Myford MF74

[Neal SwarbrickParticipant @nealswarbrick19322]

Hi Mr Mod'
Please move this thread to the correct "topic" area if I have posted it wrongly.

Hi all,

Have just joined MEW for fun times and friendship, maybe more

I have just bought a Myford MF74 4" Precision Lathe with splash-back/drip-tray, steel stand, all change-wheels and sundry effects from our favourite auction site for a VERY reasonable price.

It seems to have been doing the rounds for a few years but looks fairly good nonetheless . . . I'll be picking it next Sunday so I'll be biting me nails 'til then . . .

Anyway, questions:

1) Without naming names, is anyone aware of this machine and it's history? Have I bought a dog? Or is it truly a bit of a bargain with good prospects?

2) Does anyone know of an extant manual for it? Original or good quality copy or even an on-line doc/pdf.

3) It seems that it has the 'short' (as opposed to Very Short) cross-slide.
Is there a major difference in dove-tail/feed-screw dimensions between that and an ML7 cross-slide? That being a lot larger/longer with lateral rather than longitudinal T-slots.
Are the dove-tails compatible or will some machining be required?
If the ML7 dove-tail is bigger can I get away with bulkier gib strips?
I have also seen vague references to mod's to the cross-feed allowing for further "reach" – Can you point me to a good posting about it, please.

4) The first job, however, is, of course, the obligatory strip-down, clean, re-paint, re-lube and assembly.
Do you have any Must Do's and Do Not's for me?
Am not a complete novice but it's been a good few years since I had hands on a lathe and this is certainly my first time on a Myford, and an old one at that.

I am sure I will come up with more questions as time goes by but these few will do for now.

Thanks in advance,

Neal xXx

[Neal SwarbrickParticipant @nealswarbrick19322]

General questions on same . . .

[NJHParticipant @njh]

Hi Neal

At the risk of an accusation of Grandmothers and Eggs you have seen THIS site I trust?

N

[Neal SwarbrickParticipant @nealswarbrick19322]

Hi N,

Yeah, I've seen that site, thanks

Have spent a good month looking over lathes on-line – very limited finances prevailing – and that site has proved invaluable. It was partly down to that write-up that I opted to buy the machine.

Neal.

[david harding 3Participant @davidharding3]

Hi, I have an old mf74 which is being stripped and checked over but I have hit a problem with removing the spindle and looking for any answers please. The spindle gear is off and the grub screws are removed from the bull wheel and pulley assembly. The bullwheel rotates on the spindle but does not slide along. I assume the spindle knocks out through the chuck end split bush.Tapping the spindle produces a solid sound not just a tight thud. Any ideas please?

Dave

[Ian S CParticipant @iansc]

Dave, have you checked that there is not another grub screw down the hole?

Ian S C

[Killian StewartParticipant @killianstewart76582]

Hi I have one of the MF74 only 500 made so very rare 1941/42 I haven't striped down so can't help there but I'm selling mine that needs restoration it takes the same Chang gears as ml7 , has a 4 pully speed change 3/4 lead screw and seems very steady with 4 bolt down front and 2 on back end

I've seen them for 800 + restored

[Ady1Participant @ady1]

Very solid looking bits of kit and produced at a really strange period in time, and for what reason I have ever to read anywhere

edit: Maybe a stop-gap for specific contracts until enough kit from the USA arrived in quantity? Atlases and south bends for example

They can't have been a challenge to the M series contracts since there wasn't even a leadscrew clutch, the bore was only 5/8 and the bearings were not very high end, but they really look like serious metal munchers for hobby/professional use

With a bit of modding one could be a friend for life

Edited By Ady1 on 23/06/2015 00:48:11

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Posted by Ady1 on 23/06/2015 00:42:27:

… the bearings were not very high end …

.

Yet they apparently offered an optional high specification leadscrew

Very interesting.

MichaelG.

[Ian S CParticipant @iansc]

With that date of manufacture, could they have been made for a military contract, perhaps for training workshops, or even mobile workshop use.

Ian S C

[Ady1Participant @ady1]

Dunno what it is about me but I keep running randomly into these things

Maybe they were so well made that they'll go for a couple of hundred years

 

Edited By Ady1 on 08/01/2021 19:11:51

[HopperParticipant @hopper]

There was a thread on here recently about somebody had one. Look like a nice machine. Would have been more expensive than the M-type of the day or the later ML7 so were probably well cared for.

[Ady1Participant @ady1]

ME1999-August 31 1939 advert

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