Need some advice for a 1340GT stand

I though about wood, but it would have to be sturdy. Probably 4x4s and 2x8s with steel plates on top and steel caps on the bottoms of the 4x4s.

Might be doable. :)
I built a triple laminated ,4x6 fir stand for my stubby lathe(lathe weighs 900 lbs)reinforced with 1/4" steel plates.
I think the sheet metal stand with my 1340gt is a little more ridgid than the wood stand I built.
 
Bill, all good suggestions above... I will throw out another idea using metal.

Option 1:

You could have a frame welded up pretty cheaply that could hold a couple of the new 26” Harbor Freight tool chests. There is less than 60 bucks of metal if you buy from the surplus of your local metal supplier. You would have a bench with storage and a good bit of weight with your tooling in the chests.

Option 2: same thing but use Rivet Nuts to bolt the steel together. A rivet tool and rivets can be had for under 60 bucks.

Option 3: come to Houston, spend some time fishing and I will weld up the base for you! You have to cut the metal though!


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Bill, all good suggestions above... I will throw out another idea using metal.

Option 1:

You could have a frame welded up pretty cheaply that could hold a couple of the new 26” Harbor Freight tool chests. There is less than 60 bucks of metal if you buy from the surplus of your local metal supplier. You would have a bench with storage and a good bit of weight with your tooling in the chests.

Option 2: same thing but use Rivet Nuts to bolt the steel together. A rivet tool and rivets can be had for under 60 bucks.

Option 3: come to Houston, spend some time fishing and I will weld up the base for you! You have to cut the metal though!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

I vote for #3.
 
Haven't been fishing since I was a kid. Thanks for the invite! :)

I'm going to start sketching out some ideas. I like the idea of a two-piece design, similar to the sheet metal stands so I can bolt directly to the lathe and then level using the levelers I will put in the bottom of the stands. Again, similar to what I have now. I just need something more sturdy than what I have now.

Maybe 3" square tubing for the main legs? Not sure how thick though.

Thanks again guys.
 
You might think of modifying the current base that you have. I put in four 2x2" square steel cross beams (with 2 shelves) between the cabinets that are bolted with L channels onto each cabinet (i.e. did not require welding). I bolted on 1/2" plate on the bottom of the front and back of the headstock cabinet so it has 4 feet instead of two and added 1/2" plate on the top of each cabinet, I used a high strength adhesive between the cabinet and plate to fill any voids. It is all pretty solid and beats making a new stand. Because you are taller, I have seen a number of lathe owners bolt heavy wall 2x2 square steel onto the base perpendicular (front to back) to the lathe, two on the headstock one on the tailstock with a wider stance and mounting feet a bit outboard of the current cabinets. Bolt them to the cabinet bases. If you want to enhance their dampening, put a wood block in one end and then fill the square tubing with cement and add a wood plug to the other end. I have done this on speaker stands and makes them both rigid and significantly reduces vibration.

I do not think wood or sheet metal would be much better than what you have. You could mass load the bases by flipping them upside down and pouring some concrete or sand with resin into each base (although 1/2" steel plate on the bottom also helps). The 1340GT is top heavy and the overall weight is not high enough to provide a high level of dampening. With a heavier chuck, if not well balanced I can get some shimmy at around 625-675 RPM, just represents a vibration node for my particular system. VFD systems can always excite certain vibration nodes because one has continuous speed adjustment, that is why they have programmable skip frequencies.

Picture of a 1440GT owners modification of the base cabinets, and my 1340GT. I was fortunate to have a friend weld some tabs on mine, but probably would have benefited from a wider stance (front to back)
1440GT Base Footing.jpg
20170203_173359.jpg
 
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If you use 4x4 lumber and half lap joints with glue and carriage bolts then on top a double piece of 3/4" plywood . You will never shake or move it . Add some 2x4s bolted and glued in 1/2" notches the width of the 2bys around the base at your desired height 4" 6" 8" what ever the legs will never move or need bracing. Of course glue and screw the plywood you could bolt the first piece and glue and screw the top piece.
 
My only problem with a wood stand for a lathe this size is wood is always trying to reach equilibrium with the ambient humidity and subject to movement. Not a great combination for keeping the lathe true.
 
If you do a wood stand: hardwood such as white oak and baltic birch plywood is many times stiffer and ridgid than softwoods. Could cost more than steel.:eek 3:
 
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