# Mounting a Sherline 4400 Lathe on 80/20



## Karl A (Jul 1, 2020)

After I received my Sherline 4400 lathe, I endeavored to follow Sherline's instructions to mount the lathe on a 10" x 36" laminated wood shelf.  I was undecided on the color, and purchased one of each from a hardware store: black, white, gray, and brown. I did not find any of them aesthetically pleasing. I returned them.

I searched the forums here for discussions on mounting a Sherline lathe. I found two threads.
https://www.hobby-machinist.com/threads/steel-plate-for-sherline-lathe-base.37437/ 
https://www.hobby-machinist.com/threads/mounting-small-machine-tools.62194/ 
The suggestion that I liked best in the discussions was to mount the lathe on extruded rectangular aluminum tubing.

I decided to mount the lathe on frame made from 80/20 T-slot aluminum. This photo shows the result.



There are 2"-wide steel bars along the front and the back of the lathe, for my magnetic dial indicator holder. The four feet are height adjustable. The DRO display is mounted to a hinge with adjustable resistance. 

I purchased and used a Starrett model-98 6-inch machinists' level to level the frame, and then to shim the lathe level.
Karl


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## mikey (Jul 1, 2020)

Wow, a brand spankin' new Sherline long bed lathe! Good job on the mounting there,  Karl.


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## Aaron_W (Jul 1, 2020)

That looks very clean, much better than chunk of shelf. I don't like pressed wood so I picked out a nice piece of plywood, cut it to 15x33"and varnished it. I went a little wider than suggested to help catch the chips.





If you are running that on a table, you might find a commercial baking sheet pan useful to act as a chip tray. A full sheet pan is 18x26 with about a 1" lip, so that might fit right inside it.


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## mikey (Jul 1, 2020)

I really like that blue color!


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## NortonDommi (Jul 1, 2020)

Com'on, spill.  You're a factory prototyper aren't you?


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## Chipsky (Jul 1, 2020)

Karl A said:


> After I received my Sherline 4400 lathe, I endeavored to follow Sherline's instructions to mount the lathe on a 10" x 36" laminated wood shelf.  I was undecided on the color, and purchased one of each from a hardware store: black, white, gray, and brown. I did not find any of them aesthetically pleasing. I returned them.
> 
> Karl



I like your setup and recently started looking at some 25mm 8020 for a base and enclosure (specifically, the Orange Aluminum site). You wouldn't happen to have a parts list around? I like the mount and feet you're showing.  My machines have not arrived yet, but are inbound.


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## bradells (Jul 1, 2020)

Nice work!

My 4400 has been on the same 70’s clear stained kitchen cabinet door for the past 20 years with a 2” steel strip running parallel behind the bed for indicators and such.

I think it’s time for a new bed...



I also want to raise the bed up from the base a few inches (gives more room for external accessories), change out the handwheels with some Bridgeport styled ones (maybe my next project to make), add in some diy DRO....

Brad


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## Karl A (Jul 1, 2020)

Mike,
I mounted the lathe on the frame after Sherline returned the lathe to me with a new tailstock (to correct the excessive, out-of-spec, misalignment). 
I am glad that you approve of using a frame to mount the lathe. As a beginner to machining, I don't know what I might have missed as an important design consideration. I plan to mount my new Sherline 5400 mill on 80/20.  

Aaron,
I like your idea of full-pan commercial baking sheet ('18x26 with about a 1" lip') as a chip tray. The 80/20 frame is 18"x10". The feet extend past the edges of the frame by 0.18".

NortonDommi,
I work as a product develop lead, for membrane elements. The membrane elements are like reverse osmosis elements used to produce water from seawater, except that they are used in gases (such as natural gas) and hydrocarbon liquids. 
I enjoy designing things in my hobbies. 

Chipsky,
The 80/20 parts list is attached, in the form of an image. The feet are screwed into the ends of 80/20 channel, with I tapped to 1/4-20 thread.
Note: This is my second time using 80/20, and I don't have a print catalog -- which would make designing easier. The corner connectors I used seem OK for a Sherline lathe, but don't seem adequate for a heavy machine.

Bradells,
My mount could be raised by placing longer 80/20 channels at the corners. The lengths of channel at three of the corners is 1". The length of channel under the DRO display is 6".
.


