Nic, I doubt if there is a dedicated service for these now, quite some time ago a chap from Myford Nottingham was doing service’s but long gone I think ?

Surely you can do this yourself, do you have a manual?  if not look at http://www.lathes.co.uk they have manuals for sale.

The bearings will be a standard item so once you remove them its easy to source replacements.  Also I believe Warco do or did a similar machine — others may help here.

By the way where are you located ?

John

Hi Nic, what exactly is wrong with the bearings? Also if you are moving the mill as one piece there will be little to set up initially apart from setting the quill square to the table [usually called tramming] and setting the fixed vice jaw in line with the table travel.

Tony

Nic, I just looked at Warco and their VMC is 415kg [8cwt] it depends on how far you have to move it, what the situation is at both locations –Grandad’s and your home, what’s the access like, what kit do you have or can get etc etc.

As machines go its heavier than some home shop machines but overall not that heavy we have moved a Bridgeport in one piece a few times and it’s double the weight but we have the kit to do it.  Your job is not for muscle alone !

Your location may help someone to make a suggestion for assistance to move the machine safely town/county?  There is a chap I have heard of called “Landyman” I think who moves machinery etc but I don’t have any details – maybe someone on the forum will know.

John

Does anyone know of anybody who does this kind of work?   Must be plenty of people who aren’t up to moving heavy machines themselves or doing major repairs.

Maybe another victim of the march of time!  When original Myford shut down some ex-employees offered servicing, but that was years ago.   I don’t recall seeing anyone advertising recently?

Possibly new machines are installed and maintained by manufacturers on support contracts, and replaced when bearings fail because that likely means the whole machine is approaching commercial end-of-life.  Accountants are quick to declare “Beyond Economic Repair” because it’s cheaper to swap old machines for new – downtime costs a fortune whilst machines are being repaired.   Firms often lease rather than buy tools for the same reason – when the machine goes wrong the lease company fixes or replaces.

Possibly third-party machine menders have disappeared because they don’t get much work, caught between businesses who replace and Model Engineers who maintain tools themselves?

Dave

FWIW, my advice would be not to disassemble the machine anymore than you have to, to minimise the risk of difficulties in restoring accuracy when installed and reassembled.

Remember that the machine is likely to be unstable so be VERY careful when moving it, and DO strap it securely to the pallet.

If it topples over it won’t improve the machine, could severely injure you if you get in the way.

Have never used him, but “Landylift” seems to have a good reputation.

Ask those who HAVE used his services.

Howard

Unless it’s got built in power feeds as some mills have, the others including your Myford are a simple collection of parts. I wouldn’t think twice about pulling it to pieces. While I don’t know about your exact mill, I suspect you want to remove the hand wheels, feed screws and then the gibs. Then slide the table out onto something close to the correct height. I’d also bag each set of hand wheels, dials and any screws and mark each bag for which end of the table if came off of, and for the Y axis. Time spent doing so is repaid later with no questions about where each part goes. Removing the knee is a bit more complex, so if possible I’d leave it attached.

As far as re-indicating it back in after the reassembly. Again that’s just a bit of technique, some time, a plunge type dial indicator, or better imo, a .0005″ or .0001″ lever type dial test indicator. Anyone that understands how to use the mill or replace the spindle bearings should have no issues replicating the accuracy your grandfather did. And that part removal is an excellent time to solvent clean those feed nuts, feed screw threads and the way surfaces. You might be surprised at how much smoother everything operates after that.

Nic Bertelsen – I have sent you a PM.