On 2008-10-27, Brian Lawson wrote:
On Mon, 27 Oct 2008 00:53:28 -0500, Ignoramus26857
wrote:
SNIP
I want to set up and level my lathe now, to try to measure its cutting
accuracy more properly. To that end, it would be a lot easier to set
it and level on three 4x4s under it (two on ends and one in the
middle) and level with wood shims.
Hey Iggy,
Wood shims?!?!? Why?? And doesn't the lathe have adjustable "feet"
already? Lot better than trying to "shim", but even with shims metal
is easier.
Well ... I don't know about his Clausing -- it is larger than my
12x24" one -- but mine has the leveling adjustments as hollow bolts
through the legs of the bed casting. Each one has a hex on the top
which can be adjusted, a bottom which contacts the chip tray and the
pedestals below that, and a hole through it through which a bolt passes
to secure the bed, the chip tray and the pedestals together.
The installation instructions say to shim the feet on the floor
for a level chip tray, and then to level the bed to that surface. The
initial leveling is to keep the pedestals and chip tray from being
twisted and to provide a firm surface for the bed leveling feet to work
against.
There are three pairs of floor feet. One pair at the tailstock
end, and a pair at each end of the the headstock pedestal. The shimming
is mostly to keep from having support at the two end foot pairs, and
leave the weight of the lathe trying to push the inner pair of feet to
the ground.
And also, the leveling of the chip tray is important if you are
using coolant -- to keep it from running down to the tailstock end and
pouring through under the tailstock foot into the drawers in that
pedestal, or from running to the headstock end, and pouring down through
that onto the motor and belt pulleys.
There is a drain about halfway between the headstock and
tailstock, and you really want this to be the low point. At the
headstock end (with the large hole to clear the belts) there are lips
turned up in that hole to keep most of the coolant out of the motor. :-)
I have two lathes set on 4X4's with a 4 X 4 X 3/8" steel plate under
each of the 6 adjustment bolts, primarily to keep the "feet" from
digging a hole in the wood. Works for me. I did it not so much to
assist leveling, but to raise things to a convenient working height
for me. (Bridgeport is on 6 X 6's) . I did worry that they might
"shake-slide", but not so far. Maybe because even the floor and the
bottom of the wood structures is fairly level too??
That may be.
Enjoy,
DoN.
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