Help with ML8 faceplate adapter? Pretty please?

[SammyQ]

"Evenin' All".*

I have acquired two things: a Myford ML8 10" faceplate for the lefthand/outboard sanding plate and, a motor with enough grunt to drive it, but a plain, short shaft. I intend to build a wood-dedicated disc sander by breeding the two of them.

Am I right in saying the faceplate is a 7/8" by 12 t.p.i. female LEFT HAND THREAD please?

Secondly, does anyone know where I can obtain a male spindle or adapter/chuck mount that I could have bored out to my motor's spindle diameter?

I've trawled the web, net, back issues of Shed Heroes, you name it, cheapest I can find is an old, used, crusty ML8 spindle that Messers Burke and Haire had left over from their latest nocturnal venture...£35?? Really? Plus postage?

Sam

*(Jack Warner, Dixon of Dock Green).

 

[graduate_owner]

The thread is indeed 7/8" x 12 tpi. I am wondering whether it would be necessary to use the faceplate though. Could you perhaps use a disk of mdf or ply? You would need to cut a thread etc just the same but you could have several disks, interchangeable for different grits. Just a thought.

K

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Yes ... why waste a faceplate? Put it on Evilbay and make something else up. Saving that, bore out the faceplate and bodge to fit (or just bodge to fit ) the shaft - it's not really high tech. Use a wooden disc and true it when fixed, mount something else outboard?

 

[SammyQ]

Yup. You're right; it would be like giving a pig a strawberry - totally wasted. I only considered it as the ML8 faceplate is such a nice, straight, well braced piece and I got it cheaply.

Sam

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Thinking about it ... nah, not really - just piissed of with the olympics ... you can buy taps cheaply enough to make wooden plates. You can probably get the required thread.

 

[graduate_owner]

Whichever way you decide to proceed, do make sure you get the central hole exactly perpendicular to the disc. I tried cobbling together a disc sander using iron plumbing fittings once, before I had a metal lathe. What a disappointment, damn thing wobbled all over the place.

K

 

[SammyQ]

Thanks lads. Just realised something else: ML8 spindle turns clockwise as you view it from 10" sanding (outboard) end? Means my motor would also have to turn clockwise? If it didn't, ML8 plate would unscrew itself on switch on....Haven't checked! Just ran it up about a year ago when I removed it from another machine and never thought to record its rotation. Mind you, as I am a mechanical airhead, ALL motors probably turn clockwise and I just never acquired this knowledge. That said, the thought of a kilogram of aluminium frisbee, propelled by a two horse power motor is a little scary. Like I said, mechanical numpty.

Sam

 

[graduate_owner]

You are correct - the direction of rotation of the outboard face plate will be clockwise and therefore a left hand thread is needed, unless you can arrange some sort of grub screw to hold it in place and prevent it unscrewing.

Most induction motors can have their direction of rotation reversed ( but not by changing round the mains connections). You will find details on the web. Small induction motors may be shaded pole type and not reversible. Having said that, I had an induction motor with a sticker on the connection box stating which wires to change to reverse direction but the sticker was part torn so I couldn't actually tell which wires - but I knew it could be done. I tried all combinations but totally failed to get it to run the other way.

If you use a disc of mdf / ply instead of the faceplate then you will need a left hand tap, or ( chesper) a plain unthreaded hole with grub screw. If you glue a smaller disc to the back of the main ply disc, say 2" diameter, then you could use the grub screw to locate in a hole drilled part way into the motor shaft. Then sell the faceplate to anyone with a ML8 who wants to make their own disc sander.

Edit - I haven't seen many faceplates going on ebay for less than about £25, often considerably more.

K

 

[SammyQ]

Thanks K. I have read posts by various regarding motor reversal; possibly including our nine-fingered friend. 8)

I think " If you glue a smaller disc to the back of the main ply disc, say 2" diameter, then you could use the grub screw to locate in a hole drilled part way into the motor shaft. " is the simplest way to go. I have some nice quality ply and I can true the discs directly on the shaft by bodge turning for the few minutes needed.

I can certainly use the dosh thus released elsewhere, especially as events are conspiring to have me retire earlier than planned! ](*,)

Sam