Myford Super 7 Reservoir front bearing oiler information

[Ken WeeksParticipant @kenweeks58536]

Hi

I have an early MK1 Super 7 headstock with the cast in oil reservoir and drip feed oiler with the sight glass.

I am after information on using this type of oiler drip feed rate, quantity of oil in the sight glass etc

I would also like the information to identify the manual that covers this machine myford no etc.

Can anybody help

Ken

[Ken WeeksParticipant @kenweeks58536]

[David Clark 13Participant @davidclark13]

For drip feed rate I set the oiler so it did not drip until the lathe was running. The slight vibration of the lathe spindle running made the drip drip.

[IanTParticipant @iant]

Hi Ken,

I set mine so I can just see a 'drip' slowly forming – it's very gradual. Not sure if I have any good reason (e.g. documented somewhere) for this approach, as I've been doing it for quite a while now and I can't recall how I settled on it. However, it seems to be sufficient and the front bearing seems fine on the odd occasion that I've inspected it.

The biggest problem is of course forgetting to either turn it on (or much more likely) to turn it off. In which case the sight reservoir will fill up and then the oil will just drain through the front bearing – which it does anyway but normally in small volumes that can be wiped away.

Regards,.

IanT

Edited By IanT on 17/08/2015 15:09:14

[Jon GibbsParticipant @jongibbs59756]

Ian Bradley (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Myford-Lathe-Manual-ML7-R-Super/dp/0852427751/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1439827450&sr=8-1&keywords=bradley+myford+7+series) talks about setting the oil feed on the ML7 for "maximum oil economy" which I take to mean the drips are as infrequent as can be reasonably arranged. This seems consistent with Ian T's and David's comments.

I think though that for a Super7 when operating at high RPM I'd be tempted to up the feed rate since the max RPM of the ML7 is quite a bit below that of the S7.

HTH

Jon

Edited By Jon Gibbs on 17/08/2015 17:04:35

[Brian OldfordParticipant @brianoldford70365]

I’m reassured to discover what I’ve been doing for years because it just “seemed” right is pretty much the same as others.

[Ken WeeksParticipant @kenweeks58536]

Hi All

Thanks for your replies.

The Super 7 lathe has been a project over the last 6 months or so.

I assembled it from MK1 and Mk2 secondhand bits one or two problems along the way, but last night after adjusting the head stock bearings and applying oil it ran.

The next big test is cutting with it.

Ken

[IanTParticipant @iant]

You may find that you don't get things quite right straight away Ken.

I've had my S7 headstock in pieces a few times over the years (for various reasons) and it's pretty good now but wasn't at first. I haven't needed to do this for a while but I remember (last time) thinking that I seemed to be more proficient at the adjustments (which might sound somewhat obvious given some practice) but I really couldn't think what I was doing any different from before (e.g. just following the Myford instructions).

The first time around though, it did need some patience and persistence to get it usable. Maybe something has settled down or bedded in now, I really don't know. But don't be surprised if it takes you a little time to get things "just so".

IanT

PS – It's an old machine – so it will probably appreciate the occasional conversation with you, perhaps a little praise and (when required) the odd verbal threat. This may help you to feel better about things too but don't do it when others are around. People who don't understand these things will think you are a little strange…..

Edited By IanT on 18/08/2015 11:32:10

[Ken WeeksParticipant @kenweeks58536]

Hi Ian

This is a 50 year old brand new 2015 model!

It will take a bit of getting used too as my previous lathe was a Pultra 1770, fancied something bigger and the challenge of building one from bits.

With regard to your P.S. I am lucky enough to have the lathe indoors with the central heating so it will be well cosseted.

My wife thinks I am strange enough already spending time over the last 6 months out in the cold in the shed, scraping, cleaning and painting all these odd shaped and heavy bits of metal that kept turning up.

Ken

[RobboParticipant @robbo]

Ken,

further to my email, I have now tracked down a (poor) photocopy of a Mk 1 manual from 1955.

The page referring to headstock lubrication is below, and I am happy to say that it repeats what I said in the mail, so my memory is OK! It is the same advice as that in the ML7 manuals for their separate "glass bowl" drip feeds.

Phil

[Author]

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