Levelling A Lathe

R

ronboult

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I have a new Sieg Runmaster 330x1000 lathe that I wish to level. It has 4 adjustable legs (16mm Cap Bolts) sitting on 4 hockey pucks under the head stock end of the stand and a pair of similar legs under the tailstock end of the stand.

My approach would be to retract one pair of the legs under the headstock end and level the lathe end for end and across the ways at headstock and tailstock in the normal manner using just four legs initially.

Can anybody advise
1 Would it be better to use the inner or outer pair of legs under the headstock for the first levelling?
and
2 How would you then adjust the second pair of legs under the headstock to get the same load on all four headstock legs?
Thanks
Ron
 
Sorry if my original explanation was confusing. Here are some pics to clarify or Confuse?

Pic of the levelling feet on my lathe
IMG_2667.jpg

Pic of lathe base showing 4 feet ( 2pairs) under head stock

IMG_2671.jpg IMG_2669.jpg


Pic of base under tailstock showing one pair of feet (One on front and one on back of stand)
IMG_2662.jpg
To level lathe I assume I will need to raise one pair of feet under headstock so lathe sits on only 4 feet. Which pair should I use to level, Inner or Outer?

When lathe is level and I lower extra pair of feet to take some of the load, how do I ensure that the load on all 4 feet under the headstock is equal?

Ron
 
I would level left to right first, probably using the outermost feet on the headstock, then front to back. Finally, I would adjust the inner headstock feet so they are just starting to carry a load but not to the point where you have play under the outer feet. You should be able to gage the load by the torque required to adjust the feet. That should get you the the point where you can do your fine tuning.
 
You level the head stock first. Once the head stock is level you bring the tail stock in line with it. It does no good to align the back with the front if it is dipping in the middle. Same as it does no good to have the ways level if the head stock is canted up or down.
 
The guy on oxtool has a video about leveling, a bigger machine, but a six-feeter like yours. He did the two outboard headstock feet and put a jack in the center under the tail stock end, a three point leveling. Once level, side to side and front to back, then the other feet were lowered an brought to bear. He leveled using only the feet touching the floor. Most of our lighter lathes also need some kind of leveling between the bed and the stand.

Three point leveling is a good way to do it if you can. I had a Logan 825 on a cabinet, and it only had the two feet under the headstock and one centered under the tail stock. Was a breeze to level the stand. Then fine leveling of the bed with shims under the bed feet where it sat on the stand.

I am still fiddling with my new-to-me Logan 1957, which has six feet like yours. It has fine bed leveling adjusters under the bed feet, so once I'm satisfied with the stand being level, I'll adjust the bed using those.
 
My Emco Super 11CD only has four feet but when I leveled it I used the two pads at the headstock and the front foot on the tailstock end. I put a level on the cross slide table and moved it as close to the headstock as I could get it and leveled that end with the front and rear pads. Then I moved to the tailstock end and leveled it using just the front foot. Then I brought the rear pad into contact with the floor and tightened it as much as I could without the bubble moving, and then rechecked both ends and locked the locknuts down. This took all of 15 minutes. A 2-collar test took a minute amount of adjustment on the tailstock end and I was done. I repeated this after a month and it has remained stable since then.

I would use the two outer pads at the headstock end and the front foot on the tailstock end if I had to level your lathe. Once leveled, I would lower the remaining feet using the level's bubble to tell me when to stop.

Choosing a level was one thing that I was initially concerned about. I knew that too sensitive a level would have me chasing my tail so I used my little 6" Starrett 98 to do an initial level and then switched to a 12" precision level to fine-tune it. This worked well for me. The 2-collar test allows for very fine tuning and I suggest you not forego that.
 
I agree with everything stated above.

I will say I spent AN ETERNITY leveling my Mazak M4. This is a 16,000 lb 22"x72" CNC lathe. it still cut tapers. ARGH!!!

I went to Rollie's Dad's method and had the lathe turning straight parts in no time.
 

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