Vicmarc VL175SH Stand Assembly - help!

I must be a bit dim, but the Instructions for assembling the stand say to fix the lower shelf first, then the top part.

However, due to the tapering width of the leg sections (viewed from end -on), I find this is impossible as the flange on the underside of the top needs more clearance than the already -assembled width provides.

So it seems that the top should be fixed first with lower shelf last, which is totally at odds with the supplied Instructions.

This is a quality product designed and made by experts so they can't be wrong in the assembly sequence?........ or can they ?

Anybody out there who has screwed one of these vicmarc stands together recently?

Sorry Mate, I have not assembled one, however, I can guarantee you that if you ring or email Vicmarc they will assist in a heart beat.
Sincerely
Willy

Mine is an earlier model stand,welded, not a "flat pack" so maybe not applicable, but the shelf fits inside the legs and the top outside. :) Phil

Looking at this: Vicmarc - Wood Lathes, Chucks, Jaws and Accessories - VL175SH Stand Mount

It seems fairly straightforward. I have found with assembling lots of stuff, that if I put all the screws in all the holes and put the nuts on loosely the thing can be wiggled around so that holes matched. Then screw everything up tight, sometimes using a square to get everything at right angles.

Your stand may go together easier if the top were put on a bench or floor upside down, then legs, then shelf, everything tightened, then flipped over.

>>>>>Your stand may go together easier if the top were put on a bench or floor upside down, then legs, then shelf, everything tightened, then flipped over.[/QUOTE]

Thanks Paul, I had come to the same conclusion, namely to fit the top piece to the legs in upside down mode. The downside is that the whole 70 Kg then has to be inverted which is a bit of a pain when working solo.

Do you have recent experience of the 175 model, especially the display/control panel in the inverter box?
It is quite a bit off - centre on mine and I am wondering whether to make an issue of it?

One tip that might help.

Assemble the lathe and stand with the bolts loose.

Position the lathe on it's final resting place and then the tighten all the bolts

This will allow the stand to relax and fit any small variations in your floor.

Hope this helps.

Cheers

Tim:)

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Originally Posted by roundnbrown

I must be a bit dim, but the Instructions for assembling the stand say to fix the lower shelf first, then the top part.



Anybody out there who has screwed one of these vicmarc stands together recently?

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You read the instructions first,:? that's the problem right there:oo::oo::D:D

Enjoy your new toy and remember to post lots of pictures.

Cheers Ben

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Thanks Paul, I had come to the same conclusion, namely to fit the top piece to the legs in upside down mode. The downside is that the whole 70 Kg then has to be inverted which is a bit of a pain when working solo.

Do you have recent experience of the 175 model, especially the display/control panel in the inverter box?
It is quite a bit off - centre on mine and I am wondering whether to make an issue of it?

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If you assemble the stand on the floor, put a couple of 50mm blocks beside the upside down stand where the uprights will go on them, tip over to that side, grab the low side of the top which is held off the floor by the blocks and tip up.

If you have assembled the stand on a bench, scoot the stand about 150mm from the edge of the bench and put some cardboard or a rug under that edge hanging down the side of the bench. Rotate the legs toward you keeping the top of the stand on the bench and keep it coming until the legs touch or reach almost to the floor and slide down to the floor.

Place a piece of carpet under the legs and leave enough sticking out for you to grab and slide the stand to where you want.

Below is a photo of the VL 175 box with the control stuck to the side, how does yours differ from the photo?

This info is 3 years old.

Order of assembly and bolting to the floor: VM's advice was that it didn't matter. Wasn't my experience with other lathes.
Flatpack stand alignment with lathe bed once assembled: two top holes were out by maybe a couple of mm. No drama to fix.
My control unit came in box on a lead, with 4 magnets on the box.

Thanks to all for the helpful suggestions. Stand is now assembled - leaving the bolts very slack on the lower shelf did the trick!

