Casters on a lathe

[wrmiller]

For the kind of work I do on it, it's not that critical.
Being able to move it around is more important.
Wish I had the space to just leave it in one place.
I've never had something heavy on 6 wheels.
I would think it would be easier to move around.
Is that correct????

Yes, it will be easier to move around if on wheels. My PM935 has casters in it's base and can be wheeled around. But care must be taken as moving it's like trying to dance with the Queen Mary. Sometimes she wants to go where she wants, regardless of the direction you are pushing it.

 

[Eddyde]

For the kind of work I do on it, it's not that critical.
Being able to move it around is more important.
Wish I had the space to just leave it in one place.
I've never had something heavy on 6 wheels.
I would think it would be easier to move around.
Is that correct????

Are you talking about a set up having 2 non swiveling wheels mounted in the middle, slightly lower then the wheels on the ends (like the lumber carts at the home centers)?

 

[wildcatfan]

I would caution against adding wheels unless your lathe is a small table top or mini lathe. Lathes are very top heavy, especially the older ones. Takes very little to get them out of balance and the results can be diastrous both for the lathe and anyone between them and where they are going.
I understand the need to move items to have work space, if wheels are absolutely necessary you may want to fab up a base that is wider and longer than the footprint of your lathe. Or if you only infrequently need to move it, small 3/4 or 1in pipe works wonders and keeps the center of gravity that much lower. Just my 2cents.

 

[Silverbullet]

You can always add adj length feet to level the machines. When I build them I either weld outriggers to level and add stability . It may look funny but machines on wheels can be leveled up pretty quickly , my mill drill seemed to me it would or could be tippy with a bit of weight on the table so off the four corners I added the outriggers 12" wider from the base. I over build everything nothing will crinkle or bend on my builds.

 

[abunai]

Looking at all 6 wheels swiveling.
Lathe is a Craftsman 12x36 101.07403.
I've been moving it around since I got it years ago.
I want to change to bigger wheels so, hopefully, it will be easier to move.
I'm thinking of adding 2 more swivel casters to spread the load out, hoping it will help.
The Sheldon is a long term project. Once finished, I'm planing to sell it.
I think it's a 10x36. LWQU 6827.
Saved it from being thrown away.

 

[cjtoombs]

I've found that larger wheels and steel wheels tend to roll better under very heavy loads on concrete. I put some 5" urethane wheels on a shaper and when I was done, I couldn't move it. Had to replace them with 6" steel wheels, it was movable after that. I use either leveling casters or put outriggers with leveling pads and screws to level machines that I put on casters. It does aid in leveling, but also makes sure the machines don't move (which is certainly a concern with shapers). Good luck.

 

[Downwindtracker2]

I made a frame to set my 12x24 lathe on. It was big enough to hold two of the low roll around tool boxes. I mounted cast iron casters underslung with large angle iron. And had redi-rod going into hockey pucks for rough leveling. I'm 6' 1" and I find it a bit tall.

 

[benmychree]

John York wrote:

> Smaller South Bend lathes are the ones that I have seen that had 3

> point bearing on their bench legs; with them, leveling is not an

> issue, and it is correct that leveling with respect to the Earth’s

> core is unimportant, only alignment is important. If one has a lathe

> long enough to have and need center legs, LEVEL is important if the

> bed is to be made to be into correct alignment in terms of humped up

> or sway backed; this can be done in other ways than with s sensitive

> level, such as laser alignment or other methods, but the level is

> within the amateur’s grasp, financially, at least. Such a level should be calibtated to .0005” at least.

>A good example of (relative) leveling is the level used and presumably made by the Warner & Swasey turret lathe folks; it was widely adjustable on one end of the level vial, so that it was adjusted to whatever existed on one end of the bed, and the other end of the bed was adjusted to match, no attempt being made to level to earth's core.

 

[mikey]

Abunai, your lathe isn't very large - maybe 400# soaking wet? I would just use four leveling casters. Carrymaster AC-300's would handle that lathe easily; they have a load capacity of over 300# each, for a total of over 1200# for the set of four. I have an 800# RF-31 mill/stand on these casters and I roll that thing around with one finger, then quickly level it when I site it.

You do not need 6 casters, just 4 good ones. Carrymaster casters are sold as Carrymaster, Sunnex or Zambus - same thing. They come in a plate style with 4 holes or stem style with a single central bolt hole; the former is more stable. These are high-quality casters and, in my opinion, are superior to the Footmaster brand.

https://www.amazon.com/Sunnex-SLC-3...id=1525197377&sr=8-11&keywords=sunnex+casters

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Sunnex-Nyl...146195&hash=item1ecb3e4e02:g:aFIAAOSwWdZZZlbD

 

[abunai]

Those are really nice casters. Didn't even know they made something like that.
I'll study it more.
Thanks.