Member postings for Jess Dickinson

Myford Super 7 Lathe

The Myford operation and maintenance manual has very helpful exploded views and oiling diagrams along with other very useful data and general information. The Myford ML7 Lathe Manual by Ian Bradley is also good reading, but when it comes to really getting down to investigating and repair of the cross slide clutch housed in the saddle apron, they are of no help what so ever.

To remove the apron, ‘the lead screw must be removed, to remove the leadscrew the change gear quadrant assembly must be removed and so on’. I didn’t know that at the time and the books kept it a secret also.

In a moment of darkest despair I searched the web in English for removal of the apron and eventually found a small comment that the leadscrew must be removed first. So with this as a key word I quickly came to the Model Engineer Workshop Forum web site and found some correspondence with an e-mail address recommendation for Darren and Pete.

I wrote a mail with embarrassment explaining very briefly that I had over loaded my Super 7 and would he visit me in Germany to repair and service my lathe. He does no do visits outside of the UK, but would be very happy to support me by e-mail and that’s exactly what he did. ‘Thank you Das’.

There then followed a couple of weeks of very precise correspondence between Das and myself. I must point out at this point that I was the slow coach with the mails, Das answer by return of mail explaining the sequence for stripping and other tips and tricks and then of course rebuilding the machine. As a point of interest the problem was that the cross slide ball bearings had ridden high in the clutch drive shaft and badly bruised the drive gear bearing surface. This was ground of with by hand an oiled stone.

I have now a very sweet running super 7 again.

Best wishes and regards Jess Dickinson

Darren may be contacted as follows:-

[email protected]