Replacing myford super7 Bed

Mike Hi, I don't really know as I haven't done it but it can't be too difficult as Myford beds are re-ground all the time.

However, if you are one of the very rich guys looking on E-bay at the moment there is apparently some bed casting differences between the power cross feed and early non cross feed machines. I have asked everywhere for a clue as to what the actual (if they exist) differences are but no one will tell me. When I asked Myford at one of the shows the guy suggested that I just buy a new bed, when I asked "how much" he wouldn't tell me as they couldn't find a chair for me to sit on and they had never sold one that he could remember, ever helpful!

Going back to E-bay at the moment, I'm told (allegedly :-)) that trying to fit a "green" bed to a "grey" machine is particularly difficult and even more difficult is trying to fit one with the wrong shade of green. Not that I'm trying to put you off bidding at all :-) (VBG)

Well unfortunately that last bit is true now that I've had a look at what some rich person wants to pay for the thing today!!

Regards

Disappointed, poor person

I can't help but wonder if its worth making a pattern and getting my local foundry to knock up a few.

Mike -

Why do you want to replace it? If it is worn, you can get it re-ground.

Regards, Tony

Might be obvious, but - just a thought, whatever you choose, don't forget the tailstock! I believe that Myfords originally choose tailstock castings 'by selection' for each individual machine they produce, so you may need to some work to get it really accurate if re- using an existing one on another bed

Regards Mike

why did I think that a bid of 60 quid would buy it? Going to the re-ground route, Any body got a price for having this done? Mike (Wirral)

Not Myford, but recently bought a early (1957) Boxford A on ebay with a worn bed and had planned to get it reground, but not a cheap option with a V way bed. However, have just bought a model C bed with good ways - a few holes to drill for the screw cutting gearbox, but minor problem. Was wondering about setting up the head stock. Also the saddle, which also has wear and will probably need to be scraped to fit the new bed.

I guess you first set up the saddle, so that it runs true and all points contact along the bed length. Then, get a test bar in the headstock taper and scrape / shim the headstock supports until runs true with the saddle movement, both horizontally and vertically. Having never done this before though, a few tips would be appreciated here as well...

Chris

Hi, from the Myford price list it would cost £163.91 to have the bed reground.... a lot of work goes into regrinding, not just the 'top surface'. Try :

the spindle and headstock bearing are A1, you should be able to rebuild as per owners manual. Warning, the saddle may need regrinding too if the bed has been re-ground in the past. The cost of regrinding the bed and saddle + refitting of saddle = £350.65....that is a small price to pay compared to current secondhand Spuer &'s and Myford's recondition lathes. Once reground and reset, the lathe should act almost like new. Cheers Dave M

I did some googling and found myself talking the the co who rebuild Hardinge machines. They get their beds reground by Exe Engineering in Exeter, who quoted 2/10th's thou in one foot accuracy. For my old Boxford, they said 350-400 for a bed regrind.

Exe were / are machine tool manufacturers, so I think I would feel quite confident about the quality of their work, but not about the price :-(, which would buy another complete machine to break for parts...

Chris

Hi again.....found a brilliant article about setting up a lathe....

if you go the re-grind route, this article should help to set it up again. Cheers Dave M.

Look in recent Model Engineer/MEW from an advert from Brian Caddy, I think on the inside cover. He has a lifetime's experience in the business and has just (a couple of years) started up on his own. He recently dismantled, reground and re-assembled the ways of my trusty Elliott Omnimill. The machine's now like new and he was a pleasure to deal with. Highly recommended. --

Chris Edwards (in deepest Dorset) "....there *must* be an easier way!"

why did I think that a bid of 60 quid would buy it?

£139.50 plus VAT for the bed. £298.43 plus VAT if you have the bed and saddle ground at the same time, and the saddle scraped in to fit.

I had my bed done by Myfords early 2006, and a jolly nice job they made of it too. I was too tight to fork out for them to do the saddle, so I made a fxture and re-ground it myself, then scraped the shears back in.

Peter

If I remember correctly the Super 7 bed has a larger cutaway for the backgear than the ML7 (or is it the other way round). Not significant since a little light fettling can sort the difference. Also worth noting that the C7 capstan models get very little bed wear since the capstan doesn't slide on the bed.

Charles

I know it is very bad form to answer one's own posting but sitting here suffering from gout, feeling cross and having no one to shout at, I thought I would research a bit more and get an answer. From this site:

which seems better organized than our Myford one. It appears that the change I was told about to the bed was to accommodate the power crossfeed apron and was from serial No K111727. Luckily they changed the position of the serial number at the same time as well so as I understand it anything with the serial number at the front headstock end should be OK. Hope I didn't confuse anyone with my question and I still haven't found out exactly what the differences are but at least will be able to identify a compatible bed should I ever need one.

regards

Grumpy