Myford Super 7 questions

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Myford Super 7 questions

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  • #777110
    davp1971
    Participant
      @davp1971

      A few months ago I bought a Myford super 7 in the Netherlands. a metric. I have a few questions here for the experts. the serial number is on the back SK50519. As far as can be found in the lists, it dates from approximately 1961. the lathe has a green color. Also the base cabinet that was there. Normally the green color was from the 70’s (1977 i found now). I had to do a repair on a part and there is a gray layer under the green color.

      Does anyone know if some Myford lathes for certain departments were already painted green at that time? How could I tell if this myford has already been overhauled?

      The next question is about the raising blocks. Normally there should be an adjustment screw here. I thought a 9/16 bsf. but in my blocks there is only a 5/16 bsw at the top (also on the bottom).

      blocks 1serial 1myford 1 klein

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      #777124
      derek hall 1
      Participant
        @derekhall1

        Hi, my Super 7 is a similar vintage to yours around 1963.

        I can confirm your rising blocks, my myford had the same as yours. I got fed up with trying to use shims between the top of the block and lathe feet when trying to level the lathe, In the end I converted the rising blocks to be a copy of the current ones.

        The current rising blocks have an adjustable nut that is underneath the feet of the lathe instead of shims and screws into the top of the rising block. A stud is then fed through the bottom of the (now drilled out for clearance) modified rising block and straight through the clearance hole in the nut. One end of the stud is secured by a nut in the cabinet of the lathe, the other end a nut is fitted to the top of the lathe foot.

        As I said the adjustable nuts that are screwed in or out of the rising block, impact on the underneath of the feet, raising or lowering the lathe as required.

        Hope this makes sense. There was a thread about this some time ago.

        Mine is also green, but it must have resprayed by the dealer I bought it from in 1984!, as far as I am aware the default colour during the era of “our” lathes was myford grey.

        I have left it as is, it’s a lathe not a car, as long as it is installed correctly and is accurate enough then it’s ok for me!

        Good luck with the lathe

        #777143
        davp1971
        Participant
          @davp1971

          Hello, thanks for the answer. So I’m not the only one with a pre-70’s lathe painted green. I leave mine in green too. The question about the raising blocks was a bit unclear but you knew what I meant. These blocks aren’t for sale anywhere, only the ones with the special nuts in them for leveling. At first I thought I would work with shims, but going to try to make a leveling system with M16 bolts. Really a nice forum with a lot of information and willing people. Thank you

          #777174
          noel shelley
          Participant
            @noelshelley55608

            I also have a set of raising blocks that only have the 5/16″ threads. Drill out and thread 5/8″ or 16mm for about 3/4″ or 20mm deep and then take suitable bolt shorten to 1″ or 25mm long and thin the head to 3/8″ or 10mm then drill 5/16 clearance hole through the middle. You now have the delux version. The colour was grey into the 70s. Good Luck. Noel.

            #777187
            JohnF
            Participant
              @johnf59703

              Hi, I think there are two types of riser blocks, one with levelling adjustment and one without — not sure why but it maybe the fixed ones are for use with the industrial cabinet and the other adjustable ones for bench to other mounting ?

              However I made a “from memory” sketch of the mounting block hole/stud/adjuster arrangement, I’m not certain of the adjuster nut OD thread at 7/16″ BSF it may be 1/2″ BSF ?  I don’t want to disturb my lathe !

              Rooting around I also came upon this which might be of help https://misterlinnsworkshop.wordpress.com/2014/04/29/mounting-mounting-blocks/?

              9D7B91FF-A8CA-470B-BC21-3965EDF4C7EF

              #777395
              davp1971
              Participant
                @davp1971

                Hello,
                Thanks everyone here for the useful information. This forum is really great. As a beginner I have already learned a lot here. The real work will now have to happen here. THX

                #777405
                noel shelley
                Participant
                  @noelshelley55608

                  Johns sketch is unlikely to work as the 5/16 clearance hole and the 7/16 thread will leave nothing to support the lathes weight. The original may have been 9/16″, but for simplicity 5/8″ or 16mm will work. There is no need for the recess for the jack screw head, it was not considered required on the original and would require a large drill or mill to make it. Noel.

