I recently extended the footprint of my lathe considerably (Earth scale) by bolting it down. What a difference. I can spin unbalanced blanks faster which makes the roughing out so much easier. Should have done it sooner.
I have a General 260-20. With 80# of lead in the bottom of the headstock pillar and 140# of sand slung between the two bases the total weight is somewhere north of 750#, but the pillars are only18" and 16" wide. It may be that heavy lathes with a wider stance don't need to be fastened down, but this one definitely benefits. I feel like it is easier on the lathe as opposed to having it rocking when settling in on the optimum roughing speed.
My floor is 3/4" Advantek on 3/4" sleepers over a concrete slab. I bored 5/8" holes and set 1/2" x 6" threaded rod in an annulus of thickened marine epoxy, making sure there was a blob of goo surrounding the stud between the slab and underside of the flooring, and shimmed level with high density rubber shims used for setting glass units.
Now my turning is well grounded and in harmony with the world.
I have a General 260-20. With 80# of lead in the bottom of the headstock pillar and 140# of sand slung between the two bases the total weight is somewhere north of 750#, but the pillars are only18" and 16" wide. It may be that heavy lathes with a wider stance don't need to be fastened down, but this one definitely benefits. I feel like it is easier on the lathe as opposed to having it rocking when settling in on the optimum roughing speed.
My floor is 3/4" Advantek on 3/4" sleepers over a concrete slab. I bored 5/8" holes and set 1/2" x 6" threaded rod in an annulus of thickened marine epoxy, making sure there was a blob of goo surrounding the stud between the slab and underside of the flooring, and shimmed level with high density rubber shims used for setting glass units.
Now my turning is well grounded and in harmony with the world.
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