Lathe Set Up Questons

[Char-Gar]

Well it is every closer. The bench is built and the lathe is on it. What remains is the belt it, level it and start making chips. It is a Logan (400) 9 x 18, in what I think is darn good condition.

1. Have decided to go with the Power Twist belt. Pricy, but easy to install and supposed to be vibration free.

2. Where can I rent or borrow a good level to set up with.?

3. What is used as shim material when leveling the machine?

4. What is a good oil? The manual says 10 wt.

5. What is a good way oil?

[KCSO]

Vectra way oil is good. I shim with brass shim stock from NAPA. You can use a good craftsman level if you don't have a machinists level. I have a Starret that I got many years ago. It is almost too much for leveling a small lathe as it is 10" long and the bubble will move 1/4" with 2 thou difference on the end of the lathe. I made a steel covered table for my lathe and put screw adjusters in the legs of the table.

Congrats on the Logan they were one of the best.

[PatMarlin]

Finally got my Logan online as well Charles.

Enco has the best deal on Moblil- way oil (I bought Vactra medium), and #10 spindle oil. Shipped to your door.

ENCO Free Shipping Code PRSMAR $25 or more.

I bought adjustable machine isolation feet. I suppose you could use a selection of various thickness's of sheet metal for shims.

[Char-Gar]

Tell me about the adjustable feet. How do they work and where do you get them. I have done some looking online, but what I find are feet the machine sits on. It doesn't look like they attach to the bench in any way. I do want the lathe secured to the bench. The bench top is laminated 2 X 4s standing on edge. It is real heavy and the bench frame is built of 2 X 6s with 4 X 4 legs all held to gether with 3.5 inch deck screws and 5.5 inch carrage bolts..

[leftiye]

Chargar, Be sure that - beyond being level - there is no flexing of the bed when you bot it down.

[KCSO]

Chargar
I kinda gave up on 2x4 for a bench top as from season to season here in NE the top would twist and every time I wanted to do a real fine job I would have to check the lathe for level. Some folks are not so picky and the fellow I got my Atlas from had a 2x4 bench top that was solid oil. His dad made it in the 1940's and they used it ever since. I would think it would depend a lot on how steady the temp and humidity are where you set up.

If you need to borrow a level PM me and I'll loan you my spare.

[scb]

[QUOTE=Chargar;538152]3. What is used as shim material when leveling the machine?QUOTE]

bench legs should have screw adjustable feet.

http://www.monroeengineering.com/levelingmounts/

[Char-Gar]

Guys, the bench top if 3 1/2 inches thick ( 28 inches by 72 inches ) and it sits on a frame of 2 X 6s. I placed a 2 X 6 cross support every 18 inches. The top is attatched with 6" screws to the frame and cross supports. The lathe will be attatched to the top with four 1/4 X 5.5" in carrage bolts.

The laminated top is about 25 years old, well sealed with many coats of verathan or spar varnish and stable. I don't know what it weights, but it take two grown men to handle it. I live in deep South Texas which has a tropical climate and no winters. The shop is air conditoned, which keeps the humidity at a reasonable consistant level.

The bench has two shelves and the bottom shelf holds 600 lbs of lead. The top shelf holds all of the lathe tooling. The lathe weighs 200 pounds, Put it all together and there is well over 1,000 pounds of weight on the floor.

I really don't see how I am going to get any flexing of the top. It is a stable and hell for stout set up. At least I think it is.

I am going to level the lathe as best I can with what I have, cinch it down hard and let it sit for a couple of weeks. I am then going to cinch it down again and let it sit a few more days. then and only then will I try and do the critical and fine levelings if I can lay hands on a decent level.

I really an not planing to do any super high precision work with this old lathe (1947) and don't know what kind of tolerances it will hold. I would guess the making of a Lee style bullet sizing die would be the ultimate project I would undertake. I have been collecting old barrels and will probably make some cast bullet straight line seaters from the chamber end. I look on it as the ultimate reloading accessory.

That is the plan... is there a critical flaws in the plan?

