Raising the L5

No..its not sunk.... Now that ive got it 3 inches off the floor I can get a spanner under it. I want to raise it 6". It has 6 bolt down lugs on the base, would it be safe to use these lugs to raise it off the floor. Idea is to put a piece of thick threaded bar through each lug with a nut between floor and lug and raise by holding bar and turning nut. This will allow accurate levelling. Given that it weighs the same as a small elephant I dont know if lugs intended to hold it down will also be strong enough to raise it up. Instructions tell you to bolt it to the floor then fill the base section with concrete!

Hi fizzy, I'd tend to raise the lathe the required amount by pouring a concrete slab with either the bolts set in the concrete, or anchor bolts of some kind into holes drilled in the concrete. You could instead use wooden sleepers with bolts that go right through and into the floor.

Ian S C ! wot appened!

Hi fizzy, I would agree with Ian's ideas. If you just use threaded rod there is the danger that they may buckle sideways when you get the lathe running, which may well break one or more off and even tip the whole thing on to yourself.

Regards Nick.

Hi Fizzy, If you can get hold of some heavy angle lipped under the full length of the lathe(?), drill holes to match the lugs and resort to your original idea I reckon you should be okay. (A bit of belt and braces)

If the lathe were sitting on 6 in 'stilts' any rocking would put a bending moment on the lugs which they won't like. A few engineering, not lightweight, bricks isn't going to break the bank.

Mine is sat on engineering bricks its been that way for about 10 years inc a house move, all I did was lift it and sit it on the bricks that are bedded in to floor tile adhesive, never had a problem.

shaun

Get some universal channel 100 or 150 high as required weld up a frame, gusset top to bottom either side of fixings.

Bolt lathe to frame, lift and put machine mounts frame to floor for level ling.

frame probably ends up as two rectangles first one under head stock the 3 prices to side under tail stock

Steve

If you go the way of jacking it up on threaded rods, once its up box in around the rods, and pour in some ready mix concrete, not knowing the volume I would guess you might need 3 bags.

Ian S C