Myford Lathe.

[Speedy]

I recently had an opportunity to upgrade from my taig lathe. a friend had a very lightly used Myford and he needed to sell it for various reasons.

he was the second owner (never used the lathe), the original owner was actually Gillet razors that used the lathe a few times to turn commutators for some of there machines. so everything appears tight to me and looks great.

I should make an inventory, off memory it has 3 and 4 jaw chuck, large face plate (possibly for lathe dog?), live center, drill chuck. and I believe a full set of change wheels and a few extra jaws.

I cannot see any screw cutting indicator so I am not sure why it would have come with change wheels! can anyone help with this?

I also have some general questions that maybe a manual would help with, such as the grease fittings I am sure are for oil, but how do I get oil into them? and the headstock bushings with the drip oiler they seem stuck open.

I will post images of the lathe in time, I am not certain what model it is but I would guess an ML7. the serial reads K111751 on the lathe bed.

I had agreed to pay 800 canadian for it. I hope I made out well.
considering a small chinese lathe is that much, id think so?

 

[Dave Sohlstrom]

Look at Myford lathes at lathes.co.uk That will answer a lot of your questions.

Dave

 

[goldstar31]

Sounds like a ML7 but no matter, if it is an unworn Myford, you will have a very nice piece of machinery.
It may not be the best lathe but it one of the best documented lathes to get sound information because it was the lathe which most of the greats used. OK, the Super 7 is better and the Super7B is the one with the fitted gear box. This what I have and which I restored from a wreck.

With a little bit of planning and not a great deal of expense, you can get books like the Model Engineers Workshop Manual and Workshop Techniques and the Amateurs Lathe which give fully dimensioned drawings for the ML7. You have the drawings, no fiddling about and they both fit and work. Bluntly, you don't have to decide whether the information is good, bad or indifferent. If it was good enough for people like Thomas, Sparey, Cleeve and Tubal Cain, you can proceed with every confidence.

You are in for a delightful time- on that I feel confident.

Enjoy

Norman

 

[deverett]

Speedy

A good first step would be to join the yahoo group for Myford lathes.
https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/myfordlathes/info

There you will find all the information you would likely need, not only now but for the future.

Dave
The Emerald Isle

 

[gerritv]

That is a bargain given the prices of less complete used Myfords in Ontario of late!

Gerrit

 

[bazmak]

Great buy,the thread indicator dial was an optional extra and has the facility to bolt one on which you should get on ebay etc. Keep posting

 

[bmac2]

Congratulations on the Myford. I know you’ll get a lot of use out of it.
The original manual can be downloaded at:
http://www.small-lathes.co.uk/files/1.388149myfordml7manual.pdf
I know I’ve seen the thread dial indicators for sale on eBay. The only one showing up right now is in the UK so the shipping could be a killer. It just bolts onto the side of the saddle. Not much too it and in a pinch if you could get/cut the gear you could make one.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/MYFORD-ML7-SUPER-7-APRON-THREAD-DIAL-INDICATOR-ENGINEERING-LATHE-/151852712472?hash=item235b208218:g:6QMAAOSwhcJWI4VC

 

[bmac2]

Serial Number K111751?
It’s just a baby. I’m not sure who’s older me or my lathe Rof}

 

[Speedy]

Thanks for the kind words and information. I am happy that it appears I made out well with the lathe, I am cleaning up some of the lathe so pictures after as some of it is apart!
I just joined the Yahoo group, seems like I have allot of reading.

would there happen to be a commercially available oiler for all the grease zerks that take oil, and what oil to use? I am finding these things all over the lathe! done want to start using the lathe until its nice and oiled.

I surely need to find a threading dial somehow, I thought I found new ones online but not sure where.

Bmac, took awhile to figure, yes yours must be early!

anxious to use the lathe. works keeping me busy.

 

[ICEpeter]

Hello Speedy / Michael,

I have an original Myford thread dial indicator. New and unused in its original packaging complete with hardware and shims to bolt onto apron. When I bought my Myford, it came with the thread dial indicator already installed. I purchased the indicator at the same time as the lathe, not being aware that the indicator was included and installed on lathe.
Would let the indicator go for US $ 50.00 plus shipping charges. Could send you pictures if you are interested.

Have other new unused Myford parts that are multiples of accessories I purchased (example: large faceplate 6 3/4" / single phase coolant system / straight and MK 2 adaptors for mounting Chuck in tailstock, etc. Will detail further what the duplicates are if you are interested.

Peter J.

 

[Speedy]

Hi Peter, thank you!
sending you a pm for more info.

 

[bazmak]

Serial no indicates made 1972.I assume its grey not green ??

 

[Speedy]

Serial no indicates made 1972.I assume its grey not green ??

Cool! thank you for dating my lathe

Gray yes. with red on the myford

 

[goldstar31]

Actually there is no such thing as 'grease' on a Myford. SAE 20 or 30 oil- yes but there is something in in the manual about Nuto 32for the spindle 'oilers' and I researched this one- a zillion years ago. Actually, it is common or garden hydraulic oil to SAE32 viscosity.

To continue, it is worth reading 'Martin Cleeve' in Model Engineer from about 1953 when he buys part of a new ML7 and builds up 'his accessories' from blocks of steel rather than castings. Eventually, he is thrown out of work and uses the lathe as his 'workhorse' and makes specialised nuts and nuts. He then published his classic Screwcutting in the Lathe book.

Oddly, I passed on my copies of his writings to a young friend who returned them last night after building his ML7 from what must have been scrap. Before the meeting started, we discussed Cleeve's skew rack tailstock.
Sadly, Cleeve doesn't seem to be read much but his 'Swing tool' is now available as a casting and not chunks of metal.

Cleeve did- would you believe- made his micrometers on the 7? Worth a read- but few do these days!


Norman

 

[bazmak]

I have owned 7 Myfords over the years.Great lathes to own and refurb with plenty of info out there.Only bugbear was cost,but if you think what they were 60yrs ago and how many of the chinese were about then you can understand
they were buit for accuracy and to last.Love the Sieg with variable speed etc
but for the older old fashioned engineer you cant go past the Myford
Still trying to get one to restore even if i have no room.I remember visiting the Myford showroom and almost buying a refurbished gearbox for about the same price of a 2nd hand lathe.I have owned a super7b with gearbox and like a fool sold it.Ah well memories. Regards Barry

 

[abby]

I left school in 1964 and first payday placed a down payment on a new ML7 from my local hardware store , can you believe that amongst the pots and pans etc there was an ML7 and a super7 .
The price was £78 and finance was over 2 years . I still have the lathe , the paint is worn in places and I have clipped the front of the saddle a couple of times but is still accurate and smooth to use.
I recently bought a Boxford type A from the estate of a deceased model engineer , I haven't got room for both and I think the Myford may soon be looking for a new home.