Only for Myford lathes

[Mike PooleParticipant @mikepoole82104]

The hole is for the travelling steady, it is a single bolt fixing. Be careful that it is not 1/4” BSF.

https://www.model-engineer.co.uk/forums/postings.asp?th=85707

Mike

Edited By Mike Poole on 18/04/2020 22:59:16

Edited By Mike Poole on 18/04/2020 23:02:50

[SteviegtrParticipant @steviegtr]

Posted by Mike Poole on 18/04/2020 22:57:49:

The hole is for the travelling steady, it is a single bolt fixing. Be careful that it is not 1/4” BSF.

**LINK**

Mike

Edited By Mike Poole on 18/04/2020 22:59:16

Edited By Mike Poole on 18/04/2020 23:02:50

Great Mike thanks for that. The thread at 1st I could see it was finer than Whit so I got my imperial BSF taps out & 1/4" was too big. So tried various screws in the hole & 6mm bang on. It cannot have been re tapped from 1/4" whit as that is bigger & the hole is perfect. Strange. Again thanks.

Steve.

[Nigel Graham 2Participant @nigelgraham2]

M6; or possibly 0BA?

Those two threads are so similar that unless cut just-so and un-worn they will often fit together, though not by design (different angles).

I think that on my ML7 is 1/4" BSF, but I have not so far needed to use it so I could be wrong. Something for me to examine so thank-you for the tip!

[SteviegtrParticipant @steviegtr]

Posted by Nigel Graham 2 on 18/04/2020 23:54:31:

M6; or possibly 0BA?

Those two threads are so similar that unless cut just-so and un-worn they will often fit together, though not by design (different angles).

I think that on my ML7 is 1/4" BSF, but I have not so far needed to use it so I could be wrong. Something for me to examine so thank-you for the tip!

You could be right. I tried a 6mm screw in the hole & it was fine to about 6 threads in & then became a bit tight. Assuming it was just dirty from not being used I ran a 6mm HSS tap down the hole which was not tight at all. Then the screw was easy going. I have to admit though I have done a lot of work on my machine & so far have not found any BA threads on it.

Steve.

[HopperParticipant @hopper]

From the factory Myford generally used BSF fine threads and BSW coarse. The only exception I've found would be the 2BA gib adjusting screws.

The steady bolt hole would have been 1/4" BSF which is 26TPI. The M6 tap at 1mm pitch is equivalent to 25.4TPI. So you have created a bit of a bastard thread by running a metric tap down it. Close but no ceegar. Probably hold ok though for the amount of work a travelling steady typically sees — ie 3/5ths of 5/8ths of not very much at all.

A more common use for that steady bolt hole is to secure a metal strip to hold in place a vinyl or neoprene "bib" that stops swarf landing on the bed ways and working their way under the carriage ways and causing extra wear. Bit of vinyl about 4" wide does the trick rather well. IF the strip is made thick enough and the vinyl run up the back of it, it provides a barrier to swarf getting into the cross slide way right there too.

 

Edited By Hopper on 19/04/2020 03:07:04

[Graham StoppaniParticipant @grahamstoppani46499]

Posted by Hopper on 19/04/2020 03:03:25:

A more common use for that steady bolt hole is to secure a metal strip to hold in place a vinyl or neoprene "bib" that stops swarf landing on the bed ways and working their way under the carriage ways and causing extra wear. Bit of vinyl about 4" wide does the trick rather well. IF the strip is made thick enough and the vinyl run up the back of it, it provides a barrier to swarf getting into the cross slide way right there too.

Just re-roofed my shed with EDPM rubber, had a bit left over and was wondering what to do with it. Thanks for the suggestion.

[Kiwi BlokeParticipant @kiwibloke62605]

Graham, EPDM rubber (if that's what you meant, but your fingers thought otherwise) is not compatible with hydrocarbons. Nitrile rubber is OK. So your bit left over lives for another day…

[Mike PooleParticipant @mikepoole82104]

I have a feeling that Myford did start sneaking a few metric threads onto their lathes. The Allen screws that hold the headstock to the bed were changed to 8mm at some point. The screw holes provided on the flat surface on the back of the bed for mounting the taper turning attachment were 6mm on my bed I think, I could not get a 1/4BSF screw to start so thinking it was probably just paint and crud I ran a 1/4BSF tap in, it took a bit more than muck out though. 6mm is 1mm pitch which is 25.4tpi and 1/4BSF is 26tpi so they are very close. I finished up running the tap through all of the back pad holes as having one odd one would be a nuisance. Not good practice but I think they are so close in pitch and the slight increase in diameter has probably left a useful thread in the holes. The screws on my cross slide are a mixture of 2BA and 5mm the gib adjusters are 2BA and the slide locks are 5mm. This is the long cross slide on a ML7R and is definitely as it left the factory.

Mike

[HopperParticipant @hopper]

Lol. Well there you go. Sounds like Myford were building parts bin specials using what was available. Bit like Meriden Triumph in the day.

[Mike PooleParticipant @mikepoole82104]

Triumph must have kicked themselves after having converted to UNF and UNC the world switched to metric. I suppose Myford were finding that the price of imperial fasteners and tooling was rising with decreasing availability so quietly fed in a few metric substitutes. The decline in sales would also mean that they would not be buying in large quantities so not much discount available there either, a vicious spiral.

Mike

[egaParticipant @ega]

Posted by Mike Poole on 19/04/2020 09:11:13:

Triumph must have kicked themselves after having converted to UNF and UNC the world switched to metric. I suppose Myford were finding that the price of imperial fasteners and tooling was rising with decreasing availability so quietly fed in a few metric substitutes. The decline in sales would also mean that they would not be buying in large quantities so not much discount available there either, a vicious spiral.

