My Logan lathe needs a stand,what do you recommend?

[AirBornOne]

Greetings Hobby Machinists,
I've been lurking around for a while and now it's time to get my lathe setup.
My original idea was to mount the lathe to a 3/8" steel plate and set it upon a tanker desk.
I have the plate nearly ready minus a few motor mount holes but I've decided to use the desk as a desk.
So what should it be,massive timber construction or svelt steel tubing (perhaps rectangular)?
The lathe will have a regular home location and should'nt need to be moved around (I think ).
Thanks for any input you may have.
Jay
P.S. Oh sure,now I see the lathe mounting threads in the other forums (Doh!)

 

[7HC]

Greetings Hobby Machinists,
I've been lurking around for a while and now it's time to get my lathe setup.
My original idea was to mount the lathe to a 3/8" steel plate and set it upon a tanker desk.
I have the plate nearly ready minus a few motor mount holes but I've decided to use the desk as a desk.
So what should it be,massive timber construction or svelt steel tubing (perhaps rectangular)?
The lathe will have a regular home location and should'nt need to be moved around (I think ).
Thanks for any input you may have.
Jay

It needs to be sitting on something as rigid and stable as possible.
A stand built from heavy rectangular or square steel tubing with that 3/8" plate on top would be good.

While wood can be built solidly, it can also distort with changes in temperature and humidity.


M

 

[stan2778]

I have a Logan 820 that came with a broken leg. Since hopefully within a year I will have a new larger shop and will be moving mine. I built a wooden table for mine. I was also in a hurry to get it running!
I do like the steel tray, but you will need some kind of edge on it so the tools, oil, coolant and swarf stay on there. Mine is plywood and 4x4's with allthread going all the way through the 4x's. nuts above and below the legs for leveling. ( don't forget that! ) What model Logan? Good Luck! I love my Logan.

Stan
http://www.toolfools.com/forum

 

[TIB]

I have a Logan 820 that came with a broken leg. Since hopefully within a year I will have a new larger shop and will be moving mine. I built a wooden table for mine. I was also in a hurry to get it running!
I do like the steel tray, but you will need some kind of edge on it so the tools, oil, coolant and swarf stay on there. Mine is plywood and 4x4's with allthread going all the way through the 4x's. nuts above and below the legs for leveling. ( don't forget that! ) What model Logan? Good Luck! I love my Logan.

Stan
http://www.toolfools.com/forum

It needs to be sitting on something as rigid and stable as possible.
A stand built from heavy rectangular or square steel tubing with that 3/8" plate on top would be good.

While wood can be built solidly, it can also distort with changes in temperature and humidity.


M

In my humble opinion itshould be built heavy, strong and to the point of over kill that is unless youare going to be moving it around. I have seldom regretted something built verystrong, but have often lamented under building something like a table.

TIB

 

[Ray C]

I've found that smaller lathes (200 lbs or less) will do OK on sturdily built wooden structures. Anything above that is better off with solidly built metal benches. Normally, I don't like to grossly over-build except for my lathes and mills. In the legs, build-in a provision to install neoprene leveling mounts (see link). You won't regret it. I once had a problem on both my lathe and surface grinder with a come-and-go weird surface pattern in the finish. Installed pads like these and never had a problem after that.

EDIT: BTW: Divide your lathe and bench weight by 4 (assuming 4 legs on the bench) and get mounts based on that number. They're sold in various weight ranges.

http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/MASON-Machine-Leveling-Mount-2LVN6?cm_sp=IO-_-IDP-_-RR_VTV70300505&cm_vc=IDPRRZ1

 

[Ray C]

Yeah... you're right... Probably should have thought that through before I posted :thinking:.

That's not always exactly true. Most of the lathes out there are significantly heavier on the head end.

 

[Tony Wells]

If I knew (or was pretty sure) that the location was more or less permanent, I'd build a steel a steel frame of 3-4" square tubing and a flat steel top, but form up about 4" and pour concrete. It is self leveling if you mix a little on the soupy side, and would go a long way towards vibration damping.

 

[Bill Gruby]

Levelers are rated by gross machine weight. If the machine weighs 800 lbs. that is the size I would get. That way you are good to go at all positions.

"Billy G" :thinking:

 

[Ray C]

If you're fitting the levelers to a factory bench, check the size holes it has. My new machine is something like 1200lbs and the bench is a few hundred. I was looking at levelers in the 1500 lb range and they had 3/4" bolts. My machine was on-order at the time so I called and found-out the bench was pre-drilled for 1/2 bolts -so I'm glad I didn't pay 450 bucks for something that wouldn't fit. Even better, at the time I called, I arranged to buy the levelers a lot cheaper than what I could get them for.

In any event, levelers are good for reasons more than just leveling.

BTW: The B&S #2 grinder has 5/8" threaded holes in the base and the selection of available levelers was limited. I made my own easily enough. If you go on eBay, look up equipment vibration pad. The black rubber ones are good, come in many different sizes, and I found-out they're rated for 50lbs/sqin. Just make a metal plate with a retaining divot in the top for the threaded rod and place it on the pad. -Done! Works great and cost < 20 bucks for all 4. Too bad I paid $100 for the other ones...

 

[FarFar]

Hello

My Boxford (Southbend clone) got 150 kg of granite for X-mas and behaves miles better afterwards

Kind regards

Farfar