Lathe set up

[old#7]

Well,
I have been busy building my new shop. It's almost done. The overhead door and gutters are coming next week and then I have to get power to the building.
I went with a four inch slab that has 1/2" rebar at 18" each way.
I was having trouble deciding where I want to place the lathe so I figured I would pour a Riser slab to raise the lathe when I figure out where I want it.
I appreciate all of the responses so far and I think I will take your advice and mount the lathe instead of bolting it down.
I have been running it in my garage a bit just making chips and what not.
I have got the thread cutting thing down.
This is a very informative site.
Thanks again.

 

[Jan]

Re-post

........I have the small Grizzly and in a post sometime last year this is how I leveled mine and I do check it from time to time. No problems yet on a 4" concrete slab......... Jan

 

[alinwa]

........I have the small Grizzly and in post sometime last year this is how I leveled mine and I do check it from time to time. No problems yet on a 4" concrete slab......... Jan

Jan, I like it!

I've got a Grizzly AND I'm a contractor with concrete drills and epoxies and allthread and jacks and welders and such and frankly the inordinate HASSLE involved in locating and using the existing leveling holes located deep inside the legs has kept me from even fiddling with it. I recently snagged about 6 old beat up feeler gauges from a garage sale and was gonna' chip 'em up and shim the top of the legs. Just hadn't done it yet........

Your solution is inspired, thank you!

al

 

[Ron of Va]

Jan, I like it!

I've got a Grizzly AND I'm a contractor with concrete drills and epoxies and allthread and jacks and welders and such and frankly the inordinate HASSLE involved in locating and using the existing leveling holes located deep inside the legs has kept me from even fiddling with it. I recently snagged about 6 old beat up feeler gauges from a garage sale and was gonna' chip 'em up and shim the top of the legs. Just hadn't done it yet........

Your solution is inspired, thank you!

al

Some 5/8" bolts with couplings and washers ($15) and you can level your lathe cheap.

(no, I didn't leave the plywood under the feet)

 

[Alaninga]

I LIKE this!

Some 5/8" bolts with couplings and washers ($15) and you can level your lathe cheap.

(no, I didn't leave the plywood under the feet)

THis looks clean and neat. I didn't particularly want to drill holes in my garage slab either!

 

[David Merrill]

Here is another approach to mounting the Grizzly G4003G lathe. The feet are made from 3 x 1-1/2 x 18-3/4" channel and 2-1/2 x 2-1/2 x 1/4" bar with 5/8 x 2" Grade 8 bolts, nuts and washers (from Tractor Supply Company). Ordinary grade 2 bolts, nuts and washers attach the outriggers to the lathe stands. The outriggers double the lateral spacing of the floor contact points for increased stability but raise the lathe by 1-1/2 inches. The inverted bolt heads rest on the 1/4" plates. The bottom nut adjusts the leveling height, the top nut locks it in place. The slots are neccessary to allow enough angular travel of the adjustment wrenches (cheap 15/16" 'Pro-Series' from TSC).

David Merrill

 

[alinwa]

Some 5/8" bolts with couplings and washers ($15) and you can level your lathe cheap.

(no, I didn't leave the plywood under the feet)

OK Ron,


I felt like a complete idiot when I saw your pix ....... so I went down and looked again at my lathe. (UN-leveled...)

Now on mine the hole is only through the lower flange, I can't bolt through. The top of the coupler on the bolt would bear against the casting but what would keep it from wobbling? Does yours have a notch or a through-hole on the upper flange? What am I missing? I wouldn't want the lathe to be just teetering on the 8 bolts, or is this solid enough?? It shore would be easy!!

al

 

[alinwa]

Here is another approach to mounting the Grizzly G4003G lathe. The feet are made from 3 x 1-1/2 x 18-3/4" channel and 2-1/2 x 2-1/2 x 1/4" bar with 5/8 x 2" Grade 8 bolts, nuts and washers (from Tractor Supply Company). Ordinary grade 2 bolts, nuts and washers attach the outriggers to the lathe stands. The outriggers double the lateral spacing of the floor contact points for increased stability but raise the lathe by 1-1/2 inches. The inverted bolt heads rest on the 1/4" plates. The bottom nut adjusts the leveling height, the top nut locks it in place. The slots are neccessary to allow enough angular travel of the adjustment wrenches (cheap 15/16" 'Pro-Series' from TSC).

David Merrill

View attachment 7939

View attachment 7940

View attachment 7941

I really like this, plus the wider stance means I'm not as worried about it tipping over because it's not fastened down....... And I can drill it down if I want...... IN FACT, I could just drill through the legs, into the floor and epoxy the allthread and bada-bing bada-BOOM...... No Worries!


Thanks


al

 

[Ron of Va]

OK Ron,


I felt like a complete idiot when I saw your pix ....... so I went down and looked again at my lathe. (UN-leveled...)

Now on mine the hole is only through the lower flange, I can't bolt through. The top of the coupler on the bolt would bear against the casting but what would keep it from wobbling? Does yours have a notch or a through-hole on the upper flange? What am I missing? I wouldn't want the lathe to be just teetering on the 8 bolts, or is this solid enough?? It shore would be easy!!

al

The bolts are only about 3-1/2 inches long. (Not sure exactly).
All the pressure is on the top of the cut out against the top washer. Nothing is bolted down except what you see in the photo which is the bolt threaded into the coupling. There are eight bolts (feet), and the lathe is solid enough it doesn’t concern me. Mine has not moved since I set it up.

I thought that if I started having problems with it shifting, I was just going to go buy a $3 bag of concrete, temporarily remove the tray from the pedestal, and build a pad underneath the leveled lathe from inside the pedestal. But so far no problems, the lathe has not moved and it is still level.