lifting, levelling and wheeling around a lathe

[beeza650Participant @beeza650]

I’ve just bought a Maxmat V10P and it came on this homemade stand.  The previous owner, who was a bit shorter than me had it lifted up by about 10cm. I want to be able to move it around from time to time – I intend to buy a mill for it and I also have a big taper attachment and they would use the same holes so if I want to swap between them I need to pull the thing away from the wall and do some serious surgery – whether I actually will or not is a different matter.

Anyway…I can get 10cm castors that will raise the height by 13.5cm no probs but then what? I need to level it and stop it wandering. If I use feet they’re going to be very long – will they be rigid enough? Maybe I still use feet but much shorter ones and then blocks of wood underneath?

Thoughts appreciated please.

[halfnutParticipant @halfnut]

Locking castors are readily available.

 

[beeza650Participant @beeza650]

trying to level a lathe (and keep it that way) on rubber castor wheels that swivel I’m guessing isn’t the best method?

[PlasmaParticipant @plasma]

I’m.not clear on what you are intending to do with the stand? It sounds like you intend to use the one frame and swap machines onto it, is that right?

If so I’d just make another stand, much less trouble. If not why do you need to move the stand round, my major machines are all static.

Also leveling a lathe is a bit of a misnomer, lathes on ships and submarines could never be level in the sense of a spirit level.

But they are set up to turn parallel which is the most important thing for any lathe to achieve accurate results.

 

[BazyleParticipant @bazyle]

Are you wheeling it over a cobbled street or nice smooth tarmac as per picture? Castors are a pain as they shift the actual support point all over the place.
If you have a flat surface you only need to raise it half an inch. If the surface is not flat make it flat with a sheet of thick ply.
You mostly only need the wheels, non castoring, at the headstock end and can lift the tailstock to move. By only lifting a small amount it is practical to have a way of lowering the wheels when needed. Note I do not suggest lowering feet although that might be seen as easier because you end up with the lathe in working position on the end of possibly loose threaded rods.

For levelling you only need one adjustable foot, at the tailstock end.

[peak4Participant @peak4]

This type of thing maybe, there’s lots of sources for the same, or similar, items

Heavy Machine Levelling Foot Pad Wheels Castors 4PCs Set Flat

Bill

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