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## Chipsky (Jul 2, 2020)

Karl A said:


> Chipsky,
> The 80/20 parts list is attached, in the form of an image. The feet are screwed into the ends of 80/20 channel, with I tapped to 1/4-20 thread.
> Note: This is my second time using 80/20, and I don't have a print catalog -- which would make designing easier. The corner connectors I used seem OK for a Sherline lathe, but don't seem adequate for a heavy machine.
> 
> .



Yes, I did my CNC router out of 4 x 4 a few years back and sourced from 80/20 directly.  It's also the best place i've found for black anodized so far. Thanks!


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## Aaron_W (Jul 2, 2020)

I never thought of putting steel strips alongside the lathe to attach the indicator stand to. I've just relied on the weight of the stand to keep it in place, which luckily on projects that fit the Sherline has been adequate if occasionally frustrating. 


bradells said:


> Nice work!
> 
> My 4400 has been on the same 70’s clear stained kitchen cabinet door for the past 20 years with a 2” steel strip running parallel behind the bed for indicators and such.
> 
> ...



It looks like you have the extended tool post and riser blocks?


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## bradells (Jul 2, 2020)

Aaron_W said:


> I never thought of putting steel strips alongside the lathe to attach the indicator stand to. I've just relied on the weight of the stand to keep it in place, which luckily on projects that fit the Sherline has been adequate if occasionally frustrating.
> 
> 
> It looks like you have the extended tool post and riser blocks?



I do have the riser kits. For small work, I don’t use them, but I’ve dialed in the tailstock with the riser blocks installed, so anything that requires centers or drilling work, it goes on the blocks.

I brazed on a wrench and it slides in and out nicely on it as well.

The steel strip is a pice of 3’ from the big box store of choice. Drill and countersink some holes and attach. I haven’t found much use for a strip in the front (but then, I haven’t used one in the front!). Most of my indicator work is either from the backside or top...

As I mentioned, next version, i’m hoping to put the lathe bed on risers to get more room between the lathe and base (give more room for indicators, larger handwheels, etc)

Brad


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## Aaron_W (Jul 4, 2020)

bradells said:


> I do have the riser kits. For small work, I don’t use them, but I’ve dialed in the tailstock with the riser blocks installed, so anything that requires centers or drilling work, it goes on the blocks.
> 
> I brazed on a wrench and it slides in and out nicely on it as well.
> 
> ...




I had contemplated the riser blocks when I started to run into size issues. By then I had moved down to the basement so I ended up just getting a larger lathe which hadn't been an option for me before. Now I do the bigger stuff on the 11x24" and the little stuff on the Sherline.

I am frequently amazed at some of the stuff done on Sherlines. There is a guy on another site who made a new headstock for his Sherline with something like a 1" spindle bore.

I picked up some 3"x 1/8" stock, so I can mount a strip on the base for the mill and lathe.


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## mikey (Jul 4, 2020)

Aaron_W said:


> There is a guy on another site who made a new headstock for his Sherline with something like a 1" spindle bore.



If you can bore accurately then enlarging the Sherline headstock to accept larger bearings to fit a larger spindle is not difficult. You also have to be able to turn that spindle accurately so as to minimize run out in the final assembly. All doable by a hobby guy but your skills need to be up to it.


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## Aaron_W (Jul 4, 2020)

mikey said:


> If you can bore accurately then enlarging the Sherline headstock to accept larger bearings to fit a larger spindle is not difficult. You also have to be able to turn that spindle accurately so as to minimize run out in the final assembly. All doable by a hobby guy but your skills need to be up to it.



I don't think making the headstock was even much of a challenge for this guy, he is always making kind of wild stuff. I found the post where he showed the headstock, the spindle bore is 0.937". His current project is reverse engineering and building a Deckel tool and cutter grinder. 

Honestly I think some of these guys use a Sherline just to be ornery because people said you can't do that kind of work on a mini-lathe.


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## Karl A (Jul 8, 2020)

I have a 80/20 frame design in mind for my Sherline 5400 mill. I don't know, though whether to include steel bars along the sides of the mill for my magnetic dial indicator holder. Is a magnetic dial indicator used with mills?


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## bradells (Jul 8, 2020)

Karl A said:


> I have a 80/20 frame design in mind for my Sherline 5400 mill. I don't know, though whether to include steel bars along the sides of the mill for my magnetic dial indicator holder. Is a magnetic dial indicator used with mills?



Not as frequent as on lathes...

