Heavy Machinery (Lathe) Substrate?

[Engineeruk]

Hi All,

I'm about to install a new metal lathe in the workshop and was wondering if there was any surface preparation recommended for heavy machinery like this?

The workshop has a concrete floor with an epoxy coating. It's flat and level as far as I can measure, but there are of course bound to be inconsistencies....

Thanks for any advice!

 

[Myfordman]

Level the machine and check it turns parallel with shims under the edges of the feet, then make a fine concrete grout from grit and cement and pack into the void under the rest of the feet.

 

[ChaiLatte]

Be sure you are comfortable with the working height before grouting it in (i.e. give it a couple of weeks). For me, of average height, a couple of machines have been too low and have benefited greatly from riser blocks under the factory feet/stand (also makes it easier to retrieve small dropped items from underneath).

 

[Sideways]

How heavy is it ?
Mine and my mates lathes are all 3/4 to 1 ton machines. They are fine on concrete with adjustable feet. Anti vibration feet are cheap enough if you want some. Those are matched to the approx weight of the machine. I'd put something under the feet otherwise just to protect your epoxy. Old rubber conveyor belt is nice.

I assume we're not into the realm of big machinery that needs bespoke foundations, J bolts cast or grouted in and everything torqued down because it relies on the foundation for rigidity....

 

[Engineeruk]

Level the machine and check it turns parallel with shims under the edges of the feet, then make a fine concrete grout from grit and cement and pack into the void under the rest of the feet.

Be sure you are comfortable with the working height before grouting it in (i.e. give it a couple of weeks). For me, of average height, a couple of machines have been too low and have benefited greatly from riser blocks under the factory feet/stand (also makes it easier to retrieve small dropped items from underneath).

How heavy is it ?
Mine and my mates lathes are all 3/4 to 1 ton machines. They are fine on concrete with adjustable feet. Anti vibration feet are cheap enough if you want some. Those are matched to the approx weight of the machine. I'd put something under the feet otherwise just to protect your epoxy. Old rubber conveyor belt is nice.

I assume we're not into the realm of big machinery that needs bespoke foundations, J bolts cast or grouted in and everything torqued down because it relies on the foundation for rigidity....

Thanks all - that's a great set of criteria to consider. I think my floor should be level enough without shims, but will certainly make sure.

Sideways, the machine is around 650kg, so not outrageously large. Some sort of rubber sheeting was exactly my thought also. My only fear was resonance if the machine was supported by something with elasticity like rubber; but perhaps that's over thinking given it's tiny thickness?

 

[Sideways]

I was surprised when I bought anti vibe feet. They are compliant enough that I can slightly rock the whole lathe by hand. Actually much softer than pads made of rubber belting. The base cabinet is heavy sheet and fully welded so very rigid in it's own right.

 

[Spectric]

Old rubber conveyor belt is nice.

Or rubber mate used for horse stables.

 

[Fergie 307]

My go to are scaffold feet. 6x6 inch plates as standard. They are about £10 each or less brand new and come with the big wing nuts which are great for levelling. I have pads under each made from a synthetic rubber sold for making lorry mudflaps. Dense enough to bear the weight, soft enough to take out small irregularities in the floor. And it actually noticeably reduces the sound by insulating the machine from the floor.
Without them at certain speeds the machine would start to sing, and you could see particles of dust jumping about on the floor as the concrete was clearly vibrating in harmony with it. And the floor is 6 inches thick !
Mine is around the same weight as yours.

 

[Engineeruk]

My go to are scaffold feet. 6x6 inch plates as standard. They are about £10 each or less brand new and come with the big wing nuts which are great for levelling. I have pads under each made from a synthetic rubber sold for making lorry mudflaps. Dense enough to bear the weight, soft enough to take out small irregularities in the floor. And it actually noticeably reduces the sound by insulating the machine from the floor.
Without them at certain speeds the machine would start to sing, and you could see particles of dust jumping about on the floor as the concrete was clearly vibrating in harmony with it. And the floor is 6 inches thick !
Mine is around the same weight as yours.

That's a great setup you have there! What sort of rubber thickness are you using for the feet?

Not sure I can easily source conveyer belting, but I have some 3mm reinforced neoprene rubber sheeting that could at least provide some floor protection.

 

[Fergie 307]

It is 4mm thick. The scaffold legs are cut down to an appropriate length. They just slot into short lengths of scaffold pipe welded to flat plates, which bolt on to the rails, which are 65x125 rolled channel. You can then use the butterfly nut to adjust. Each leg is rated to 4 tons, so they are plenty strong enough !
I have a set of big braked castors that can be swapped for the feet if I need to move it around. And the channels extend about 18" behind the machine, so it is very stable.

 

[stuart little]

Back in the latter half of the sixties, having completed my apprenticeship as a Maintenance Fitter in heavy engineering, when a new machine like a lathe or mill had to be installed, we used a type of flexible anti-vibration material cut into pieces to match the feet of the machine. These were glued to the feet & the floor with Evo-stick! Yes, it has been around for a while! Those machines never moved, as I remember, although I was very surprised the first time I witnessed it, thinking maybe it's a joke on the Newby! The pads were somewhere around 3/8" thick give or take - if my memory serves me right - for a change .

 

[Sideways]

The feet that came with my present lathe (600-700kg) are round adjustable things and just have a 3/8" thick layer of granulated cork on the bottom.
Maybe some thick cork mats could be sacrificed from the kitchen while you look into other options ?