Using a lathe

Hi I have just taken a leep and bought a Myford ml7 Lathe with no knowledge of how to use it, I am looking for help finding someone that can help. I live in manchester and am looking for a course or some one who will give time to show me the basics.

Hi Ron .

Welcome to the MEW forum or the Brains trust as i call it and no the brain part isn't from me !

Whilst i can't name anyone specifically as i live in another country i would try to find a local model engineering club and approach them even if you're not into making models there should be someone willing to help and if anyone knows how to use an ML7 it will be a model engineer !.

Also there is the workshop practice series of books available - # 34 lathework a complete course by Harold Hall # 45 basic lathe work by Stan Bray are both excellent guides for beginners with the added bonus of making some usefull tools for your machine in the process .

There is also a series running in MEW that has dealt with basic lathework and metalwork so check out some of the recent issues .

There are also some DVD available from little machine shop in the USA but they will cost you some $$$ although they are are usefull but not specifically based around the ML7 .

It may take a while for other forum readers to respond as many only check them here and there so be patient !

IAN

Hi Ron,

Just extremely curious but why a picture of my Thompson Class B1 Springbok on this thread.

What part of the country do you live in and can point you in the direction of a local SMEE club

Bob

Hi Bob

There might be a clue to where Ron comes from in the bit of his post that says "I live in Manchester". For all those who think the edge of the world is just north of watford, Manchester is a large city, about 180 miles north west of that horrid home of the bankers.<--- Not sure if the first letter of that last word is the right one though!!!

Cheers Derek

Welcome Ron!

Good advice from Ian B.

Another bit of essential reading - the Myford Series 7 Manual by Ian Bradley first published in 1973 but still a mine of information on the machine, accessories and setups. Looking for a course - well maybe in Manchester ? or certainly from the SMEE in London but elsewhere pretty much unavailable I fear. Axminster Power Tools in Devon do short courses see here but I guess that's a bit of a trek ( and cost !) for you.

When you get going a bit post your queries on this site and don't be afraid to ask "daft" questions.

Regards

Norman

Hi Ron

I'm a newbie since September 2009 and have learnt a lot from this forum.

L H Sparey's book "The Amateur's Lathe" is a good all encompassing tome and a great introduction. Then the Harold Hall book will get you making stuff which will then give you more tooling to use in other projects. Mick Knight's (is it Mick? I'm at work and typing this bit from memory) series in MEW is good coverage of many ME topics and has also started on the "making things" phase

I don't make models - I'm making tooling (from some of the above books and articles) and bits to adapt bits from other motorbikes onto my bikes.

Cheers and welcome

John

I live 20 mins (no traffic) north of trafford centre and have an ml7 - come see me if you like and I will show you what I can?

As someone has already said, the Ian Bradley book is a must. It's a very easy read for the beginer and gives lots of useful information. It is highly recommended.

Good luck.

Have a look at this site - MIT Tech TV- from Michigan Institute of Technology. It has a number of basic machining videos on various machines in the workshop. The video that comes up is no 1 and the others are accessible on the right.

Hi Ron,

Sorry I can't help as I live in the SE midlands but here are a few basic instructional videos. They are quite good and worth watching. One of the most important basics of lathe use is to understand basic tools s and their use. Without the correct tools which are sharp and held securely you will not get very far.

Th MIT videos for the lathe starts here.  MIT is the School for technology in the USA and they produce many useful videos for machine shop practice, it is worth adding to your favourites.  I enjoy watching them as they are well made, as you would expect from such a famous institution.  By the way, it's Massachusets Institute of Technology, (Cambridge, Massachusets), not Michigan.

Best regards

Terry

Edited By Terryd on 18/04/2012 09:46:48

Sorry, I just noticed that I misspelled Massachusetts, it is double t (I couldn't edit my post for some reason).

Regards

T

Well Terry

Spelling it is one thing - saying it ( especially if you not got your teeth in) is something else!

N

Hi Bob

There might be a clue to where Ron comes from in the bit of his post that says "I live in Manchester". For all those who think the edge of the world is just north of watford, Manchester is a large city, about 180 miles north west of that horrid home of the bankers.<--- Not sure if the first letter of that last word is the right one though!!!

OK Magpie, (a good name in this instance) was so annoyed about the pic that did not read posting correctly how do you feel someone plagarising your 2 years of work . Also as live in the deepest west country well away from bankers I was interested in your connentations of the letter "B" as compared to bankers.

Mr Grimshaw could you please explain why you done this.

Thankyou

Bob

Hi Terry

Should that be leep or leap  as in a Springbok a great leap.

cheers

bob

Edited By Springbok on 19/04/2012 11:00:26

Hi Bob,

In answer to your question, I dunno ! You will have to ask Ron, the original author of the question .

Best regards

Terry

P.S. Bob, from an earlier post of yours, I know what a connotation is, but not sure of a connentation?  It's a word I've not come across before.

Regads

T

Edited By Terryd on 19/04/2012 11:47:48

The Amateur's workshop by Ian Bradley.

'Know your lathe' the Boxford lathe training manual that copied most of the south Bend manual which in turn is online somewhere.

There are several clubs in the Manchester area - I think I have recently said that before so there must be another newcomer near you.

Back issues of ME. Very informative. Even if you don't understand the articles the first time it all sinks in. Reading about building a loco etc you are not aiming to build may seem unprofitable but within it there will be tips and techniques you can apply.

Finally for Sprigbok in humour the West Country proper doesn't start until at least Taunton !

Baz (north of Watford by half an inch)

Hi Bob

No offence intended. I guess i would be p**s'd of if any of my decent work had been used,but i do'nt mind you using the silly stuff as above. I have seen my mates work lifted of another website and claims that it was made in china,so i only ever post pics that dont matter. I still stand by my remarks about the south, allthough i was mainly referring to Londeners,who allways expect the world to go to them.EG look at all the shouting about the Beeb move to Salford. I chose the name magpie,because over the years i have collected a vast amount of what my wife calls junk, Bloody cheek! it's all good stuff i tell you.

Cheers Derek.      P.S.  The things in the pics have been made from that "junk"

Edited By magpie on 19/04/2012 20:17:23

Blimey Baz, only just holding on by the fingertips eh?

Cheers Derek

As Mr Grimshaw has opnly made one post, I am guessing he didbn't know how the forum works and saw the 'start a thread' box under the picture...

This has happened to me I'm sure, as it isn't obvious that a thread created this way will have the picture at its head.

There is nothing in his message taht tries to suggest any claim over the loco.

Neil

OK everyone lets help Mr Grimshaw in everyway we can I know there is a mountain of knowledge out there so lets go for it.

Bob