Does a lathe stand HAVE to be level?
 

I don't think this is a critical question, but it does sort of worry me...

Does anyone know of a downside for the lathe to have one end of the stand/table
higher than the other?

My Jet mini usually sits level on the stand, but if I'm hollowing something,
especially if it's small and deep, I've been putting a 4x4 under the tail stock
end of the lathe so this ol' back bends less...

Could this hurt the lathe?

Maybe put a side load on the bearings or something?



mac

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Mac:

The bearings don't know the difference between up and down. You might
cause a little twisting of the casting but the headstock end is solid
enough that it isn't likely to move. So, the main effect would be to
put the tailstock and headstock out of alignment. But, since you are
hollowing, you aren't using the tailstock. So, no problem.

Another thought -- the load changes seen by the bearings would be
minimized if the spindle were completely vertical. I don't think that I
could turn very long under those conditions, though.

Bill

mac davis wrote:
I don't think this is a critical question, but it does sort of worry me...

Does anyone know of a downside for the lathe to have one end of the stand/table
higher than the other?

My Jet mini usually sits level on the stand, but if I'm hollowing something,
especially if it's small and deep, I've been putting a 4x4 under the tail stock
end of the lathe so this ol' back bends less...

Could this hurt the lathe?

Maybe put a side load on the bearings or something?



mac

Please remove splinters before emailing

"mac davis" wrote in message
...
I don't think this is a critical question, but it does sort of worry me...

Does anyone know of a downside for the lathe to have one end of the
stand/table
higher than the other?

My Jet mini usually sits level on the stand, but if I'm hollowing
something,
especially if it's small and deep, I've been putting a 4x4 under the tail
stock
end of the lathe so this ol' back bends less...

Could this hurt the lathe?

Maybe put a side load on the bearings or something?

Like spindle turning doesn't side load the bearings?

As long as the lathe is attached firmly to the stand, any stress is on the
stand, not the lathe.

"mac davis" wrote in message
...
I don't think this is a critical question, but it does sort of worry me...

Does anyone know of a downside for the lathe to have one end of the
stand/table
higher than the other?

My Jet mini usually sits level on the stand, but if I'm hollowing
something,
especially if it's small and deep, I've been putting a 4x4 under the tail
stock
end of the lathe so this ol' back bends less...

Could this hurt the lathe?

Maybe put a side load on the bearings or something?



mac

Please remove splinters before emailing

I know that General says my lathe should be level and I have heard it
mentioned about cast gradually "flowing" over time such that the bed could
develop a twist which means the HS and TS alignment would not be the same
over the length of the bed. I don't think level is the right word. I think
the proper terminology should be that the base is sitting flat (ie, in the
same plane) at all contact points.
Billh

I doubt it would hurt a thing provided there is no twist on the frame.


"mac davis" wrote in message
...
I don't think this is a critical question, but it does sort of worry me...

Does anyone know of a downside for the lathe to have one end of the
stand/table
higher than the other?

My Jet mini usually sits level on the stand, but if I'm hollowing
something,
especially if it's small and deep, I've been putting a 4x4 under the tail
stock
end of the lathe so this ol' back bends less...

Could this hurt the lathe?

Maybe put a side load on the bearings or something?



mac

Please remove splinters before emailing

"billh" wrote: (clip) I think the proper terminology should be that the
base is sitting flat (ie, in the same plane) at all contact points.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Bill, you are exactly right. We don't have a good work in the language for
this, so everyone says "level." However, one good reason for making any
machine LEVEL is that is a reference angle that is easy to measure. You can
put a spirit level on a lathebed, printing press or forklift, and easily see
whether things are in line. This question comes up from time to time on the
metalworking group--they work to much closer tolerances than we do--and it
comes down to this: if a metal lathe is too far out of level, the coolant
wants to run out.

Leo Lichtman wrote:
"billh" wrote: (clip) I think the proper terminology should be that the
base is sitting flat (ie, in the same plane) at all contact points.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Bill, you are exactly right. We don't have a good work in the language for
this, so everyone says "level."

How about "planar"?


--
Derek Andrews, woodturner

http://www.seafoamwoodturning.com
http://chipshop.blogspot.com
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/toolrest/

(ie, in the same plane) at all contact points.
Billh

which plane though? A horizontal plane or an inclined one. :) If in the
horizontal plane then all points would have the same level above or below
whatever height datum is chosen. They would be at the same level or level
would they not?
mick

Level is not a real concern, but flat is important. You do not want to
torque the frame of ANY machine, wood or metal working.

