Myford VM-E

[tumbleteyParticipant @tumbletey]

Good afternoon. I have been redirected here  by Myford as they said they couldn’t help me. I have a Myford VM-E. the shaft for the Z axis has been pulled out about 10mm, I’m not sure how, and I’m not sure how to push it back in. The end inside the machine has a worm gear on it so I cannot hammer the shaft back in, the shaft does not go through the gear so I’m not sure how the 2 are held together unless the shaft is threaded?

The machine is in our school workshop and if we can’t repair it we will not be able to afford a replacement.

Anyone one with any experience that could offer some assistance would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks in advance.

[Dave WoottonParticipant @davewootton]

I’m a bit puzzled by your description, I have a VM-E and may be able to help, by shaft for the Z axis do you mean the horizontal shaft that has the handle on it, or the threaded screw that goes vertically into the base? A picture or two may help, I have a very small copy of the manual/parts list which may shed some light on the problem.

One thing is for certain don’t go hammering anything yet!

Edit After giving a little thought and re-reading your post I think you must be referring to the shaft which takes the raising handle, and in this case I would imagine that possibly the nut which holds the worm gear has come undone allowing the shaft to come out.It will only come out a short way as the key which engages with the worm will stop it coming out completely. I have taken a picture which comes from the very sparse and small manual currently sold by Myford for this machine. Of course i may have the wrong end of the stick but it might help. It is not a difficult job to remove the saddle to gain access to the nut to check, you may be able to see it looking up from underneath the knee just to check. If needed i can copy other bits of the manual. The nut is part no 80.

[tumbleteyParticipant @tumbletey]

Thanks Dave. it is the shaft for the raising handle I’m referring to. The back of the worm gear feels flush, does the shaft go right through the worm gear with the nut at the back or is the nut internal? I assume by saddle, you mean the casting on the outside of the machine that the shaft passes through? I cannot open the image you have attached for some reason but have attached a picture taken from below showing the worm gear.

[Dave WoottonParticipant @davewootton]

Hi The nut looks like it’s designed to be tightened with a C spanner and has a tab washer folded into one of the slots, so unlikely to be loose in this case. Is it simply a case of the dial assembly coming loose? I’m not near my machine at present so can’t have alook at mine. Might be worth removing the handle and dial assembly to investigate, sorry the picture didn’t open the only way to get a readable drawing was to photograph it, the manual really is tiny! Does the knee elevate and lower as it should?

Dave

[tumbleteyParticipant @tumbletey]

It’s all working perfectly well but I’m worried a student has managed to pull it out that far, I can’t risk leaving it as it is. The Worm gear looks like it is in the right position so it has to be the shaft which has moved. I’m now wondering if they have over wound it at its lowest point and unwound the thread from the nut?

 

[Dave WoottonParticipant @davewootton]

I have just remembered the whole assembly that carries the shaft is held on to the side of the knee by either 6 allen bolts or 4 bolts and 2 dowel pins. Undoing these will enable the whole casting to be easily removed so you can check it out on the bench. I worked for an importer of these machines for a short while, but this was around 1980 so all a bit hazy now!!! but they are good simple and robust machines. hope this is helpful. I’m out tonight but can have a look around my machine in the morning. From memory removing the shaft is only achievable by removing the nut, wormwheel and key  and taking the shaft out frontwards. I can’t remember how the drive dog that engages with the handle, and also forms the inner part of the dial is removed, i’m sure it has a key but other than that memory fails!

Dave

[LathejackParticipant @lathejack]

These Taiwanese made machines were given a coat of filler to smooth out the castings before painting, and on some examples the filler was also applied over the heads of the recessed cap screws that secure the shafts cast iron housing to the side of the knee.

So if the cap screws can’t be seen they will be there as Dave Wootton says, but you may have to do some digging about to locate them.

They are very nice milling machines.

[Dave WoottonParticipant @davewootton]

Had a look at my mill today and the casting that holds the shaft does indeed come off with 6 allen screws on mine, as Lathejack says they have been fillered over and painted but easy to see the dimples where the screws are, this should enable you to get to the nut and check the shaft without removing the table and saddle. As far as I can make out in the gloom under the knee that the nut on mine is flush with the end of the shaft pretty much like yours. I can’t see any evidence of a locking tab on mine, which looking at your picture yours seems to have. But as you say a determined student could probably wind the table right down and shear off the tab on any locking device, loosening the nut. good luck and please let us know how you get on.

Dave

Incidentally I couldn’t remember why I had dismantled one of these, but just remembered a few we supplied were fitted with geared dual imp/metric dials supplied by an outside firm requiring much modification to fit.

[Phil super7Participant @philsuper7]

I have a Vmc Turret Mill which i thing is of the same design as yours.

If you are going to remove this shaft , make sure you support the knee & table with some jacks or Wooden Blocks, otherwise it may well Drop, hope this helps.

[tumbleteyParticipant @tumbletey]

Thank you so much, I will be back in work on Monday and will have a look and let you know how I get on. If there is any way you can send me a picture of the diagram that would be a great help! Like all my machines most are 50 to 70 years old and I have very few manuals for any of them apart from what i find online…

[Dave WoottonParticipant @davewootton]

If you pm me your email address i will try to send an image of the shaft and casting, not sure why it will not open in my earlier post, but not very good with computers. Alternatively and probably better is a VMC manual on the Ostia tools website, although the part numbering is different the drawing is the same and much larger and readable. The manual available from the current Myford is pretty pathetic, ten tiny photocopied pages for twelve quid or so, might be possible to get a copy of the VME manual from one of the other badged models Warco, Excel, Elliot/ Gate, RMT and many more, These were A4 size and much more readable, perhaps someone on here has one?

Dave

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