The Dancing Lathe!

[Mrs Blackie]

I had vibration on my lathe due to the cement floor not being so level so I have moved it today with a friend he and I tried everything and today I even went out to bunnings got those anti vibration matts and no still doesnt work it wobbles now :roll: and it didnt before but if I move it off the matts this time it vibrates so much more should I just dynabolt it down? I dont know what else to do, so he is coming back in the morning to mount a panel on the frame on the bottom so we can put heavy bricks on there and see if it weighs it down a bit we ran out of time today. See my lathe was in the middle of my workshop but it just didn't feel right so I moved it closer to the wall and opened up a whole lot of space in the workshop and also made room for my other wood work and benches, I dont know if I did the wrong thing by moving it but I really needed to move it and have it where it has its own space and I can work better there without the sun in my eyes while im trying to work on it. Then I thougth maybe we should make panels around the frame work and fill it with sand like Carl Jacobson so I'm not so sure what to do as you all know I am new to this so I appreciate any input from my fellow members and seniors that may have a better option for me.

Cheers!

[hughie]

:U been there and done that.
In my case the legs on the lathe were very light and with a decent load flexed and off the lathe would go. In the end I had to build a more sturdy lathe stand.

Check to make sure all of your legs/feet are on the floor, if your legs are of a light weight material, extra weight wont do much for you. Dynabolts will help, but the light legs will still flex to some extent and eventually metal fatigue will set in.

If you get the chance post a pic of your lathe, this will give us all a chance to see where the problem might be.

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

Yeah. :whs: :sigh:

I assume that it only dances when spinning a rough blank?

If it's vibrating all the time, then you have other, more serious problems.

[wheelinround]

Mrs B how about a photo of the lathe so we have an idea what type it is will help us help you.

I agree with what the fellows have said above only thing is if you bolt it down you must make sure its level and even as it can twist out of alignment and you don't want that.

:2tsup::2tsup: for your friend he sounds like he is quite capable.


As for near the wall if its plaster I suggest a barrier between as polishes and flying chips and chunks leave stains and holes.

ps if your renting :no: botl it down without permission as many places of late concrete is poor quality and will crack. I know ours is doing it with out any help at all landlord is aware.:roll:

[oldiephred]

What was already stated--- presumably only when spinning rough blanks? Otherwise no amount of securing will actually solve the problem. Also, restricting the movement can stress other parts and your problems could get worse:?

[NeilS]

If your legs (or the floor) are not all at the same height (coplanar) then bolting the lathe down or weighting it down could twist your lathe bed and cause centre misalignment problems.

The wobble seems to indicate that either the floor or legs are not coplanar.

Chocking up the short leg(s) before securing or weighting will avoid pulling the lathe bed out of alignment.

[brendan stemp]

If I were to dyna bolt my lathe to the concrete slab I would still have a stiff rubber pad between floor and lathe.

[Mrs Blackie]

Hi everyone:? Thank you for your help. Today I haven't done much to the lathe I just looked at it and still trying to work this out. Yes the floor is not straight so no use bolting it down, I have anti vibration matts under it and now it is like if I put a bit of pressure on it by hand only it would litterally tip over and fall on its side so kill that idea. And Yes the legs are too light for the lathe, I got it from Hare and Forbes I love going there :U and here is the link to the lathe itself with all the details to it, I hope that you may be able to give me more ideas because I am so not giving up on this IT HAS TO WORK. I have it up against the wall its a brick wall and I am not renting its my own house in the morning Im going to try to move it a bit more away from the wall floor it might be a bit more stable or straight until we all come up with some idea for this, I can't sleep thinking about it is this healthy? hahaha Im losing the plot over a lathe but its really not just a lathe shes my baby:) oh heres the link to it.
https://www.machineryhouse.com.au/Products?stockCode=W382

I got this one as a starter for myself I am wondering if I made a bad choice? keeps my fingers crossed for positive feedback:) Thanks Guys Cheers!

[wheelinround]

These are not a bad lathe light yes, our group of turners have one and its used for almost everything small and large with out of balanced wood also. BUT it has been built onto, a frame of hardwood with shelves its on wheels for moving it now takes 2 blokes to lift it to lower or raise the wheels.

Good to see your a tool-aholic :roll:

[hughie]

The legs are useless, I threw mine away.:no: What I found was with any decent lump of timber they flexed and no amount of extra weight on the tray would stop then from flexing.
So either stick to small turnings or have a new stand made, theres a few good designs around using a single sheet of plywood and having hollow legs to add sand etc if required.

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

They're not a bad lathe. Not a particularly good one, but you could've been stuck with something far worse. I still have a couple, by different mfrs. :)

I cut sections of 19mm(ish) structural ply to fit between the legs at each end of mine, bolting the pieces in every 6" or so along the legs.

Used the same weight ply for a shelf on the horizontal rails and loaded it down with "future turning materials."

It made my old beast usable... not ideal, but then again, the lathe isn't ideal. :D

It also made mine a right PITA to clean up after a turning session, but seeing as how I tend to let the shavings build up to knee high anyway... :innocent: :B

[Paul39]

Mrs Blackie,

For a fast and dirty fix:

Move it to where you want it.

Pick up each end of the lathe and set it back down.

