Inexpensive heavy dusty adjustable feet for table jig or bench

[Aussie48]

Franks reference to the snow is in post 11.

Had a brain fade the other day, hot about 113 F in the shade so didn't do any welding on the stand. But had a thought, it would be easy to fabricate a 4" bed extension to bolt on to the rear of the bed and that would get the tailstock out of the way and give me a bit over 14" between centres, what do you think? Also took the 3 jaw chuck of to clean inside and out and discovered that the backing plate is drilled for both 3 and 4 stud chucks so don't have to fit and adapter and loose a bit of the distance between centres.
Have decided on a full length drawer, will make it out of what we call Melamine covered Chip Board as I have a sheet of 1/2 thick on hand and a bottom shelf made from the same material. With the quick change tool holders I am milling from 1/2 aluminium sheet some 60 degree slides for the holders to sit in and screwed to pieces of 1" x 1/2" Australian Redgum mounted on a board at the rear of the table in line with the tailstock. I picked up a metal drawer years back that has 5 sliding drawers in it stands aout 13" tall, 12" wide and around 13" deep that I used to keep my files in. Will fasten that to the bottom shelf and keep files and tool bits etc out of the way in that.

Dick

[PJs]

Had a brain fade the other day, hot about 113 F in the shade so didn't do any welding on the stand. But had a thought, it would be easy to fabricate a 4" bed extension to bolt on to the rear of the bed and that would get the tailstock out of the way and give me a bit over 14" between centres, what do you think?

I was up in Oodnadatta in mid March on my trip and it was ~140°F and the black flies looked like moving ground cover, when they weren't trying to climb in my nose...hard to do anything above 115°F for me too. Anything is possible, but for my "precisionist" sensibilities mimicking the ways, height, level, lateral alignment and attachment seems pretty daunting without tools I don't have or access to.

PJ

[Aussie48]

Those bush flies are a right pain, Oodnadatta now that's a place I would rather avoid same as Coober Pedy and Marble Bar to hot for man or beast, although the Pubs do sell nice cold Beer.

I think the bed extension is possible, I have access to a surface grinder so the only hard part as you have rightly pointed out is getting it dead plumb. There is enough meat on the rear of the bed to drill and tap cap screws to snug it up to the bed and 2 locating dowels. The end of the bed is milled smooth so a quick skim to make sure it is dead straight to the ways should do the trick. Anyway if I don't try I will never know, nothing ventured nothing gained as my Dad used to say.

Dick

[Aussie48]

Have had another think about the bed extension. I am going to make a wooden mould (allowing for shrinkage and machining) and have it cast in SG2, still use 2 locating dowels and cap screws to hold it snug and firm.

Cheers

Dick

[Frank S]

Aside from making the extension. You did mention you have access to a precision grinding machine to assist in the machining the part this is all well and good as far as that goes. But the foremost important aspect of this project is going to be the mating surface of the lathe bed itself. Just because the end may have a machined flat surface do not assume that the surface will be perfectly square and perpendicular to the ways. They almost never are even on the most expensive lathes
Plan on doing a lot of scraping in this area to get that surface as near perfect as possible before mating the 2 together then after all doweling and bolting is done the ways of the extension will have to be scrapped to match the bed. 4 inches or 4 ft the process needs to be the same

[PJs]

Have had another think about the bed extension. I am going to make a wooden mould (allowing for shrinkage and machining) and have it cast in SG2, still use 2 locating dowels and cap screws to hold it snug and firm.

Cheers

Dick

It appears you have access to a lot of processes and equipment. As for SG2...wow, I would not have considered that because of it's properties. Machining and grinding will be slow going and hard on tools, let alone scraping if you do, especially once hardened which it basically is from the forming forging process. It's generally used in knife making and a block the size you are talking about will have some issues with molding and forging of the PM. Why not just use granite blocks like

. You can get it in moldable epoxy type material also.

Had one of the best burgers ever (w/Beet & egg) in Oodnadatta at the gas/grocery/shop...everything store and yes a cold one. The flies were a Pita but harmless near as I could tell. The rail station museum was pretty good too. Coober Pedy had one of the best pizza's also. It seems both were/are still pretty much wild wild west also as there were Definitely some interesting characters and encounters while there. One of the best parts of my trip, minus some of the heat and flies.

PJ