Lego & Myford - who knew?

[Castor]

I need to make a a thread dial indicator for my old Myford ML4 - these are apparently made of either Unobtainium or Expensivium.

In my consequent search for a nice cheap, replaceable 16 tooth plastic gear pinion wheel to mesh well with my 8tpi leadscrew I found this:-

Thank you Mr Lego - I didn't know you and Myford had collaborated!

 

[novocaine]

is it the correct tooth profile though?
on the other hand, one of the jobs I want to do when I finally pick up my boxford is make a TDI so I shall park this knowledge for later use as I fully expected to be cutting a gear for it.

 

[Jamesc]

If you have a 3D Printer or know someone who does have a look at this Dial Indicator on Thingiverse.

The author does not specify whcih model of lathe this fits but I believe they are all similar. I am lucky enough to have an original on my Super 7 so have not tried it but comments on the Myford Facebook group seem favourable.

If you cannot get it printed elsewhere I am happy to have a go for you if you can cover the postage. pm me if I can help.

 

[Castor]

is it the correct tooth profile though?

It meshes very nicely - and being quite soft will wear in quite nicely too. Very low load on it.
On the grounds I've just bought ten for a quid, I'm running with it!

 

[Castor]

If you cannot get it printed elsewhere I am happy to have a go for you if you can cover the postage. pm me if I can help.

That's very kind of you - that body/barrel mount arrangement would need changing for the ML4 I think- I'm going to freehand something first and get the key dimensions sorted before asking others to put time and effort in! Many thanks.

 

[frogesque]

I need to make a a thread dial indicator for my old Myford ML4 - these are apparently made of either Unobtainium or Expensivium.

In my consequent search for a nice cheap, replaceable 16 tooth plastic gear pinion wheel to mesh well with my 8tpi leadscrew I found this:-

View attachment 103345 Thank you Mr Lego - I didn't know you and Myford had collaborated!

Brilliant! Same problem, just orded one for myself off evilbay. Less tha three quid including postage.

 

[user 35906]

is it the correct tooth profile though?
on the other hand, one of the jobs I want to do when I finally pick up my boxford is make a TDI so I shall park this knowledge for later use as I fully expected to be cutting a gear for it.

Enots on Youtube has made a video on making a TDI for a Boxford lathe metric and imperial.

 

[GrahamRounce]

One wonders why steel gears are so expensive. They must be made by the billion.

 

[frogesque]

One wonders why steel gears are so expensive. They must be made by the billion.

I've a motor and speed reduction gearing of a lawn scarifier. The gears are mostly steel (one hard nylon) and they are spiral cut. I guarantee you could buy and scrap 10 machines for price you would be charged for making the gears. It's bonkers!

 

[baldkev]

Interestingly, somewhere in the shed, ive got hunderds of little cogs of varying sizes... i cleared out a garage and there was a box of metal cogs from something ( god knows what ) they range from maybe 10mm up to 70mm.
i dont even know why i kept them

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Yes you do - because they might come in handy one day.

 

[Fergie 307]

Try throwing them away. Guaranteed you will need one within days, thats my excuse anyway

 

[Phil Pascoe]

I've got rid of stuff I've stored for twenty years then needed it the following week.