Big Lathe Broke, So Ya Gotta Fix It.

[ronsatspokane]

All this talk about lathe leveling and alignment is taken to new levels with that big boy. Well done.

 

[jackieschmidt]

All this talk about lathe leveling and alignment is taken to new levels with that big boy. Well done.

In the Houston area, (considering the place is a reclaimed swamp), keeping machines reasonably level is an on going job.

We have even taken the effort to mount most of our lathes on their own foundation pad of thick reinforced concrete. But during a really dry spell, they still change.

As with any machine, it will tell you when things are getting askew. You just have to stay on top of it.

But the extra thick foundation does more than help keep things level. The big machines simply cut better when sitting on a nice thick pad.

If you notice in this picture of our 32 foot Lehmann Lathe, look close at the floor and the difference in the concrete that the lathe is on. The regular floor is just a standard 8” slab, but that lathe “pad” is four feet of re enforced concrete with pillars.

 

[LVLAaron]

I'm glad I put my lathe on a 4x8 pad that's 14 inches thick. If that twists/shifts we have bigger problems to deal with, I hope.