Mike

I heard that the oversize-head cap screws holding the Myford saddle to the apron were replaced with metric because the imperial ones were too expensive.

[Graham StoppaniParticipant @grahamstoppani46499]

Posted by Kiwi Bloke on 19/04/2020 07:12:42:

Graham, EPDM rubber (if that's what you meant, but your fingers thought otherwise) is not compatible with hydrocarbons. Nitrile rubber is OK. So your bit left over lives for another day…

Thanks for the warning. I even checked the name of the rubber before typing and still got it wrong!

[MortyParticipant @morty]

Hi Everyone!

Just bought My Super 7 last year, and I am making use of the Lockdown to strip and refurbish it, link below:-

https://www.model-engineer.co.uk/forums/postings.asp?th=155128

Cheers, Pete

[SteviegtrParticipant @steviegtr]

Posted by Morty on 20/04/2020 12:12:37:

Hi Everyone!

Just bought My Super 7 last year, and I am making use of the Lockdown to strip and refurbish it, link below:-

https://www.model-engineer.co.uk/forums/postings.asp?th=155128

Cheers, Pete

Hi Morty, glad you found this thread. Keep up your good work.

Steve.

[BazParticipant @baz89810]

I had the same problem as Mike Poole regarding the taper turning attachment, I have ended up tapping them all out to 1/4 BSF, the cross slide also has a mix of screws, machine is a ML7R grey no power x feed.

[Russ BParticipant @russb]

I sold my Super 7 when I got my Myford 280, it's an incredible bit of kit, double vee and flat bed, Gamet super precision taper roller bearings, all geared and quick change everything. The machines are entirely metric with an imperial version using imperial screws. I have the Vickers planetary metric/imperial dials too.

Someone converted it to a Newton Tesla drive but they didn't get the right speed motor. Originally these were fitted with dual speed motors giving upto 1000 or up to 2000 rpm. I have corrected the pulleys so at 100% it now runs at the higher speed and it's all down from there – but not much below half as the gearbox relies on flinging oil about to lubricate the box and nose bearings.

As the name suggests, it swings 280mm over the bed, 174mm over the cross slide, 600 between centres and has a 26mm bore though its D1-3 camlock spindle.

It's a great piece of kit, after owning many many lathes I thought the Super 7 was a really slick productive and solid piece of kit, but this 280 is far superior, I love it!

[SteviegtrParticipant @steviegtr]

Yes the 280 does look like it was made after thinking through what the Super 7 series lacked. Great purchase. Enjoy.

Is it not a bigger machine though. Comparing a Bentley to a Mini sort of thing.

Steve.

[Russ BParticipant @russb]

Steve, it's not that much bigger to be honest.its of the more modern boxy design, similar to how a Chinese 3.5" centre lathe is half the size of a Myford 3.5 centre (ML7 or Super7) it's significantly lower for some unknown reason, but in terms of floor space, it slotted in exactly where my Super 7 / Boxford was, it does end up being closer to the wall corner (tailstock end) but there's still a good foot in the corner for me stand metal and plastic stock up.

[Russ BParticipant @russb]

Steve, it's not that much bigger to be honest.its of the more modern boxy design, similar to how a Chinese 3.5" centre lathe is half the size of a Myford 3.5 centre (ML7 or Super7) it's significantly lower for some unknown reason, but in terms of floor space, it slotted in exactly where my Super 7 / Boxford was, it does end up being closer to the wall corner (tailstock end) but there's still a good foot in the corner for me stand metal and plastic stock up.

[SteviegtrParticipant @steviegtr]

Posted by Russ B on 23/04/2020 14:46:54:

Steve, it's not that much bigger to be honest.its of the more modern boxy design, similar to how a Chinese 3.5" centre lathe is half the size of a Myford 3.5 centre (ML7 or Super7) it's significantly lower for some unknown reason, but in terms of floor space, it slotted in exactly where my Super 7 / Boxford was, it does end up being closer to the wall corner (tailstock end) but there's still a good foot in the corner for me stand metal and plastic stock up.

What years were they made , out of interest.

Steve.

[Kiwi BlokeParticipant @kiwibloke62605]

I'm jealous as hell. No chance of finding one here in NZ, of course.

It looks like the 20th century hit Myford with a bang, and they got so scared they had to stop making them. What a pity. The 254 is a very anaemic-looking thing, in comparison. Interesting that there is no separate feed shaft: I suppose there's a keyway all along the leadscrew, for cross-slide power feed.

Any idea of new price, compared to Emco Super 11 and V13?

[SteviegtrParticipant @steviegtr]

I have done a bit more work on the Myford super 7B. A few things that niggled me need addressing so i did the cross slide handwheel bush. For most it will be 24minutes you will never get back. But some may find it of some interest. The video work is rubbish so go easy on me. Also the machine has had a fair bit of use lately & needs a good clean. I do suffer from guy martin syndrome a bit so i tend to digress a lot. Apology in advance.

Steve.

Myford super 7 mods

[Alan Wood 4Participant @alanwood4]

Just fitted the Clough42 Electronic Leadscrew to my Myford S7 Big Bore. Lovely to have automatic feed without the associated gearbox noise.

Done a write up here ELS on Myford S7

Alan

[SteviegtrParticipant @steviegtr]

Posted by Alan Wood 4 on 25/09/2020 10:15:34:

Just fitted the Clough42 Electronic Leadscrew to my Myford S7 Big Bore. Lovely to have automatic feed without the associated gearbox noise.

Done a write up here ELS on Myford S7

Alan

Wow. Just had a look at the job you did. Very nice.

Steve.

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