Fixing my new lathe down?

[Oakbear]

Hi gang,

As i'm sure you know (i keep on banging on about it!), i have a new lathe coming this week.
I've got a nice area and position ready for it, but haven't made my mind up about how to fix it to the floor etc.

Here's the lathe.http://www.axminster.co.uk/product-Axminster-AWVSWL1200-Woodturning-Lathe-781099.htm
It's pretty heavy(186kg), and the stand/bed is cast iron, so that should help.

I have a concrete garage floor, which is flat-ish!

Do i....

a - Assemble it straight onto the floor?
b - Have it straight on the floor and bolt it down with anchor bolts?
c - Have it on a layer of rubber or somthing to dampen vibration? (If so what!?)
d - A combination of the above
e - Summin' else?

Thanks in advance for the advice......

 

[BMac]

That looks very like my Jet1442 which has the same leg and bed assembly but is about 20kg lighter.

If you can get some help do because it's going to be a heavy build. I (We) just put the legs in position and then set the bed on to screw the whole lot together. Then I levelled the bed with the screw adjusters and that was it.

My lathe is standing on a concrete floor and moved once in 3 years when I had an out of balance blank and started the lathe at high speed. Since that I've turned more out of balance stuff and the lathe hasn't moved because I keep the speed down at the start.

I had thought of putting butyl rubber pieces under the leg screws but never got around to it, like putting a shelf with sand bags on - that didn't happen either.

I think you'll be pleasantly surprised at how stable the lathe will be and I wish you many happy hours using it.

Brendan

 

[cornucopia]

I would leave it unbolted until you've had a few sessions using it- you might find it needs lifting up or it might not be level etc once your happy with it Then i would bolt it down using those metal expanding bolts

drop me a line if you need a hand i've not got any work for a few weeks

 

[CHJ]

I doubt very much that you will need to secure it, certainly not in the first instance.

Use it, check out positioning is as convenient as you thought.
Check the stand is level where you intend mounting it, not twisted corner to corner, before fixing bed to it, even a lump of cast iron can twist if its support is way out.

 

[Anonymous]

I'm quite suprised by some of the responses so far. I'm sure it was Mark Hancock who said that bolting the lathe to the floor makes the world of difference. If I thought my lathe was staying where it is now I'd definitely have it bolted to the floor (and if I had a concrete floor).

Dave

 

[jasdon79]

i have a cast iron lathe and bolting it down made the world of difference i used four six inch anchor bolts and i have had a four foot bowl hanging over it and never moved

 

[BMac]

That could be why I haven't bolted mine down...yet! I haven't tried 4' bowls or anything that would be near the capacity of my lathe. I'll probably be thinking about this thread as soon as I do try big stuff.

Brendan

 

[Paul.J]

I was told not to bolt my lathe down,as if you are turning big out of balance lumps of wood the forces involved can twist the frame :?

 

[Oakbear]

Thanks folks!

I reckon i'l leave it unbolted to begin with, and take it from there when it's settled and i've definately got it set up.

I'm quite nervous about getting it now! :?

 

[CHJ]

I reckon i'l leave it unbolted to begin with, and take it from there when it's settled and i've definately got it set up.

That would be my inclination with a machine that heavy.

Some observations for that;

1. You may need to move it for your convenience once you get familiar with using it.
2. it is always preferable to balance a spinning workpiece than rely on the rigidity of the machine to contain it. Not having it rigidly fixed will give you more feedback as you gain experience. (would not expect a lot with that weight on 'normal' work.)

Reason for balancing? Any forces generated by spinning out of balance loads have to dissipate somewhere. If the machine can move some of those loads result in machine vibration or movement. This may be undesirable in obtaining a good finish or in extreme cases inability to even hold the tools steady.

If however you stop those vibrations/movement by securing the machine rigidly to an inflexible substrate then those very same loads have to be absorbed in total by the bearings, chucks etc. that are carrying the load. On large industrial quality machines this should not be a problem but is still undesirable if it can be iliminated or reduced in the first instance.

I would hazard a guess that most budget machine bearing/drive problems are the result of not appreciating the loads imposed by spinning an out of balanced workpiece.

Even though my machine is heavy enough for two people to struggle with moving it, it still gives quite a bit of feedback with out of balance loads and I prefer to sort them out when possible rather than secure it and ignore the feedback.

I have seen an unsecured VB6 moving about at a Yandles open day due to unbalanced work, and of course a lathe with bearings etc. of that quality is more than capable of absorbing the out of balance loads of anything a normal operator is likely to tackle, it nevertheless would be ideal if the operator had an understanding of them on a rigidly fixed machine.

SAFETY NOTE: Obviously lathe design may make it essential that it is fixed rigidly to the floor, operating a narrow based Graduate style machine without bed extension and foot could be unwise with very out of balance bowl loads.