Leveling a Lathe the Easy Way

[Bob3700]

But what about lathes on planes? How do G forces affect taper?

What airplane have u seen with a lathe installed on it? Never seen one in a 40 year aviation career.

 

[TylerFromMS]

This came in on a 40’ truck. We hire a professional machinery mover to unload the machine and put it in place.

They use huge fork trucks, and work like a fine choreographed team.

We set it on steel pads and level it.

That's amazing. Thanks for sharing. It's sort of mind blowing how something so big has tolerances so small.

 

[Dusty Stevens]

What airplane have u seen with a lathe installed on it? Never seen one in a 40 year aviation career.

In flight repairs?

 

[INTJ]

What airplane have u seen with a lathe installed on it? Never seen one in a 40 year aviation career.

I just can't think of a way to respond without sounding mean, so I'll just let this one go........

 

[sdean]

In flight repairs?

We need that picture. A guy out on the wing working on something.

 

[Ksracer]

As you can see in the pictures I posted, we use a precision level across ways at each foot to get the twist out.

What are you using to span the ways there?

The issue I ran into is that my lathes have a flat way in the rear and a v in front. It was just easier to stone the burs off the top of the carriage and place the level on it. Then move the entire carriage back and forth with the level on it.

 

[GenePoole]

We had an old South Bend something or other at work. The tailstock end of the bed was attached to the foot with what looked like a single pivot bolt. I don't think you could have twisted that bed if you tried.

That "Pivot Bolt" is actually two (one on each side) with a mechanism in the middle that applies force to the bedway in opposite directions (kinda like offsetting your tailstock). Loosen one and tighten the other and you end up with an ever so slight force on the bedway that makes it twist with respect to the headstock end. You may have noticed that there are lock-nuts as well. Once you get it where you want it, you lock it down.

 

[jackieschmidt]

What are you using to span the ways there?

The issue I ran into is that my lathes have a flat way in the rear and a v in front. It was just easier to stone the burs off the top of the carriage and place the level on it. Then move the entire carriage back and forth with the level on it.

We have a 32’ Lehmann Lathe that has one way higher than the other, The book says it is exactly 3/8 inch. So we take our flat bar at just use a 3/8 spacer under one side.

This big American has ways that are the same Height. We have a piece of ground flat bar that we lay across the top of the ways to place the level on. It came with the lathe.

Here is a picture this morning of one of my men roughing outs 35’ long 9 inch piece getting it ready for the Stainless Steel submerged arc welding.

 

[jackieschmidt]

When you have time I would like to see some pictures of the new Kingston. We are considering one of them as a replacement in the future.

This is the last one we bought about 5 years ago.

They are good lathes, they suite our purposes fine.

the other is a 24 foot model, it is a really robust machine.

 

[Ksracer]

That "Pivot Bolt" is actually two (one on each side) with a mechanism in the middle that applies force to the bedway in opposite directions (kinda like offsetting your tailstock). Loosen one and tighten the other and you end up with an ever so slight force on the bedway that makes it twist with respect to the headstock end. You may have noticed that there are lock-nuts as well. Once you get it where you want it, you lock it down.

Interesting and not at all what I thought it was. I'll have to look closer if I ever see the machine again.

 

[GenePoole]

 

[LC Tikka]

So where is the post about leveling the easy way!! Which #?

 

[LVLAaron]

So where is the post about leveling the easy way!! Which #?

I think it's "Let someone with a lot more experience do it for you"

 

[LC Tikka]

I think it's "Let someone with a lot more experience do it for you"

More than capable, good response though.

 

[X Count]

You have some massive nuts there Jackie!

 

[jackieschmidt]

You have some massive nuts there Jackie!

We make those.

We make them because the ones you buy are junk.

 

[INTJ]

I think it's "Let someone with a lot more experience do it for you"

Just in case it got missed somewhere in here.....

The "easy way" part is after you make an adjustment, let the lathe settle. It takes a few minutes for it to untwist and settle into the new adjustment.

The hard way is to continually adjust back and forth without pause until the lathe is level. Both methods take about the same amount of time. The easy way doesn't kill your back and knees.......

 

[LC Tikka]

Just in case it got missed somewhere in here.....

The "easy way" part is after you make an adjustment, let the lathe settle. It takes a few minutes for it to untwist and settle into the new adjustment.

The hard way is to continually adjust back and forth without pause until the lathe is level. Both methods take about the same amount of time. The easy way doesn't kill your back and knees.......

Thanks INTJ
As said in your opening post, let the lathe bed relax between adjustments, makes sense & a practice I use on marine eq alignment. Likely also relevant for lathes that aren't fixed down.

 

[jackieschmidt]

Thanks INTJ
As said in your opening post, let the lathe bed relax between adjustments, makes sense & a practice I use on marine eq alignment. Likely also relevant for lathes that aren't fixed down.

What sort of marine alignments are you involved with?

 

[LC Tikka]

What sort of marine alignments are you involved with?

Small boat-ship engine, shaft & pump. On & off the water.