Author Topic: Myford "4-inch Precision" lathe  (Read 16713 times)

Offline Allen Smithee

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Re: Myford "4-inch Precision" lathe
« Reply #30 on: September 28, 2014, 10:24:38 PM »
I got to the main bed today. Fortunately it's in much better condition than the spindle and saddle. The bed is 36" long, with an overall length of about 48", which means it's almost certainly am MF-36.M. As you can see in the photos it has the front handwheel to tension the integral countershaft - something that Tony Griffiths suggests was a fairly rare feature.

AS
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Offline Brass_Machine

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Re: Myford "4-inch Precision" lathe
« Reply #31 on: September 29, 2014, 05:16:20 PM »
There are a few people that can make that sludge look new again.

I would give it a go.

Offline Allen Smithee

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Re: Myford "4-inch Precision" lathe
« Reply #32 on: September 29, 2014, 05:26:02 PM »
Is there a market for new sludge? I could add it to my growing portfolio of products for the busy model engineer - pre-blunted tools, ready-made swarf, ready-broken taps...

 :mischief:

Actually I may have a customer for the lathe who wants to take it on as a restoration project.

AS
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Online steamer

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Re: Myford "4-inch Precision" lathe
« Reply #33 on: September 29, 2014, 05:39:13 PM »
Let him take it.......Allen....it's WAY more work to rebuild a lathe than most people think it is...

Dave
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Online steamer

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Re: Myford "4-inch Precision" lathe
« Reply #34 on: September 29, 2014, 05:49:59 PM »
First the spindle or a spindle analog will need to be made.

Why?

The headstock is integral to the bed.     So the ways will have to be refinished with respect to the spindle.   To do that I would rebuild the spindle first, and get it functional.  then use a test mandrel to define the centerline of the spindle and to determine where the bed is now.


Then, The bed needs to be rescraped to allow the front of the test bar to rise .0005/12" up and .0005"/12" towards the front.   
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Online steamer

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Re: Myford "4-inch Precision" lathe
« Reply #35 on: September 29, 2014, 06:37:21 PM »
Once that's complete, the bed and the spindle test bar become the datums of reference for all other fitting and alignment work.

Starting with the Tailstock next......I think.


Dave
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Offline tangler

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Re: Myford "4-inch Precision" lathe
« Reply #36 on: September 29, 2014, 07:31:43 PM »

The headstock is integral to the bed.   

Is it?  Not convinced, have another look at the picture. 

However, having had a go at a tiny lathe, I certainly wouldn't like to attempt anything bigger.

Rod

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Re: Myford "4-inch Precision" lathe
« Reply #37 on: September 29, 2014, 08:29:33 PM »
Now that you say so Rod.....I'm not sure either.     Can't tell from the picture if there is a mating face line under the head stock or not.


Dave
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Offline Allen Smithee

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Re: Myford "4-inch Precision" lathe
« Reply #38 on: September 29, 2014, 10:18:19 PM »
The headstock is a separate casting, bolted onto the bed casting (although I doubt it has been UNbolted since it was delivered from the factory).

AS
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Re: Myford "4-inch Precision" lathe
« Reply #39 on: September 30, 2014, 12:11:02 AM »
OK....then just scrape the bed flat and parallel to the headstock housing bearing surface.....and the Dovetails parallel to each other.     Not so bad if you have a good size plate and a not insignificant amount of Elbow grease....


Dave
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Offline Jo

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Re: Myford "4-inch Precision" lathe
« Reply #40 on: September 30, 2014, 06:25:03 AM »
Dave don't encourage him to restore it , he needs a S7B  :mischief:

Jo
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Offline Allen Smithee

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Re: Myford "4-inch Precision" lathe
« Reply #41 on: September 30, 2014, 08:36:00 AM »
Just to be clear - I have no interest in restoring this lathe because I'll be buying an S7B as soon as I have cleared the workshop space to take it. I just need to know if it's a practicable proposition because if it is I should resist robbing it for parts! If it's unlikely that anyone else would want to restore it then I'll be scrapping (not scraping) the bed and cannibalising a lot of the rest.

Unfortunately seeing it there keeps causing silly notions to appear in my head, like cutting the tray down to convert the stand into a mill stand, or cutting most of the bed off to make a horizontal mill, or making a new spindle with tapered roller bearings, adjusting the pulley ratios to get 8-10,000rpm, cutting the bed down and making a tool grinder out of it...

I think I have to find a home for it before it destroys what little remains of my mental health! :embarassed:

While you're listening - what would be the easiest way to cut down the chip-tray? Find someone with a big bandsaw? Flame cutting? Angle grinder? Highly-motivated mutant ninja woodworm?

AS

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Offline Jo

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Re: Myford "4-inch Precision" lathe
« Reply #42 on: September 30, 2014, 08:41:38 AM »
Pete, before you do anything with it try advertising it (for free  ;)) on Homeworkshop (http://www.homeworkshop.org.uk/)  to see if there is some strange person who collects Myfords who would like to give it a new home.

There were only 20 of these lathes ever built, if you scrap it that is 5% of the entire production run gone :shrug:

Jo
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Re: Myford "4-inch Precision" lathe
« Reply #43 on: September 30, 2014, 09:06:30 AM »
Oh...I think it needs to find a new home....soon

Don't cut anything....transport it to the hands of another!


Dave
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Arbalest

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Re: Myford "4-inch Precision" lathe
« Reply #44 on: September 30, 2014, 10:23:59 AM »
Pete, before you do anything with it try advertising it (for free  ;)) on Homeworkshop (http://www.homeworkshop.org.uk/)  to see if there is some strange person who collects Myfords who would like to give it a new home.

There were only 20 of these lathes ever built, if you scrap it that is 5% of the entire production run gone :shrug:

Jo

Agreed, would be a real shame to destroy it.  :(

 

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