Myford raising blocks

[Ian Skeldon 2Participant @ianskeldon2]

Myford raising block

[Ian Skeldon 2Participant @ianskeldon2]

Hi,

I have recently obtained a very nice Myford ML7, if I decide to keep it I might want to add a few extra useful tools or accessories. I have seen Myford raising blocks for sale and I basicly want to know, are these to go under the mounting lugs and raise up the whole lathe to a higher position or do they fit under the heand and tail stock to increase the sizes of tools that can be used?

Sorry if this is a dum question.

Ian

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

They go under the feet to raise the whole machine not to increase the swing.

Edited By JasonB on 14/09/2017 19:48:43

[Ian Skeldon 2Participant @ianskeldon2]

Thanks Jason.

[Robert ButlerParticipant @robertbutler92161]

Raising Blocks also ease the task of leveling the lathe. See classified, i have an unused set for sale..

[HopperParticipant @hopper]

Not to be confused with the Myfrod raising block that bolts on to the cross slide and then the vertical slide is bolted on top of that, used to raise the vertical slide when gear cutting etc. on the top of the cutter, eg when gear is too large a diameter to fit under the cutter. You can tell this raising block because of the crazy stupid price usually attached to it.

[MWParticipant @mw27036]

Is it just me or does that leadscrew appear to be bending?

[Swarf, Mostly!Participant @swarfmostly]

Posted by Michael-w on 16/09/2017 09:04:55:

Is it just me or does that leadscrew appear to be bending?

It appears that way because the camera is close to the subject. It would be reduced by moving the camera further away.

I think, theoretically speaking, that the apparent curvature would be zero if the camera were removed to infinity but the appearance of curvature is probably negligible at a range of, say, 100 metres or so.

Best regards,

Swarf, Mostly!

[Ian Skeldon 2Participant @ianskeldon2]

Thank you gents, luckily it sits at the right height for use by me.

[Roger King 1Participant @rogerking1]

Sorry, I realise this an old thread, but I have taken over my Dad's old ML10 and it is currently mounted on wooden blocks. It is an early ML10 with seperate mounts for the countershaft/motor bracket.

Two questions: Would ML7/Super 7 raising blocks fit a ML10, and in my case would I also need to make up something to raise the pivot block for the countershaft/motor bracket?

[brickyParticipant @bricky]

offcuts of 4"*2" steel channel will serve just as well as paying for Myfords own.I just get offcuts at the local steel stockist and crossing the palm works wonders.

Frank

[Roger King 1Participant @rogerking1]

Posted by bricky on 03/05/2019 16:10:33:

offcuts of 4"*2" steel channel will serve just as well as paying for Myfords own.I just get offcuts at the local steel stockist and crossing the palm works wonders.

Frank

Any possibility of sending a photo of these? Do you invert the channel, then bolt it down to the table and have separate bolts to fix the lathe to the blocks? How do you adjust for level – shims?

Thanks,

Roger

[Martin KyteParticipant @martinkyte99762]

Posted by bricky on 03/05/2019 16:10:33:

offcuts of 4"*2" steel channel will serve just as well as paying for Myfords own.I just get offcuts at the local steel stockist and crossing the palm works wonders.

Frank

Well not exactly. Myford raising blocks are threaded to take jacking screws which have hexagonal spanner flats in the top so they may be raised or lowered into or out of the block. The lathe foot sits on the top of the jacking screw with the stud part of the screw through the fixing holes in the lathe feet. To adjust the hold down nut on the top is loosened and the jacking screw is adjusted unsing a spanner under the foot to raise or lower the mounting surface. The hold down nut is tightened and the alignment checked by your favourite meathod. See recent extensive thread on this.

regards Martin

[Mike PooleParticipant @mikepoole82104]

The ML10 style of raising block do seem to be just a spacer and don’t have the facility for adjustment as the blocks for the 7 series do. I don’t have first hand experience of the 10 series but they look a very different beast from 7 series raising blocks. If they don’t have facility for adjustment then heavy gauge box section would be a cheap alternative and making an adjustable insert would not be too difficult if required.

Mike

[Howard LewisParticipant @howardlewis46836]

I have raised a lathe by supporting it on studs through steel box section . Each end of the box section is cut at 45 degrees, so that the longer, bottom face can be used to secure it to the bench.

Starting at the top : a nut , Mounting foot, nut nut, box section, nut, nut.( both inside the box section )

The lowest nut transfers the load to the box section/bench, the upper nut and the one above it, clamp the stud to the box section. the next higher nut supports the lathe foot, and the highest nut clamps the foot.

