Need lathe mounting advice.

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littlejack

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Hey again fellas:
I am in the mounting mode for my Atlas QC 54 lathe. I will give my ideas, and if you would, let me know if it will be sufficient or not.
I will be mounting the factory lathe and stand on my man cave floor. It is 1 1/8" plywood flooring. I will try to set the feet over to the floor
joists as close as possible.
I am planning on putting a 4" diameter round plate under each foot, to spread out the load.
Question: Is it better to lag the feet to the floor, or leave them loose and be able to transfer any vibration away from the machine?
I am going to use a machinist level to get the machine level (via the ways) X and Y.
Question: If I do not lag the feet to the floor, should I capture the feet with an L frame to prevent the lathe from "walking" around?
Any advice is greatly appreciated.
Jack
 
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Re: Need lathe mounting advioce.

The 4" round plate is a good idea. I would glue some rubber to the bottom of the feet, this will serve the purpose of vibration dampening and keep the feet firmly planted on the floor. I usually mill or drill a divot into the center of the pads so that the leveling bolts can have a pocket to set into, this eliminates the possibility of the leveling bolts sliding around on the feet. If you do it like I just described, you won't have to bolt the machine to the floor unless you live in an earthquake zone.
 
Re: Need lathe mounting advioce.

I got to thinkin (which is bad for my health).
What is the sense in using a machinist level if I am NOT going to lag the lathe to the floor.
Wouldn't it be adequate to just use a carpenters level if the lathe feet are to be individually adjustable, and free floating?
Just askin???
Jack
 
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Re: Need lathe mounting advioce.

The reason for using a machinist level is that it's way more accurate. The issue you're gonna have is that the wood floor is gonna flex under your feet, which will throw the level off, the minute you walk away from the machine. It's not a deal breaker. Just make sure that your floor joists are up to the task. If you can figure out, or know , which way the joists are running, it would be best if the machine is laid perpendicular to the floor joists on an outside wall of over( or close to) the carrying beam or carrying wall beneath. This will minimize the floor flexing and spread the load across 4-5 joists, depending on the width of your machine.

The floor system will hold the weight of that particular lathe, unless you live in an old shack. You might not be so thrilled with the way the floor flexes though. But doing it the way outlined above should minimize the flex issues.
 
Re: Need lathe mounting advioce.

littlejack said:
Hey again fellas:
I am in the mounting mode for my Atlas QC 54 lathe. I will give my ideas, and if you would, let me know if it will be sufficient or not.
I will be mounting the factory lathe and stand on my man cave floor. It is 1 1/8" plywood flooring. I will try to set the feet over to the floor
joists as close as possible.
I am planning on putting a 4" diameter round plate under each foot, to spread out the load.
Question: Is it better to lag the feet to the floor, or leave them loose and be able to transfer any vibration away from the machine?
I am going to use a machinist level to get the machine level (via the ways) X and Y.
Question: If I do not lag the feet to the floor, should I capture the feet with an L frame to prevent the lathe from "walking" around?
Any advice is greatly appreciated.
Jack
Click to expand...

Hi;

I don't know what your set-up looks like, but if it were me, I would level the lathe at the bench. As long as the stand is roughly level, it seems to me to be easier to fine-tune the lathe for level under the lathe feet. What I did, years ago for my Sheldon was to put four very large diameter bolts (about 1&1/4 inch in diameter) through the thick wooden top of my lathe bench at the points where the lathe feet would rest. The lathe feet rest on the end of the bolts sticking out of the bench top. A large nut that fits the 1&1/4" bolt screws down onto the bolt and the lathe foot rests on that. Prior to fit up for the bench, the big bolts were drilled and tapped for much smaller 1/4" bolts that would hold the lathe feet in place. This way, the whole lathe can be adjusted very precisely for level at each corner foot where the bolts come up out of the wood top just by turning the nuts a little bit at a time and using a machinist's level to get the machine leveled correctly. The large 1&1/4" bolts were obtained at a local Tractor Supply place (farm store) and they are about 3 inches long. The wood bench top is 1&1/2" thick. I got this idea from an British "model engineering" book that I read about 16 years ago, but can't remember the name of the book. Oh, I neglected to mention that two of those nuts are used on each bolt: one is screwed down to the top to hold each bolt firmly to the top while the bolt head is tight up against the bottom side of the bench top, the other nut is then screwed down on the end of the bolt just enough to engage three or four threads so that the nut has a few threads left to adjust its height. When the lathe is placed on top of all four of these nuts the lathe is adjusted to be level and then the smaller 1/4" bolts are threaded through the lathe's feet and into each respective bolt to hold the feet in place. Sorry for the long-winded explanation, and I hope that you can get an idea of what I am talking about here. I would take a pic or two and upload them, but I don't know how to do that. Hope this is some help to you.

