New Lathe Twisted bed

[Versacon7]

Some lathes are so rigid, you can set them on a river bed of rocks and you cannot twist the bed. Other lathes will follow the floor irregularities and telegraph that problem into the lathe bed. So…are you twisting the bed? Or did you get the bed already twisted?

I got the bed twisted. When I contacted their support, they said loosen everything up wait a month and see if it relaxes.
I'm crossing my fingers... But I can't believe it will relax that much. Just going to wait and see I guess.

 

[wrmiller]

I've been told that the 12-14" lathes are very sensitive in this regard. Anytime I buy a new lathe or even just move one like I just did, I get it up on the stand and let it set for several days to a week or more to allow the cast iron to relax prior to leveling. Mine just sat on wood pallets for almost 9 months until I got it set up on it's stand last week. Did the final leveling and test cuts yesterday and everything worked out fine.

My suggestion would be to follow Grizz's suggestions and see what happens. Not sure I'd wait a month though unless the lathe went through some severe temperature/humidity changes in getting to you.

 

[epanzella]

I had the same situation with my G4003G. The bed is so stiff that after making an adjustment I had to wait a day or two for it to bend. After a few rounds of adjustments it's within .001 on 10 inches now.

 

[Bob Korves]

You said you leveled the tailstock end first. I would do the headstock end first, and then let the tailstock end settle a bit and then see what you have. Leave any bolts holding it to the floor loose until you get things sorted out. I also suppose that floor anchors that cause a solid connection to the lathe could cause twist in the bed if they do not have side to side and front to back clearance in all the lathe foot holes.

 

[coolidge]

I went ahead and bolted the base to the concrete slab in my shop as I leveled the machine.

Unbolt it, a Grizzly welded steel stand bolted down not a good idea. Unbolt it and level the lathe front to back head stock/tale stock.

 

[scwhite]

I agree and did. They told me to unbolt the bed from the stand and see if it relaxes over a month or so...
I'll give it a month and probably send it back. I cringe at re-crating it and sending it 1,000 miles.
If I could fix the twist, it might be easier than sending it back.
Versacon

Sometimes it will take a year or more of levelling
The lathe every three months for the bed to go back
To where it should be

 

[wrmiller]

Unbolt it, a Grizzly welded steel stand bolted down not a good idea. Unbolt it and level the lathe front to back head stock/tale stock.

Oh yea, good point. Didn't realize he was bolting a steel stand to the floor.

 

[scwhite]

To me, it does not surprise me that the lathe won't level on the first shot ... new or not. You have to figure it has been in a crate, bolted to a wooden base for who knows how long. I suspect the twist will work itself out given a little time to relax and attention in the right place.

Case in point, when I moved in my "new" (54 year old) 12" Logan and then went to level it 2 weeks later ... I had a heck of a time and thought after session #1 ... WTH did I just buy. I had 10-15 thou/ft difference between ends. Trying to adjust more, left an opposite leveler hanging in the air. A day or two later the lathe had relaxed and that hanging leveler was sitting on the floor. Went back at it and was able to level it in to 2 thou per foot (or less). In a week or two I will go back at it again.

This is what I am going through now on my
10" Clausing . It has been a full year and five months
And I am getting ready to do the bolt down
Now and level it agin. Keeping a lathe level
Is critical to it opartion . The last time I levelled it was about four months ago . It was about .003 out
Total

 

[Bob Korves]

I see no need to bolt down hobby lathes to the floor, and multiple reasons why not.

 

[4GSR]

My 13' and 15" Sheldon's will level up, but every time you look at it, it would move literally. My 20" L & S lathe, you couldn't get the bed to twist on it. I'd get it level at the headstock and go to the far end, it would be level, but the leveling screws on one side of the bed would not be touching and it had a center leg too.
As for the bed being level from left to right, let the tailstock end of the bed be lower than the headstock end. It does not need to be level. Ad I agree with everyone else's comments on level the headstock end first and let the tailstock end float for a month or so, then start jacking the leveling screws a little at a time and give it a month between adjustments until you get it level. After that, check it about every six months or more.