears.I wanted to make an adaptor
and measured/was informed the spindle thread was BSF,so I bought a commercial nut and lo and behold it did not fit.I finally turned down the existing spindle adaptor to accept all sieg chucks


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## fcheslop (May 15, 2017)

Oh the joys of using old machines and trying to identify what came from who
My first lathe had a bed like these Myfords but also had a stiffening bridge cast over the top of the headstoke bearing in a bow shape and also had an adjustable saddle stop that released the leed screw dog clutch
Until recently I had an Austin Healey lathe aka Perris or Cowells 
Good luck with the rebuild Im sure it will serve youre needs
cheers


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## JCSteam (May 15, 2017)

fcheslop said:


> Keep an eye open around car boot sales you often see good quality whit spanners


 
I will do how do I identify them, from other types though 

I'm finding the responses to this thread quite interesting. I have started my new job today and in the workshop there was a small lathe the ML7, I can see that it wouldn't be a direct fit onto the ML4 I have. Oh the big lathe has a faceplate of around 18" its a monster :thumbup: plus theres a nice bridgeport in there too


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## JCSteam (May 15, 2017)

Double post sorry !


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## fcheslop (May 15, 2017)

Typically it will be marked with  W as in 3/8W ,5/16W not AF another old size of spanner


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