Lathes on casters

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Flashing-back to Pete Rimmer’s post … it becomes obvious why this matter will never be laid to rest.

The two ‘sides’ hold such different views, and much of World History has been driven by ‘Religious’ Wars.

MichaelG.

[HopperParticipant @hopper]

Posted by Michael Gilligan on 21/01/2023 09:11:02:

Flashing-back to Pete Rimmer’s post … it becomes obvious why this matter will never be laid to rest.

The two ‘sides’ hold such different views, and much of World History has been driven by ‘Religious’ Wars.

MichaelG.

Afraid I fail to see the parallel at all. Pete Rimmer is reporting his personal experience, measured objectively with a dial indicator, as someone who got out of the armchair and did something relevant to the topic under discussion.

[Pete RimmerParticipant @peterimmer30576]

I thnik that the reason it will never be concluded is because people work to limits and standards that they find acceptable to themselves. Perhaps through informed choice, apathy, lack of experience/understanding or any other reason. If your lathe is turning out parts that work for you and make you happy then why put more effort in?

BTW I also had my Eagle surface grinder on casters. The casters were fixed to a 12mm thick square steel plate and the grinder on top of that. I used to wheel the grider out of the corner, do some grinding and then push it back into the corner to save space. I figured that since the grinder had a chunky square base and single column, it would not be affected by this. One day I was part-way through grinding some part or other, I had to stop and move the grinder on it's casters to get access to something. When I went back to grinding the whole grinding pattern had changed. Now, I have the machine fixed in it's position on the solid floor.

[Robert Atkinson 2Participant @robertatkinson2]

My fairly recently aquired ML7 came on an original Myford stand that had been fitted with casters. It also came with a small "speed jack" and two blocks. The jack is 1" square tube formed in a unequal U with two small wheels at the corner and a notch in the end of the short arm. It fits under the end of the stand from the front. The bottom edge of the stand end panel fits in the nottch and lifts it enough to get the block under that side front to rear. Lower onto block and repeat for other side.

I'd like to claim it was my idea but it was the previous keeper of the lathe.

Robert G8RPI

[egaParticipant @ega]

Are castors going the same way as drawers?

[John HaineParticipant @johnhaine32865]

Did they used to be drawors?

[John HaineParticipant @johnhaine32865]

**LINK**

Seems to be the transatlantic divide at work.

[HopperParticipant @hopper]

What I'd like to know is how do they squeeze the oil out of them to make Castrol R?

[Martin KyteParticipant @martinkyte99762]

Posted by John Haine on 21/01/2023 11:30:41:

Did they used to be drawors?

Should they more properly be called draws in cabinetry.
Bit like rule rather than ruler.

regards Martin

Edited By Martin Kyte on 21/01/2023 11:42:21

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Posted by Hopper on 21/01/2023 10:47:08:

Posted by Michael Gilligan on 21/01/2023 09:11:02:

Flashing-back to Pete Rimmer’s post … it becomes obvious why this matter will never be laid to rest.

The two ‘sides’ hold such different views, and much of World History has been driven by ‘Religious’ Wars.

MichaelG.

Afraid I fail to see the parallel at all. Pete Rimmer is reporting his personal experience, measured objectively with a dial indicator, as someone who got out of the armchair and did something relevant to the topic under discussion.

.

My point was that, at one extreme, Pete can demonstrate that a substantial lathe will twist enough to be significant, yet at the other extreme you and Pero are discussing checks with winding sticks.

Presumably your closing line is intended as a personal insult. … Whereas my opinion has always been that there should be room on a forum for people to express an opinion from any perspective: It’s how we collectively learn.

MichaelG.

.

Edit: __ corrected a typo lean learn

Edited By Michael Gilligan on 21/01/2023 11:46:11

[SillyOldDufferModerator @sillyoldduffer]

Posted by John Haine on 21/01/2023 11:33:40:

**LINK**

Seems to be the transatlantic divide at work.

Not according to my Shorter OED. Caster and castor have been valid alternative spellings in British English since the 17th century. The dictionary suggests 'castor' may have started as the preferred spelling when used in instruments, but the spellings rapidly became interchangeable.

As usual a number of meanings, my favourite: Castor is an oily, brown, odorous substance obtained from glands in the groin of the beaver.

