Lathe leveling/parallelism using shop made levelers..

[bhigdog]

I don't necessarily disagree with anything you said. However, all lathes need to be checked and aligned from time to time and this will make that process quick and painless. I also have no intentions of ever moving it. I may do away with the wheels and/or make some brackets for levelers on the bench. The workbench has many things in it's favor such as the available storage right at the machine and the fact that it weighs 455lbs. empty. Those things put it far ahead of the sheet metal cabinets that these are typically mounted on in my opinion. The top is over an inch thick and made from many laminated strips of fingerjointed hardwood that are sealed. That should help to stabilize it even though I agree that it is likely to move at least some.

Agreed. And far better than it was. I was just sayin..........................Bob

 

[Toolmaker51]

I've written countless times on leveling machines, especially mills and lathes. The real point of leveling lathes is straightened bed and ways, by each foot bearing it's proportion of machine, tooling and part weight.
Sure, oil levels and coolant drainage like level, but the ways can be straight even inclined in both planes. However, adjusting and maintaining that is ridiculous, whereas ease measuring level is the same no matter who is doing it. One truth to leveling, unless foundation is perfect, the machine will settle over time, requiring a re-check.

Generally, lathes though have greater variety of footprint contours than most machine types. Stands to reason, possible corrections also vary widely.
Your adjustment pads are a very reasonable solution. To address concerns mentioned of the thin cast feet, I'd make one change quickly.
a] No matter how flat wood top looks, it isn't. The pads correct that distributing load like a big washer, and adjust bed into one common plane.
b] As the plate contacting the feet is (IMNSHO) on the thin side, and feet are not face-milled, their contact is minimal. Inner side of bolting slot not machined either.....
My recommendation is one or two layers of simple hobby felt; cut to size, between them. A few times, have 'glued' them, sandwiched between foot and plate with boat trailer bearing grease......no rust or dissimilar material issues, won't wash out, compresses once and that's it. Many forms of rubber are degraded by coolants, and lubricants. Cork? No. Regular cardboard? No.