Thread: precision level?

just how level do you need to get the lathe when your setting up .The book I've read says 0.003inch unfortunately my levels arnt that accurate I've looked at the precision levels in H&F and $200 is a bit steep for what will be a one off use. Does anyone out there within a reasonable driving distance of Clayton Vic have one I could beg borrow or steal for a few hours use. Or does anyone know of a cheaper place to buy one from?
Please, pretty please with a cherry on top.

HI,
Discount Machine Shop (Shars) has them on Ebay 8" MASTER PRECISION LEVEL FOR MACHINIST TOOL NEW .0005 | eBay . Also Minitech in Australia has them a bit cheaper
http://wic043u.server-secure.com/vs4...nd.asp?q=level.

If you search for 'level' on any machining forum you will find the topic debated endlessly. I bought a Starrett 'mechanic's level' on US ebay for about $50. Its graduations represent .005"/ft, but you can read between the lines. I'm no expert but my feeling is that is adequate for general hobby machine levelling. Others may disagree. Where you would definitely need a more sensitive instrument is for reconditioning work, where you're trying to create correct alignments between different machine parts. You can get those (.02mm/m) at CTC for $50. MACHINIST PRECISION LEVEL #G70. I think some guys here have these so maybe they can comment.

Hi fubar,
I think you will find uses for it once you have one. I paid $185 for mine from H&F mar 09 before I really got going on ebay hehe. If you buy from someone that uses flat rate boxes you might "have" to buy some other goodies to fill the box

If you still feel you dont want to buy one I could come up one day and help you set it up.

While we are talking about it, have you thought about how you are going to level the lathe?

Stuart

The 200mm one from CTC works out to be $74 posted to you.
MACHINIST PRECISION LEVEL #G70

Or the 150mm one is $66 posted.

I have one and think they are worth the money.

Dave

Posted!! at that price I might just pick up another. I can be very lazy sometimes lol

Stuart

I need to setup my hercus. I roughly levelled the bed with my carpenters level, but it's a fairly blunt instrument. To save on the cost of an engineers level I will probably only use once, I am planning to level the bed using the method described in Chapter 1 of the Hercus Textbook of Turning. Basically you turn down a 5'' length of 1'' bar and measure each end. Depending on which end is larger you either raise or lower the front adjuster at the tailstock end. Take another cut, measure and adjust again. Keep doing this until both ends of the bar are the same diameter.

I guess I just don't understand.

Why does it matter that the lathe is level?

Surely a flat bed and aligned centres are crucial , but why level?

Teach me!

Originally Posted by Stustoys

Posted!! at that price I might just pick up another. I can be very lazy sometimes lol

Stuart

Hi Stuart,
They are adjustable and come with the spanner and instructions to do it.

Dave

Originally Posted by Avery

I guess I just don't understand.

Why does it matter that the lathe is level?

Surely a flat bed and aligned centres are crucial , but why level?

Teach me!

No need to be level other than for coolant flow. What your doing with the level is taking the twist out of the bed by comparing each end with the level.

Dave

Hi Avery,
You're mostly right. It doesnt have to be level, just on the same plain(spelling?).
Its just that the easiest way to be sure its on the same plain is to set it up level.
Being level can also help setup sometimes.
Stuart

might need to get one to set up my new lathe but i think it will need a new stand first

Originally Posted by Avery

I guess I just don't understand.

Why does it matter that the lathe is level?

Surely a flat bed and aligned centres are crucial , but why level?

Teach me!

How would you get it flat?

It just so happens that "level" is a quality that is very easily verified with a bubble level. There is no other affordable instrument that so directly and easily can tell you how each part of the machine is aligned to an external master reference(in this case: the earth). The real goal is "untwisted", and the precision level is the tool used to verify that condition. While a level is used, the ultimate goal isn't to level the lathe, that's just a byproduct of the process.

Greg

thanks for the info peoples have just bought one from CTC Tools online landed in australia for $75.00 less than 1/2 price of same tool at H&F thanks for that site Dave and Bryan
thanks for the kind offer stuart .
Avery according to my book from south bend lathe works the lathe needs to level so that the set evenly and not produce a twist in the lathe bed due to the weight of the lathe being uneven causing headstock misalignment with the V-ways therefore accurate work will not be acheivable of course we are talking in the 1 or 2 1000ths of an inch here so if your v's are worn, sloppy tailstock etc it dont matter too much
Have recently bought a lathe from a deceased estate will post some photos of the work involved setting it up soon