But, you may want to use a mag base to use as a vice stop, indicate bed movement (if you don’t have a DRO... and not the sherline version which ignores bed movement), a light/magnifier/third hand/coolant/air/etc holder......

If you put it in, you might find a use for it...

I’m building a small plate to mount to the t track once my replacement belts come in, and debating on a plate on the spindle as well...

Brad


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## Karl A (Jul 10, 2020)

Brad,
Thanks. I'll include steel bars along the side of the mill.

Chipsky,
I found a document that gives strength values for the different types of 80/20 fasteners. It is attached.

Karl


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## Chipsky (Jul 10, 2020)

Karl A said:


> Chipsky,
> I found a document that gives strength values for the different types of 80/20 fasteners. It is attached.


Nice, thank you for the reference material.


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## Karl A (Jul 10, 2020)

Chipsky said:


> Nice, thank you for the reference material.


You are welcome.
I received the 80/20 product catalog today in the mail. It, with my new Sherline mill, will help me install stronger fasteners in frame that I made for my lathe. I used hidden corner connectors, which the document shows are among the weakest fasteners. It isn't necessary for me to replace the connectors, but replacing them will help me learn.


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## Karl A (Jul 12, 2020)

Studying my frame and the profiles (bars) that I used, I conclude that the only other internal connector that will work at the corners (where the feet are) is the standard anchor fastener. It provides a significantly stronger connection than the inside-outside hidden corner connectors that I used. Also, the anchor fastener does not have a disadvantage that I found with the hidden corner connectors: Adjusting the position slightly after the set screws have been set is difficult, in that the set screws tend to reset into the original positions.

The anchor fastener requires one of the T-slot profiles to be machined: a hole 0.563" diameter x 0.425" deep. 8020.net sells an anchor fastener counterbore cutter for the 10-series profiles: part no. 6160, mill diameter 9/16", $55. A photo of the cutter is attached.

In the photo, the cutter appears to be pointed at the end. Would an ordinary two-flute end mill work OK to machine the hole with a Sherline 5400 mill? I have read about end mills. It seems that two-flute end mills are generally center cutting (capable of drilling or plunge cutting). I found that littlemachineshop.com is selling a 9/16" dia two-flute HSS end mill for $9.

Sept 3, 2020 addition: A image from amazon.com of the "counterbore cutter" that 8020.net sells is attached, to the right of the first image. In this image, the cutter is not pointed at the end. I ended up buying the $9 end mill from littlemachineshop.com


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## Aaron_W (Jul 12, 2020)

Karl A said:


> Studying my frame and the profiles (bars) that I used, I conclude that the only other internal connector that will work at the corners (where the feet are) is the standard anchor fastener. It provides a significantly stronger connection than the inside-outside hidden corner connectors that I used. Also, the anchor fastener does not have a disadvantage that I found with the hidden corner connectors: Adjusting the position slightly after the set screws have been set is difficult, in that the set screws tend to reset into the original positions.
> 
> The anchor fastener requires one of the T-slot profiles to be machined: a hole 0.563" diameter x 0.425" deep. 8020.net sells an achor fastener counterbore cutter for the 10-series profiles: part no. 6160, mill diameter 9/16", $55. A photo of the cutter is attached.
> 
> In the photo, the cutter appears to be pointed at the end. Would an ordinary two-flute end mill work OK to machine the hole with a Sherline 5400 mill? I have read about end mills. It seems that two-flute end mills are generally center cutting (capable of drilling or plunge cutting). I found that littlemachineshop.com is selling a 9/16" dia two-flute HSS end mill for $9.



You can get both 2 and 4 flute center cutting end mills.

I would think that would work if you didn't try to take too much too fast, but I have not done much plunge cutting on the mill and nothing that big / deep. The size may be an issue, 3/8" has been my go to endmill on the Sherline mill, larger and plunge cutting might be too much for it. Maybe drill it out and then finish with the end mill? Not really sure.

Hopefully someone with more experience will be along to give you a better answer.


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## mikey (Jul 12, 2020)

Karl, are you just drilling a 9/16" hole?


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## Karl A (Jul 12, 2020)

mikey said:


> Karl, are you just drilling a 9/16" hole?


Yes


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## mikey (Jul 12, 2020)

Do you have a 9/16" drill? If you prefer to use an end mill and are just enlarging an existing hole then a 9/16" end mill will work. It doesn't need to be center-cutting. And yes, the Sherline mill will handle it. Just make sure you buy the end mill with a shank that fits your tool holder.


