I have a 14x40 optimum lathe that came with a sheet metal type stand which has doors on each side for storing tools which I have loaded with chucks on headstock and tailstock end. Weight of machine is 1350 alone and with all the stuff I have in it it’s probably close to 1500. The lathe has six feet pads 4 on the headstock and two on the tailstock. Pads came with lathe it’s a 3/4/ threaded stud with a 2 1/2 diameter hard plastic/rubber pad. When I leveled the lathe I have the feet only as tall to level lathe they are at minimum height so lathe stand might be a 1” off ground. With any chuck on the lathe at 500-550 has a harmonic vibe to it anything lower or higher the lathe runs smooth as silk. I had a job to do awhile ago requiring a 4jaw so i mounted the one that came with the lathe and I forgot the job but the lathe was wobbling around to the point that I started looking into the chuck being garbage. It has voids in the back and I figured the casting was off so have had on the project list. I had put on my grinding wheel static balancer and was off alittle not a huge amount.
I just had a job that required between centers it was a shaft about 1/2 diameter 6 inches long. Left the three jaw on turned a center and threw on a drive dog. I turned the lathe on was at 600 rpms and man the lathe did not like it was wobbly. I slowed her down to like 350 and finished the job.
It made me really think about what’s going on with my setup. Drive dog was a homemade one just a touch larger and had a flat piece welded to it and bent driving off the chuck jaw. Can’t be more than acouple ounces off center. I’ve only ran acouple things offcenter on the lathe and nothing real heavy and I know my lathe just doesn’t like it. Ive thought about fastening the lathe to the floor but heard of some issues with a solid mount. Thought of making some holdown brackets and just securing the headstock pads and leave the tailstock move? Or just make up a new base section with some real plate and tool boxes that had some real weight to it. I’d have to adapt the foot brake, linkage and chip pan. Idk. I do feel like the base is alittle narrow for the height of the machine. The lathebed is centered on bases and the 3hp motor is arranged hanging off the back of the headstock. With the weight of the motor kind of cantilevered out there then spinning something off balance I think is starts the issues of wobble???
How’s your comparable lathe size react to offset weight spinning?
I just had a job that required between centers it was a shaft about 1/2 diameter 6 inches long. Left the three jaw on turned a center and threw on a drive dog. I turned the lathe on was at 600 rpms and man the lathe did not like it was wobbly. I slowed her down to like 350 and finished the job.
It made me really think about what’s going on with my setup. Drive dog was a homemade one just a touch larger and had a flat piece welded to it and bent driving off the chuck jaw. Can’t be more than acouple ounces off center. I’ve only ran acouple things offcenter on the lathe and nothing real heavy and I know my lathe just doesn’t like it. Ive thought about fastening the lathe to the floor but heard of some issues with a solid mount. Thought of making some holdown brackets and just securing the headstock pads and leave the tailstock move? Or just make up a new base section with some real plate and tool boxes that had some real weight to it. I’d have to adapt the foot brake, linkage and chip pan. Idk. I do feel like the base is alittle narrow for the height of the machine. The lathebed is centered on bases and the 3hp motor is arranged hanging off the back of the headstock. With the weight of the motor kind of cantilevered out there then spinning something off balance I think is starts the issues of wobble???
How’s your comparable lathe size react to offset weight spinning?