Finally Ordered a PM-1236-PEP

[Just for fun]

I wish I could help you more but really this is my first lathe so I'm just learning. I bought a precision level but I started with a standard level and maybe two times I had it level with my standard level. Then I switched to the precision level, maybe four or five times over a couple days I was happy. That was about four month ago and I haven't checked it again, I'm sure it needs to be adjusted again.

That is all I have did, I need to check the squarnes of the head and tail stock.

Tim

 

[wachuko]

Pictures! Pictures!!! That was they one I had on order before I found the G0709 locally!!

 

[davidpbest]

At 74 years old getting down and up once is more than enough for a week's worth of leveling work for me.

How do you do this adequately without killing yourself in the process?

I'm 73, and decided to design and build my own stand for the lathe that brings the leveling adjustment points up to hip elevation. Details are here if you're interested. If you got the factory stand, then you'll be taking trips to the floor, or get someone else to lay on the floor while you direct them ("no - the other direction").

I use a Starrett 199 precision machinist level to get the lathe bed dialed in. Photos below, but I don't recommend you go out and buy a Starrett 199 unless you're flush with cash. Ideally you should borrow one from a friend, or invest in one from Grizzly with similar resolution. You definitely want something that can resolve to under 0.001" over 12" if you want to do precision work.

I also invested in an alignment test bar to get the head aligned. You can find them on eBay for about $80 for an MT5 spindle.

 

[mattthemuppet2]

I wouldn't worry so much about leveling the lathe unless turning a long piece shows up a concerning difference at the opposing ends of a long piece. Almost all of us to relatively short work. I'd get the lathe cleaned up and into use for a while first before worrying about the high level precision stuff

 

[Nyala]

The electrician arrived on Saturday and wired in the new lathe. I cleaned and oiled it while he worked. Today I ran it through its paces and installed the DRO. I needed a little help with the DRO and Charlie at PM resolved the issue. It looks like I'm ready to start making chips.

I did have a couple of small issues. The compound was a little rough around the edges but a file made short work of that. The second issue is the chuck key, which is way too short and the handle hits the side of the headstock. The first order of business will be a new key.

The lathe is "carpenter level" level and that will do for now.

I have some pictures to share and will do so as soon as I get more organized. Right now I'm a happy camper and I look forward to making my first chips.

 

[bigolbeast]

Just borrow someone’s phone or use a laptop to video call yourself so you can watch the level from the floor on your phone

 

[Nyala]

Good idea. But first I need a level.

I made my first chips today. I decided to cut a 12" piece of 7/8" aluminum and use it as a practice piece for making the main body of the chuck key that I need. Between the end where the handle goes and the chuck key's square tip, there is about 9" of straight shaft. I decided to cut that down to 3/4" as a way of practicing how to use the lathe controls.

When done I used a micrometer to measure the shaft. I had .010" difference over the 9".

I guess I need to break down a get a precision level. Sigh.

 

[Just for fun]

I need to work on my lathe as well. PM has what looks like a nice level, at a reasonable price.

https://www.precisionmatthews.com/shop/8-master-precision-machinists-level/

 

[WV Dualsport]

Ordered in April, with a July estimate. Called yesterday and was told to expect it in early September.

 

[tredding]

The lathe is still in the crate as I await an electrician friend to wire in the plug and receptacle. I already have 220V in the shop so this should be pretty straight forward.

I have installed the leveling feet on the bases and marked out on the floor roughly where everything is going. The old lathe has been moved to an out of the way location so that the new lathe can be moved in.

I am now thinking about leveling the lathe, something that I have never done before. I don't even own a precision level. I wasn't even aware of such a thing until recently. When I became aware of it I took my aluminum carpenter's level and set it in both directions on the lathe bench. It showed level but that's not the same as precision leveling. I never cared before because very few things that I've built ever required me to hit dimension on the nose. I am a true hobby machinist who does easy projects for fun and has never attempted projects of any serious difficulty because my lathe required hours of work, even for simple projects. To remove .100" of material required 5 passes at .010" each. Heavier cuts could bring the lathe to a standstill. If the project was 8" long, you could spend all day just taking .100" off one piece. If you have to remove .500" then you have your week's worth of work already planned for you.

The new lathe, with all its capabilities over a 1936 lathe, changes all that and I am interested in pursuing other projects.

That brings me back to leveling. I have watched videos, read previous posts on the topic, and looked at what's commercially available for leveling. There seems to be the bubble level group and the digital level group. I've learned a lot about leveling but also learned enough to have no desire to do it. I have watched people look at a level, get down on the floor, make an adjustment, get back up and look at the level. They might do this 50 times, then do the other direction. At 74 years old getting down and up once is more than enough for a week's worth of leveling work for me.

How do you do this adequately without killing yourself in the process?

I just ordered the TM-1236 and am also curious about leveling and moving the lathe around the shop. One fellow mentions using lengths of black pipe as rollers. He said it made it easy to move heavy lathes on stands around and position them in his shop. So I plan to try that. Elsewhere I read about Bluetooth precision levels that allowed you to stay on the floor working the levers while watching the level change on your smartphone. I too am 74 and was not looking forward to a bunch of ups and downs. How did you end up doing your leveling?