BTW... the late came with a 4 jaw independent chuck, a scroll chuck, face plate, factory wrenchs, factory manual, lathe dogs, tail stock drill chuck, milling attatchment , a full set of threading gears, motor, a full set of turning tool bit holders, spindle collet adapter, knurling tools and lots more small stuff. It has the original paint (about 95 %) and no serious rust anywhere. The ways look clean and sharp with no gouges. Everything appears to work just fine and run smooth. None of the gears anywhere on the lathe are chiped or broken and I can't see any serious wear on them. whole set up cost me $800. I don't know if I was had or not, but I am pretty happy with the deal and I guess that is all that matters. If was purchased from the estate of an old gentleman who bought it new and had it in his basement shop. It has not been used for many years prior to his death. When I am through with it, I hope to pass it on to another fellow who will enjoy it and take care of it for another generation.

[trevj]

Get a copy of How to Run A Lathe, published by South Bend Lathe. Should set you back about $10-20, new. Lee Valley tools sells a reprint of an older edition for $7. Worth having.

Google search and read (maybe even print out!) "Rollie's Dad's Method", for checking that your lathe is cutting straight and parallel. Low tech stuff. Cutting straight counts for more than being level.

Google for Logan Actuator Co. Run by Scott Logan, direct descendant of the guys that made your Logan Lathe. Good guy! They still have some parts available, as well as manuals and sometimes drawings of unavailable parts. Cheaper than Ebay, most of the time!

Cheers
Trev

[Char-Gar]

Trevj --- I have a copy of the South Bend book. I got it when I took my machine shop class at South Plains College (Levelland, TX) in 1969. I learned the basics on a good old 13" South Bend floor lathe. In that course we learned the basics of measuring, lay out, work set up, drilling, taping, turning, and milling. Best hours I ever spend and have used the information I gained there many, many times over the years.

I am familar with the Logan Actuators site. I am lucky I don't need anything they sell. I got a Logan thread pitch dial as a gift from a fellow on this board. I needed a bolt to attatch it and Logan wants $26.50 for the bolt. It is nothing more than a 35 cent two inch long 3/8 inch bolt you can get at any hardward store. I had one in my coffee can where I toss spare bolts, washers and stuff like that. Installation was a 15 second job.

Thanks for the help and infomration. I will take all I can get.

[PatMarlin]

THe feet I used are from Enco. Rubber based steel, and they sell various sizes for the weight of your machine.

You could use these by drilling a clearance hole in the bottoms of your 2x6's, and use a steel plate drilled to support the bottom of the 2x6 and keep the bolt of the foot from gouging a deeper hole in the wood. Or better yet you could use 3-4" angle steel, bolted to the 2x6, then drilled for the feet. If that makes any sense. Could draw you a pic.

They are nice, and start at $7 bucks a piece and on sale now I think. They also help isolate vibration to your floor.

[PatMarlin]

You could do any variation of the drawing below. Notch out your 2x6 to get the foot more centered, but it would probably work well even close to that depending on the weight of your bench and thickness of your iron.

[Bret4207]

Chargar, the Power Twist belts do reduce vibration. Made a nice difference on my Atlas. The screw adjustable feet are nice, securing them might be an issue though. The ones I've seen are more sheet metal than steel. Maybe bolts and nuts for adjustment would be better .

[Char-Gar]

Vactra has two different way oils... #2 and #4. What is the difference and which do I need?

[PatMarlin]

One is heavy, and the other- medium is lighter. I think medium covers most needs for lathes and mills.

[PatMarlin]

Number 2 is what you want Charles. Buckshot recommended, and you know if it's good enough for my cuz, it's good enough for us. Smokin' deal on Enco for $14.95 a gal.

[Cap'n Morgan]

That is the plan... is there a critical flaws in the plan?

Don't worry if the lathe is not in level. As long as the load on the bearing points has been evened out to avoid any rocking, you'll be fine.

[leftiye]

Yup, And DON'T twist the ways when you tighten it down.

[JIMinPHX]

If you don't want to buy that much genuine Vactra, then you can just get a quart of chain & bar lube from the chain saw section of any Home Depot type place. It's not quite as sticky & it doesn't draw out into long hairs of oil as far as Vactra will, but it's pretty close & it will work fine as a way lube.

As for spindle oil, Keyspin 10 was always my first choice, but again, if you don't want to buy an industrial quantity, you can get away with the lightest grade of motor oil that your local auto parts store has.

Leveling up a lathe bed is important on the larger machines with long beds. It's a check to see that everything is kept straight. On something as short as you have, just don't pull it somewhere it doesn't want to go when you bolt it down & you shouldn't have any trouble. When you take your first long cut, check for taper in the part. If you don't have any measurable taper in the part, then you are fine.

On a mill, it's a little more important to have a level table. Some guys work off a level when setting up parts to take angle cuts.