ML7 Cabinet\Stand

I currently have my ML7 mounted on a homemade bench. The bench is fine as it is, but I'm having a bit of a workshop move about, and I want to use this bench somewhere else and have a new bench for the lathe.

I was at the Midlands show last week measuring up the Warco cabinets. They seem fine if a little flimsy. Any experience with these cabinets for a ML7?

Has anybody had any experience with mounting a ML7 onto a Boxford cabinet? how is it for size and mounting holes etc?

My current list\thinking is below:

• Warco cabinet - Ok size wise, good price, a bit on the flimsy side
• Myford cabinet (industrial\home machinist versions) - Good quality, 3x the price of a Warco, are they worth the extra money?
• Boxford cabinet - Appear to be quiet large, reasonable price, lathe mounting unknown
• Make my own - monetary cost potential lowest, costs time, any good examples to follow?

Any help or advice would be much appreciated.

Have you considered a second hand Myford cabinet? They often come up on a well known auction site and may just need a clean or lick of paint to get them ready for use.

I agree with Bizibilder

I would recommend finding a Myford cabinet. It is a single unit, they are robust and (most importantly) designed for the Myford lathe. They already have the drillings in the correct place. They can be used with or without a drip tray, although I would recommend going for the drip tray and (genuine Myford) raising blocks. These can be purchased and fitted later - if finances cannot stretch to everything straight away.

Just take care if you are buying from an auction site - I recommend you have a good look at the cabinet before purchasing.

If I remember correctly, the Wxxxx cabinet comes in 3 pieces which have to be bolted together. I feel a one piece unit (as is the Myford cabinet) is much better for this application.

I hope this helps you come to a decision.

Bizibilder and Alan, thank you for your thoughts. You have re-enforced what I think I already knew, but my wallet refused to believe....

The auction site that shall not be named, is already being searched

Simon - I have my ML7 mounted on a Myford cabiinet because that's how I bought it. Based on my experience, I would NOT recommend one as an add-on. They are certainly strong BUT the storage is difficult to access (especially with back problems), the cabinet hold-down lugs are VERY difficult to drill through, the drip tray is awkward to clean and it is so narrow as to be unstable unless firmly bolted down. The usual Myford premium really makes it a candidate for the bottom of any listing. In your position, I would design and build something 'bespoke' - metal or wood.

rgds

Bill

When I purchased my s/Super 7 some 10 years a go I was amazed at the price of even a rusty/dented Myford stand and thus opted for a much cheaper Boxford under drive cabinet. I have never regretted my choice. Two lumps of 2" x 1" steel as the raising blocks ,bolted down to the 3/16" thick drip tray . Two cupboards and a centre section that I use as storage rather than a coolant pump . Brain

Simon,

I agree with Cornish Jack. The standard Myford stand is to expensive and the configuration of the storage cupboard is very limited. I replaced mine with an industrial cabinet that came with a second hand ML7.

The industrial cabinet has a much more sensible cupboard layout. I was lucky to get the industrial stand for not much money.

However I would certainly consider making something out of angle iron instead if I had to fit in a tight space and needed to make use of all available space.

Mike

I have a Warco lathe and ten years ago I purchased the dedicated bench that was made for it, the one that comes in three sections that bolt together, it was a pain to store anything in and I would suffer chronic back pain after any extended period of lathe work. I decided to bite the bullet and scrap it and mount the lathe on a bench, I trawled the net and found that Axminister were selling a really sturdy workbench with four steel drawers on one side and two steel shelves to the other side. I mounted the lathe on the very thick substantial ply top and since then no backache, the lathe is now much higher and easier to use. The bench is far more stable than the flimsy bench obtained with the lathe from Warco, I would certainly recommend researching ready built benches with built in drawers and shelves, they are so much easier to use and depending where purchased you don't need a second mortgage to purchase them, so pleased with mine I bought a second one for my small mill. Not sure if Axminster still sell the benches that I bought but they were certainly available at other outlets, the only downside was they came as a kit of parts and you definitely need to clear your mind before you attempt to assemble them!!!

Dave

Simon

Boxford cabinets are much heavier built than Myford, but beware of the height. Boxford lathe beds stand on tall raising blocks so the cabinet is that much lower.

You would need raising blocks about 6" high to fit a Myford to one. Depending of course on your height.

For info.

With 1" raising blocks the top slide is 40 3/4 " from the floor . Brian

I recently needed a stand for my own Super 7. Having looked at the price of new and used Myford stands I decided to buy some square steel tube or angle and build one. The price of steel not only made this a non-starter but made the price of a new stand look almost reasonable.

Will need the raising blocks even on the standard ML7 stand.

Gave mine away love to know how much the chap got for the whole lathe and most extras.

I don't know if an SC4 stand could be used, it's a similar size/weight lathe.

Costco sell a heavy duty shelf unit rated for a ton so fairly solid for about £110. Easily strong enough for a little lathe and seems fairly stiff. A double layer of 3/4 ply and sheet Al for a tray would give you the option to try out heights too.

Hi Chaps,

That is a great response, you have thrown up some ideas that I had not considered. I spent a long time last night measuring up to see how much more of the garage\workshop\wife's dumping ground I can take up with another work bench. - turns out I can comfortable fit a 5' bench.

My current thinking is to draw up a home made bench and cost it out, but keep an eye on the auction site that shall not be named for a Myford Industrial cabinet if one pops up at a reasonable price.

Thanks guys

I have my Myford lathe on the cabinet stand with raising blocks and found the operation uncomfortable because it was too low for me. I'm 6ft tall. Problem solved by bolting the stand on 2" x 2" hardwood laid front to back. This also cured any possible instability issues. The lathe is free standing on the floor without problems.

Dave
The Emerald Isle

I​ have just been through the same process for my S7 and after several failed attempts at buying an original stand I choose to make my own. The main reason was that when I tried a friends machine on a stand it was too low for comfortable use and the amount of storage space available was more limited than I expected.

I built mine to the same footprint as the Myford stand but with square ends and a couple of inches higher, for the type of storage I needed I incorporated a Clarke Roll Cabinet with suitable drawers. The stand is made from 50x25x3mm box section with 2mm sheet sides and shelves with 50x50x5mm for the top frame and lathe mounting positions. While it was straight forward to make I can't recommend it as an economy move as the steel cost £120+ and of course the cabinet if I hadn't had it spare.

Not sure if the photo will display as I haven't posted here for a few years

Keith

I made a stand for my ML7 based on one in MEW from Christmas 2007,it turned as a very solid stand.I fitted castors so it could be moved around easily,also fitted bolts to lift castors off the concrete floor and to level the stand.It's made from 50mm x 50mm x5mm tube, panels made from scrap computer server cabinet.