Lathe stand tabletop thickness

[matthewsx]

So, I have these two cabinets:




I've decided against trying to make them mobile and will just set them on the floor. I'll make my leveling mechanism on top of the cabinets to keep it simple. The tabletop will be 24" x 72" which will allow me to get the engine hoist between the cabinets to place my lathe.

How thick should my table be assuming mild steel?

John

 

[Nutfarmer]

Thicker the better. I would make a frame out of steel tubing and cover it with 12 gauge.

 

[davidpbest]

Welded Stand For PM1340 Lathe

Designed and fabricated specifically for the Precision Matthews PM1340 metal lathe. Descriptions in comments of each image - just click the image for explanation.

www.flickr.com

 

[matthewsx]

I'm tall but every time I start working out the frame it gets higher than I'd like. Maybe if I built a wooden stand in front of the lathe but the space is narrow. I'm not trying to pull off NASA tolerances, just want to figure out what will be strong enough.

John

 

[matthewsx]

Welded Stand For PM1340 Lathe

Designed and fabricated specifically for the Precision Matthews PM1340 metal lathe. Descriptions in comments of each image - just click the image for explanation.

www.flickr.com

Yes David, that's the inspiration but my budget is limited. The cabinets I have are really stout (think they came from a bank), so thinking of just using them as my base.

John

 

[matthewsx]

I was thinking of something like 3/4" hardwood ply with a 1/4" steel plate on top. Seems like that should be sufficient to hold a ~600 lb machine.

 

[Jim F]

My SB9 is sitting on 2 2x12's.

 

[Alcap]

Myself, I would skip the 1/4” top and use the money saved to get a second sheet of plywood. With two 4x8 sheets you could make it 4 layers of 3/4” and use a automotive drip pan like this under the lathe to keep chips oil etc. in check. https://www.napaonline.com/en/p/BK_...iNmzCh3d7AOOEAQYAyABEgJwv_D_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds&. On my bench lathe it sits on bucherblock top , i have the drip pan but haven’t yet got help yet to get it under the lathe

 

[hman]

My SB9 is sitting on 2 2x12's.

I've found that most of the 2x lumber at Home Depot is pretty warped (great starting material, if your goal is to make a propeller!). So I generally go with the "pressure treated" stuff. It's usually a lot straighter, with fewer knots and bad edges.

 

[silence dogood]

Your lathe needs to be sitting on a solid rigid base. Mine is sitting on top a thick heavy U-shaped channel iron. Which is on top of a 2" wood slab. Not only is there far less chatter, but the lathe actually runs quieter. Think of it this way, would you build your house on a sand dune?