Import Machinist Level Worth The Money?

as stated moving tailstock perpendicular to the ways to turn a turn/true a test bar/collars. Correct method.
I was reffering to this post. Opps left it out.:concerned:
TomS said:
I bought an Asian precision level about a year ago to level my lathe. My approach was that I wanted to get the lathe somewhat level, e.g closer than a carpenter's level, and then use Rollie's Dad's method and a turning bar to dial it in. I couldn't justify spending a couple hundred dollars, or more, for a level that would get me level within .0005" then adjust the lathe "out of level" to get it to cut straight. My 2 cents.

Tom S
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I don't recall who I ordered my level from but when it arrived it was marked Shars. I've used it to level my lathe and a friend's Logan and Enco. As far as I can tell it does repeat when flipping end for end it comes right back on the line. So for the money I think it's an OK buy.
 
rick9345 said:
as stated moving tailstock perpendicular to the ways to turn a turn/true a test bar/collars. Correct method.
I was reffering to this post. Opps left it out.:concerned:
Click to expand...

This only works if you are turning between centers.

The correct way to set up a lathe as I learned it was as follows.

1. get the bed as close to strait as you possibly can. The easiest way to do this is to level the lathe. Actually being level is irrelevant, you are just using "level" as a reference.

2. get the spindle parallel to the bed horizontally and vertically. Rollie dad is a simple way of doing this.

3. get the tail stock parallel to the bed horizontally and vertically.

4. align tail stock to the spindle horizontally and vertically.

5. turn a test bar between centers, and make adjustments as needed (Ideally you shouldn't need any).
 
Lots of different ways to approach this. If I can turn a unsupported piece and have it's resultant diameter variance across it's length of 10-12" held to tenths, I'm going to assume the spindle/bed relationship is 'good enough'. I don't care about the process, only the result.

I then turn a small shaft to a 30 deg point and shove the tailstock up to it with it's deadcenter mounted and visually align using a 5x magnifier (loupe). This is more than good enough for most work I do.

I learned a while back that 'chasing zeros' makes for good conversations but really doesn't amount to much for what I do. I'm just a hobbyist after all. YMMV... :)
 
rick9345 said:
Twisting a levelled/squared lathe to cut straight??? Perhaps order of adjustments should be re-examined. Nice if floor/platform and shims allow level, but the real goal is squared to the spindle.
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To clarify I leveled to establish a reference. In theory you can level a lathe but that doesn't necessarily guarantee it will cut a straight cylinder. You need to tweak the leveling feet slightly so that your lathe will cut straight within acceptable limits. This is not my analogy as I read it somewhere else but a great example of not needing to level a lathe is one on a ship. As you know ships are rarely level and if they are they don't stay there very long. So as long as it cuts straight level is irrelevant. Back to my point, level is only a reference and is not necessary to accomplish accurate work. My lathe cuts within .0005" over 8 inches. Plenty close for me. Not trying to be a wise a** just offering up my approach and results.

Tom S
 
rick9345 said:
Twisting a levelled/squared lathe to cut straight??? Perhaps order of adjustments should be re-examined. Nice if floor/platform and shims allow level, but the real goal is squared to the spindle.
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Funny you should say that, as i leveled my lathe which has made me realise I need to tweek the head a little bit, owww drive chain disasembly bahhhhh.

Stuart,

Ps i got my 6 inch starrett 98 for about £20 on ebay, had to keep an eye open for a while but it's a low use tool for me so was worth it :).
 
I think people are getting the reason for leveling a lathe confused. The lathe itself could be at a 45 degree angle and still cut true. The reason to use a precision level is to take and twist out of the bed from the head stock to the tail stock.

If the bed is twisted and you start a long cut from the head stock and you are dead on centerline of the work piece then by the time you get to the tail stock the cutter will either be above or below the centerline causing the accuracy to be a couple thousands off. Some lathes actually have an adjustment at the tail stock end to twist the bed so you can make sure it is perfect.

Here is a cool pdf file from southbend that has a good explanation of why and how to level a lathe.

Starting at page 16 talks about leveling.

http://www.wswells.com/data/howto/H-3.pdf
 
TomS said:
To clarify I leveled to establish a reference. In theory you can level a lathe but that doesn't necessarily guarantee it will cut a straight cylinder. You need to tweak the leveling feet slightly so that your lathe will cut straight within acceptable limits. This is not my analogy as I read it somewhere else but a great example of not needing to level a lathe is one on a ship. As you know ships are rarely level and if they are they don't stay there very long. So as long as it cuts straight level is irrelevant. Back to my point, level is only a reference and is not necessary to accomplish accurate work. My lathe cuts within .0005" over 8 inches. Plenty close for me. Not trying to be a wise a** just offering up my approach and results.

Tom S
Click to expand...

I'm sure I haven't been the only one, but I made a post a year or two back about that during a conversation here about leveling lathes. My point was that 'level' was the relationship between both ends of the lathe bed, i.e. twist, not their position relative to the center of planet Earth (which a ship almost never is).

I don't remember exactly, but I think I stopped at about 7 tenths over almost a foot. I was getting tired of stooping down to tweak the leveling pads. :D
 
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