P.S.: You are probably wondering how I placed the lathe onto those four nuts? I did it while the lathe was disassembled, so that I was only lifting the lathe bed onto the nuts. Then after I had tightened the bed in place I put the headstock, carriage and tailstock onto the bed. Worked great for me.
 
Re: Need lathe mounting advioce.

Atlas always stated that anchoring the stand/bench helped to reduce vibration. I believe them. My 3996 is solidly anchored to a concrete slab.

Curtis's leveling bolts would be equivalent to Clausing's leveling screws found on some of their machines. Sounds like a good idea.

Robert D.
 
Re: Need lathe mounting advioce.

Good evening fellas.
Not much activity going on this site.
I got the lathe mounted today. I changed from what I was originally going to do.
I was originally going to put a single disc under each foot of the lathe stand legs. I decided to use one single piece of flat bar to reach under
both feet on each end. I figured there would be more support on the wood floor.
So I bought two pieces of 3/8" flat bar, 5" wide by 16" long. The width allowed 1" of material on all 3 sides of each feet. Layed out the
holes where I wanted them, and drilled holes in the floor to match. I mounted the plates setting as close to the floor joists as possible.
At that point, I needed a good level. GET THIS: I went to the rental shop down the road. I ask the fella if he had a machinist level for
rent? He said no. He ask what I wanted it for, and one thing let to another, and we got into a friendly conversation. I could tell, that he was
kinda sizing me up?? Then he ask, Have you rented here before? I replied, yes. Then he said, I (he) have a Starett #98, 12" I will let
you borrow. I couldn't believe what I was hearing. Here is this fellow that doesn't know me from Adam, going to lend me his machinist l
level.
I said yes!!!!!!!
So I made me some shims, and went to work. I would shim, suck it down, and read the level. I did this repeatedly several times. I got
the lathe leveled about as perfect as it could be. I took a few hours, but I am very pleased with the results.
I believe that this is going to be as stable a platform as one can get on a wood floor.
Things are looking up. OH yea, I am going to bring John some donuts tomorrow, for him loaning me his level.
Regards
Jack
 
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Re: Need lathe mounting advioce.

Hi Jack, I asked the same question when I got my Atlas with factory legs, at first I did similar to your solution, but it soon became apparent that Atlas lathes really need a solid base to make them quiet, smooth to use, and to turn out a nice finish on work, and the floor is sure to move and mess up your careful leveling.

Here is what I did, not sure if this is possible or worth the effort in your situation though.

http://www.hobby-machinist.com/showthread.php/9441-Lathe-support-frame-and-tray-project

I didn't bother with a machinists level as the ground where I live is clay which moves all the time (house is on 35 150mm x 10 mtr piles) I just used the two collar method and it now turns the collars to within a thou. 8" out from the chuck, maybe I could get it better but it's fine for the work I do, if needs be I would readjust..

Bernard
 
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If you can get under the floor I would put some stiffeners under the entire machine plus one more joist on each end.
 
Dranreb:
Your mounting set-up is top notch for sure.
With the respective light weight of these machines, I believe that my support system is sufficient. I will recheck the level in the future, and
re-level as needed.
Regards
Jack
 
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