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Old 06-14-2021, 11:59 AM   #5
rockfla
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Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Jacksonville FL
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Default Re: Lathe set up help for my shop

Quote:
Originally Posted by 19Fordy View Post
Make sure you allow enough room to feed bar stock thru the headstock and into the chuck.
What kind lathe do you have (Southbend)? I sure miss the lathes I had when I was teaching high school metal shop. Having a lathe is "heavenly".

I would not recommend having your lathe on a little taller work surface as it will be more tiring and difficult to change chucks and do machining work like turning between centers, using boring bars, making intricate cuts, cutting tool mounting, using the taper adjustment and adjustment, etc.. Keep it at floor level for easy access , adjustment and cleaning. You want your head and neck to be comfortable. Looking down is better than looking up.

Also, you want to be able to tighten and open the chuck easily and safely.

It is nice to have a rubber mat on the floor for your feet comfort.

Enjoy your new machine tool. It's solid gold.

Its a Jet 10 X 24 bench top lathe. That's my only issue now is the room/access to the head stock. NOT sure how much I "should" allow but where it will have to go based on the height (which I figured out the lower of the two is much better for my height) I will be "pretty" limited as the bench is just off a corner SO I will have to measure tonight and see just how much room I will have. Keep you posted!!!!
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