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## Karl A (Jul 12, 2020)

No, I don't have a 9/16" drill. I have a jobber drill bit set 1/16" to 3/8" by 1/64" increments.
The hole has to machined at/into a T-slot that has a 0.26" wide opening. The T-slot is 9/16" wide inside at its widest.


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## mikey (Jul 12, 2020)

Just to make sure I am absolutely clear on what you're doing, you have an existing 0.26" ID hole and wish to enlarge that hole to one with an ID of 9/16", right? You are not cutting, just enlarging? The reason I ask is because another option might be to just bore it if you have a boring head and bars.


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## Karl A (Jul 12, 2020)

Here is a image from 8020.net that shows the hole that the anchor fastener requires in the profile/bar.


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## mikey (Jul 13, 2020)

Either a plunge cut with an end mill or you can bore it. Perhaps until you learn to bore, an end mill will be a better choice.


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## ben_r_ (Aug 6, 2020)

Gotta say OP, I love the setup! I think it looks clean and youre off to a great start there!


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## mmcmdl (Aug 6, 2020)

Here's one I completely missed , but I just looked at a couple hundred pounds of 80/20 out in the dumpster . I keep eyeballing it thinking of un-needed projects , but I hate to see anything go to waste .


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## mikey (Aug 6, 2020)

We can order 80/20 here in HI but the shipping is a killer, which is why I don't use it.


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## mmcmdl (Aug 6, 2020)

I view it as light weight junk for machinery , but it does have its' uses .


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## Karl A (Aug 8, 2020)

ben_r_ said:


> Gotta say OP, I love the setup! I think it looks clean and youre off to a great start there!


Thanks. 
I had to look up the meaning of "OP". It means original poster.


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## Karl A (Aug 8, 2020)

mmcmdl said:


> I view it as light weight junk for machinery , but it does have its' uses .


The manufacturing engineer where I work is a machinist who took night courses to become a mechanical engineer. I proudly showed him the 80/20 print catalog that I requested and received. He poured cold water;  he told me that he doesn't like 80/20. He said that he sees it and Unistrut being overused for machines in manufacturing. He designs welded steel frames instead, which someone else builds.

I am not a mechanical engineer. I took a civil engineering course on statics and a mechanical engineering course on strength of materials when I was an undergraduate student. My only exposure to vibration was in a math course on partial differential equations, which exposed me the complexity of vibration. Through this basic knowledge, I will endeavor to use 80/20 only where it is appropriate.


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## ben_r_ (Aug 8, 2020)

Karl A said:


> Thanks.
> I had to look up the meaning of "OP". It means original poster.


Ha, yea it can reference the Original Poster, or the Original Post. Quite often its the same difference.


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## Karl A (Sep 3, 2020)

I am making progress with replacing the hidden corner connectors in the 80/20 frame with standard anchor fasteners. This is my first project with my Sherline 5400 mill.

I first reduced the length of the two front corner channels from 1.006" long to 0.980" long, using the Sherline insert fly cutter. This will allow the bottom end of the pieces to be flush with the bottom of the frame, while not distorting the steel bar that is attached on top of the front channel.

I cut the first of eight 9/16" dia holes for the anchor connectors, in two steps: 3/8" drill in Jacobs chuck, followed by 9/16" end mill in Beall ER32 collet chuck.

I attached a photo. On the left side, the photo shows a fly-cut corner channel with an original hidden corner connector attached (and to be replaced). To the right are the front channel with a 9/16" dia hole, and a standard anchor fastener.


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## Catshooter (Sep 19, 2020)

Aaron_W said:


> I don't think making the headstock was even much of a challenge for this guy, he is always making kind of wild stuff. I found the post where he showed the headstock, the spindle bore is 0.937". His current project is reverse engineering and building a Deckel tool and cutter grinder.
> 
> Honestly I think some of these guys use a Sherline just to be ornery because people said you can't do that kind of work on a mini-lathe.
> 
> View attachment 329521




Aaron,

Got a link to where that pic can be found?  I'd love to read about that project.  I recently replaced one of my lathe headstocks with the 9/16th bore and find it very much handier.  Thanks.


Cat


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## Karl A (Jan 8, 2021)

To my 80/20 lathe base, I ended up using two connectors for every bar-to-bar connection: an internal anchor fastener, plus some kind of external fastener. The external fasteners consist of 2-hole flat plates (4107-Black) at the rear, 2-hole gusseted inside corner brackets (4132-Black) at the front, and the rear steel plate using screws. I found that the internal anchor fastener was not strong against being twisted, and an external fastener was a helpful aid in getting the connections square and the bars in one plane. 

