Leveling Casters for lathe

[Roger Chandler]

I am considering putting leveling casters underneath my new G0766 when it arrives, and was wondering what type of configuration those of you who use them have on your big lathes?

Do you use a stem type? The bottom of the legs on the lathe will have a hole through which the leveling feet that come with the lathe are to go through [stem type with threads]

If you have them and like what you have, could you post a pic.........perhaps even a link to them. Amazon has some by footmaster which looks like a bolt would go through the hole in the leg casting and screw into the center............is that a better configuration than a bolt going up from the caster up into the leg casting. Basically it seems that the choice is either male stem caster or female caster that receives the bolt............which is best?

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51IrthdsfcL._AA160_.jpg If you have experience with this type caster, would you give your perspective on how good these work on a lathe? Much appreciated!

[Roger Chandler]

Reading one review over on Amazon.com from a person who put these on his 700 lb. lathe, he says they work okay on concrete, but the studs that come with them are too short and barely allow for a nut to thread on the upper side of the leg casting.

If one could find a little longer bolt with the same threads, perhaps that would work in place of the studs?

[David Delo]

Roger,

I have the AC-300s Zambus casters and you can order them with a longer stem or you can DIY if you want. The longer stem they have provides just enough length to get the nut with all threads engaged on the stem for my 3520B that has a foot thickness of 5/8".

These were the best solution for me because I'm tall (6'4") and needed to raise the height of the machine (around 4.5") to get the centerline close to my elbow height. More important was the slope of my basement floor. It slopes quite a bit in X, Y, & Z axes and took a little bit of trial & error to get the level bubble inside the lines. My front left corner caster is engaged slightly and the other 3 caster have a plug of different heights under them. Didn't have that much confidence when I first tried this out but I've turned some big out of round pieces on this for 1.5 years and the machine hasn't moved at all, solid as a rock.

FYI, not sure how flat your floor is, just know you don't get alot of adjustment range with the casters. I forget exactly but I think it's less than 1/2" per. I've moved the machine a couple times and these provide for a easy push around and provide a rock solid base when engaged.
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[Roger Chandler]

Thanks David........I appreciate that input! I will check out the AC-300's!

[Mike Goetzke]

Put them on my lathe work great:


http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?220315-New-Location-for-my-Lathe&highlight=casters

[Josh Bowman]

I've got them on my PM 3520 and on my 1951 South Bend 9 metal lathe. They work well. The only possible issue I can come up with is if you move your lathe often, these require some getting on your hands and knees and turning the foot up out of the way. I put them on not so much to move the lathe, but to level it. But IF on the rare occasion I want to move it, I don't have to "thread" my engine lift into place and rig the lathe for a lift.