Myford ml7 strange serial number

[Johan Andersson 1Participant @johanandersson1]

Hi. Picked up a ml7 and cant make out what year its made. Numbers reed i think 71-1104-4. If i skip 71 then its from 1946 but is that right? The numbers located at the back of the lathe. Thankful for answers, i will begin restoration shortly.

[Johan Andersson 1Participant @johanandersson1]

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Could your 71 be K1?

[Johan Andersson 1Participant @johanandersson1]

Yeah but its to many numbers anyway for that right? I also have 006 in the front below the casting "myford". Thank you for your answer.

[Nigel Graham 2Participant @nigelgraham2]

I've just looked at my own ML7.

It's number is clearly K2227 – just 4 digits, and from the list on lathes.co, made in 1947.

Yours would be of 1950 vintage if K11104 – but none of the listed numbers have a hyphen and digit suffix.

Looking again, the serial numbers for the ML7 go into 6 digits in the 1970s.

I think your lathe is in this batch, so is much newer than you thought:

K104879 = 1972
K110045 = approx 1972 no factory data on that machine
K114516 = Super 7 1973

[With acknowledgements to Tony Griffiths.]

'

I thought the number on the front might be a part number but my specimen bears none there, and nor do those illustrated in lathes.co. Neither on the casting nor the bed. If it is stamped or engraved it may have been added by a previous owner, probably the first if a training or educational establishment, for asset-registering or similar.

[HopperParticipant @hopper]

I read somewhere that Myford stamped extra numbers on when they did a factory bed regrind. Could possibly be it was reground in '71? A bit of Googling around or a phone call to Myfords/RDG might reveal more on this possibility.

Edited By Hopper on 17/12/2020 22:27:40

[Grindstone CowboyParticipant @grindstonecowboy]

I think they just added an 'R' suffix for regrinds, but I could be wrong – have been before

Rob

[GeorgineerParticipant @georgineer]

Any chance of a nice clear photo of the stamping?

George B.

[Johan Andersson 1Participant @johanandersson1]

Thank you guys! I tryed to upload a photo but cant seem to figure out how. Will try again later to day.

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

How to add photos

[Johan Andersson 1Participant @johanandersson1]

Edited By SillyOldDuffer on 18/12/2020 09:51:53

[Johan Andersson 1Participant @johanandersson1]

On another note, is there a ralnr for the colourkode or is it colour analasys to get the right shade of grey. I took it apart last night and my oh my how its been mistreated. Drive belt was a shortened fan belt from a car, put together whith steelwire. Sprockets had less teeth left than my old grandfather. Surface rust on the bed and chuck.. well its a challange. Im although overall exited to finally have one after serching for 10years!

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Try looking at the top back of the bed at the tailstock end, should look like this

 

Edited By JasonB on 18/12/2020 08:25:08

[Nigel Graham 2Participant @nigelgraham2]

Johan –

Not sure from your photo quite where on the lathe that number's stamped. On mine it's on the end of the machined vertical surface of the shear, just below where the tailstock is usually parked, and I think that was Myford's normal practice and mentioned in the operating-manual.

I don't know if the longer numbers normally had hyphens. The Lathes.co list does not quote hyphens but the compiler might have been left them out.

Still, it does look like a serial number, but as I say the number you quote, with 6 digits, would suggest your lathe was made in the early-1970s; more recently than you thought.

It's not been re-ground, well, not by Myford. They designated that by adding an 'R' to the number; but that's not there and anyway, from what you tell us of the machine's state the previous owner wouldn't know a re-ground from coffee-grounds.

'

Missing teeth from the headstock gears is often from someone habitually releasing a tightly screwed-on chuck by jamming the spindle with the back-gear, and hammering a makeshift lever (such as the chuck-key) in the chuck. Once he'd broken a few teeth the remaining ones came under increasing unfair stresses, especially if he worked the lathe unduly hard with heavy interrupted cuts – whose shocks tightened the chuck even more onto the spindle…

+++++

As for abused machine-tools….

A Bridgeport turret-mill and a big Dean, Smith & Grace lathe obviously used for machining…. sandstone!

I spotted them while on a geology-club tour of a masonry-stone quarry and works. There are special milling-machines and lathes for masonry, but these forlorn specimens were not them! They'd probably come second-hand and cheap from an engineering works.

[Grizzly bearParticipant @grizzlybear]

If it's any help, it does say 'Made in Poland'.

Regards, Bear………..

[GeorgineerParticipant @georgineer]

Could this be a dealer's number? I have often found a dealer's number as well as a manufacturer's number when looking at old reed organs.

George B.

[Grindstone CowboyParticipant @grindstonecowboy]

Yep, that's not a Myford serial number, it should be where Jason says.

As an aside, there's a nice Dean, Smith & Grace in the workshops of the Ravenglass / Eskdale Railway in Cumbria, at the Ravenglass end.

Rob

[Johan Andersson 1Participant @johanandersson1]

Well, thanks to everybody for the comittment. Haha made in poland I have after taking it apart and a good clean found the serial number. Its from 1960 and the numbers were as you said at the back of the bed. It has been a fantastic fun job and i am so exited to bring this piece of industrial art back to life. It is in fair nic, no bad wear as far as i can tell and the pieces i take off is cleaned in my washer and prepped for paint/polish. Most timeconsuming is the surface rust thats sadly been allowed to have a party on all of the bare metal surfaces. I have a good chemical for that and it does the job. So far so good and i must say it is a absolute joy working on.

Edited By Johan Andersson 1 on 20/12/2020 08:19:57

[Johan Andersson 1Participant @johanandersson1]

[SteviegtrParticipant @steviegtr]

Great stuff Johan. Keep the pictures coming.

Steve.

[Matt LeeParticipant @mattlee51640]

Hello all, I just recently purchased a ML7 and was also Googling the strange SN. Here’s a pick of mine, can

t find any other SN’s on the machine. Wonder why these numbers are there?

[Matt LeeParticipant @mattlee51640]

[Matt LeeParticipant @mattlee51640]

[Jeff DaymanParticipant @jeffdayman43397]

You should read the earlier posts in the thread. All will be revealed I think.

[Matt LeeParticipant @mattlee51640]

Hi Jeff, yes read through it, I don’t actually have any other numbers marked on the bed. Was trying to see if anyone had any other info on what the 71/1104 meant?

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