Myford ML8 Cabinet Motor Bracket Bolt Size

[DavidAC]

I have just acquired a lovely ML8 though it needs a repaint from its grey Hammerite back to cream.

Inside the cabinet are 3 bolts welded to the cabinet to take the motor mount.
I have hunted and hunted for bolts to fit in my box of old nuts without success and although I have found exploded diagrams of all sorts, I have not been able to track down what thread it is.

Would anybody have an idea what size they should be.

Thanks

David

 

[CHJ]

Inside the cabinet are 3 bolts welded to the cabinet to take the motor mount.

I have hunted and hunted for bolts to fit in my box of old nuts without success ....

Something not quite right with your wording I suspect.

Are there 3 Nuts welded to the cabinet, or 3 Studs (Bolts) ?

 

[DavidAC]

Thank you. I am having a doofus day.

Yes, I do mean I am looking for nuts to fit the studs that are welded to the cabinet.

David

 

[CHJ]

OK, what diameter are the studs ? 5/16" - 3/8" may be.
How many threads per inch are there ? 18 - 16 ? 22 -20 ?

 

[DavidAC]

I have had to get someone to measure for me as I am flat on my back at the moment.
They have come up with 0.377"
and 20tpi

I have tried nut and bolt sizes on-line and can't see what it is.

Thanks
David

 

[dickm]

I have had to get someone to measure for me as I am flat on my back at the moment.
They have come up with 0.377"
and 20tpi

3/8 inch BSF according to my Zeus chart. OD is actually 0.375, according to Zeus, but that's within the margin of error. BSF is probably a bit old fashioned for t'interweb!
(must get a spare Zeus to keep by the computer, then I don't have to trot outside to the workshop so often )

 

[DavidAC]

Thanks, both of you.
Have a brilliant place near me so can beg someone to go down and get them tomorrow.
Sure my next problem will be a motor pulley!

David

 

[CHJ]

David, if you need to check any others then do likewise, diameter and threads per inch and check on a chart such as this,
With the age and origin of the ML8 the I would think most of the fixings are BSF, although there might be some BSW (coarser thread)

 

[Tinbasher]

Hi I had to buy some last year I think they were 3/8 Whitworth.

I did post on here about it myford-ml8-mounting-bolts-t48713.html

 

[Tazmaniandevil]

Thanks, both of you.Sure my next problem will be a motor pulley!

There's a seller on ebay at the moment seems to be breaking several ML8 machines

I think they were 3/8 Whitworth.

That sounds about right from my recollection.
I dismantled mine from the cabinet to move it when I picked it up. I think the motor is mounted on studs tapped into the steel bed on top of the cabinet. I got a couple of studs spare with mine, which means I will never have to replace them. (if I didn't have spares, sure as eggs is eggs I would need them)

Incidentally, the outboard turning tool post assembly is a bit ropey to tighten. Any vibration shakes it loose. I even tried star washers on mine to no avail. Ended up making a new tool post bracket from tool steel.

 

[dickm]

Hi I had to buy some last year I think they were 3/8 Whitworth.

I did post on here about it myford-ml8-mounting-bolts-t48713.html

Not if they are actually 20tpi. 3/8 Whit is 16 tpi.

 

[Tinbasher]

The 3/8 BSW ones went in easily with no "self tapping" I have no doubt the were the right thread. I did buy some on eBay reluctantly paying huge postal costs. My local hardware store had none in stock.

How many do you need ii might still have a few.

Tom

 

[CHJ]

Are the studs by any chance differing threads on each end. not unusual to have BSW in Castings etc. with finer threads for the component clamping nuts.

 

[dickm]

That's plausible, CHJ. I was a bit surprised at the possibility of BSF being tapped into cast iron, but equally, BSW isn't ideal for holding down/up the motor because of the slightly greater problem tightening the coarser thread.

But if the OP want's to pm me, I've probably got some BSF nuts lying around.

(just looked again at the original post - it says the bolts are WELDED to the frame. Could be that the originals were 3/8"Whit as others have suggested, but these stripped out, and so an earlier owner welded in some 3/8BSF bolts instead?)

 

[Tony Spear]

3/8 inch BSF according to my Zeus chart. OD is actually 0.375, according to Zeus, but that's within the margin of error. BSF is probably a bit old fashioned for t'interweb!
(must get a spare Zeus to keep by the computer, then I don't have to trot outside to the workshop so often )

Zeus charts? Pah!

I use my Grandad's 1916 Machinery's Handbook, given to him by Dr. Lanchester when Grandad started work for him. :shock:

He passed it on to me when I started my apprenticeship!

Bit of a b**ger when I need to look up something metric though! :mrgreen:

 

[dickm]

I guess Dr Lanchester was something to do with Lanchester cars and Lanchester Hall at Cranfield University (as it is now)?
The guy who used to service my Volvo had a collection of Lanchesters, though they were all the later ones that were actually Daimlers with a Lanchester badge. Or vice versa

 

[Tony Spear]

Don't know about the Cranfield connection Dick, but you're right about the cars.

There's a bloke around the corner from me who inherited a Lanchester a few years ago from his Dad, who was only the second owner!

Grandad, who knew a bit about car manufacturing (he ended up as Works Manager at Longbridge in the late 50's) reckoned that Lanchesters were better built than Rolls Royces at the time, but Dr.Lanchester wasn't as good a businessman/salesman as Charles Rolls!