Myford Factory Visit Today.

DR_G · 2007-10-25T22:12:49+00:00

Hello yet again, (yes, two posts in one evening!)I went to the Myford Factory open day this afternoon - it was reallgreat, but I found it quite sad at the same time. I think I was thyoungest visitor there by far. I don't want to sound pessimistic, buIf that was a representative sample of the typical Myford owner, then would be very worried for the future if I were a Myford director! Another thing I couldn't get over was the INCREDIBLE price tags of thstuff they had there. Not just full machines, but used ones and alsthe accessories. We are looking at buying a lathe at work, and havtalked to several used m/c tool companies here in Sheffield. Onsupplier also sells new machines, and apparently the Far Eastern anEastern European stuff is getting better all the time, to the extenthat you can get a very capable medium sized CNC lathe for around £500- far less than a new Myford with all the fancy bits, but which haabsolutely no computerisation. From what I see, the Myford would btotally outclassed by one of these machines, certainly in terms oversatility, and from what I saw today of the machine tools and methodused to bulid a new Myford, I would not be surprised if the Myford woulpotentially be less accurate. It is a very labour intensive builprocess they have there, and I would expect that consistency of builaccuracy at Myford comes at a very high price in terms of man hourswhich has to be passed on to the customer. On a more positive note, all the staff were very nice, and I got personal demonstration of how to adjust gib screws the factory way! was also pleasantly surprised by the total abscence of health ansafety measures during the visit. We could happily stand next to largsurface grinders which were working on beds and emitting showers osparks. One person was demonstrating parting off bits from a steel bawith no regard for eye protection of the bystanders, another wahobbing a gear - again absolutely no protective gear was required odemanded. I thought it was great...

Oct 25, 2007 22 Replies

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DR_G 18 years ago

Tony,

We are looking at buying a small hand lathe at work, so I contacte Myford today and asked the question. The reply was that all Myfor lathes are 100% built in England, using their own components, and the totally refuted that anything was imported.

I read about the Far East rumor on another engineering forum, and seem to remember someone telling me about it too some time ago. Seem it's unfounded.

Good enough for me!

Regards,

Gart

-- DR_

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John Stevenson 18 years ago

Except the headstock oiler's which come from the Great Wall Silk Flower and Tractor factory, One Hung Low Province......

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Mark Rand 18 years ago

I was under the impression that the woodspoiling lathes came from further east than Beeston. Having see the level of value added to them at the factory, I wouldn't bother with one of those.

Mark Rand RTFM

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