PM-1022V, does it really matter?

Larry Curl

Registered
Registered
Joined
Aug 5, 2015
Messages
14
Just got my PM-1022V & mounted a 3/16" sheet steel to my Pressweld steel workbench. I put the chip tray on top of the steel sheet & there are gaps between the pan & sheet steel. The two holes for the foot of the head are .170" on the outer end & 0140" on the inner mounting. The tailstock mount has a .204" gap. Some say "just bolt 'er down & the pan will squish down to the sheet steel & bench top." Other 'more experienced' & precision machinist friends say " no way, put shim mat'l under the pan", you'll bend the pan for sure & maybe crack it - leaks, if using flood coolant, blah, blah, blah." I'm very particular about all of my equipment & don't want to waste my time doing something half-assed & then have to do it over again the right way. Part of me says "it don't matter", other part says "shim it".
What say you that have mounted up your lathes to steel top benches?
 
Larry, I'm not clear on something. Are these gaps present without the lathe sitting in place? If so, then the chip pan or the steel sheet is warped to some degree. Personally, I would set the lathe on top of the pan and see what you see. I'm pretty sure it won't crack the chip pan if you do this. I'm also pretty sure that will resolve the gap issue and I would bolt it down.
 
Either the pan tray, or the 3/16" steel plate are warped some, if the pan as Mikey suggests the weight of the machine should pull everything together. If it's the steel plate, attach that down flat to the bench/box than install the pan, if it still has gaps between machine and pan, shim it.

Hth
Rich
 
Thanks for the replies. The gaps are without the lathe in place. I'm sure that the steel plate is flat - it's HR 10 GA (.1345") screwed down in 6 places. The chip tray is definitely not precision made.
 
Larry, since you will have the lathe mounted on a bench, not a lathe stand, leveling the lathe is going to be an adventure. If I'm not mistaken, the 1030 does not have leveling capabilities built into the base but you can easily make one. I am attaching the method used by Emco on their lathes and I assure you that it is precise and works very well. With your steel top, a similar arrangement can be easily accomplished and I would highly recommend you consider it. You would have the same arrangement on both ends of the lathe and it would be world's faster than trying to level with shims.

Emco lathe leveling config.PNG
 
Back
Top