A tale of two Myfords.........

[slim_boy_fat]

Thanks lads, I understand the 'less than desirable' aspect of the castors, but health issues mean that sometimes I'm pretty knackered and unfit for much in the way of exertion - so, again, planning ahead for any situation where the lathe might need to be moved or the shed 'redesigned'.

Besides, if the set-up proves totally useless, I can always jack it up, remove the wheels and get Maurice's feet back on terra firma.

 

[Gritineye]

To avoid disappointment I would just turn a couple of simple solid steel wheels for one end and put two levelling screws under the other end.

To move it put a lever between the levelling screws and move it with almost no effort at all, rubber wheels and plastic parts have no place near a lathe.

 

[slim_boy_fat]

Just a quick update, mostly I've been painting, then painting, then...well, you get the idea. The paint looks to the untrained eye to be a shade darker than what's on the lathe, but comparison of similar machines online would suggest it's accurate, so either Maurice has faded with time or been painted at some time in his 40+ years. Doesn't really matter because it's what I've got and that's what it's going to be.

Got the castors fitted and they do what I hoped, make the stand very easily moved around for access to get bits on and off for refurb'ing. However, I have to agree that the Collective was spot on [yet again - apologies if I gave the impression that I knew what I was doing ] in that they'll be useless for day-to-day use. Plan B is to make levelling feet once I've got access to the welder. I can then remove the wheels and keep them for something else - like a Baldrick 'cunning plan', or temporarily swop out the feet for moving.

Just have the top face of the drip tray to paint and allow to dry, then I can fit the levelling blocks and get Maurice on top for his bird's-eye view of his new home. It'll be good to be able to see the floor and not have to be side-stepping all the time, or getting sore knees removing bits.........
Apologies for poor phone pics, the lighting in the shed isn't the best

Still in primer:




Top coat applied with roller:



And the general chaos that is currently the shed :



Still planning, among other things, on best/neatest and safest way to mount the Dewhurst and NVR [I'm left-handed, so where the existing holes on the left face are is current favourite] without cutting any more holes in the stand. I have a Baldrick in mind.....

Steroid day today, so don't expect much, if any, sleep tonight - the upside is I'll be up and on the go early so should be able to press on ,
there's a 'positive' in every situation.....

More in due course

 

[slim_boy_fat]

Did a bit more on the lathe today, not too much as I had to watch Scotland give Wales a kicking at rugby.....29:13 yah!!!!

Painted the drip tray and left it to dry, might take a while as it was damp and cold here - no pics as you know what a drip tray [newly painted] looks like.

Got the front part of the lever arrangement off and apart from one weak spring which looks as if might have been stretched at some point, it all looks pretty reasonable in there. Quite clean [considering] and the head-stock isn't gummed up in crap or lots of swarf - a careful wash out with petrol and a good clean should allow closer examination, but I'm not anticipating too many nasty surprises. The belts look reasonable but there's no way to change them without splitting the main shaft from the rest of the head-stock, so I might shelve replacing them to see how she performs on reassembly. If push comes to shove, they're available and not prohibitively expensive, as is the belt from the motor to the counter shaft.

Here you go anyway..........

 

[glyn.c]

if you do need to change/replace the belts can you use link belt on a tri lever ?

on your previous comments on move ability make sure you put it in place now if you can as today ive had a mate over to help me move my supr7b and seig mill just a matter of a foot or so and it has been a major effort

 

[slim_boy_fat]

...if you do need to change/replace the belts can you use link belt on a tri lever ?

Shouldn't think so, they're under tension from the cams all the time so wouldn't run smoothly.

 

[Turbo]

See those 3 alloy rollers that push on the belts when you operate the levers? They run on a simple unshielded ball bearing & if they're anything like mine the grease will be old & dried out. It's probably a good idea to remove these, wash out the old grease & repack the bearings with fresh grease.

I would also advise you to check if the back gear is free and it's getting oil. Mine was a bit gummed up from not being used. I removed the spindle, stripped off the pulleys & backgear, cleaned everything & reassembled.

What kind of oil nipples are fitted to your lathe? Normally they have a tapered nipple which needs a special oil gun that leaks every time you use it. A common conversion is to fit standard 2BA grease nipples & convert a standard lever grease gun to squirt oil (instructions on the web). I did this on my lathe & it works very well, though I had a problem with poor quality nipples breaking off. If you are buying them go for quality ones with a 2 BA thread.

 

[slim_boy_fat]

@Turbo Thanks, mate - I'll likely have a go at those bearings as you suggest, no point in spoiling the ship etc..........

Haven't got as far as the oil nipples yet, but the headstock has two oil reservoirs which I'll be replacing with genuine [new] Myford drip feed ones which I saved off the old lathe when I sold it.

Your sharing of your experience(s) [with the Tri'Leva ] much is appreciated.

 

[Yellow peril]

I ran my Myford 7 with a link belt for a while, with no problem. But looking at your pics there isn't sufficient clearance on your lathe to use link belts. When the belts go around the pulleys they protrude out quite far.Nice work by the way.

 

[slim_boy_fat]

Mmmhhhh, a little progress today - got the drip tray on and the adjusting blocks fitted, but not yet tightened down. Paint not fully cured, but at least it's out from under my feet.

