Myford indexing toolpost

[John MilliganParticipant @johnmilligan78347]

finally getting to use my myford super 7 after a few months sorting the workshop and things are coming back to me slowly since I haven't been on a lathe in 30 years! Quick question regarding the indexing of the four way toolpost, I would have thought it would index at 0 degrees as default so that toolpost was parallel to chuck but mine seems not to fall at any obvious point? I know there are eight positions but to have post and tool parallel with chuck requires top slide to be angled round, is this usual? Cheers John

[John MilliganParticipant @johnmilligan78347]

[HopperParticipant @hopper]

No it's not generally usual, unless it has been set up that way so the cross slide can be angled out of the way of the tailstock and the toolpost then lines up square to the lathe axis?

If you unscrew the toolpost clamping lever (the big handle on top) you should be able to lift the toolpost off and take a look at the ratchet wheel that is held to the cross slide by three screws, if memory serves me correctly. You might see if taking out the screws and rotating the ratchet wheel by one hole to see if that changes the tooth alignment at all.

[John MilliganParticipant @johnmilligan78347]

Thanks, yes I have seen the three screws underneath but wanted to check before I unscrewed things! There are 8 positions so when set up parallel the "in-between" points should give clearance to the tail stock. Thanks John

[John FieldingParticipant @johnfielding34086]

Aah someone else spotted the funny!

The little brass plunger which engages with the ratchet wheel wears rather rapidly. I found mine eventually wore away to nothing. Turning up a new one from steel solved the problem. Watch you don't lose the tiny compression spring that fits inside the detent pin!

[John MilliganParticipant @johnmilligan78347]

Thanks, I knew there would be something in there that would probably ping off never to be seen again! John

[John FieldingParticipant @johnfielding34086]

I recently changed my Myford toolpost to a Dickson generic from one of the local suppliers, Shohba make as I recall. To make the modification you have to remove the ratchet wheel. As I recall the three countersunk screws are offset so it can only fit in one position.

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