Myford 7 interesting attachment

[Tony Pratt 1Participant @tonypratt1]

This may be of interest to Myford 7 users? Sorry I don't know how to create a clickable link atm.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/185739939673?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=ZR7VZ-ALS5e&sssrc=2349624&ssuid=ZR7VZ-ALS5e&var&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY&fbclid=IwAR30wySaQmdstoLFreR3As5SeVmNtsGuTXS-ru-PCOU0Cc9EgcpN1xSHos8

Tony

[Tony Pratt 1Participant @tonypratt1]

Myford & reduction gearbox

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

**LINK**

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/185739939673

[Ady1Participant @ady1]

We've got a Drummond project for Hopper on ebay atm

[IanTParticipant @iant]

Martin Cleeve made a similar reduction gearbox for the EW lathe. It allowed a slower saddle feed than might available with the usual screwcutting gears. Also, saved some effort & time when swopping between screw-cutting and (fine-feed) turning.

Regards,

IanT

[duncan webster 1Participant @duncanwebster1]

I'd want the lathe thrown in at that price.

[Tony Pratt 1Participant @tonypratt1]

Posted by Michael Gilligan on 18/01/2023 17:24:15:

**LINK**

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/185739939673

Hi Michael, can you please PM me how to do a single ‘link’ Thanks!

Tony

[Martin ConnellyParticipant @martinconnelly55370]

Tony, when replying there is an icon at the top of the reply box that is a globe on a bit of chain ( looks like a blue bubble on some wheels). When you hover over it it says link. Click on it and it brings up a small window that should be easy to fill in with your link (link URL) and anything you want to call it in Display Text.

Martin C

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Posted by Tony Pratt 1 on 18/01/2023 18:00:48:

Posted by Michael Gilligan on 18/01/2023 17:24:15:

**LINK**

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/185739939673

Hi Michael, can you please PM me how to do a single ‘link’ Thanks!

Tony

.

Done

MichaelG.

.

Edit: __ I see Martin has responded on my behalf

Edited By Michael Gilligan on 18/01/2023 18:41:36

[Tony Pratt 1Participant @tonypratt1]

Thanks to Martin and Michael, I will have a go later!

Tony

[HopperParticipant @hopper]

That thing was on eBay a while back, for I am sure a lot less money, posted as some kind of watchmakers attachment or something weird like that. Couldn't work out how it worked then, now seeing the pic of it set up for fine feed it is certainly the most deluxe fine feed arrangement you could get for your Myford.

I reckon you could make a modern version using the three speed reduction gearbox out of a discarded battery drill. Hmmm….

[BazParticipant @baz89810]

I am sure that with changewheels or a qc gearbox a minimum feed of two thou per rev can be achieved, therefore what do you need this overpriced accessory for? Unless of course you really need very fine feeds.

[vic neweyParticipant @vicnewey60017]

Posted by Michael Gilligan on 18/01/2023 17:24:15:

**LINK**

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/185739939673

That looks a rather feeble belt running that gearbox

[John HaineParticipant @johnhaine32865]

Stupid price, silly accessory in this day and age. AAs mentioned, an old drill, or a stepper would be cheaper and better!

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

As discussed previously …

I think the box on ebay derives from Martin Cleeve’s design: which was brilliant in its time

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MichaelG.

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Ref. __ https://www.model-engineer.co.uk/forums/postings.asp?th=104724

Edited By Michael Gilligan on 19/01/2023 10:19:53

[Alan JacksonParticipant @alanjackson47790]

Cancelled

Edited By Alan Jackson on 19/01/2023 10:35:00

[HopperParticipant @hopper]

Cleeve was a total madman, but an admirable one.

[John HaineParticipant @johnhaine32865]

Now relisted at the same price!

[egaParticipant @ega]

Martin Cleeve's gearbox enabled him to switch quickly from screwcutting to fine feeds.

I suppose it depends what you mean by mad, but he earned his living with his lathe.