Dave

[SillyOldDufferModerator @sillyoldduffer]

Posted by Pero on 21/01/2023 03:48:00:

What on earth is Schlesinger doing using a spirit level? I thought that was verboten!

I find a pair of winding sticks ( as taught by my woodworking instructor many decades ago.) to be much more satisfactory. For our purposes these can be as simple as two good quality rulers.

…

Pero

This is confusing two separate steps.

Winding sticks are one way of tackling Step 2, not a substitute for Step 1.

My feeling is two different reasons for levelling have become intertwined and this causes  confusion.

Schlesinger's step 1 is basic engineering best practice. Lathes are designed to operate upright on a flat floor. Consider the lathe as a bridge or girder rather than a machine tool. Its substantial weight is best managed by taking it straight down to ground. If the weight isn't taken straight to ground the frame is likely to twist and the machine might topple over. Builders level and use plumb lines to ensure their walls are true for this reason. Failing to level a tower block or even a garden wall is incompetent. Perhaps less obviously levelling is also necessary when installing any kind of large machine, and the need for level accuracy becomes more important as size and weight rises.

New machines were set-up level by the maker, and could be expected to perform properly if installed level in the same way by the customer. Stage 1 is applied first to the floor, then the stand, and finally to the lathe. Schlesinger emphasizes levelling because he was a professional engineer concerned with getting the best out of large machines, not the tiddlers we own!

Considered as bridges, mini- and other small lathes are stubby and stiff compared with Myfords. They can be plonked on any reasonably flat surface without twisting the bed. Levelling these likely to be a waste of time.

Considered as bridges, Myfords are bendy. Their beds twist making it necessary to take reasonable care installing them. Having a bendy bed isn't all bad, because they can be deliberately bent to improve alignment.

Moving on to Stage 2, all big lathes should be considered bendy. Even monster machines sag under their own weight, and more when loaded. A stiff lathe lightly loaded with small work may be fine, but not if asked to turn something heavy. How much each machine bends varies, but it's best to install on a stiff straight stand supported by a firm flat floor.

One way of correcting alignment in Stage 2 is with a sensitive engineering spirit level, another is the 'Rollies Dad' method, and I suppose 'Winding-sticks' would get close too, at least with a flat-bed lathe. How accurate is aligning by straight-edge and does it work on a prismatic bed? I don't know.

Once a lathe is installed in a fixed position, it doesn't need to be level to turn straight. Within reason they work tilted on ships or in outer-space.

So two related but different reasons for levelling lathes, both potentially optional. It's confusing, especially when 'levelling' is used to mean 'aligning'.

Dave

 

 

 

Edited By SillyOldDuffer on 21/01/2023 13:39:37

[Niels AbildgaardParticipant @nielsabildgaard33719]

My latest inhumane lathe experiment is a castored and aligned mixture of a 180*300 and a 210*400 lathe with a homemade 48mm hole spindle.

Target was to make a potent lathe where all parts can be handled by a reasonably fit 77 year old.The stone is a borderline case

 

Google NU210E auto for my next  journey to lathe land

Edited By Niels Abildgaard on 22/01/2023 11:31:55

[HopperParticipant @hopper]

That's quite a slab of granite there Niels. I am sure you don't get much bed twist there. Could be a bit top heavy though? 48mm through hole sounds pretty handy. i wish I could do that on my Myford.

[Niels AbildgaardParticipant @nielsabildgaard33719]

The 5£ second hand shop under-thing is 550mm wide and can easily pass a 770mm dor opening.

It has not felt dangerous and unstable ,but my very nice appartment has no dor steps.

A picture in sligthly better resolution can be seen here

Indor oilfield lathe

Edited By Niels Abildgaard on 22/01/2023 15:51:31

Edited By Niels Abildgaard on 22/01/2023 15:53:08

[egaParticipant @ega]

Niels Abildgaard:

Out of curiosity:

What was the original use of the second-hand stone?

What is the 21.8mm dimension?

More power to your inhumanity to lathes!

[Niels AbildgaardParticipant @nielsabildgaard33719]

Hello ega

Stone is one of a pair that worshipped a central,bigger tombstone with doves and angels.

I pass the unused twin every day with dog.

Cost was 1 kg instantcoffee and some chokolate.

21.8mm is measure from top of compound slide to centreline within plus minus 0.01mm.

Glad You do not disapprove lathe harming.

[Author]

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