The box section provides the required increase in height. By adjusting the two nuts above and below the mounting foot, the lathe can be "levelled" to remove any twist from the bed.

HTH

Howard

[egaParticipant @ega]

This post by Peter G.Shaw refers to my favoured solution:

https://www.model-engineer.co.uk/forums/postings.asp?th=39150

I have a variation of this method on my Super Seven: it is effective and a good deal cheaper than the Myford offering.

[Roger King 1Participant @rogerking1]

Thanks for the continued advice, much appreciated. I can find the post by Peter Shaw, but whilst a solution is mentioned I can't see a description of it.

Thanks for your description Howard – it sounds from the detail as though your lathe is actually suspended on the threaded rod resting on the nuts – is that correct? Probably need a fairly substantial thread size for the weight.

[Howard LewisParticipant @howardlewis46836]

Did this originally on my ML7. made taking out the twist SO much easier. Made up a kit for a friend with a CLM 500., using 25mm x 25mm box section, M8 nuts and studding.

My BL12 -24 does not have a cabinet, but rests on six 1/2 UNF setscrews, and nuts, bolted to three 2.5" x 2.5 " transverse angles, with 1.5" x 1.5" angle welded on each end. These angle sit on the beams of some ex warehouse staging. The end frames carry three pairs of beams, two pairs for shelving, the middle pair carrying the 300 Kg lathe. The original idea was to level by using M10 setscrews, bearing on 2.5 x 2.5" angle iron on the floor. tapped through the 2.5" x 2.5" angle on which the end frames sat.. The frame was so rigid that adjusting one screw, lifted the end frame wholesale. Given that the racking is supposed to carry upto 2 tons on each shelf, not surprising.

Adjusting the nuts above and below each foot, provides a fine adjustment to remove any twist from the bed, and to produce a gradient between Headstock and Tailstock, if required for coolant flow.

It has been in use for the last fifteen years, without any obvious signs of trouble.

Howard

[egaParticipant @ega]

Posted by Roger King 1 on 07/05/2019 19:16:13:

Thanks for the continued advice, much appreciated. I can find the post by Peter Shaw, but whilst a solution is mentioned I can't see a description of it.

Thanks for your description Howard – it sounds from the detail as though your lathe is actually suspended on the threaded rod resting on the nuts – is that correct? Probably need a fairly substantial thread size for the weight.

I have sent you a PM

[egaParticipant @ega]

Roger King 1:

Here is the photo I promised:

Each jacking screw cum raising foot consists of a length of large diameter studding with the upper end tapped 5/16" BSF, a short cylindrical foot of about 1.5" diameter, two nuts to suit the studding and the 5/16" hold down bolt and washer. The lathe foot sits on the adjustable upper nut (not on the studding) and is held down by the bolt.

Thinking about this at many years' distance from when I did it, it seems clear that the cylindrical feet must be tapped to suit the studding, the lathe tray and underlying structural member being firmly gripped between the foot and the bottom nut.

I hope this is clear!

[duncan webster 1Participant @duncanwebster1]

I just used length so 2" square bar on my ML7, shims instead of jacking screws, worked a treat. However my stand was a lot more rigid than Mr Myford's, made out of RHS rescued from the scrap bin at work.

I suspect Myfords are much improved by bolting them to something stiff and heavy, If I had one again I'd use a concrete kerbstone

Edited By duncan webster on 09/05/2019 21:27:21

[Roger King 1Participant @rogerking1]

That's great, thanks – plenty of ideas to copy here. I need to sort a tray to sit under the lathe, hopefully a standard ML7 one will work OK, then I can make up the risers.

[Howard LewisParticipant @howardlewis46836]

Hi Ian!

No PM seen yet!

The lathe is supported (not suspended ) on the studs. The idea is to have just enough stud exposed above the box section, to allow the two nuts to provide sufficient adjustment to remove any twist from the bed. If you want a greater lift, then set the stud in substantial base like the one shown on the previous page. You don't want the lathe swaying around on top of some sklinny flagpoles!

Howard

[Mike JosephParticipant @mikejoseph75242]

I tried to tap a chunk of steel M12 and it just turned against the torque. Then I found a 'Studding Connector' in the orbital Fasteners catalogue, (http://www.orbitalfasteners.co.uk) – usual disclaimer – M12x36 works for me, basically a long threaded nut – see http://www.orbitalfasteners.co.uk/search?term=studding+connector

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