Levelling My New Lathe

[pugslyyy]

I bought the same Chinese 8 inch precision level. To set up a lathe they don't have to be calibrated. The absolute accuracy doesn't mean much when eliminating the twist in a lathe bed. My level has a dot on one end and I use it in the same direction every time, with that dot in the same spot. If the whole lathe is out of level a few tenths one way or the other it doesn't matter as long as both ends are the same. Keep your fingers away from the tube and handle the level as little as possible as your body heat will move the bubble. I also have a 5c test bar which is handy for checking and lining up the headstock. Of course you could set up the lathe without any of this stuff but it takes longer.

Agreed, but if it is going to be off I want to know which direction to avoid coolant pooling, etc if possible.

 

[epanzella]

Agreed, but if it is going to be off I want to know which direction to avoid coolant pooling, etc if possible.

I'm talking tenths from front to back. The whole scale of the machinist level is only half a thou. Easy to check the level's absolute accuracy, just swap end for end and half the difference is the error. I don't use flood coolant but I would imagine you would set up your drainage pitch from left to right and have the drain at the headstock.