Phil Kangas wrote:

My South Bend 9" Model A is on a similar table but I put a
sheet of 3/16 5086 aluminum plate between the lathe and
the table top. It makes for a brighter work area and is not
affected by swarf and cutting oil. And is easy to clean too.
phil k.


Metal is neat, but it's expensive. And, it's not clear to me that
the greater stiffness is helpful; that's somewhat the question I'm
trying to pose: The lathe was manufactured straight and true. Is it
not better to let the lathe assume its natural shape, rather than
forcibly bolt it to something most likely of contours different from
those supporting it while it was made?

Metal, in particular has a high mechanical Q, so if the lathe is
inclined to chatter a metal plate won't provide much, or any, dissipation.

I do appreciate the value of rigid mounting to help convey acoustic
energy out of a structure; bolting a lathe down keeps it from ringing
like a bell, at the price of deflection or painstaking alignment. One
can also muffle a bell with a soft cushion, I think with less deflection.

Do you observe any particular tendency of the metal plate under your
lathe to vibrate (I realize it's a hard comparison to make...)

Thanks for writing!

bob prohaska