Its only 3" but it works great

dgoddard · Post by **dgoddard** » Sat Jan 31, 2009 8:25 pm

A while back I saw a thread here about raising a lathe to a better working height. I finally got around to it and I am impressed by the effect. I wasn't sure how much was the right amount of lift, but I figured somewhere around 3 inches would do it (Not to mention that then I would not have to raise the shelf;see picture).

Gluing and screwing two 8 foot 2x4's and cutting at a 45 gave me 4 pieces that were just over 25" each after rounding the ends. I put a cut in the bottom so as not to lose the ability to easily use a pry bar for lifting for shimming or short moves. I put a steel plate in the notch so as not to tear up the feet with a pry bar, and 3 coats of grey floor paint and 8 carriage bolts finished the job.

Now that I have it done, I am kicking myself for not doing it earlier. 3" gave me just enough to eliminate that slight bend in my back when working at the lathe, so my back is erect and the strain is greatly reduced. I'm sure glad I saw that other thread! I really encourage this modification. I guess that the Asian engineers who designed this are a bit shorter than I am. I am 5' 11" in case that gives you any clue to how much lift might benefit you.

steamin10 · Post by **steamin10** » Sat Jan 31, 2009 8:46 pm

My 9" SB cabinet 'school' lathe has a pair of casters under channel iron to raise the machine about 3". Since I still get a back ache after a couple hours standing there looking down, I cant imagine what it would be like to be lower yet. I have found some 4x4 inch aluminum tube at the scrappers, and will switch to that sometime in the future, as I dont like the squirchy motion on the casters. I will use some kind of rubber underneath for a sound pad and kill the vibs, but thats about it for mounting, just a coupla bolts throught the leg pads.

gunboatbay · Post by **gunboatbay** » Sat Jan 31, 2009 10:55 pm

When you get around to making thos pads, Dave, ice hockey pucks really make good, solid footings for a reasonable price.

thedieter · Post by **thedieter** » Sat Jan 31, 2009 11:06 pm

I also was inspired by that thread. I already had one 2X4 under my ENCO 13X40 but when I checked arm position I found that two more thicknesses were required to get my arm at a right angle at the cross-feed wheel (4-1/2" total). I am 6'-1/2" tall for reference.

Best regards, Jack

Old Biker UK · Post by **Old Biker UK** » Sun Feb 01, 2009 5:20 am

gunboatbay wrote:... ice hockey pucks really make good, solid footings....

At last, a use for my wife's yorkshire puddings....
(quickly runs and hides)
Mark

Post by **Harold_V** » Sun Feb 01, 2009 5:36 am

Old Biker UK wrote:
gunboatbay wrote:... ice hockey pucks really make good, solid footings....
At last, a use for my wife's yorkshire puddings....
(quickly runs and hides)
Mark

Yorkshire pudding!

I'd give my interest in hell for a meal of roast beef and Yorkshire. Wonderful stuff!

Harold

BMyers · Post by **BMyers** » Sun Feb 01, 2009 7:48 am

I did the same thing under my B&S No. O Mill. I wish I had done it years ago ! I think my SB 9" Jr will get the treatment next

srrl5 · Post by **srrl5** » Sun Feb 01, 2009 11:29 am

I bolted 4x6's under my BP 23 years ago, at 6' 3" +- (if I stand up straight) it has helped a lot.

David

steamin10 · Post by **steamin10** » Sun Feb 01, 2009 1:15 pm

Ya, I look like a grumpy troll under the lights hunched over the machine.

It seems us 6' ers have trouble with small cars and short anything.

4'11" women dont get it either. I get a back ache trying to get a kiss.

A Hockey DISC would be great. Just relief a pocket for a washer and bolt head. No-brainer. Thanks.

I dont think Chaski sensor codes allow us to puck around..

Sorry , couldn't pass that one.

BadDog · Post by **BadDog** » Sun Feb 01, 2009 1:58 pm

I put steel slugs under the 6 adjustment/leveling feet of my 17x60. Each is roughly 6" diameter and 4" tall, faced both sides. I added a roughly 0.010 dish to the bottom (so it won't rock) leaving a ~1/2" ring around the outside. Also put a largish conical divot to the top to capture the roughly 1.25" dia leveling bolts. Not only raised it to a comfortable height, but it also made room for some stock storage.

Rwilliams · Post by **Rwilliams** » Sun Feb 01, 2009 10:52 pm

With a new lathe on the way and maybe even delivered this week, this thread makes a lot of sense. Being 6' 4" I have even greater vertical challenges to deal with and have been considering just how much to elevate the new machine from the beginning.

As soon as it arrives, I will be making sure to make this lathe the correct height as the last one was just too low for the past 29 years. That is long enough.

dgoddard · Post by **dgoddard** » Sun Feb 01, 2009 11:46 pm

Rwilliams wrote:... Being 6' 4" I have even greater vertical challenges to deal with and have been considering just how much to elevate the new machine from the beginning....

Well, you at 6'4" and me at 5' 11" and me needing 3" lift would suggest that you would need an 8 inch lift on my lathe, but that would only be true if your arms were the same length as mine. So I a guessing that whatever lift brings the controls that you have to keep your hands on, (e.g. split nut release, Power switch, cross feed, axial feed), to a comfortable height is the key. But at your height, You may want to give additional attention to the machine stability. You can see in my picture, the feet I used gave me somewhere around 10% height increase but about 50% wider support front to back. If you don't bolt the sucker down be careful that you don't degrade the stability.

I was a little concerned that the feet I made would be tripping me (hence the generously beveled and rounded ends) But since they do not extend beyond the chip tray I find them no problem at all. If you do raise it a lot and bolt it down you may need some long bolts. Post a picture of your solution with you in it, It will probably be beneficial to others.