So how do you zero a machinists level?
BTW, whoever posted that link to the lathe leveling instructions - thanks!
What a great site for an amateur machinist.
Rex Burkheimer
Marketing Director, WM Automotive Warehouse
Fort Worth TX rex@wmautomotive.com
Great minds discuss ideas;
Average minds discuss events;
Small minds discuss people.
----- Original Message -----
From: <Hlsinger@aol.com>
To: <merrittgene@uswest.net>; <shop-talk@autox.team.net>
Sent: Tuesday, September 26, 2000 9:53 AM
Subject: Re: Lathe question forwarded
>
> In a message dated 9/25/00 11:01:59 PM Central Daylight Time,
> merrittgene@uswest.net writes:
>
> > The only reason that I can think of to level a lathe is so a person
could
> > cut a taper with a protractor instead of a calculator.
> >
> > Can anyone think of any other reasons?
>
> Some offset turning setups with a four jaw independent chuck can be made
with
> a level on the workpiece for reference. If the machine is not level, the
> setup will not be correct. Watched this done a few times thirty years
ago.
> Do not remember what the exact application was. Probably to rebuild
oilfield
> pump parts. I remember him using the level much more on the milling
setups
> he made than the lathe setups. Probably not very useful trick for 99.98
> percent of us. I have used the Machinist's Level to set up my larger
machine
> just because they were always set up like that in the shops I worked in
guess.
>
> The setup was done with a Starrett Machinist's Level AFTER it was
carefully
> adjusted before each use. You have to learn how to adjust or zero them to
> true level or they are no better than a carpenter's level. Did not make a
> lot of sense to me to adjust before every use, but you will definitely
want
> to adjust before the first use to get it right. Used to be lots of them in
> Antique stores around my area of the country (Texas/Oklahoma). Look for
one
> that has a clean, straight, rustfree base, clear vial, and still in the
> case. If you are going to actually use it, it might be better to try to
find
> one you can see, try, etc. before you buy. I bought mine ten years ago
for
> twenty dollars in the original wooden case. Base is perfect, lots of
flakes
> and scratches in the paint, box is oil stained, adjusted out fine on the
> first try and stays in adjustment for several months. Ugly, but works
fine.
>
> Of course, IMHO for all the level work to be any good, the lathe has to be
on
> a stout stand bolted firmly to a strong floor and then grouted in.
> Otherwise, you spend all that time and money and bump it out of level the
> first time you use it.
>
> Alex H.
> Tulsa, OK
>
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