"Michael Lehmann" wrote in message
...


(ie, in the same plane) at all contact points.
Billh

which plane though? A horizontal plane or an inclined one. :) If in the
horizontal plane then all points would have the same level above or below
whatever height datum is chosen. They would be at the same level or level
would they not?
mick

You are right. I even checked my dictionary and a definition of "level" is
all the points in a plane. A second definition is the one that most of use
who do woodworking or construction think of when we hear the term level.
Billh

Mac:

Can't resist this...

mac davis wrote:
I don't think this is a critical question, but it does sort of worry me=
=2E..
=20
Does anyone know of a downside for the lathe to have one end of the sta=
nd/table
higher than the other?
=20
My Jet mini usually sits level on the stand, but if I'm hollowing somet=
hing,
especially if it's small and deep, I've been putting a 4x4 under the ta=
il stock
end of the lathe so this ol' back bends less...=20
=20
Could this hurt the lathe?
=20
Maybe put a side load on the bearings or something?
=20
=20
=20
mac
=20
Please remove splinters before emailing

I agree with Bill H so I won't dwell on that...

I think Level in the "gravimetric" sense might be optimal if you keep=20
tools on the bench. (Level in the mathematical sense would allow a=20
"slope" -- according to gravity.)

Since I routinely wear sandals, I appreciate it when the tools do not=20
roll off the bench (none so far thank you).

So I would prefer the strict sense of the word level.

Since the earth is flat -- as we all know Level is easy to achieve --=20
Just line your table up with the basement (garage) floor -- which as=20
well all know is built level - i.e. co-planar with the earth.

This is not my $.02 worth -- I figure a farthing would do if someone=20
would pay.

Anyway my wife says I gotta go get an XRAY cause I have a lump in my=20
cheek...

--=20
Will R.
Jewel Boxes and Wood Art
http://woodwork.pmccl.com
The power of accurate observation is commonly called cynicism by those=20
who have not got it.=94 George Bernard Shaw

On Fri, 18 Mar 2005 17:41:09 GMT, Bill Rubenstein wrote:

Mac:

The bearings don't know the difference between up and down. You might
cause a little twisting of the casting but the headstock end is solid
enough that it isn't likely to move. So, the main effect would be to
put the tailstock and headstock out of alignment. But, since you are
hollowing, you aren't using the tailstock. So, no problem.

Another thought -- the load changes seen by the bearings would be
minimized if the spindle were completely vertical. I don't think that I
could turn very long under those conditions, though.

Bill

hmm... that would be a little weird, Bill...
maybe if the lathe was standing on the floor? lol


mac

Please remove splinters before emailing

On Fri, 18 Mar 2005 15:11:36 -0500, "billh" wrote:



I know that General says my lathe should be level and I have heard it
mentioned about cast gradually "flowing" over time such that the bed could
develop a twist which means the HS and TS alignment would not be the same
over the length of the bed. I don't think level is the right word. I think
the proper terminology should be that the base is sitting flat (ie, in the
same plane) at all contact points.
Billh

I think I understand that... sounds like propping it up for an occasional
turning would be ok as far as flowing, though...


mac

Please remove splinters before emailing

On Fri, 18 Mar 2005 16:48:38 -0500, "Kevin" wrote:



I doubt it would hurt a thing provided there is no twist on the frame.

that's definitely something to consider, Kevin... I think that since the 4x4 I'm
using is just a bit shorter than the distance between the feet on the tail stock
end (used as a reference, since no tail stock involved) that the frame is
supported on the same plane as it would be on the table..

No real torque involved, either, because if the piece is more than an inch or 2
in diameter, I don't need to tilt it... I can pretty much see what I'm doing on
a larger piece..

I guess I could raise both ends to make it easier to access, but tilting it up
sure helps light the hollowing..



"mac davis" wrote in message
.. .
I don't think this is a critical question, but it does sort of worry me...

Does anyone know of a downside for the lathe to have one end of the
stand/table
higher than the other?

My Jet mini usually sits level on the stand, but if I'm hollowing
something,
especially if it's small and deep, I've been putting a 4x4 under the tail
stock
end of the lathe so this ol' back bends less...

Could this hurt the lathe?

Maybe put a side load on the bearings or something?



mac

Please remove splinters before emailing




mac

Please remove splinters before emailing

"WillR" wrote: (clip)Anyway my wife says I gotta go get an XRAY cause I
have a lump in my cheek...
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Save bandwidth! Write: "TIC."
TIC

..Since the earth is flat --

Didn't someone tell us that the earth was round?

