Upgrade for Sherline Lathe Base

[Forty Niner]

Sherline has upgraded their lathe base to a machined base that is heavier and wider. It is offered as an upgrade for older lathes. Looks interesting, so I ordered one for my 17" lathe. I will upgrade it and see how it works out.

 

[Aaron_W]

Sherline has upgraded their lathe base to a machined base that is heavier and wider. It is offered as an upgrade for older lathes. Looks interesting, so I ordered one for my 17" lathe. I will upgrade it and see how it works out.

I've not had any issues with the lathe base, but I saw that too. I will be curious to see if you notice a difference.

 

[Karl A]

Here's a link to a short video from Sherline: Machining the New Sherline Lathe Base.

The video description states, "This new benchtop lathe base is machined from solid 6061 aluminum. The design is based on our ball screw lathe base. The base is wider and more rigid than the traditional cast base. The base is straighter with truer alignment to the lathe bed, and is interchangeable with older, 17" benchtop lathe bases."

 

[premodern]

I suspect that it has more to do with cost reduction, though there also may be some improvement in alignment.

 

[Karl A]

I suspect that it has more to do with cost reduction, though there also may be some improvement in alignment.

In the comments of the video (post #3), @justin_704 stated, "It would be nice to see them on a sturdier/more rigid cast iron base. It would be even nice to see these like a mini hardinge lathe. And it's not like it is impossible to do nor would it increase costs." @SherlineProducts replied, "The cost of cast bases has skyrocketed. That is why we are transitioning to the machined bases, so we can keep prices down for our customers."

I speculate that years ago, Sherline purchased a big supply of cast bases and that recently their inventory was running low. They obtained a quote for a new supply of cast bases, and the cost was high.

Yesterday, I ordered a machined base.

The original cast base of my lathe has provided me with more of a learning experience than I want. From the beginning, I have placed a 0.010-inch shim under the front, right mounting hole to remove twist from the bed. I have removed paint from the cast base where it contacts the bed. I have machined and filed the bottom of the cast base flatter. Yet, the 0.010-inch shim remains. Yesterday, I observed that the bed rocks in the base at the headstock end. I think that the base is twisting the bed.

I suppose that I can learn how to scrape the base, to make it fit the bed well and not twist the bed. I prefer to try the machined base.

 

[Aaron_W]

In the comments of the video, @justin 704 stated, "It would be nice to see them on a sturdier/more rigid cast iron base. It would be even nice to see these like a mini hardinge lathe. And it's not like it is impossible to do nor would it increase costs." @SherlineProducts replied, "The cost of cast bases has skyrocketed. That is why we are transitioning to the machined bases, so we can keep prices down for our customers."

I speculate that years ago, Sherline purchased a big supply of cast bases and that recently their inventory was running low. They obtained a quote for a new supply of cast bases, and the cost was high.

Yesterday, I ordered a machined base.

The original cast base of my lathe has provided me with more of a learning experience than I want. From the beginning, I have placed a 0.010-inch shim under the front, right mounting hole to remove twist from the bed. I have removed paint from the cast base where it contacts the bed. I have machined and filed the bottom of the cast base flatter. Yet, the 0.010-inch shim remains. Yesterday, I observed that the bed rocks in the base at the headstock end. I think that the base is twisting the bed.

I suppose that I can learn how to scrape the base, to make it fit the bed well and not twist the bed. I prefer to try the machined base.

That is interesting. I wonder if part of the issue is contracting out the cast base, while they may be able to do the milled bases in house.

 

[premodern]

I am sure that Sherline were purchasing the aluminum castings for the base, but those castings still require machining by Sherline before they are painted and assembled.

~Hans

 

[Karl A]

I am sure that Sherline were purchasing the aluminum castings for the base, but those castings still require machining by Sherline before they are painted and assembled.

~Hans

The machined base, that I ordered, arrived from Sherline today. Therefore, I had an incentive to remove the cast base from my lathe.

Looking at the cast base, it appears that the only machining that was done before painting was drilling six mounting holes. The hole and recess for the thread-cutting engagement level appears to have been honed after painting.

Previously, I stripped the paint from the surfaces of the cast base that contact the lathe bed. To me, those surfaces do not appear to have been machined.

 

[Choiliefan]

Does the machined base replace the diecast base which supports the bed?
It wasn't as obvious to me as I hoped when looking at their website.

 

[Karl A]

Does the machined base replace the diecast base which supports the bed?
It wasn't as obvious to me as I hoped when looking at their website.

"The cost of cast bases has skyrocketed. That is why we are transitioning to the machined bases, so we can keep prices down for our customers." - @SherlineProducts
The source of the quote is in post #5.