[Dave WoottonParticipant @davewootton]

I used to live about ten miles from Hastings in Sussex, Ken Hart or Martin Cleeve as he was known in print's home town, and used to know a then very elderly model engineer who knew him from helping out on the Hastings miniature railway with him. Evidently a brilliant engineer , who trained as an electrical engineer working in one of the Southern Railways power distribution stations, later either being made redundant or leaving, he set up in his home workshop to earn his living on his ML7. A man of definite ideas who even made his own cap head screws and micrometers, he modified his Myford quite drastically in order to improve its efficiency. At one time in the 1960's some of his tooling productions were sold by a local company Thorcraft which is still trading.

Because of the high standards he set himself his business did meet with modest sucess, but he never had any desire to expand it or employ others so it remained a cottage industry, I believe he died at a fairly early age ( thiswas related to me by an octogenarian!) . the chap I knew who I only ever knew as Stan, spoke very highly of him and told me that although he could be regarded as slightly eccentric and like many single minded and very clever people not everyone got on with him, he regarded him as a likeable and good friend, as did many others.

Because of this very slight connection I've always set out to read as many of his articles as possible and have always found them interesting .I thought this was worth setting down as there can't be too many left now that knew Ken Hart so thought Stan's rememberances may be of interest. His book on screwcutting certainly helped me work out some very odd thread pitches when I was working, almost made me look like I knew what I was doing for a brief moment!

Dave

Just thought of one thing Stan said about Ken " The trouble was he was so quick and clever he made your head spin"

Edited By Dave Wootton on 24/01/2023 12:23:20

[egaParticipant @ega]

Dave Wootton:

Thanks for those memories of that outstanding engineer.

I think Thorcraft sold the swing clear toolpost, another of MC's devices aimed at speeding up production.

[Dave WoottonParticipant @davewootton]

I know this is drifting very far off topic, but does anyone know what happened to Martin Cleeve's much modified Myford ML7 or the EW lathe that he modified and serialised in M.E?

Over the years I've asked many model engineers who live in the area and nobody seemed to know, although some knew Martin (Ken) . Such an interesting machine would surely not been scrapped, but seemed to have dissapeared without trace. I do know he had a son so hopefully it passed to him. I remember asking the old owners of Thorcraft years ago but they did not know. Not important but always been curious, always been quite interested in the history of model engineering.

Dave

[HopperParticipant @hopper]

I often wonder the same thing about the workshop equipment and models made by the likes of GH Thomas and ET Westbury, Tom Walshaw etc. All seems to disappear without a trace.

[DiodeDickParticipant @diodedick]

Inspired by the articles in ME, I built a two-speed leadscrew drive for my Myford 7R. Swing the new banjo up and it meshes with the tumbler reverse output gear for screw-cutting, swing it down and it meshes with with a belt driven worm wheel for fine feed. It all fits inside the original change wheel cover. No messing with oily gears, as required with a QC gearbox. There are some photo's in my album.

Just as Martin Cleeve promised, it saved a lot of time when making fasteners, for bike restorations.

Every week or two there are queries about screw cutting on this forum which are all answered in Cleeve's book "Screwcutting in the lathe" in the Workshop Practice series. The queries are usually about gearing and seldom about repeat pick up, which is the chapter worth reading over and over.

Dick

[derek hall 1Participant @derekhall1]

Well I can help out what happened to Tom Walshaws workshop stuff.

The entire contents were auctioned off by a local auction house in 1999. Many of the items were bought by the S M E E.

I secured a few hand tools and scribers and wish I had bid for more ….i still have the catalogue and hand written against each lot what it went for. I sometimes look at the list and feel sad that I was not in the position to buy much, but also sad to see a massive influence on my engineering life reduced to lists on an auction catalogue.

Still his designs live on and I have built many of them…I regret that I never had the chance to meet him.

Tom's super 7 went for a very low price as did his VMC vert mill.

Regards

Derek

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