Quote:. Lathes can be set up without them at the expense of time. It takes a couple of hours, starting with a two-collar spindle test in the chuck and then several collars on a long bar between centers. Be warned though - it's not obvious at all, some imagination required. For example, tailstock droop/slop and spindle bearing condition can confound you, but with patience you'll end up averaged for wear, a good thing.
Sunset.
Are you saying to level the lathe by using a turned test bar in the spindle? In a way I see that, you would end up with longitudinal level according to tailstock and headstock, but what about its perpendicular axis? I need a little clarification.
All being said I would have thought seating the bed into true would show up discrepancies on the afore mentioned, where if needed its a lot easier to correct, to put it another way if a bed has wear true it up and mate the headstock and tailstock to the bed if its that bad. Or re-grind the bed.
A little sketch would be handy.
Anthony.
ieezitin, proud to be a member of MetalworkingFun Forum since Jan 2013.