                  #777433
                  JohnF
                  Participant
                    @johnf59703
                    On noel shelley Said:

                    Johns sketch is unlikely to work as the 5/16 clearance hole and the 7/16 thread will leave nothing to support the lathes weight. The original may have been 9/16″, but for simplicity 5/8″ or 16mm will work. There is no need for the recess for the jack screw head, it was not considered required on the original and would require a large drill or mill to make it. Noel.

                    Yes it will Noel,  the 7/16 nut is screwed into the riser block, the lathe foot sits on this, the stud passes through the bench/cabinet with a nut on the bottom then through the riser block, then the 7/16 nut and the lathe foot with a nut on the top to clamp.   The 7/16 nut is used as a jack to level the lathe foot and clamped with a nut on the top.

                    #777499
                    SillyOldDuffer
                    Moderator
                      @sillyoldduffer
                      On davp1971 Said:

                      Hello, thanks for the answer. So I’m not the only one with a pre-70’s lathe painted green. I leave mine in green too. …

                      Ideas about colour changed over the years, and you can almost date machines from the paint scheme.  Before WW2 machines were usually painted black. Cheap, hard-wearing, and doesn’t show the dirt!

                      During the war, ways of improving productivity were investigated, and the importance of bright lighting was recognised.  And cleanliness.   So factories and workshops were painted to improve lighting, and black went out of fashion.   Light grey was tried first, then other lighter colours such as blue.  After about 20 years Green and Yellow became popular: restful on the eye, makes the need for cleaning obvious, and provides good contrast for red safety buttons and guards etc.   Current fashion for CNC machines, which are totally enclosed, seems to be white or cream.

                      Quite common for older machines to have been repainted.   As your Myford will work just as well in any colour paint it to please yourself.

                      Whilst colour doesn’t matter, take care to squirt oil into the machine, not grease.  They only look like grease nipples!

                      Dave

                       

                      #777507
                      DMR
                      Participant
                        @dmr

                        Danny,

                        1) Your S7 was made in September 1961 and would have been grey.

                        2) The fact that you still have the serial number on the back says it has never been reground so that’s a good indicator.

                        3) Your raising blocks did not originate from Myford. Various companies made the cheap version that you have but, as others have said, they can be made into the Myford pattern.

                        Dennis

                        #777513
                        b2
                        Participant
                          @b2

                          Hello Danny,

                           

                          Concerning making the raising blocks by yourself, I’ve used flattened M20 bolts with a bored hole and then an M8 “tise” (I don’t know the English term) which went completely through my cabinet. The M20 nut was welded on a square bar. See below pics.

                          IMG_8040

                          grtz

                           

                          Wim

                          #777552
                          duncan webster 1
                          Participant
                            @duncanwebster1

                            Not a lot of metal twixt the core of 7/16 bsf (0.366″) and 5/16 clearance holes. I just used 2″sq bar and shims. It takes longer to set up, but not as long as the fancy scheme for adjustable blocks. There again my ML7 was on a substantial diy stand made from RHS, not a wooden bench, so only needed ‘levelling’ once.

                            #777571
                            davp1971
                            Participant
                              @davp1971

                              Hello, thanks everyone for the info. This is nice to know when my lathe was ‘born’. The explanation about the colors of the machines over time is certainly interesting. So there are different options for leveling with or without shims or screws.

                              grtz

                              Danny

                              #777716
                              Howard Lewis
                              Participant
                                @howardlewis46836

                                Adjusting the level is easier, and can be as precise as you want, with riser blocks, or any sufficiently sturdy, screw adjuster.

                                (My larger, lathe, weighing 300 Kg, sits on six 1/2 UNF adjusters, but only two are adjusted to remove twist)

                                Shims will bring things “almost there”, but even with 0.0015″ shims there is likely to be a tiny error.

                                Howard

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