The Eagle Has Landed

ddickey said:
When you level that thing put your levels on the cross slide. I believe the two flat ways are in the same plane but you'll never be able to get them in the same spot, unless you have two set up that you don't have to move.
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Thank you for the input.

I leveled it last night, took these pictures today. Leveling always drives me nuts. At the HS side, I could get it dead nuts on, at the TS end I could get it dead nuts, but not both.

This thing is so stiff, adjust say crank up the front bolt, the adjuster bolt in the back lifts up. I was used to my old 1236, adjust the front, it digs in the back. On the old lathe I just adjust the feet so I get no taper across 10 inch stick out. Don't want to go there on this brand new machine.

Level is on the 123 blocks riding on the cross slide.

Any tricks of the trade?
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When I received my 1340GT I got it set up as best I could, then let the lathe just sit there and 'relax' for a few weeks. Then went at it again. Then again a couple months later.

Once I got the head and tail as close as I could, I chucked up a 2" piece of aluminum, made a few cuts and then adjusted the headstock to where I ended up with about .0003" larger at the tailstock end across 10".

As I mostly turn pistol barrels that are 6" or less in length I figured the lathe was now way more accurate than I. :)
 
I prefer to check the bed twist with the level on the flats on the ways using 123 blocks, I find it more representative of any bed twist then the top of the cross slide. I would also use a higher sensitivity level (10 sec), you should be able to get it down to less than a division with a 0.0005" per 10" level across the bed. Given that it has a heavy cast iron base it will take some time to settle in.
 
Congratulations Nez, the lathe is beautiful and will be an asset you will love!
i'm happy you had Jeff to help get her settled!
Way to go Jeff!

i can't wait to see some ideas to steal :grin:
 
Leave the two outermost feet on the HS side raised up so they're not bearing any weight. Do your leveling which will probably only two feet caddy-corner of each other. Then after leveling bring the other two feet down just enough to bear their part of the load.
 
Will try leveling with the inner feet on the HS side (a friend in the Cajun land suggested the same thing) and the level on flatways. I loaned my ChiCom 0.0005 level, it would have been convenient to use 2 levels.

Jeff is coming over tomorrow to help wire up the panel and convenient outlets.
 
Yes very convenient. That's why putting on the cross slide is nice, you don't have to move it.
 
ddickey said:
Yes very convenient. That's why putting on the cross slide is nice, you don't have to move it.
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What would do if the level on 123 blocks on top of the cross slide does not agree with the reading when sat on top of 123 blocks on the flatways?

Which one would you go by? I just saw that on this lathe a few minutes ago.
 
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I use a level on the cross slide, too, and I would trust the cross slide. I suggest you place the level with a square so it is perpendicular to the ways and don't move it until you're done leveling.

You can try it both ways and see which you prefer. I've found that the cross slide is more accurate for me.
 
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