Myfirst Myford Super 7 Mk1 Lathe – accessory identification

[peak4Participant @peak4]

Haklon, re your stand, before you construct it, I'd do a bit of research on the term "Levelling The Lathe"

This doesn't necessarily mean level with the earth's surface, rather making sure there is no twist in the bed, though being "level" in the spirit level sense is advantageous as well.

Essentially, the idea is, that in order to turn parallel, without tailstock support, the travel of the toolpost needs to be exactly parallel with the line of axis of the main spindle, for obvious reasons.

If the casting has moved over the years, or isn't bolted down correctly, then this could allow an unintentional twist along the axis of the bed. Maybe it was even bolted down unevenly in the past, and has taken on that slight set.

The Super 7 was intended to go on a rigid bench/stand such that, if the casting has twisted a bit since it was ground, then it is possible to correct that by differentially packing under the 4 mounting holes. Indeed the original Myford cabinets could add raising blocks which allow for this adjustment by using threaded tubular mounting feet (for want of a better term)

Looks like you've picked up a good and versatile machine there, well done.

Bill

It would be a shame to spend a long time making a folding bench, and then finding you couldn't get the lathe to turn parallel bars..

Edited By peak4 on 29/08/2018 01:25:05

[peak4Participant @peak4]

Re Item 9, could it be the fence on the top right hand of the first photo on my original link from Tony's site.

Faceplates, and 4 jaw independent chucks are readily available in the UK second hand.

For the latter, I'd suggest a 6" one which has a direct fit onto the spindle, rather than via a backplate; lighter and less overhang.

A manual is available as a printed copy fairly easily, or is freely, if perhaps illegally, available as a pdf download

Yes it's more of a parts manual, rather than an operational one, but has essential information on how to set up the headstock bearings, and how to "Level" the lathe bed. I guess most of the content is also in Ian Bradley's book.

Re, the oil gun, which looks a bit like an old fashioned pump grease gun; yes it's for ISO20 oil, rather than grease, but you may well find it leaks when you apply to the oil nipples. Try adding a layer of paper towel, between the gun and the nipple. It acts a bit like a temporary gasket.

Bill

p.s. check out your private messages for a useful link.

Edited By peak4 on 29/08/2018 02:07:34

[GeorgineerParticipant @georgineer]

Posted by Hakon Halldorsson on 28/08/2018 15:10:16:

Robbo and Fury: Thanks, the bridge or boat was in the tool post clamped with the ES tool in place when I got it. I just didn't include the boat in the photo. Clever design and I hope for most uses the original tools will do me fine as it allows quick swapping.

Hakon,

I have two of the tool boats on the shelf and I haven't used them in years. Because the tool height setting is lost every time you change a tool, they are the slowest and fiddliest tool mounting I have ever come across. I ended up with a dedicated set of shims for each tool, until I bought a Dickson quick-release toolpost with changeable toolholders.

George

[davebParticipant @daveb17630]

Hakon, if you intend to tilt the lathe down for storage, bear in mind that the gearbox has oil in it and is not sealed. Too much tilt will result in the oil running out of the gearbox.

Daveb

[HopperParticipant @hopper]

Which way do you plan to tilt it? From the long edge against the wall? Or from the end? With the height of the countershaft drive unit, neither way would seem to save much room? And you lose the usual storage space for tooling and accessories and other things in the area directly beneath the lathe.

[Hakon HalldorssonParticipant @hakonhalldorsson78240]

Peak4: You are right about Item 3. It should be the catch plate as 3 isn't in any of the saw kits. It has threads but seems unmachined in other aspects. I'll have a closer look.

I haven't had a chance to put in any real design work on the stand, it's just been simmering on a back burner since I got it and I spice it occasionally with tid-bits of information I get mostly from you gentlemen.
Good tip with the oil gun though, thx. Also good point with minimizing chuck overhang. Any link to the used ads for chucks and the like? I found some from ads here on this site but no 6" 4-jaw to be seen there.

Dave: I knew the headstock oil reservoir will leak when tilted but I wasn't aware the gearbox was a factor. I'd tilted it to try out the angle and nothing came out of the box, so perhaps it is very low. Does it use the H32 oil or some other? I was under the impression only two lubricants were being used in the whole lathe.

Hopper: Yes, long edge against the wall. It's about 63cm level from the back of the motor to the QCGB handle tip but down to 42cm with the front of the headstock gear cover almost vertical. I don't know how many degrees that is. Anyone have a cad model of the Super 7?

I'd considered I'd lose the under lathe storage space, but I can find other places for those things.

Thanks all!

I planned to use a hefty L-iron as the base and shim the lathe level on that but leave the L-Iron decoupled from one end of the foot bases to remove any torque along the X axis.

[Howard LewisParticipant @howardlewis46836]

Re the Oil Gun.

If you use it, you are unlikely to rust, or anything else in the neigbourhood.

My advice would be to buy a Reilang. Relatively costly, but good and works in almost any positioin, and best of all, it doesn't leak!

You have HOURS of enjoyment and fun ahead of you, making all sorts of things, models, tools, and often for friends ("Can you just? Shouldn't take you long" Famous last words!)

Howard

[HopperParticipant @hopper]

All I do with those danged Myford oil nipples is leave them screwed in finger tight. When I want to oil the lathe, I screw them out and shove the standard tapered brass fitting on the end of a cheap oil can flexible spout into the threaded hole, hard, and pump away. It seems to seal just fine and oil comes out the edges of the carriage so pressure is good. No leaky PITA oil gun involved.

[1PotsParticipant @1pots]

Hi everyone, apologies for maybe posting in the wrong place, newbie I have come across a similar looking machine definitely “refurbished” by the paint colour! – looks like a mk I clutch and mk II gearbox, am I right? What should I offer on account of the tooling and accessories included? (see photos 4 jaw chuck on the bed) also the c spanner is conspicuous by its absence and no oil gun either but I do see the drive dog, took me a few attempts. How do I even assess whether it’s in good condition without resorting to taking things to pieces to have a look?

Thanks

patrick

[1PotsParticipant @1pots]

Good idea Hopper, leaving the oil nipple screwed in finger tight

[Howard LewisParticipant @howardlewis46836]

You have both got nice machines!

1Pots

Possibly the blue is because the machine is a later model.

But definitely ensure that the lathe is "levelled" to take twist out of the bed. (The method is related by Ian Bradley in his "Amateurs Workshop" and in his Myford Series 7 Manual"

As part of getting to know the machine, it might be worth making a couple of accessories which will prove useful. A centre Height gauge will aid setting tools correctly, and mandrel handle. Helps when screwcutting up to shoulder, or tapping a blind hole. (Saves hitting the end and damaging /breaking the tool! )

Don't bother with the Myford oil gun. My experienbce was that it put oil everywhere except through where I wanted it. The saving in oil and cleaning up paid for the Reilang opil gun; which is REALLY good.

Howard

[1PotsParticipant @1pots]

Cheers Howard Lewis, so in your opinion it is far from refurbished and more of the ‘unused’ variety? That paintwork is in tip top condition for mid fifties if my guesstimate is right – as for having it, it isn’t mine yet but I’m going to look at it next week. I was wondering what I could check apart from spindle runout and/or running noise while I’m there?

Thanks

[1PotsParticipant @1pots]

Thanks for the advice re tooling as well.

[SteviegtrParticipant @steviegtr]

Yes it is a MK 1 clutch. The gearbox not sure about but here are 2 pics of mine . It is a Super 7B around 1977 from memory.

If you look in my albums, there are a lot of pics of the Super 7

Steve.

[Howard LewisParticipant @howardlewis46836]

1Pots.

The Serial number will define the year, if not the date, of manufacture.

Over the years, Myford changed the paint colours, which prompted my comment.

My ML7 was grey, dating from the 1950s , later machines were painted something approximating to "Industrial Green", and later ones became "Turquoise".

A fellow club member has an Myford demonstration Connisseur and this and the stand are "Turqoise"

But a machine can be painted any colour that an owner chooses, once in their possession (Have even sen one painted purple! )

The Serial number on the bed is the defining factor, although if enough parts have been changed by various owners, you could finish up with a "Coat of many colours".

Lathes UK website may help in finding the year of manufacture.

Howard   Fat fingers strike again

Edited By Howard Lewis on 08/02/2021 14:58:49

[GeorgineerParticipant @georgineer]

Posted by Hakon Halldorsson on 28/08/2018 15:10:16:

Robbo and Fury: Thanks, the bridge or boat was in the tool post clamped with the ES tool in place when I got it. I just didn't include the boat in the photo. Clever design and I hope for most uses the original tools will do me fine as it allows quick swapping.

Hakon, I'm glad you have found the boat. Now I want you to take it to the shore and send it out to sea, the further the better.

I inherited one with my Myford lathe. Not only does it alter the cutting geometry as it rocks back and forth (which isn't much of an issue) but it means you have to set the tool tip height every time you change tools. Every time, which is a BIG issue.

I suggest that you give each tool its own set of shims and keep them together, and get rid of the boat. I did, and I'm much happier now.

George B.

[egaParticipant @ega]

Would a workable alternative to the swing-down stand be to use something more conventional but on castors?

[1PotsParticipant @1pots]

Thanks Howard and Steviegtr, mine and your gearboxes resemble Hakon’s which someone defined earlier as mkII, the Myford website lists a gearbox change mid fifties and a clutch change late fifties so this one is probably between those two, I’ll see if the QCGB and bed serial numbers tally.

the lathe looks to have been used but no way to tell how much from photos but I will inspect it carefully for evidence of paint jobs – as you say Howard it’s the turquoise colour of the connoisseur, a colour which to my knowledge wasn’t on myfords until the advent of that model in the early 90s, all predecessors leaving the factory in the industrial green approximation since the change from grey. The use of the modern colour makes me think someone has cleaned it up as a “refurbishment”. The guy selling it says he thinks it’s unused, my hope would be to see grey paint. It’s definitely got the sight glass for headstock oil so it’s older than the green ones methinks. Unless of course as you say it’s a hodgepodge machine the proof will be in the pudding I’m going to see it Friday

[Howard LewisParticipant @howardlewis46836]

Try and find the Serail number.

I think that on very early machines it wa on the front way, near the Headstock, but on the rear way at the Tailstock end.

People who really know will correct this if I'm wrong. Armed with that yo should be able to get an idea of the age.

Howard

[Mike CrossfieldParticipant @mikecrossfield92481]

Hi 1Pots,

I have a 1957 “Mk1 1/2” Super 7 myself, so I thought I would chip in with a few comments on your prospective purchase: Difficult to be absolutely certain just by looking at your photos, but your lathe looks to be a Mk1 dating from mid 1950s. The headstock oiler and the early clutch are the obvious giveaways, and the rounded edge on the front of the bed in the gap suggests it is the original bed. It has obviously been recently repainted in a non-original colour, and by the condition of the paint it doesn’t seem to have been used since the repaint. The finish on the paintwork looks good in the photos. The gearbox is later than the lathe itself, which in itself is no bad thing since the later gearbox is better than the early model. Also noticeable is that the handle on the front cover looks to be homemade, as do the knobs on the backgear lever, the tumble reverse lever and the primary drive cover. The knurled lock screw on the lead screw cover is also missing and the adjuster for the drip feed oiler looks rather odd. All of this might suggest an old neglected machine which has been given a makeover in preparation for sale. It needs careful examination to see what the true mechanical condition is. Aside from any nasty noises (and the associated causes) and general wear, the things I would be looking at particularly would be wear in the bed, and play and runout of the spindle. Problems here are expensive to fix.

The accessories with the lathe are a mixed bag. The 3 jaw and 4 jaw chucks and the tailstock drill chuck are virtually essential, and so very nice to have if they are in reasonable condition, and the fixed and travelling steadies are valuable too. Good to have a catch plate, though odd to have two. A shame there is no faceplate. The change gears might come in handy, but they are really intended for a lathe without a gearbox. A vertical slide is a nice accessory, but the one in the photo is not a Myford part, and seems to be attached to a cross slide from another machine. Similarly some of the other bits and pieces don’t really suit the Super 7, so of limited value.

Hope this is of some help.

Best wishes

Mike

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