Myford connoisseur history?

[jason fletcherParticipant @jasonfletcher75993]

<p style=”text-align: left;”>Hi does anyone know the history of the Myford Connoisseur. Did Myford Myford Nottingham make them or did the RDG lot make them when the name was purchased? Assuming both companies made them, are they both as good as one and other? Anything to look out for considering buying one?

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thanks

[Thor 🇳🇴Participant @thor]

Hi Jason,

I assume you checked lathes.co.uk ?

Thor

[John HaineParticipant @johnhaine32865]

Made by Myford.  They were available around the time I bought my big bore S7 and essentially a version of that with extra bells and whistles IIRC.  VFD, screwcutting gearbox?

[jason fletcherParticipant @jasonfletcher75993]

Thanks John and Thor. I am ok with the spec I was just wondering which company built the particular lathe I’m considering buying. However I think I’ve answered my own question. It looks like the connoisseur was made by the original Myford company in Nottingham and also  the company in Halifax that sold the knock off parts for years and later bought the name. The lathe has “Myford Halifax” on the front.  I feel like a traitor…

[cedric 1Participant @cedric]

Quite possibly better than the original. Have never seen any complaints posted anywhere.

Have a look on Keith Appleton’s YouTube channel. He did a couple of videos for Myford Halifax showcasing the new “factory”, basically a small workshop where each machine is hand assembled. All very upmarket as suits the Connoiseur low volume premium price market.

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

They also bought the stock, Jason

It’s not for me to say, but I suspect that your lathe was assembled from parts manufactured at Beeston …

MichaelG.

[Dave WoottonParticipant @davewootton]

Not a Connoisseur but a club member had a S7 built to his spec and colour by Halifax Myford a couple of years ago as a retirement present to himself. He is very pleased with it, I had a look when it arrived and it looks very well finished and performs to his complete satisfaction. It is quite heavily used building loco’s and last time I saw him he was still pleased with it. He was told that many of the parts and castings were from the original Nottingham factory. Certainly a touch of envy on my part when it arrived!

[SillyOldDufferModerator @sillyoldduffer]

Be good if someone researched this and wrote it up as an article.  What follows is joining the dots, and could be wrong.  Corrections welcome.

I believe the original Myford manufactured everything themselves in Nottingham apart from the electrics, fasteners, chucks, belts, plastic knobs, and possibly gears  lead-screws and some accessories.  Very few firms manufacture everything themselves!

Original Myford went bust in 2011.  A new firm appears to have bought the Brand-name and stock.  They trade as Myford Ltd, from Unit 7/8 White Lee, Mytholmoyd, which has a Halifax Post Code.  They are also listed at 33 Harrison Rd, Halifax, West Yorkshire, England, HX1 2AF, which I think is the Office.

Unit 7/8 Myford Ltd and 33 Harrison Road share the same telephone number. RDGTools Ltd are also at Unit 7/8 Mythalmroyd, so they and Myford Ltd appear to be closely related, and the directors all share the same surname. Harrison Road may be the source of the “Myford Halifax” labelling but I think it’s the postal address of the same business, not a workshop, retail outlet or separate company.  Anyone know different?

Companies House list RDGTools as a Retailer, and Myford Ltd as “Manufacture of other special-purpose machinery not elsewhere classified”. They probably are making new parts.  However, I guess “new” Myford’s are mostly assembled from Nottingham new-old-stock, whilst the firm also refurbishes worn machines, bringing them back up to factory standard.  No idea exactly what manufacturing from scratch is done in Unit 7/8, but all options are open. If new parts or specialist skills are needed, there’s nothing to stop Myford Ltd outsourcing them.  All OK in my book as long as done to specification.

A far as I can tell, the Connoisseur is a super Super7! It has all the extras, a hardened bed, better motor with speed-control, finer finish and extra-careful fitting.  Expensive, but not difficult to assemble from parts in a suitably equipped workshop with trained staff and full-on Quality Control. Don’t recall any complaints about Connoisseur’s. ancient or modern!

Myford Ltd are offering two Imperial Connoisseurs at the moment, about £12,500 each ) including VAT.

Dave

 

 

 

[bernard towersParticipant @bernardtowers37738]

Lead screws were made on a beautiful old BSA hydraulic thread rolling machine and on my last visit the guy operating it said to his knowledge it had been overhauled 3 times.

[jason fletcherParticipant @jasonfletcher75993]

Well nobody seems to have a bad word to say about them regardless of whether it’s a  Myford Beeston or Halifax made machine.

I’m picking mine up on Monday and can’t wait to make big bits of metal smaller!

jason

 

[duncan webster 1Participant @duncanwebster1]

When I spoke to the chap on their stand a couple of years ago he said they had run out of both machined bits and castings from Beeston, and were having new ones cast and machined

[Robert ButlerParticipant @robertbutler92161]

The original Myford did not go BUST all debts were serviced and there was a surplus.

Robert Butler

[JAParticipant @ja]

Myford went into voluntry liquidation when its founder, Cecil Moore, died. I remember him as a very old man, during Myford open days watching everything. These were great events where you had the run of the works and ask advise from the staff.

I bought one of the last Connoisseurs made at Beeston. It was delivered by the managing director, Cecil’s son, at the end of a snow storm just before Christmas 2010. Its serial number is SK171708. I was persuaded to sit it on ISO-blocks which was easy and not a problem. Other than leveling the bed it needed no adjustment. It worked straight out of the box (what box?).

Jason, I hope your lathe serves you as well mine has to me.

 

 

21 December 2010

18 November 2016

 

JA

[Dave WoottonParticipant @davewootton]

Two inaccuracies in my earlier post re my friends Halifax made Myford, it is indeed a connossieur which he had built in grey rather than the blue colour, which is what threw me I think. I went round and set it up for him (I call it levelling but have been shouted at on this forum for using that term, so I’ll say setting it to turn true) which like JA was the only adjustment needed. And I said it was a couple of years ago and he reminded me it was seven! and he still has no regrets about buying it. Oh but how time flies.

[jason fletcherParticipant @jasonfletcher75993]

Thanks for all the information. You have all been really helpful in assuring me I’ve made right decision. Anyway, the machine is now in my workshop. I’ve got to level it up and secure the wires and fit a socket on the wall and it’s ready to go. Definitely a joy of ownership thing. 

[cedric 1Participant @cedric]

Here’s a tip. When setting it “level”, set it so one corner of the drip tray is slightly low, so that any oil and cutting fluid gravitates to that corner, making clean up easier.

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