Cheap, Simple, Effective Lathe Mod

[BillH]

I bolted my 8x14 lathe to a 6" wide piece of steel C channel. Made the lathe much more rigid, cost... 25$

 

[BobWarfield]

I have seen people do this with reported great success to their Sieg mills as well. For example, check out this thread on CNCZone:

http://www.cnczone.com/forums/showthread.php?t=29650&highlight=rodm1954

I thought that approach was quite impressive. He says that X2 wound up being much more rigid than an x3 he bought later.

I do think you'd have to be careful not to tweak your machine out of square doing this though.

Best,

BW

 

[pete]

Very good idea for those with this type of lathe. I own a Emco compact 5 lathe sitting on 1 IN. thick 12 in. x 27 in. steel plate. Useing the screw adjustable steel plates I bought with the lathe I can adjust this lathe to cut within .0002 for parallel over 12 in. My biggest problem in maintaining that level of adjustment, Is the construction of the floor, Wood joists, no concrete under the main supports and the plate under the lathe spans two benches at a 90 degree angle. So with all of the above, If I have a very critical part to machine I have to re-tune for parallel and machine to completion as quick as possible. Your system appears to be far more stable than mine.

Pete

 

[BillH]

Very good idea for those with this type of lathe. I own a Emco compact 5 lathe sitting on 1 IN. thick 12 in. x 27 in. steel plate. Useing the screw adjustable steel plates I bought with the lathe I can adjust this lathe to cut within .0002 for parallel over 12 in. My biggest problem in maintaining that level of adjustment, Is the construction of the floor, Wood joists, no concrete under the main supports and the plate under the lathe spans two benches at a 90 degree angle. So with all of the above, If I have a very critical part to machine I have to re-tune for parallel and machine to completion as quick as possible. Your system appears to be far more stable than mine.

Pete

You will find that C channel is far more rigid than steel plate. You could even use some square tubing, fill it with concrete, like a Taig lathe for even more rigidity. C channel though is simple enough.
Bob, I don't think I could find some C-Channel big enough locally for my X3, it is something I would certainly do. Hell, I think just bolting more steel all over everything is a good way of making a mill more rigid.