Myford ML7 drip oilers

All, one of my original Myford drip oilers has never worked properly - despite stripping and cleaning, it’s either full flow or nothing for some reason. The spring often binds on the pin or bore, giving the feeling of gouging metal when turning the knob. I’ve fiddled about with it to no avail.

Years ago I bought a new pair, but they were pretty cheap and nasty and didn’t work well at all.

Where can I get some original Myford oilers? EBay?

Thanks.

My Myford has the original oilers and I found if I went out in the workshop when it was cold - they would drip enough and when hot - too much!

When using the lathe now I just give manually 6 drips and if using for any length of time a few more now and again, I have a VFD fitted and occasionally run at above it's normal top rated rpm but must be doing it sufficiently as original bearings are spot on.

Alan

+1 to what Alan says. I kept forgetting to shut off the oil drip after each use. Instead I put two drops at the start of each session and maybe another drop if I was turning for more than an hour at a time. After 40 years use, the measured play in the white metal bearings was still 0.0005" as when new.

Andrew

Watch this space!

I dunno what they are like or if they do oilers as well as greasers, or if the lube can be changed/selected, or the delivery rate, etc etc - but there are battery powered electrical metering systems which rely on hydrogen produced, as a cell discharges, to provide the feed.. Apparently they can empty in a month or even up to a year a year. Better ones can be turned on/off, too.

Here is a link to a vid on the grease variety: AUTO GREASE LUBRICATOR

Might be useful to some of us?

I fitted flip-cap oilers in place of the drip oilers (and other places on the lathe) which makes manually oiling easy.

For some years my ML7 has been fitted with drip feed units from Adams in Coventry.

As far as I’m concerned they have been excellent, very controllable, go fully off and as a bonus even look like the originals.

Here is a link to the relative page on their site and if you download the PDF mine are at the top of page 5.

Adams

I have absolutely no idea of the price nowadays though.

Edited By V8Eng on 14/09/2022 20:31:54

In the past I have modified the tapered shaft of the oilers by changing the taper to a much finer one and leaving a step at the largest point and fitting an o ring to give positive shut off. I have done 4 so far 2 on an ml7 and two on main bearings of a marine steamer and they are both still working surprise surprise.

Thanks all.