Anyone raise their lathe a few inches?

[Rifleman1384]

The plans above are what JBOLT sent me. I did run a 1/2-13 tap thru the holes in the base and used 1/2-13 grade 8 bolts to secure the risers to the bottom of the lathe. Make sure you don't pre-drill the holes where it attaches to the base till you get your machine so you can check those dimensions. I had already drilled mine, the risers stick out just slightly from the edge of the machine because the holes in my base are just off center, no big deal I just wanted everything ready to go when it arrived. This means I am not able to use the angle iron that goes over the 1/2-13 threaded rod between the risers due to I had pre-cut them to length.

 

[welderr]

This reminds me of one of my mentors long ago he had his lathe up high on some heavy wall 6x6 tubing and he had an old office chair raised up high to use if he wasn't standing, I just remember him packing his pipe with bourbon scented tobacco and fixing a cup of coffee and engaging the feed and sitting back and chilling, none of the bosses had a clue how he did what he did and they left him alone. He's been gone at least 15 years now, I sure miss him ...

 

[Buffalo21]

DAMN!! I got to be the shortest guy on the site, at 5‘ 8” and 230#, I’m built like a fire hydrant, with short arms....

 

[Dabbler]

at 5‘ 8”

I'm only an inch and a tiny bit taller, but I still need risers.

 

[Stefants]

How about a quick concrete block poured where the lathe is going to go? Put down some plastic sheet before pouring if you want it non-permanent. Cost of a few 2x4s or 2x6s for a frame, maybe a little caulk to seal the frame, a few bags of concrete, and some time to cure...


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[Ultradog MN]

This reminds me of one of my mentors long ago he had his lathe up high on some heavy wall 6x6 tubing and he had an old office chair raised up high to use if he wasn't standing, I just remember him packing his pipe with bourbon scented tobacco and fixing a cup of coffee and engaging the feed and sitting back and chilling, none of the bosses had a clue how he did what he did and they left him alone. He's been gone at least 15 years now, I sure miss him ...

Nice written picture you painted welderr.
Thanks

 

[Jake P]

How about a quick concrete block poured where the lathe is going to go? Put down some plastic sheet before pouring if you want it non-permanent. Cost of a few 2x4s or 2x6s for a frame, maybe a little caulk to seal the frame, a few bags of concrete, and some time to cure...


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That’s a really fine idea! Cheap, solid and easily made to any desired dimensions. It’s amazing how simple things can get when you “get out of the box”!

 

[Ultradog MN]

That’s a really fine idea! Cheap, solid and easily made to any desired dimensions. It’s amazing how simple things can get when you “get out of the box”!

Photo shows a simple base I poured to hold the idler motor on my rotary phase converter.
But for the lathe?
First of all you would need to either move the lathe a couple of feet from where it sits, pour the pads - then move it back on top of the pads - or suspend it about 10" off the floor to get under there to pour and finish the concrete.
Both techniques would require a rather significant gantry - to lift a 2 ton machine up onto the pads and possibly suspend it up in the air for the 28 days while the concrete cured to full strength.
Having the lathe set perpendicular to the wall further complicates that idea.
And someday someone would need to lift it up again to get it off the pads to move it.
The more I think about that ordeal the less I like it.
Right now I'm leaning toward a block using 4x4 tubing and welding a cap on it - one for each leveling screw.

 

[RandyWilson]

It seems to be a universal problem with antique or Asian machinery. We recently imported a Chinese made commercial embroidery machine. The first thing I had to do was turn some risers to go between the machine and it's stand.. We lifted it 6" so my wife was comfortable with the height.

She's 5'2"

I'm only an inch and a tiny bit taller, but I still need risers.

 

[raceratb]

I'm 6'4", I built a mobile base out of 2x4 tubing and added foot master g80 leveling casters. Much easier to work on that way. Once locked down, it's on solid footing