Myford VMC mill

[RRMBKParticipant @rrmbk]

Hello all .

Please can anyone provide the specification for the two belts used on a myford VMC mill from around 1980.

Also can you tell me how to lubricate the quill bearings.

I don't have a manual for the mill, and attempts to find one on the web have just led me down interminable rabbit holes ending in a request for payment.

Many thanks.

[RRMBKParticipant @rrmbk]

service info on myford VMC mill.

[DC31kParticipant @dc31k]

Posted by RRMBK on 24/08/2022 23:26:28:

I don't have a manual for the mill

You do now:

Machinery manuals

Part 25 A34.

It is useful in this case to search for both 'vmc' and vm-c'. To you, they are the same; to the al gore rhythm, they are different.

[Russ BParticipant @russb]

Also, note the makers name on the front, it's not Myford.

Here's a slightly less wonky version!

https://www.dropbox.com/s/1xl3o958x2qupqo/_Kao%20Fong%206×24%20Manual%20KF-VM-C.pdf?dl=0

[Tony Pratt 1Participant @tonypratt1]

I have a Myford VME mill so slightly larger table and I can't see any way of lubricating the spindle bearings, I also replaced the overly stiff original belts with a linked type with great success.

Tony

[RRMBKParticipant @rrmbk]

Thank you very much for the quick responses. Greatly appreciated. The manual and exploded parts drawing is just what I needed.

Bearings are clearly sealed units, so after 40 years probably best to replace ! and the belts are readily available locally.

Once again many thanks.

[Russ BParticipant @russb]

I think I looked in to the spindle bearings many years ago – I seem to recall having no luck with the thrust ball bearing at the bottom – I began thinking about an upgrade to a taper roller on the nose but after removing the pulley and bearings, cleaning and adjusting it's all been solid and sound ever since.

I was thinking along the lines of a "Gamet100035/100072C Super Precision Flanged Tapered Roller" The flange provides about 2mm clearance behind the bearing, and reduces the nose to table by 9mm or so. I'd have fit a standard rotary shaft seal in a carrier secured to the quill to seal it. I can't remember if I did a drawing – I have two young kids now and focus my spare time on tinkering with other things and if I get some me time, I'm zapping about on my 2 stroke faster than I should be, or tinkering with it…….

I'm sure a normal taper roller would suffice for a 10th of the cost (or less!)

[Russ BParticipant @russb]

This was I think…. a drop in replacement, do your own homework though!

Timken 19138X/19283

but still, a seal and carrier would be needed – no trouble for anyone on here I'm sure! I would just 3D print on, from design to part in just an hour or 2, and if it broke, I'd think about machining one… and then remember I can much more easily just press print and another will appear…..

[Nigel Graham 2Participant @nigelgraham2]

Thank you for raising this, RRMBK.

I have the same machine, and it suffers from excessively stiff quill vertical travel and as well as that it's quite possible the bearings or at least their lubrication are a little old and worn out by now. It also has a problem that often makes inserting the R8 tooling difficult – it feels like a loose key or pin not reliably engaging the keyways.

.

Thank you DC31K and Russ –

Have bookmarked these and down-loaded the Ostia manual. I think they are actually the same document. I don't think they differ from the information I have already but I will study them carefully to see if they give any more information… such as actually how to dismantle the thing to service it!

I did at least find my existing manual useful for making a drawbar to replace the original lost in a house-move. While at it the sectional drawing showed how I could make it self-ejecting.

[Russ BParticipant @russb]

I should probably reword that, "upgrade" – the original separate roller and thrust bearings no doubt provide much better support for heavy side loads, but I expect the taper rollers by design to provide less radial play and therefore better support for smaller higher speed cutters – which I more up my street, hence, "upgrade"

[John HaineParticipant @johnhaine32865]

I have a VMB which has a similar belt arrangement except that the intermediate pulley, instead of floating, was fixed on a sliding plate that had to be loosened, adjusted, then tightened when you changed belt ratios on the front, a stupid design! When I upgraded to a 3ph motor + VFD I used the intermediate pulley on the motor as it had the same dimensions as the spindle pulley and eliminated the intermediate pulley stage. Haven't missed it!

[Russ BParticipant @russb]

If anyone is interested, not the best quality scan but some sales information.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/4s35k4v8iho6lfl/Full%20page%20photo.pdf?dl=0

[Bob Unitt 1Participant @bobunitt1]

Posted by John Haine on 25/08/2022 14:22:42:

I have a VMB which has a similar belt arrangement except that the intermediate pulley, instead of floating, was fixed on a sliding plate that had to be loosened, adjusted, then tightened when you changed belt ratios on the front, a stupid design!

Curious – I have a VMB bought direct from Myford in 1998, and it has a floating intermediate pulley.

[Douglas JohnstonParticipant @douglasjohnston98463]

Posted by John Haine on 25/08/2022 14:22:42:

I have a VMB which has a similar belt arrangement except that the intermediate pulley, instead of floating, was fixed on a sliding plate that had to be loosened, adjusted, then tightened when you changed belt ratios on the front, a stupid design! When I upgraded to a 3ph motor + VFD I used the intermediate pulley on the motor as it had the same dimensions as the spindle pulley and eliminated the intermediate pulley stage. Haven't missed it!

I have the poly-V pulley version of the VMB with variable speed invertor and it is almost impossible to get access to the bolts of the sliding plate to change the belt positions. As a result I never change the belt position and rely on the VFD for speed change. As you said it is a very poor design.

Doug

[John HaineParticipant @johnhaine32865]

Posted by Bob Unitt 1 on 27/08/2022 16:16:38:

Posted by John Haine on 25/08/2022 14:22:42:

I have a VMB which has a similar belt arrangement except that the intermediate pulley, instead of floating, was fixed on a sliding plate that had to be loosened, adjusted, then tightened when you changed belt ratios on the front, a stupid design!

Curious – I have a VMB bought direct from Myford in 1998, and it has a floating intermediate pulley.

Bought mine in 2003 so they must have changed the design.

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