The lathe stand must be true, straight, and square, but it does not need to
be level. You do not want to put unnecessary forces on the bed of the
lathe. There is nothing in the design of the lathe that requires the lathe
to be parallel to the plane of gravity so long as the lathe is supported.

Henry

"Leo Lichtman" wrote in message
...

"billh" wrote: (clip) I think the proper terminology should be that the
base is sitting flat (ie, in the same plane) at all contact points.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Bill, you are exactly right. We don't have a good work in the language
for
this, so everyone says "level." However, one good reason for making any
machine LEVEL is that is a reference angle that is easy to measure. You
can
put a spirit level on a lathebed, printing press or forklift, and easily
see
whether things are in line. This question comes up from time to time on
the
metalworking group--they work to much closer tolerances than we do--and it
comes down to this: if a metal lathe is too far out of level, the coolant
wants to run out.

Michael Lehmann wrote:
.Since the earth is flat --=20
=20
Didn't someone tell us that the earth was round?=20
=20
=20

Heresy. Don't believe it.


--=20
Will R.
Jewel Boxes and Wood Art
http://woodwork.pmccl.com
The power of accurate observation is commonly called cynicism by those=20
who have not got it.=94 George Bernard Shaw

"Michael Lehmann" wrote: Didn't someone tell us that the earth was round?
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
That's just one theory, like the *theory* of evolution. The flat earth
theory is of even longer standing, and should also be taught in school.

The flat earth
theory is of even longer standing, and should also be taught in school.


Naw, it's not flat, it's the back of a giant tortise, standing on top of
4 elephants. And in answer to your next question, it's elephants all the
way down...

--
Cats, Coffee, Chocolate...vices to live by

Good question. I have not checked mine, at least not in 5 years. I
admit there are times I will rest an object on the lathe bed and
expect it not to roll off. I try to level all my stationary tools.

On Sun, 20 Mar 2005 01:17:43 GMT, "Leo Lichtman"
wrote:


"Michael Lehmann" wrote: Didn't someone tell us that the earth was round?
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
That's just one theory, like the *theory* of evolution. The flat earth
theory is of even longer standing, and should also be taught in school.

"Ecnerwal" wrote in message
...
The flat earth
theory is of even longer standing, and should also be taught in school.


Naw, it's not flat, it's the back of a giant tortise, standing on top of
4 elephants. And in answer to your next question, it's elephants all the
way down...

Nope. Beneath the elephants is a layer of something else....

"Leo Lichtman" wrote in message
...

"Michael Lehmann" wrote: Didn't someone tell us that the earth was round?
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
That's just one theory, like the *theory* of evolution. The flat earth
theory is of even longer standing, and should also be taught in school.



Inaccurate, at least in recorded History. The shadow cast on the moon,
especially during eclipses, gives ample evidence that the earth is a
_sphere_ . Greeks even measured its diameter.

They're having a Pow-Wow - advertised as a dance and prayer to the Great
Spirit - on public land in the city this weekend. Schools take kids on
field trips to see the dance. Somewhere in the background is a clean spot
on the wall where they took down the copy of the Ten Commandments....

On Sun, 20 Mar 2005 08:46:12 +1000, "Michael Lehmann"
wrote:


.Since the earth is flat --

Didn't someone tell us that the earth was round?

hmm... Hank Ketchem, Small town Saturday night?

the world must be flat,
cuz people leaving here,
they never come back..


mac

Please remove splinters before emailing

On Sat, 19 Mar 2005 22:50:09 GMT, "Henry" wrote:

The lathe stand must be true, straight, and square, but it does not need to
be level. You do not want to put unnecessary forces on the bed of the
lathe. There is nothing in the design of the lathe that requires the lathe
to be parallel to the plane of gravity so long as the lathe is supported.

Henry


well said, Henry!!


"Leo Lichtman" wrote in message
...

"billh" wrote: (clip) I think the proper terminology should be that the
base is sitting flat (ie, in the same plane) at all contact points.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Bill, you are exactly right. We don't have a good work in the language
for
this, so everyone says "level." However, one good reason for making any
machine LEVEL is that is a reference angle that is easy to measure. You
can
put a spirit level on a lathebed, printing press or forklift, and easily
see
whether things are in line. This question comes up from time to time on
the
metalworking group--they work to much closer tolerances than we do--and it
comes down to this: if a metal lathe is too far out of level, the coolant
wants to run out.






mac

Please remove splinters before emailing