Lathe stand adjustable feet?

[transatlantic]

I'm going to be building some new legs for my lathe. The ones I have currently are made from 4x4" posts and although are really sturdy, they're relatively light, so I get a lot of vibration with bigger unbalanced pieces.

I'm a sit down turner, and my legs go under the lathe, so it's important that there is no obstruction under the bed (where my legs go)

I'm thinking of something like this :

The sides being18mm ply, and the front and back being 45x145 timber posts to support most of the weight. Then with something to cap the top and bottom, probably a double layer of 18mm ply. This box will then get filled with sand to add a lot of weight.

I'm wondering about how I could add adjustable feet though? I was thinking M12, with an upside down T-Nut, like these :

But the box design of the leg is really quite wide (about 160mm), ... so I am not sure if this is actually going to work? any other ideas on how I could level the feet? ... maybe I should just wedge them?

 

[transatlantic]

It just occured to me that I could add the adjusment where the lathe bed is bolted to the legs instead. Shimming with washers.

 

[Ttrees]

One possible way to approach this is having retractable casters,
Take one of Carl Holmgren's many designs for instance, it could likely be what you're looking for.


Then just a matter of getting the right stick, or made to sit level at the location already.
Just saying something to bear in mind regardless what design you choose for the base.

Tom

 

[Duncan A]

Assuming you don't want to move the lathe frequently, Footmaster levelling castors are very simple to fit under the feet of your lathe stand - make sure you get the stud fitting type, not the plate type.
They will lift the lathe by a few inches.
Genuine Footmasters are expensive, but there are clones available on eBay and Amazon for very reasonable rates.
Duncan

 

[chaoticbob]

Transatlantic, if all you want to do is level the lathe rather than put it on castors, I can't see why your plan A (levelling feet) shouldn't work. My engineering lathe is supported on 'legs' of the same box design (though made of steel) and I used a total of 8 M12 feet - 4 each at the corners of the headstock and tailstock boxes. That's to support a 600kg machine though, and the boxes are 310mm wide by 350 deep. I doubt that even with the sand ballast your machine is going to weigh more that 200kg and the boxes aren't as wide - possibly you could get away with two feet at each end.
I confess I'm a bit perplexed as to why you need to 'level' the machine though! Uneven floor?
Bob

 

[Fergie 307]

I have used cut down scaffold legs on my Harrison lathe. It weighs around 650kg. The foot on them is 6 inches/150mm square. Just make a metal plate to fit under your legs for the adjuster to bear on. If you shop around you can get them for less than £10 each.

 

[transatlantic]

Cheers guys. I don't really have a need for castors. The lathe never moves.

Transatlantic, if all you want to do is level the lathe rather than put it on castors, I can't see why your plan A (levelling feet) shouldn't work. My engineering lathe is supported on 'legs' of the same box design (though made of steel) and I used a total of 8 M12 feet - 4 each at the corners of the headstock and tailstock boxes. That's to support a 600kg machine though, and the boxes are 310mm wide by 350 deep. I doubt that even with the sand ballast your machine is going to weigh more that 200kg and the boxes aren't as wide - possibly you could get away with two feet at each end.
I confess I'm a bit perplexed as to why you need to 'level' the machine though! Uneven floor?
Bob

I guess I was comparing the boxes to something like below, where the legs get narrower towards the feet, so the adjustment bolt is a similar size to the foot. Where as with a 160mm wide foot, it just seemed wrong? I had considered having 4 on each leg, but that seems like it would be more difficult to level?

As for the reason for leveling. It's purely so I can take out any twist (if there is any). As the floor is uneven, and these legs are going to be very heavy, I was worried that the lathe bed might conform to the legs, which would introduce twist in the bed.

 

[Ttrees]

I just mentioned the caster idea, not for the mobility aspect of it,
but for the fact should it need be heavy and those columns need ballast,
then it's an easy way to lift the machine and get it leveled with a slip of timber.

i.e buying cheap casters rather than adjustable feet.
All the best

Tom

 

[Inspector]

Don't use the furniture glide you pictured. Machine levelling feet are better.
https://www.amazon.ca/Shop-Fox-D434...ix=machine+leveling+feet,aps,226&sr=8-20&th=1
I have a 13x37 metal lathe on two cast bases, each having four levelling feet in the corners. It is a pain in the knees to level because every time you try to adjust one a different one loosens. If I ever get a welder I will make a very heavy triangulated frame to prevent any twist and have it sit on three points, two at the headstock and one at the tailstock. For your lathe one in each corner is better than eight.

One thing to point out is that you do not need to get the lathe perfectly level to prevent bed twist. The lathe only has to sit in the same plane. Carpenter levels are not accurate enough if you want to get the bed twist out. A machinist level is the puppy to buy and the import ones are more than accurate enough and can be had for under $75Cad/42pounds and less for smaller ones.
https://www.amazon.ca/gazechimp-Pro...ecision+machinist+level&qid=1645457751&sr=8-8https://www.amazon.ca/Blesiya-Preci...cision+machinist+level&qid=1645457751&sr=8-13
Pete