Help Identify this Myford 7 lathe

[Maurits van DuerenParticipant @mauritsvandueren59568]

Hi all

Being a noob (though I do like watching stuff like Clickspring and This Old Tony), my brother ran into, and gifted me this disassembled Myford lathe. Which appearantly was sitting in this state for a while.

Right. So first order of business is to figure out what exact model, see if it is complete, etc.

It came with a photocopied ML7-R manual, but not all parts match. I cannot be sure it is the correct manual.

Any expert out there that takes one look at the photo's and can tell me what I have or what I may be missing?

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[Maurits van DuerenParticipant @mauritsvandueren59568]

I was gifted this disassembled lathe.

[Howard LewisParticipant @howardlewis46836]

Unfortunately, your photos don't open.

Try again, according to the procedure which the many more expert than I will explain

Once the pictures ar up there will be lots who can help you.

Finding the Serial number where it is stamped on the bed should help to identify both Model and date of manufacture. but it might be two different places.

The cognoscenti will tell you where to look.

Howard

[Thor 🇳🇴Participant @thor]

Hi Maurits,

Here is an explanation on how to posts photos on this site.

Thor

[Maurits van DuerenParticipant @mauritsvandueren59568]

Hmm, strange, the photos show up perfectly to me.
I think the image hosting service is private, so only I can seem them.
I'll work on reposting or relinking.

In the mean time, I found the serial on the bed, as well as compared to some more internet video's and it is without doubt a ML7 (non R) build late 1950 (a 100 higher is listed as 1951)

I found the correct manual, several copies, and one with slightly better resolution then the others.

I'll start assembling it by the explosion.

[Maurits van DuerenParticipant @mauritsvandueren59568]

I told google to allow others to these photos.
Not sure if they now appear in the original post, but this link should work, including zoom capability.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/PhPU38GwuNsfqXm77

Images

 

Edited By Maurits van Dueren on 24/11/2021 17:51:35

[Maurits van DuerenParticipant @mauritsvandueren59568]

Messed that up. Again:

Images

[SteviegtrParticipant @steviegtr]

They show up ok using the http link.

If any bits are missing you may find them on ebay. But do a good search as there's a lot of dealers, who strip them.

Just to sell the parts at a high price.

Steve.

[Maurits van DuerenParticipant @mauritsvandueren59568]

I went through the whole top-slide carriage assembly exploded view, and all bags of parts. It seems I am missing both feed screw sub-assembly. Both feed-screws, feed-screw nuts, one micrometer dial and both ball-handle assembly are missing.

Pretty sure they all ended up in the same bag, and over time that bag got separated from the lathe. I know where the lathe came from, but there is not much chance that is going to turn up.

Also the actual clamp is broken, and it was not the original clamp anyway. But I suspect that would have been upgraded afterward anyway.

[Mike PooleParticipant @mikepoole82104]

Your lathe is a Myford ML7 which is different from the ML7R. The ML7 was produced by Myford from around 1946 until about 1979 when Myford consolidated their 7 range to the ML7R which was a non power crossfeed super 7 with some Super 7 features deleted, the main parts that were deleted were the clutch, and the Super 7 cross and top slide, it also lost the leadscrew handwheel. It is possible to add or upgrade the ML7R to the original Super 7 specification but the power crossfeed is not a cost effective upgrade as the entire saddle and lead screw need replacing. The ML7 that you have would have been grey originally and I not think the factory ever produced them in green. Many parts can be sourced from Myford who are not the original company but one that purchased most of the stock and rights to the name and designs from the original business, although a separate company they have strong connection to RDG the tool supplier. Many lathes get dismantled and the parts sold on eBay so you should not have much trouble with most parts. The white metal bearing shells are long out of production and the repair was to fit a new hardened spindle and phosphor bronze shells but I think this is out of stock and if required you would have to contact Myford to see if they intend to restock. For a lathe that has been out of production for 44 years the spares situation is pretty good.

Mike

The spindle kit appears to be available but it’s not cheap.

Edited By Mike Poole on 24/11/2021 22:50:50

Edited By Mike Poole on 25/11/2021 18:17:51

[Maurits van DuerenParticipant @mauritsvandueren59568]

Thanks everyone.

It is definitely a ML7, from 1950. And I identified almost all loose parts in the loose bags.

Ignoreing some generic bolds, nuts, washers, these are specific parts I have left (see photos)
Maybe someone recognizes them? On the next posts some more detail on the specific items in these photo's

[Maurits van DuerenParticipant @mauritsvandueren59568]

I cannot find collar 1 on any exploded view
I mean, it could be A51 in the geartrain, but that is not disassembled and appears complete.
So where other then in the geartrain would a part like this be?
It is 1/4 inch inner diameter, 1/2 outer, and 7/8 high

The 3 studs number 2 are 1/4 diam and 1+1/4; 1+5/8; 2+7/8 long
On one of them someone jammed an incorrect M6 nut
I don't know where they are supposed to go.

