Free Myford ML8 Project

[Dale]

Hi all and welcome to my little thread.

I recently acquired a Myford ML8 for free! I'm not usually one for facebook but decided to pop on for absolutely no reason.
But I think it was my lucky day, first post was a free to collector for this lathe, just a picture no description.
Been on site for 2 days aswell, but decided to comment and received a message with an address.

The gent didn't want to get rid of it but was moving house quickly and didn't have the space, and hadn't used it since getting it himself!

All I wanted was a decent size lathe, as the one I have is too small!

Was shown into a garage, the lathe was more beautiful than the photo made out. So organic and less strait line brutal modernism.
The old gent was so nice, he was gifting the lathe, and a box full of buts as wall as a giant tool box on wheels full of chucks, bores and things I haven't figured out yet. I had to do 2 trips in the car.

If it couldn't get any better, I received a folder full of paperwork for the lathe, 2 brochures, a pricelist from 1981, 1985 and 2007. Loads of chuck paperwork's too.

 

[Dale]

The Lathe...
From what I can tell, it's parts were collected over time to create one peace.
I have a couple of peace's in a silver, pitted metal pain't. Some peace's in cream that have been overpainted with a gray green.

The bed is extremely long! It has 2 feet, that I haven't seen in other pictures.
View attachment 20230306_111656.jpg
I know the beds the wrong way round, just the photo I had.

I believe it is mounted onto a shot bed or Hoby table, with a monstrosity of an extension to accommodate the long bed.

 

[Dale]

Brochure

 

[baldkev]

Great find! Have fun!

 

[Jameshow]

I think your table is too short...

Can you get hold of an original cabinet?

Have you got the rest of the parts?
End stock, tool rest etc??

 

[Dale]

I think your table is too short...

Can you get hold of an original cabinet?

Have you got the rest of the parts?
End stock, tool rest etc??

The table I have is short, but the extension makes it fit.
I don't think it will fit on an original cabinet either?
Will do some measuring and let you know.

I have a big box of bits, I think I'm missing the original rests, but I have some DIY looking rests with it.
Also missing the nut and bolt that secures the rests to the saddle.

View attachment 20230307_100002.jpg
Selection of parts.
At a quick glance, I have tail stock, plates for both sides, and rests for both sides. And the table saw attachment without the safety guard (guard originally an optional extra lol)

It's a little hard to say. Will get more photos later, to show how much stuff I got!

 

[Dale]

Original price lists

 

[amadeus]

This is great! I am in a similar position although mine is a bit more rusty. Your pictures are really helpful thank you for sharing.

@Dale can I ask how easy is your tailstock barrel to get into the tailstock? As per this thread I'm struggling with mine.

 

[Dale]

This is great! I am in a similar position although mine is a bit more rusty. Your pictures are really helpful thank you for sharing.

If you need any closer shots of anything let me know, happy to help.

I thaught that a little data dump could be appreciated, could be a peace of info that hasn't been logged before. I found that the info online was hard to find or same, same just worded different. Maybe you or someone else will find that 1 thing you had been wondering.

I have photocopied all the paperwork I think is usefull and laminated the copies so I don't destroy either.

 

[Dale]

2007 Parts list

List of fitting No's.
Mayfords listed on Right

 

[Dave Moore]

The table I have is short, but the extension makes it fit.
I don't think it will fit on an original cabinet either?
Will do some measuring and let you know.

I have a big box of bits, I think I'm missing the original rests, but I have some DIY looking rests with it.
Also missing the nut and bolt that secures the rests to the saddle.

View attachment 154658
Selection of parts.
At a quick glance, I have tail stock, plates for both sides, and rests for both sides. And the table saw attachment without the safety guard (guard originally an optional extra lol)

It's a little hard to say. Will get more photos later, to show how much stuff I got!

The original bed are about 30” between centres. Mine was mounted on a wooden bench and I built a box at the bottom and filled with sand for dampening.Lovely little lathe.
Regards,
Dave

 

[mwinfrance]

Very nice find !

 

[Dale]

Few more shots of the stuff I have...
The Table.... Not ideal or standard

All the extras, barely looked through it...

 

[Dale]

Today's job was to strip the old paint off as much as I could!
Head stock is ready to be taped up.

Don't know if anyone else's looks like an angle grinders been taken to it?
Lots of knocks and chips but I think that's to be exspected

 

[Dale]

@Dale can I ask how easy is your tailstock barrel to get into the tailstock? As per this thread I'm struggling with mine.

Mines really stiff, started to look at it just, winding it to both extremes, cleaning off as much discoloration as possible and what looks like green grease (it's absolutely mank). Helped with WD40 it seems to be getting looser in the barrel. Been spraying the WD 40 in the oiling hole on top. Haven't tried to remove it yet though letting this last lot sit, while I go on school run.

 

[mwinfrance]

Brake fluid works better than WD40.WD40 was developed against humidity, lots of other oils and solvents are less viscous with better penetration, capillary action is your friend when things are stuck, and as an option a Brummie screwdriver*. Here it* is known as a Belgian scrwdriver.

Brake fluid also strips paint, even industrial two pack cyano activated ones..wear gloves and eye protection , avoid splashes, never let it get near your eyes.Wash it off ( soap and water ) if it gets on your skin.Versatile stuff, but chemically very "active".

The WD part stands for Water Dispersant ..the 40 is because it was the guys 40th formulation.

 

[Dale]

Brake fluid works better than WD40.WD40 was developed against humidity, lots of other oils and solvents are less viscous with better penetration, capillary action is your friend when things are stuck, and as an option a Brummie screwdriver*. Here it* is known as a Belgian scrwdriver.

The WD part stands for Water Dispersant ..the 40 is because it was the guys 40th formulation.

I have no idea what a B* Screwdriver is haha.

I always say WD40 but what I mean and what I use is 3-in-one oil spray. Not sure how similar that is to WD40?
Brake fluid is a good call but I don't have any to hand unfortunately.

Thanks for stopping in aswell

 

[Dale]

Today's job done! All paint striped off, taped up and ready for a new coat of paint.

Most other parts need a second attempt at the paint stripper, some areas are so tricky to clean!

Anyone want to show off their lathes?

 

[Dale]

The original bed are about 30” between centres. Mine was mounted on a wooden bench and I built a box at the bottom and filled with sand for dampening.Lovely little lathe.
Regards,
Dave

Hi Dave finally managed to get out to the shed (in the snow) to measure the bed.
Total length of tube is 59" or 1498mm ish
Top slot is 47" or 1190mm

Looking at the original brochure the distance between centres is 17" less than total bed length.
So 59-17 is 42" meaning my bed is a ML8C

I was thinking about adding wheels to the bottom so I can wheel it into the sun. Does the sand stop the vibrations then?

 

[Dale]

Decided to do some de rusting on the trolleys contents. I have a good idea what most are but anyone want to name a few?