ML7 Bed and Saddle wear

[AJWParticipant @ajw]

[AJWParticipant @ajw]

Read some posts about wear on the bed/saddle on the myfords and a mod involving adding a sliver of gauge plate to the rear shear of the saddle giving it a better wearing surface area and helping with the wear caused on the front shear.

So before Christmas I ordered a half inch wide strip of 1/32 gauge plate with a view to tackling it over the holiday break.

My model, an early example has not shown any appreciable tight spots along the bed and after a stripdown and a measure of bed shears it showed under .001 of material worn from the 'most used' area on front shear and rear measured unworn. Looking at the saddle the original machining marks could be seen on rear shearing surface but with wear marks on the front (short) shear.

Degreased the saddle and bonded my gauge plate in with slow curing araldite. Saddle was placed on the bed and gib screws tightened to ensure it was pulled down evenly and allowed to cure for a couple of days.

Just finished assembling this afternoon with a mod that should improve working. Saddle runs end to end very smoothly.

I was pleased with the lack of wear I found and the mod was probably not strictly necessary but covering the exposed bed with a rubber cover attached to the saddle I believe has helped preserve it.

Alan

(can't seem to add photos from phone but there's a couple in my lathe mods folder)

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