[Maurits van DuerenParticipant @mauritsvandueren59568]

The trust-collar 3 has not one, but two places for a set-screw, at a 90 degree angle
I think it may be F34 in the motor assembly, but I am not quite sure how it goes together with F36 and F18
Is F18 the short stubby 1/4×1/4 flat point set screw labeled 4 in the picture?
And even this collar is F34, what is its function? In that position, it is not a trust collar.

I do not know where 5 goes
Special about it is it looks like a set screw, but is cupped instead of pointy

6 is is a shewed up, coarse thread pointy stud (or broken bold) bold.
I was thinking it could be for the main motor pulley, but that is a 3/8 screw
It could also be for the triple pulley on the same axel. But being shewed up, I do not want to force it in there.

7 are 3 generic screws, 3/8 x 1+3/4. One seems non-original.
But I was hoping the half-height nuts would trigger someones memory.

[DiogenesIIParticipant @diogenesii]

Collar 1 looks like F35 Tie Bar Spacer

The longest stud looks like F37 – don't know about the other two, will become clear during assembly, I guess..

F34 fits on the Eccentric Shaft F47, where it is secured with the screw – the other hole accepts a threaded pin F36 which acts as a positive stop for the Swing Head Assembly.

5 looks like a threaded oil nipple, I don't know where it goes, sorry.

6, ?

Are two of the screws F39?

[DiogenesIIParticipant @diogenesii]

Discussion of purpose and Dimensions of F36 Stop Peg here;

Thread; 'ML7 Stop Peg'

[Maurits van DuerenParticipant @mauritsvandueren59568]

Thanks

1 F35 Tie bar spacer is correct (actually, I had found that I needed it there yesterday) The tie bar itself is non-original but it fits.

2 F37 also seems correct on the exploded view. But in reality I do not know where it goes. There is no place. No threaded hole. What is it supposed to do? It's just a set of parts floating in the middle of the exploded view.
I am vaguely thinking it is needed to hold up the shroud, and thus probably also the other 2. But I am not looking too closely at the shrouds at this moment.

7 Both F39 are already in there.

5 is definitely not an oil nipple. Not hollow. Just a 3/8 long set screw with a weird concave point.

3 You are probably right about F34/F36 (I did find part F36 also) but it is still not quite clear to me what it does. The whole belt tensioner works quite well already. Maybe it will become clearer when I do final assembly. I think I am about ready for that anyway

Or at least, that part of the lathe. Still missing both top and cross lead screws/nuts/dials/handles. That is a bit of a bummer, because not cheap, and rather essential.

I guess I will just start to actually assembly anyway. I think I know enough now to not completely mess it up. At least get the chuck spinning and the saddle moving.

Thanks

[Maurits van DuerenParticipant @mauritsvandueren59568]

Just a (overdue) followup: Got it all assembled and working last year, picking up on the hobby now:

[speelwerkParticipant @speelwerk]

Looks fine but for safety do fit a countershaft belt guard. Niko.

[Thor 🇳🇴Participant @thor]

Well done Maurits.

Thor

[DiogenesIIParticipant @diogenesii]

Looks like you did a fine job, Maurits, nice to see it complete.

[Maurits van DuerenParticipant @mauritsvandueren59568]

@speelwerk You know, I had completely forgotten about the guard,

The problem was/is, I have only half of it. The outer guard I have, but not the inner shield to which it is mounted. So I put the outer guard to the side, and it slipped my mind.

The lathe did come to me in parts, and has been in parts for who knows how long, perhaps decades. I had to collect several other parts, but the shield was never 'essential' so not high on the list.

I may need to make a bracket of some sort.

[HopperParticipant @hopper]

Looks like you have done a lovely job. It looks good in the green.

You have the most important guard, the one near your face and left sleeve over the step pulleys. The other one is well out of the way and lots of people run without it. It is handy to be able to grab the (stationary!) large pulley to rotate the chuck when using taps and dies in the lathe. I have thought about removing mine on my ML7 for that reason, having grown used to it on my unguarded old Drummond. But in the end made a spindle crank handle instead, which works even better.

[Howard LewisParticipant @howardlewis46836]

A beautiful job indeed!

Just be very careful to keep hands, clothes, hair and clths awqay from the unguarded pulley. Otherwise, fabricate the other half of of the gaurad and fit the complete assembly.

It would be a major disaster to slip or stunble and grab a rotatingb pulley to save yourself!

Many hours of pleasure, using the lathe, lie ahead of you.

Howard

[egaParticipant @ega]

Posted by Hopper on 25/05/2023 06:32:00:…It is handy to be able to grab the (stationary!) large pulley to rotate the chuck when using taps and dies in the lathe….

My mill/drill has a flywheel on top of the spindle which is used for the same purpose.

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