I then decided to remove the motor mounting-plate and that's where I ran into the first problem. Looks like someone has replaced one of the bolts with an Allen capscrew of indeterminate size (prob Imperial) which defied all attempts at removal and another bolt was seized to the extent that it had bent. I suspect that it's cross-threaded but I eventually got it out. That could be a retap job once I establish size. I may have to tack weld a nut on this Allen capscrew to get it out, but will try some heat first.........

I think I'll sit down and make a list of bolts/screws/oilers (seems to be a few missing)/Imperial spanners (prob have those already)/sockets etc. I need then put in an order for the lot. I'm going to change the belts too, they look OK but might as well do them while I'm in there - I can always keep the old ones as spares.

@Turbo I don't suppose you have a source for, or know the spec of, the three lever springs, do you? I'm hoping they'll be readily available.

 

[ukracer]

To avoid disappointment I would just turn a couple of simple solid steel wheels for one end and put two levelling screws under the other end.

To move it put a lever between the levelling screws and move it with almost no effort at all, rubber wheels and plastic parts have no place near a lathe.

My Colchester master 2500 is still sitting on its wheels I moved it into the workshop. Ups been left there waiting for the day I got a milling machine......which is hopefully just days away now.

 

[Turbo]

@Turbo I don't suppose you have a source for, or know the spec of, the three lever springs, do you? I'm hoping they'll be readily available.

Nope, unfortunately not. They are just a stretch spring so I guess any suitable spring would do.

The parts list can be used as a guide to working out what thread a bolt should be but its only a guide. They seemed to use whatever bolts they had in stock at the time!

As regards the spanners you will need various a/f imperial, whitworth & BA sizes as well as a/f allen keys. For some you can manage with an adjustable but personally I prefer using the proper spanner so I bought a set of each.

 

[slim_boy_fat]

Picked up a full set of replacement belts today - the existing ones don't look too bad, but in for a penny etc

@Turbo Been poking about on Google for the springs and seems they're readily available, once I measure them.

 

[slim_boy_fat]

Got a bit done today, having bought a set of imperial allen keys in town yesterday - what a difference having the right tools make......
Found a snapped off allen grub screw in the motor mounting, but I'm disinclined to drill it out as it'll function OK with it in situ.

General clean up and this is today's contribution, was freezing so couldn't spend too long in the cave - I start to lose feeling in the extremities [stop sniggering at the back ] if I get too cold.








Progress is slow, but steady - shame it's not warmer and I could get more done . Next on the plan is to remove the headstock spindle, check the bearings and fit the new drive belts. Then another cleaning/painting session - but first I plan to get the lathe up on the stand to clear floor space and make moving around less hazardous........ [H & S don'tcha know..... ]
Probably shopping tomorrow [Oh joy ] and fill the car with fuel before next week's Budget . Well, a fella has to eat too.............

Thanks for reading

 

[cumbriasteve]

Enjoying following the thread, the cold weather is also stopping me playing

 

[Turbo]

Got a bit done today, having bought a set of imperial allen keys in town yesterday - what a difference having the right tools make......

Allen keys are one of those tools that you have to use the correct size for the bolt. With a spanner you can get away with using a screwdriver to make an oversize spanner fit or use an adjustable - there's no such thing as an adjustable allen key!

You seem to have that lathe in a lot of pieces - did it come like that? I hope you're not relying on me being able to tell you how to get it assembled again. I didn't have mine down that far, didn't need to.

I'm guessing you're going to paint it when you have it stripped? Mind you, in this weather it will not be easy getting a good finish & it will take ages to dry properly. For smaller parts I would suggest letting them dry for a day in your garage then moving them into the hotpress to fully harden the paint.

I normally feel the cold but for some reason I was warm today. I was kneeling on a corrugated iron roof all afternoon banging in nails, got too warm & had to lose some layers of clothing.

My normal attire for cold nights in the workshop is lidl padded overalls, fleece beanie & a neck warmer (the last item makes a world of difference to keeping warm).

 

[slim_boy_fat]

My normal attire for cold nights in the workshop is lidl padded overalls, fleece beanie & a neck warmer (the last item makes a world of difference to keeping warm).

So....would be you, then?

I agree about the tools thing, makes a huge difference to doing a job properly.

No, it came more or less as one piece, but it's getting a 'light' refurb as I go along. I'm confined to a 14' x 10' shed and the worst of the big end of the job is done now. Painting in low temps is a pain, but for the smaller bits I'm going to bring them into the house and put them in the oven, which should aid drying and hardness of the enamel [I hope].

My biggest concern was the Tri-Leva set-up but that looks to be OK with virtually no detectable wear, so new springs,belts, oilers, replace the odd bolt/grub screw and an internal clean-up ought to suffice.

 

[slim_boy_fat]

Not much to show today, removed the spindle caps and found the bearings and spindle itself to in good condition - in fact I'd not be surprised if the bearings hadn't been replaced at some point in its recent[ish] past. New belts fitted to the spindle pulley and caps replaced.

I did take some pics but they seem to have disappeared off my phone..........., this is the only one to survive



One of the oilers seems to have been over-tightened in its cap, so I'm pondering how to get it out so that I can fit my proper Myford drop-oilers. I don't want to have it snap off with all that'd entail.

 

[MattH]

That looks virtually unused.

 

[gaz1]

im not cold in mine just get wood burner going then rather snug and warm compared to where i am im frozen on a cold floor in a garage

watching this thread with interest and no i havent even got half way through mine as of yet