I would like to tap into the expertise shown on this Forum, so next questions:

Viewed end-on, the stand has one side near vertical side and a sloping side. Which way round works best? Work at the lathe with it sloping away from you?

Lifting lathe on to stand - whats best method?

Finally the window on the electronic control box looks misaligned - see photo.

Tried ringing Vicmark Friday pm and today Monday pm. Answering machine only. 4 day Christmas party?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by roundnbrown

Thanks to all for the helpful suggestions. Stand is now assembled - leaving the bolts very slack on the lower shelf did the trick!

I would like to tap into the expertise shown on this Forum, so next questions:

Viewed end-on, the stand has one side near vertical side and a sloping side. Which way round works best? Work at the lathe with it sloping away from you?

Lifting lathe on to stand - whats best method?

Finally the window on the electronic control box looks misaligned - see photo.

Tried ringing Vicmark Friday pm and today Monday pm. Answering machine only. 4 day Christmas party?

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My taste is near vertical side toward me. Not so likely to trip over the leg, and the big blank rotating toward you puts the opposing force on the back legs.

Assuming lathe on floor, tilt or pry lathe up enough to get 100mm blocks under each end, put two blocks on stand so there is clearance for fingers between lathe and stand. Get two mates and put two on headstock side and one on tail, lift and place on blocks on stand. Using a pry bar or wedge of wood ease down tail end and align one bolt hole and put bolt through lathe bed and stand, loosely put on nut. Put big screwdriver through holes in lathe bed and stand and ease down headstock end. Wiggle around screwdriver to align. Put in bolts and tighten.

If you need to get the lathe on the stand by yourself, get a pile of 100 X 100 mm Or 150 X 150 mm blocking. Get stand where it will live, get lathe close to stand. Using a pry bar or stout stick of timber raise up one side and put block under, repeat other side, go back and forth building a stack until lathe is at or slightly above stand, move tailstock end on to stand, stick screwdriver through lath bed and stand, move headstock on to stand.

Heavy things with a flat bottom can be rolled on dowels or pipe. I moved a 4 X 4 X 6 foot water boiler weighing 1400 lbs out of a building, across a flower bed, on to a trailer, off the trailer on to the street, down a dirt driveway, and into my basement, by myself; using a hydraulic garage jack, 3 inch steel pipe, 2 X 8 inch timbers, and lots of cribbing.

Cribbing:
http://cnaconstruction.puresafety.co....0_preview.pnghttp://www.cdc.gov/niosh/face/images/03mi053d.jpg

If you are near enough to throw the control box on to a retail counter do so, telling the person this is not up to your usual standards.

If you ordered and had the lathe shipped, I would send a photo by email and ask for one properly made to be shipped to you with a prepaid label to return yours. Ask for a free bowl gouge for inconveniencing you.

[QUOTE=Paul39;1729888]My taste is near vertical side toward me. Not so likely to trip over the leg, and the big blank rotating toward you puts the opposing force on the back legs.

Just had a thought: maybe the sloping side towards me so that when the headstock is swivelled, the outboard load is better supported?

Thanks for the cribbing gen. May try that if I can't recruit some hernia candidates.

Slope back. Think about where you apply the force when using the chisels.

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Originally Posted by

Slope back. Think about where you apply the force when using the chisels.

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. Facing the headstock, the kinetic energy and momentum of the workpiece is anticlockwise . If I jam the chisel and stall the lathe, surely all that rotational energy is applied in an ACW direction forcing the chisel (and my hand) downwards . Therefore splayed legs on my side help to react to that force?

The factory pics I can recall have the sloped side at the back. For the reason mentioned: you don't want to interfere with the lathe tango. I have mine that way; no drama. There's some harmonic vibes at one point in the rev range but that's flex in the stand.

For raising the unit another option is a cheap engine hoist from SCA or the like but balancing and steadying it with one person will make for an interesting time.

If you can persuade a couple of friends or neighbours to help use a length of 4 x 2 under the headstock end; makes lifting it a lot easier.