Here is a photo showing the three kinds of external fasteners that used.



 I also replaced the feet (standard floor glide 1/4-20 x 1.070" 2203) with threaded rubber bumpers from McMaster-Carr (https://www.mcmaster.com/93115K211/). The original feet that I installed slid too easily on my table.

I have found that I need to include 0.007-0.008 inch of shims at the right, front corner of the lathe mount to eliminate twist in the bed.


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## Karl A (Jan 8, 2021)

I  also made the same kind of base for my Sherline 5400 mill.


With the mill base, I included three feet instead of four. One foot is at the front, two feet are at the rear.


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## mmcmdl (Jan 8, 2021)

Karl A said:


> I also made the same kind of base for my Sherline 5400 mill.



At this moment I'm designing a 80/20 shelf for a new bag sealer .


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## Karl A (Jan 9, 2021)

mmcmdl said:


> At this moment I'm designing a 80/20 shelf for a new bag sealer .


Which fastening methods will you use?


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## mmcmdl (Jan 9, 2021)

Not sure just yet , just got done milling all the 80/20 to size . I'm waiting on material for the base . I'm not even suppose to making this as it's a machine shop job , I'm in the maintenance shop .    Either way , I need material to finish it up .


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## Karl A (Sep 8, 2022)

This week, I made two changes to the 80/20 base of my lathe:
- I moved the DRO-box mounting post to the right and to the rear. The post was originally also the rear, left leg.  The DRO box was too close to the headstock; it interfered with with turning the headstock 30 degrees for tapers. The post was too close to the cross slide; it interfered with the rear-mounted cut-off blade and with the compound slide.
- I replaced the two right feet with one foot that is centered under the lathe.  The lathe is insufficiently heavy for two feet on the right side; the right, rear foot tended to levitate. The extra foot from the right side is now under the DRO-box mounting post.

Here are two photo that show the changes:


To move the DRO-box mounting post, I added a 4-inch long 1001-S T-slotted extrusion (horizontal), a 4136 4-hole inside corner gusset, and 4 each 3393 1/4-20x1/2" BHSCS & T-nuts. To replace the mounting post with a foot at the left rear corner, I installed one 1-inch-long 1001-S T-slot extrusion (vertical, with center tapped with 1/4-20 threads), one 3391 anchor fastener, one 3085 double anchor T-nut, and one 10-32x0.75" SHCS.



To add the foot on the right side, I cut the 8-inch T-slotted extrusion into two lengths: 2-inches and 5 inches. I mounted a 1-inch long 1004-S T-slot extrusion between them using two 3391 anchor fasteners, two 3056 10-32x0.75" SHCS, two 3085 double anchor T-nuts,  one 4118 3-hole joining strip. and three 3321 1/4-20x1/2" FBHSCS and T-nut. I installed the anchor fasteners underneath, to leave the T-slots available on top for mounting the lathe. The 1-inch long extrusion for the foot is threaded 1/4-20.


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## Karl A (Sep 8, 2022)

If I were to make another lathe base, I think for fasteners I would use double anchors instead of single anchors + flat plate / corner gussets at the corners. I think that I would also have had 80/20 Inc. do the machining: counterboring for the anchors, and tapping the threads for the feet. Current prices of these services are $3.22 and $2.79 each, respectively..
Black anodized 80/20 framing is not inexpensive. So far, for my lathe and mill bases, I have spent $488.29 total on four orders to 80/20 Inc. That's with sale tax (10%) and shipping included.
I am two-and-a-half years into my machining hobby. Making and modifying the bases for my lathe and mill has taken more time than I expected. I am also spending considerable time learning about single-point cutting-tool geometry for the lathe, and in modifying a belt sander for grinding such tools. If you look at the cross slide in the photo that I posted, you can see a tangential tool holder that I am developing, for use on the cross slide and on the compound slide (for both turning and facing).
An alternative path would have been for me to mount the lathe and mill on shelf material, as described in the Sherline instruction manual, and to buy and use Arthur R. Warner Co. turning and boring tools.


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## mmcmdl (Sep 8, 2022)

I have a small amount of 80/20 laying around the place . Making tables and shelves for different machines . Fun stuff to work with .


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## fsts2k (Nov 5, 2022)

I am not sure mine will turn out as well as Karl’s but my parts for my lathe base have arrived and I am working though the process of mounting… only one broken tap so far


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## fsts2k (Nov 23, 2022)

Well I think I am “done” with my lathe stand. Took way longer than I expected but I learned a lot. The mill stand needs steel plate and then it should be about “done”. 

If I had to do another I might do a few small things differently but generally I am happy with it. Thanks to Karl for his idea and support


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## Aaron_W (Nov 23, 2022)

fsts2k said:


> Well I think I am “done” with my lathe stand. Took way longer than I expected but I learned a lot. The mill stand needs steel plate and then it should be about “done”.
> 
> If I had to do another I might do a few small things differently but generally I am happy with it. Thanks to Karl for his idea and support



Looks good and that is how machine projects always go for me. I think, I'll just knock this out in a day, and then everything is apart for 6 months while I try to find the time to finish it up.


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## fsts2k (Nov 26, 2022)

Finished the Mill, time to start to actually learn these tools now


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## EricB (Nov 26, 2022)

fsts2k said:


> Finished the Mill, time to start to actually learn these tools now


You might want to move or cover your power strip.


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## Karl A (Nov 26, 2022)

EricB said:


> You might want to move or cover your power strip.


In my inexperience regarding metal swarf + power strip, I enjoyed a couple instances of fireworks.


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## Karl A (Nov 26, 2022)

fsts2k said:


> Well I think I am “done” with my lathe stand. Took way longer than I expected but I learned a lot. The mill stand needs steel plate and then it should be about “done”.
> 
> If I had to do another I might do a few small things differently but generally I am happy with it. Thanks to Karl for his idea and support


It's interesting for me to see what you did. Thanks for the photos.

I see that your steel plates are deeper on your lathe base, perhaps 4 inches instead of the 2 inches on mine. I do find that I like to keep toolholders on the rear plate. Perhaps I will replace my rear plate with a deeper one

I have used the front plate for an indicator arm with magetic base, but not a lot. Mostly, it's been a little table during tool changes.

I recently realized a new another use of the steel plates: flexible work lights that have a magetic base.

It appears that you went with four feet, instead of three feet that I changed my lathe base to. I like three feet conceptually and practically, for leveling. I might make a three-feet base for a digital weight scale that I use in my kitchen; the scale has four wobbly feet. I also might make a three-feet base for a surface plate.


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## Karl A (Nov 26, 2022)

fsts2k said:


> Finished the Mill, time to start to actually learn these tools now


My first uses of my Sherline mill was to drill and countersink the holes in the steel plates. Later, I used the mill to bore 9/16-inch diameter holes at the ends of rails when I changed to anchor fasteners, and to mill the ends of rails after I roughly cut them to length using a hacksaw. 8020.net supplies rails in whole-inch lengths, but I needed some rails that were not whole-inch lengths, for the mill base.


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## fsts2k (Nov 27, 2022)

Karl A said:


> In my inexperience regarding metal swarf + power strip, I enjoyed a couple instances of fireworks.



Thank you both for the heads up, will get covers for them.


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## fsts2k (Nov 27, 2022)

Karl A said:


> It's interesting for me to see what you did. Thanks for the photos.
> 
> I see that your steel plates are deeper on your lathe base, perhaps 4 inches instead of the 2 inches on mine. I do find that I like to keep toolholders on the rear plate. Perhaps I will replace my rear plate with a deeper one
> 
> ...



I did go deeper on the plate and I agree, I like both keeping tools on there and the front apron as a small table. 

You are correct I went with four feet but I started with three; unfortunately I am not sure I had them in the right place so it was a bit unstable. I went back to four and think for the time being I will try this out. I will need to pull them both apart for one more (famous last words) time to add corner gussets in and may try another shot at three feet.


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## fsts2k (Nov 27, 2022)

Karl A said:


> My first uses of my Sherline mill was to drill and countersink the holes in the steel plates. Later, I used the mill to bore 5/8-inch diameter holes at the ends of rails when I changed to anchor fasteners, and to mill the ends of rails after I roughly cut them to length using a hacksaw. 8020.net supplies rails in whole-inch lengths, but I needed some rails that were not whole-inch lengths, for the mill base.



I did use the mill to straighten out the steel plate and have made a few scribblers with the lathe although that was before I had the stand so it was quite wobbly. 

I do want to say Thank You again for the idea, I am quite happy with how they came out and find them both visually appealing and they appear to be useful stands. I am going to design a stand for a small table sized bandsaw that I can store on a shelf but still have a stable platform next. 

Generally these were really great stands to begin the machining journey with and I wouldn’t have thought to do it without your inspiration. Appreciate it. 

Kevin


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## Karl A (Dec 11, 2022)

Here is a description of mounting a Sherline lathe and a mill together on 80/20, to extend the length capacity of the lathe.
I needed to turn down the OD of a short section near one end of three spiral-wound membrane modules, to a precise diameter. The modules are 42 inches long and approximately 2.5-inches in diameter. My employer does not have a lathe.
I used my Sherline 4400 lathe with Sherline 12950 Headstock Riser Block in combination with my Sherline 5400 mill, with the lathe and mill mounted on the same two four-feet-long 80/20 rails. I removed the tailstock from the lathe, and mounted the Sherline 3702 Adjustable Right-Hand Tailstock on the mill. To get the spindle of the lathe and the mill tailstock to be  at approximately the same height, I included two 1/4-inch bars between the lathe and the 80/20 rails. Here is a photograph of the result:


I set the height of the adjustable tailstock using a tube mounted in a vise on the headstock and on a bullnose center on tailstock, and a level. I set the horizontal alignment of the tailstock by turning the y-axis handwheel on the mill until there was no more taper when I turned down the section on one of the membrane modules.
The material of the section that I turned down was epoxy. I used an HSS cutting tool with zero rake angles and 0.016-inch radius. I set the headstock spindle speed to 750 RPM. I turned the z-axis handhwheel on the lathe at 1 revolution per second, to give 0.004-inch/spindle revolution feed rate. The membrane modules weighed 5.7 lbs each. The lathe did OK.


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## Karl A (Dec 17, 2022)

I estimate that for my temporary combination base for lathe and mill, the maximum length workpiece that be turned is 51 inches. 
To change the distance between the lathe and the mill, it's easier to slide the lathe on the rails than it is to move the mill. One need only loosen the four mounting screws of the lathe.
I centered the depth of the mill over the two rails. The OD of the 2.5-inch membrane modules was close to the column. To allow the large diameter work pieces to be turned, it would have been better to mount the mill more toward the rear.


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## Aaron_W (Dec 17, 2022)

Karl A said:


> I estimate that for my temporary combination base for lathe and mill, the maximum length workpiece that be turned is 51 inches.
> To change the distance between the lathe and the mill, it's easier to slide the lathe on the rails than it is to move the mill. One need only loosen the four mounting screws of the lathe.
> I centered the depth of the mill over the two rails. The OD of the 2.5-inch membrane modules was close to the column. To allow the large diameter work pieces to be turned, it would have been better to mount the mill more toward the rear.



I've seen a lot of unconventional mods made to Sherline and Taig lathes, but other than some resemblance to the pool cue lathe attachment Sherline sells this is definitely one of the odder adaptions that I've seen. 

What are you turning, and what kind of accuracy are you requiring of this set up?

Are you using a steady rest with it, or other means to support such long pieces?


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## Karl A (Dec 19, 2022)

Aaron_W said:


> I've seen a lot of unconventional mods made to Sherline and Taig lathes, but other than some resemblance to the pool cue lathe attachment Sherline sells this is definitely one of the odder adaptions that I've seen.
> 
> What are you turning, and what kind of accuracy are you requiring of this set up?
> 
> Are you using a steady rest with it, or other means to support such long pieces?


I am amused by "definitely one of the odder adaptions that I've seen." It's a point of pride for me.

Here is a photo showing one of the three spiral-wound membrane modules that I turned:


I turned down the epoxy that I cast between the two orange o-rings (forward of the blue tape). I turned the epoxy down to 2.204-inch diameter. In the meantime, I had the stainless-steel seal carrier in my oven at 400°F. The barrel of the seal carrier has 2.200 inch ID, but at 400°F the ID is 2.206 inches. I slipped the hot seal carrier over the epoxy. The seal carrier shrank onto the epoxy as it cooled.
Generally, seal carriers are potted onto membrane modules, using epoxy. In this case, the diametrical clearance between the seal carrier and the module OD was only 0.040 inch -- making potting difficult. 
Turning down the epoxy did not require a steady rest. The steel core tube of the module was sufficiently stiff.


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