Machinist Level To Level Lathe

great white

great white

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I'm in the process of setting up my bench/cart for my 10" Atlas.

I've got levels, but they're carpenters levels. The bubble looks right on the carpenters level, but I don't think its sensitive enough for the proper tolerances.

So I'm looking for a machinists level. Only hitch is I'm getting really low on funds.

If someone has one they're willing to let go cheap or has a link to a cheap one that would get the job done it would be appreciated.

I know cheap and machinists levels don't really go together in the same sentence, but its where I am cash wise. I figure a cheap machinist level has to at least be better than a carpenters level for this sort of thing.

I need to buy, not borrow since I'll likely be building and tearing apart the stand several times. Welding on the cart top surface and whatnot....

Cheers
 
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Your carpenter levels are good enough. Level with a lathe is not a big thing. I like mine tilted back so coolant doesn't run off the front. Level is not an accuracy thing on a lathe. Twist of the bed is.
 
rgray said:
Your carpenter levels are good enough. Level with a lathe is not a big thing. I like mine tilted back so coolant doesn't run off the front. Level is not an accuracy thing on a lathe. Twist of the bed is.
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Yes sir, understand that.

I guess a more accurate way to describe it is I'm not sure if the carpenters levels are accurate enough to determine level between tailstock end and headstock end (ie: twist) to produce accurate work.
 
You could certainly use your current level to be close and then use the two collar method to ensure you have no twist.
 
Yah like cobra said....use the two collar system...I fussed and fretted with tailstock alignment quite a while till I was happy with it....Just built a toolpost grinder and the tailstock end of a 1" bar after ground is .002 larger than at the headstock...So I guess I was .001 off after all my fussing...course that was over a year ago when I fussed with the 2 collar test....I'll have to run that test again see if it matches the results of the grinding. Might be that things have just settled alittle.
 
There is a guy in YouTube that leveled his lathe using a plumbob. If your vertical rise is high enough you can get any accuracy you desire since the vertical arm magnifies the horizontal deviation.
 
if you have a 4' carpenters level, get about 6 to 8 ft of clear 1/4" fuel line, tape it to the ends
of the level, fill it with water, and line up the water level with the end of the carpenters level.
as long as your carpenters level is flat, you should be able to get fairly precise
 
atunguyd said:
There is a guy in YouTube that leveled his lathe using a plumbob. If your vertical rise is high enough you can get any accuracy you desire since the vertical arm magnifies the horizontal deviation.
Click to expand...
Ah, I had forgotten about that video.

And call me weird but I love trig!

All I need is another mag base. I can always use another mag base......:)
 
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