Hiya I have a Myford MF74 I am restoring, most of it is done and I now just have to do the headstock, as an amature I had the parts shot blasted as I didnt want to mess with stripper to get stubborn paint off, I leaft the bearings in the headstock as they were pinned in place and the blasting has damaged and pitted the inside of the bearings to the point where if they were made smooth again they might be too loose, also the casting where it clamps the rear spindle bearing had a stress fracture hiding under paint and grime, the bearing pins were all that were holding it on
-
Welcome back Guest! Did you know you can mentor other members here at H-M? If not, please check out our Relaunch of Hobby Machinist Mentoring Program!
Myford MF74 Headstock with bearings
- Thread starter MarkNotts
- Start date
- Joined
- Sep 1, 2018
- Messages
- 643
As you already know you should never blast bearings unless you plan on replacing them. Sometimes the easiest looking way is not..good luck with your rebuild.welcome to the best forum..pictures will help..
yeah experience is normally learned the hard way lol, I have the bronze to make new bearings but if someone is selling MF parts and has the headstock plus bearings then I can save the bronze for something else, ill get some pics a little later when in the workshop ( I work nights so gonna stop up until about 10am )
- Joined
- Sep 1, 2018
- Messages
- 643
Very nice lathe.do the bolts in top of caps kepp the bushings from moving? If so can you extend the threaded holes in cap and use longer bolts?
nope the bushings are kept from spinning by screws or pins through their front into the casting, those cap screws in the top are at an angle and I can only assume are there to increase the strength of the casting when the bolts at the front are tightened down on the bearings, it is a rubbish design and I don't know why Myford departed from the tried and tested taper bronze bearings, apparently there were only 500 made and then they just carried on with their ML series
the part of the headstock where broke there is a miss aligned drill and tapped hole for a screw that stops the bearing spinning, absolute crap design for the bearing mounts bit the rest of the lathe is very well designed and is a lot more solid for anything its size made before it
- Joined
- Sep 1, 2018
- Messages
- 643
Is missing cap made like the one at other end.if so could be welded with nickel rod or brazed. Or pinned.or both
- Joined
- Jun 26, 2014
- Messages
- 619
Any chance of retrofitting a ML7 or Super7 headstock? Then you get the best of both worlds - a more modern headstock (that should be a lot easier to come by) with the heavier bed.
The ways look very similar to a ML series lathe, just a beefier bed underneath, tailstock looks identical to the early ML7s. You might have to forgo the backgear as that sits in a hollow in the ML7 bed under the headstock (which I don't think your bed would have). They just look very similiar and may be quite compatible/interchangeable.
Alternatively, http://www.lathes.co.uk/myford mf74/page3.html shows a suggested repair method.
The ways look very similar to a ML series lathe, just a beefier bed underneath, tailstock looks identical to the early ML7s. You might have to forgo the backgear as that sits in a hollow in the ML7 bed under the headstock (which I don't think your bed would have). They just look very similiar and may be quite compatible/interchangeable.
Alternatively, http://www.lathes.co.uk/myford mf74/page3.html shows a suggested repair method.
yeah exactly the same but what ever I do it will be weak, I have a plan though that ive seen on ultimatehandyman, im not going to make the bearing in 2 pieces though, still 1 piece with 1 slot so when clamping down in curls and pinches all around not just top and bottom, mill some cast away and make a separate bearing cap which is bolted down both sides of the bearing, he has had the same problem and for all options I have this will be the strongest and most future proof at the expense of a little asthetics, the pics explain it well http://www.ultimatehandyman.co.uk/forum1/lathe-headstock-repairs-t77486.html