Try to wiggle back and forth, if unstable, one leg then another on the opposite diagonal corner will come off the floor. If you have a level, put it at right angles to the bed to see which position is more level. If no level, a soup bowl half full of water will give you an Idea.

If it is on a really sloping floor you might want to shim both legs on the low side.

Get a long tapered shim, a wood shingle about 150mm wide is ideal. Lacking that, some cut up cardboard about 150 X 150mm.

Holding the lathe in the more level position, scoot the shim under the leg off the floor until the lathe is steady. Give it a tap or two to get that leg a bit higher, then give that corner of the lathe bed a whack with a stick of wood to knock the leg into the shim a bit.

If using cardboard slip as many as will go under the leg off the floor, then lift and add one more.

After using the lathe, if it gets rocky again, add a bit of shim to the pile.

I have seen lathes braced to a wall, also a lathe fastened to a piece of timber running from a joist overhead to the floor.

All of the above suggestions are good ones, my fast and dirty might get you turning in 15 minutes.

[jchappo]

The frame is probably out of square.
I would put the lathe into position and then slightly loosen all the bolts of the frame.
Give the lathe a shake until it sits firmly, then re-tighten all the bolts.

[Mrs Blackie]

Thank you all for your information and support. I purchased what I could afford for now so I will have to make do:) all your ideas sounds good so will give it a shot. I think I will start the simple way this morning and start off with what Jchappo said and work my way down the list here Thanks Neighbour from just down the road, if I get too stuck I'm coming to Colyton where my kids go to school and start yelling out Jchappoooooooooooooo till someone comes out and take you home to FIX IT hahahahaha joke..joke. Then I will go down the list here and try what I can I must admit it wasnt as bad in the middle of the workshop but once again a big but....the sun was killing me and I couldnt get a proper vision of what I was doing and it just didnt feel right in the middle of the workshop I hate clutter:~ annoys me so much and always worried about whats behind me while im working on something, this is going to work for me it has to or I'm going to rip the lathes legs off unless it learns to behave hehehe.

[Mrs Blackie]

your idea sounds great thats next on the list, thank you for that :)

[wheelinround]

Mrs Blackie its Friday Cumberland Woodturners meet tonight at Iona street Blacktown they have one there also it is stable as it has a good bench too pop over and see them they might even make you a coffee.:U

[Mrs Blackie]

Ok I think I'm getting there I shimmed it and I'm one mm out at this point and its not shaking or vibrating! :)

[wheelinround]

now put an out of round blank on there:roll:

[Mrs Blackie]

how good is this? 140mm roughed it out and no vibration or shaking on the lathe woooot woooot!! I'm so excited! I know to you guys it's probably just a small thing but to me? I am so proud of me hahaha. I will be there tonight wheelinround, thank you once again I can't wait to go and meet them all and maybe learn so much more. Now the question is do I keep it like that? shimmed I mean? hehehe because if I have to I will as long as I can do clean cuts like this I am happy. Its even better than it was before I moved it towards the wall. What can I say? YOU ALL ROCK...wait no I don't want to talk about rocking today lolll, YOU ARE ALL FANTASTIC AND THANK YOU ALL...GOOD STUFF! I am so blessed.:2tsup::2tsup::2tsup::2tsup:

Cheers!!!

[NeilS]

....:2tsup:


Now the question is do I keep it like that? shimmed I mean?

Yes, and tighten up the bolts on the stand again just in case any are a bit loose.

[Mrs Blackie]

Great Thank You Neil:2tsup: will do:)

[hughie]

[




Yes, and tighten up the bolts on the stand again just in case any are a bit loose


Often, mine were always coming loose :2tsup:

[wheelinround]

:photo2: We love pics

[Mrs Blackie]

Am having trouble uploading pictures so sorry about that, until I get it worked out I won't be able to.

[Pat]

[ Often, mine were always coming loose :2tsup:

But we still like you!:;

[wheelinround]

Am having trouble uploading pictures so sorry about that, until I get it worked out I won't be able to.

Have a read o this might help http://www.woodworkforums.com/f36/posting-pictures-your-post-78760/

[Mrs Blackie]

Thanks will do it when I get back from the cumberland meeting zooms off have a good one:U

[powderpost]

Now that the lathe is working properly, acquire a bit of cement and make a mix of 4 parts fine sand and one part cement and replace the packing with the mix. That will give you a permanent fix. You will probably only need a cup full. A local builder or plumber could be a good source of cement.
Jim

[Mrs Blackie]

Here is the pictures I hope it works this time:)

[wheelinround]

:2tsup: Nice shed set up guard dog included.

You'll find the floor slopes around that area to stop flooding the garage a solution is to use screw feet which can be adjusted individually but yes make a shelf for the middle weight it down with turning blanks etc.

Hope you had a good time last night.

[vk4]

:2tsup: Nice shed set up guard dog included.

You'll find the floor slopes around that area to stop flooding the garage a solution is to use screw feet which can be adjusted individually but yes make a shelf for the middle weight it down with turning blanks etc.

Hope you had a good time last night.
I have just brought a similar lathe , If you need a permanent solution , you can box an area and pour in a self leveling flooring compound .( available from Bunnings)

Allow this to cure then place the lath on this area , should be a permanent fix.


Jeff
vk4

[Mrs Blackie]

Thanks Jeff good stuff! :2tsup: