Bolting a mill down vs leveling feet

[JPigg55]

Question for you guys who don't bolt down your mills. Ever had any issues with tipping over ???
I bolted my 8520 down because it looks like it could get tippy side to side when the table would be off center with a heavy work piece on it.

 

[Bob Korves]

Question for you guys who don't bolt down your mills. Ever had any issues with tipping over ???
I bolted my 8520 down because it looks like it could get tippy side to side when the table would be off center with a heavy work piece on it.

I would not bolt it to the floor, but I would bolt it to some members that will spread the load over a wider area. There is no advantage to bolting a hobby lathe or mill to the floor, IMO. There are multiple disadvantages.
Edit: I have never heard of a mill tipping over in use, even with asymmetric loading, though that could happen with overloaded or side loaded bench mills. Mills tip over when they are being moved. Deal with that issue.

 

[Robert LaLonde]

I think bolting and shimming to level is easier than installing the feet. After the feet are installed its much easier to level than bolting and shimming however. Its also easier to move. I have my big mill (2 ton KMB1) bolted down and shimmed to level. To be honest I see no difference in any of the cutting. Before it was just setting on the floor where I plugged it in and I had no issues. The only advantage I found to actually leveling it was I was able to use a level to setup a job once. A non critical job.

Now on a lighter machine like a benchtop leveling the top of the base, then leveling the machine, then leveling the table at front and back of travel may help reduce some bed twist. Tormach even posted a video on that on their YouTube channel.

 

[jmarkwolf]

The pic you posted is my BP.

Hi Cheeseking.

Out of curiosity, what are the bolts through the base of your Bridgeport threaded into? Did you tap the tube for the bolts, or weld on some weld nuts, or what?

Arguing with myself as to what to do here.

 

[Cheeseking]

They are tapped 1/2-13 directly into the tube.

 

[Low tech]

All of my machines (11” Logan , Leblond servo shift , Bridgeport mill , Reid Brothers SG , 20” Cincinnati shaper ) sit on heavy steel plates under the leveling screws . The Cincinnati shaper is the only one that is bolted down .

 

[P. Waller]

We have a 4020 Fadal mill, someone had a 100" long piece of 2" X 3" steel bar in it held in 3 Kurt vices with 50" hanging off one end of the table.
It made a rapid move forward (200 IPM) to change parts and struck a pipe roof column and rotated the machine, fortunately it was not bolted to the floor and nothing was damaged. This machine weighs 12,000 LB's