On 2010-07-25, des bromilow wrote:

G'Day,

I don't know what the correct property is I need to look for here... Basically
I have a tabletop which supports a small lathe, and the tabletop is made
of wood, and I'm replacing it with sheet steel.

[ ... ]

The lathe is a cantilevered design (Taig)

With that (the cantilevered mounting) -- I doubt that you will
have to worry about flex as long as it is thick enough to support the
lathe's weight without moving as you turn the cranks.

Part of the question is how large is the table beyond the area
of the lathe. The larger the area -- the thicker you need it to be.

Another is whether the metal will be formed at the edge to make
a large rim. If this is done, it adds to the stiffness significantly --
and you don't have to worry about cutting yourself or your clothes by
rubbing against the edge.

Or -- you could weld it to a steel frame all the way around.

With other lathe designs (separate feet under the headstock and
the tailstock) flexing of the top will twist the bed of the lathe and
introduce errors, so you need to keep considering rigidity until you get
down to a poured concrete floor. But a Taig is very forgiving.

Good Luck,
DoN.

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