To bolt or not to bolt?

[Spoke]

For some operations the lathe is going to shake (vibrate). I dont think bolting it to the foor will make much of a difference given the light weigh of the Atlas machine. I think you would be better off isolating the machine from the top of the table with anti vibration pads. At least the stuff on your table will not be tossed about.
I am not saying dont bolt it to the floor what I am saying is I dont think it will make a huge difference. But then I have never checked the feet on my table during a heavy vibration filled cut.

[ChartGuy]

Originally Posted by Spoke

For some operations the lathe is going to shake (vibrate). I dont think bolting it to the foor will make much of a difference given the light weigh of the Atlas machine. I think you would be better off isolating the machine from the top of the table with anti vibration pads. At least the stuff on your table will not be tossed about.
I am not saying dont bolt it to the floor what I am saying is I dont think it will make a huge difference. But then I have never checked the feet on my table during a heavy vibration filled cut.

I had vibration and general movement in my 618 when solidly bolted to the floor. 2x10 floor with sub and oak plywood over that. And, close to an out side wall and concrete foundation.

In the 618 with the 1 5/8 oak bed support and cast legs, the lathe rocks end to end badly. The tops of the legs are not flat, and bolted in the center so they rock. I shimmed them with flat washers and reduced the rocking but not completely gone. Also some belt/motor vibration.

I attached a pic of my backboard that fixes end to end and front to back movement. My outside wall is 2x6 with drywall. I put a 2x4 lagged to the outside wall. Cut a plywood sheet to fit and attached it to the 2x4 and to the lathe bed wood with decking screws. This fixes all movement.

The countershaft bracket fixed the belt vibration. On this lathe the countershaft support is a weak design as far as deflection is concerned.

The backboard also keeps shavings and parts from being lost behind, and makes a place to put WD-40 cans.

As to bolting to the floor and keeping any twist from the machine:
I loosly attached the head end, then lifted the tail end slightly with a carpenters wood wedge so the tail end legs were slightly off the floor. (lifting in the center) Measure the gap between the floor and the legs with a feeler gauge and add a shim to the higher to make them hit the floor at the same time. I do not want the floor to twist the bed.

My lathe leveling is done between the oak table and the lathe feet.

My take:

-chart-

[Spoke]

I have only experienced vibration problems during a limited set of cutting operations, other than that it could be sitting in the middle of the room and its vibration free. Maybe I am luckly?

I am not sure about linking the machine to the drive assembly as you have not created isolation between the two? But if it works who am I to question your situations. Maybe a link belt may also help isolate some of your vibration problems.

My machine is bolted to a concrete block wall, but that is just to keep it from moving anywhere. I certainly didn't go crazy with the table as it is just a cheap set of steel legs and the top is two pieces of 1" particle board with a melamine surface (free stuff from an old Job). I seem to remember the original atlas table is free standing, or looks that way? Most small second operaton lathes I have seen doing production work are also free standing.

I think there is working related vibration issues (during cutting operations) and machine related vibrations issues mentioned here. I have not experienced machine related vibration, not that I can remember.

[Bootsranck]

Thanks to everyone who replied. The information from everyone has been very helpfull in deciding what to do. I have a wooden shim under one foot now and will look for some pads to put under the feet to dampen some vibration.
Thanks
Bootsranck

[Spoke]

I meant my table is bolted to the concrete wall..


Woukd be easier if we had the ability to edit our posts for weeks rather than minutes?