03-01-2014, 08:41 PM
Hi,
Thanks Big Al; yes I went to town on my two Myford's; I turned new Tufnol bearings and had the mandrel metal sprayed with hardened stainless then brought to original spec; it cost around £300 to have both beds reground; all in all I had well in excess of £1,000 and many hours invested in them but then thought what the heck am I doing; I've been doing this sort of thing for the last fifty years and although I always enjoy seeing an old machine fully restored decided enough was enough. I only got just over £200 for the pair of Myford's so in a way I was pleased to have called it a day before spending a lot more money and time on them.
Restoring old good quality machines is a fascinating hobby and although I decided against completing the Myford's I've since fully restored the Graduate lathe to better than new and I'm currently held up by the weather in my bandsaw project but once I can settle the bandsaw won't prove too daunting for me to sort out.
Good luck with your lathe restorations Rob but be prepared to put the time and effort in if you want to do the best job possible. I'm pleased the gear came off so easily which I expected it to do; sometimes a bit of force is needed as long as this is not taken to extreme causing further damage. I did a lot of turning using one of my Myford's with the main head-stock bearing clamped when I discovered the casting had completely broken.
Kind regards, Col.
Thanks Big Al; yes I went to town on my two Myford's; I turned new Tufnol bearings and had the mandrel metal sprayed with hardened stainless then brought to original spec; it cost around £300 to have both beds reground; all in all I had well in excess of £1,000 and many hours invested in them but then thought what the heck am I doing; I've been doing this sort of thing for the last fifty years and although I always enjoy seeing an old machine fully restored decided enough was enough. I only got just over £200 for the pair of Myford's so in a way I was pleased to have called it a day before spending a lot more money and time on them.
Restoring old good quality machines is a fascinating hobby and although I decided against completing the Myford's I've since fully restored the Graduate lathe to better than new and I'm currently held up by the weather in my bandsaw project but once I can settle the bandsaw won't prove too daunting for me to sort out.
Good luck with your lathe restorations Rob but be prepared to put the time and effort in if you want to do the best job possible. I'm pleased the gear came off so easily which I expected it to do; sometimes a bit of force is needed as long as this is not taken to extreme causing further damage. I did a lot of turning using one of my Myford's with the main head-stock bearing clamped when I discovered the casting had completely broken.
Kind regards, Col.
Happiness is a wreck of a cabinet to restore.
