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+--- Thread: Leveling? (/thread-249.html)
Leveling? - Wongster - 04-08-2012
I've reading about having to place the lathe on a flat bench to avoid the bed twisting. My bench is definitely not very flat and I wonder if I need to improve things a little.
Currently, the lathe and its chip pan just sit on the bench. It has not been bolted down.
If it is necessary, I'm thinking of getting a piece of steel plate as base and install 4 leveling feets on the 4 corners. But... would it bow in the centre after a while? I do not have a weighing device at home. On Proxxon site, the PD400 weighs about 45kg (don't know why it feels heavier than 45kg when I try lifting it up...).
Any thoughts?
Regards,
Wong
RE: Leveling? - aametalmaster - 04-08-2012
If anything just shim under the legs of the lathe...Bob
RE: Leveling? - DaveH - 04-08-2012
(04-08-2012, 10:02 AM)Wongster Wrote: (don't know why it feels heavier than 45kg when I try lifting it up...).
Any thoughts?
Regards,
Wong
Wong,
'cause you're getting old mate 
DaveH
RE: Leveling? - Wongster - 04-08-2012
Bob,
There is no legs at the bottom of the chip pan; just flat bottom. Should I install legs?
Dave,
lolz... Definitely hope not... Think its about not having proper places to have a grip on.
Regards,
Wong
Wishing all a blessed Resurrection Day!!!
RE: Leveling? - DaveH - 04-08-2012
Wong,
Flat and level, a surface plate is normally very flat, it can however be slightly higher (not level) on one side due to how it was mounted.
This doesn't mean the surface plate is not usable, it is still very flat just not quite level. So one places a marble on it and it runs off - still flat.
If your lathe slopes a bit towards the headstock, or tail stock, or even towards or away from you it does not matter. Like you have mentioned the bed must have no twist in it.
If the lathe is just bolted down to something without shimming under the lathe "feet" it is very easy to introduce a twist in the bed. So one does have to be a little careful. This is were a machinist level does come in very handy.
That said, bolting your lathe down will help with dampening the vibrations especially at the higher speeds.
DaveH
RE: Leveling? - DaveH - 04-08-2012
Wong,
Just been looking at your lathe are there holes in the lathe to allow you to bolt it down. Also do the instructions say anything about bolting it down, or mounting the lathe
DaveH
RE: Leveling? - Bogstandard - 04-08-2012
Wong,
What I have done for people before now with the mini lathe, is to bolt the lathe to a piece of kitchen worktop. The type that is about 1.5" thick chipboard with a wipe clean surface, great for cleaning up afterwards. The lathes stay without twist amazingly well. I did that with my own Myford ML2 well over 20 years ago, and is now with my mate in his shop, and it is still spot on.
Already mentioned, no need to get level, just no twist, so shim up under feet until no twist in the bed, then bolt to base and recheck for twist, keep doing that until it is spot on.
In the early days of S&B's and Atlas, bench top lathes were recommended to be bolted to at least a 3" thick hardwood bench top. It would cost more than the lathes were worth to do that nowadays.
John
RE: Leveling? - DaveH - 04-08-2012
Wong
Sherline, recommend what John has just said.
DaveH
RE: Leveling? - Wongster - 04-08-2012
John,
How do you determine if there is any twist? I assuming the feet would be under the worktop?
I'll start sourcing for a piece of 1.5" worktop.
Thanks for your advice.
Regards,
Wong
RE: Leveling? - DaveH - 04-08-2012
Just for the guys that don't know about Proxxon lathe.
It is considered a high (end) quality precision lathe and it is made in Austria.
Wong,
I see there are holes to bolt your lathe to a flat surface. This flat surface needs to be slightly bigger than the "chip tray".
The flat surface to which the lathe has been fixed (bolted) needs to have some 'feet' these feet could be just some flat rubber - say 40 x 40 x 6 mm thick rubber or a simular substitute. If you wish you can have 6 of these to act as feet, you are not limited to 4.
I doubt whether there will be any twist in the bed with this lathe.
First bolt it down then we will see
Dave