Steve,

The carriage and cross slides still slide very smoothly and there don't appear to be any screws that could over tighten in the apron area.

The gear that I think you are referring to could not be turned when the cross slide plunger is pulled out. Push the cross slide plunger back in and it can be turned (there is a ball clutch that couples two spur gears together to engage the cross feed).

It does appear to be the bevel gears that are giving the trouble.

KWIL.

Thanks, yes you have identified one of the right parts on my machine. The offending part at this stage seems to be LA28, it appears to be bronze, it has obviously been rotating but both the front and back of the washer are nice, smooth and shiny. I am not clear what you mean by 'spacer' but my LA28 is definitely a thrust washer.

My list ends at LA49 but the circlip spacer for the leadscrew half of the mating bevel gear is not listed. That part appears to be a fairly hard steel.

Perhaps the machine has been modified and the thrust washer LA28 is now listed as a spacer and maybe even a different material?

Please can you describe what your LA28 and LA50 look like. Perhaps yours is a slightly later machine with a 'fix' to prevent the jam?? Also, you have got up to LA57!!! You have got at least 8 more parts than me – I'm jealous.

With the cross slide off, no I couldn't turn the bevels via the leadscrew. The bevel gears were jammed and only freed up when I started removing parts. I had to strip down the bevel stud assembly with its herd of circlips before they freed up.

John,

Thanks for describing that procedure. At least know that there s a common issue out there.but there is no way that a loosening and retightening of the cap screws would shift this particular jam. It really was as tight as a weld until I stripped it down.

KWIL/ Martin,

I didn't take the half nuts off or the rack and pinion assembly gears – perhaps I should have called it a partial strip down. I stripped the parts associated with the bevel gears and kept removing parts until the gears unlocked. That included the cross slide off, the leadscrew removed off the machine, the apron off the saddle and both bevel gear assemblies removed.

Phil H

Steve,

Yes thanks, I have the manual for my machine but it looks like there is a difference between my manual ending in LA49 for the apron assembly and the version that KWIL appears to have. I am wondering which version is later and whether Myford knew about this fault and carried out a modification.

Can I ask whether the manual you have on pdf ends at LA49 or is it like KWILs going as high as LA57?

It might also be a good idea to contact Myford maybe. I at least need to contact them or do an online search for some new parts because some of the small circlips look like they have seen better days and I need a new felt pad for the front of the carriage – oh and new drive belts maybe.

I think my machine is suffering from old age and poor storage rather than excessive use.

KWIL,

Thanks for getting back and yes that is interesting because my manual is S723R and the apron parts list ends on page 45 with LA49!!

I think that was the snag regarding the thrust washer/ spacer – whatever. My washer was definitely applying excessive thrust and might explain why it has always been relatively hard (not excessive just a bit stiff) to operate the leadscrew handwheel.

I am in Cheshire between Ellesmere Port and Chester by the way.

I now have the bevel gears operating smoothly again and the leadscrew will turn everything quite smoothly without the cross slide fitted.

My plan?

I will test whether the cross slide operating mechanism works properly with the cross slide fitted but without a couple of the circlips that I need to hold the operating knob in position.

I will then remove the spur gear assembly from the apron and reassemble without the power cross feed so I can use the lathe.

I will search and get hold of the spare parts (circlips and three countersunk 2BA screws plus other bits and pieces) so I can reassemble the thing properly when I have everything.

In parallel, I will contact Myford and see if they know what has happened and why since about 1975ish. I have the lathe receipt somewhere.

Thanks so far everyone.

Phil H

Steve,

No problem and thanks for getting back to me. The pdf version would be greatly appreciated please. I have sent my e-mail address via a PM. It will be very interesting to see how they managed to cram another 12 parts into such a small apron.

The clutch mechanism for engaging the cross feed works perfectly fine now but I have stuck to my plan and removed the apron spur gears for now and reassembled the whole machine. I will look for new circlips etc online and rebuild after I have done the research etc.

I don't want to start another debate on Chinese versus old British machines but I have to say that I was very impressed at how well some of the parts fit together. Perhaps too well and too complex and obviously too expensive. Impressive though.

Phil H