Re: Recommendations for shims for leveling lathe??
|
I got lucky shimming my 12X24. I was trying to bore a 4" deep hole but kept coming out with a taper. I stuck a piece of hack saw blade under one corner of the tail stock end, just as a starting point, and the taper reduced by half. I added another piece of hack saw blade and found the hole to be within 0.0002". You don't get that kind of luck every day. Rick H
On Sun, Jul 16, 2023 at 12:07?PM Andrei < calciu1@...> wrote:
Yes. That is what people call leveling the lathe.?
You bolt it down to the bench, then measure, then shim then measure then shim or unshim, rinse and repeat.?
Keep repeating until no more twist. You can use a plumb bob and a rig to help out with the process or a fancy precision level.?
YouTube has a lot of videos on this subject. This lady did it for her small 10x22 lathe which is probably close to what we all have in the shop.?
If this does not help, search for lathe leveling procedure and see which approach you like best
Get
Thanks Andrei, can one take the twist from the bed just with shims or do you need to put some tension?
on it by also bolting it down?
A twisted casting would have tension in it that would have to be overcome.
I'd be interested?to hear what others have done.
My 70 year old Craftsman 12 x 36 probably?has a twist.
I reported here in the forum about the tailstock not aligning.
I spent the last two years getting my direct drive spindle working so have not looked at the possible bed twist.
Ralph
On Sun, Jul 16, 2023 at 11:21?AM Andrei < calciu1@...> wrote:
He is looking to take the twist from the bed.
Buy shim stock on a roll and just double and triple them as needed.
Get
Jim, you are wasting your time if you are trying to "level" your lathe.
Just use it! Picture a lathe on a ship, it is never level.
Ralph
I'm finally getting my 12x24 Craftsman lathe set up and will need to do some shimming differently than before, and I'm looking for recommendations for a source of good shims, maybe an assortment so I have what I need on hand.? I see McMaster-Carr has a set
for under $30 with 2 each of 13 thicknesses.? What has been your experience with number and thickness of shims that might be needed?? I need to do some more measuring using feeler gauges to see for sure what total thickness I may need, but looking for possible
sources of shim stock.
Thanks!
Jim, in Menomonie, WI
|
