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Newbie here saying hi and have a question

petemachinist

Plastic
Joined
Nov 7, 2017
Good day all,
My name is Pete and I am a general machinist for over 30 years now. I'm into building streetrods and currently run a 1925 ford model t tow truck and have a 1935 ford Tudor that is next for the surgical bay. I have a 14 x 40 lathe and just picked up a great deal on an older bridgeport step pulley J head machine.
The machine itself is really tight and fully functioning so far although needs a good teardown, cleaning and checkover.
The question I have is that this machine is very low to the ground. I could easily sit on a stool and do my milling work. I would like to get this thing up higher by about a foot to make it easier to see what I'm working on as the eyes that could once split a hair can't even see it now lol without the help of glasses.
I've done some searching on the site but haven't found anything but bases with casters.
Has anyone raised their machines higher to make things easier.
Appreciate any advice on base building experiences.
Thanks
Pete
 
this machine is very low to the ground. I could easily sit on a stool and do my milling work. I would like to get this thing up higher by about a foot to make it easier to see what I'm working on

I'm only 5' 10", but actually DID sit 4 to 8 hours a day on a stool - adjustable-height shop/draughtsman's type with the ring foot-rail - at a long-ago Day Job that involved either an M-head or a 1J Bee Pee.

Not really a lot wrong with that, vs raising the machine, actually.

Not as if a tiny BeePee did largish parts all that often, and if/as/when it does have to handle something that overhangs the table by a lot, that is prolly a greater PITA up-high than lower down where one can more easily bend OVER the protruding bits, look downward at cutter, etc.

2CW
 
My engine lathe sits on four pieces of square steel tubing with top plates welded on. Use your own judgement to decide the dimensions suited for your mill. Keep in mind that you need to reach the drawbar top to change tooling, though I hear that some people add an air-powered drawbar wrench.

Larry
 
Thanks for your input, The jury is still out on what and how high I would like to go. Will post pics when I decide.
 
I am a general machinist for over 30 years now...just picked up a great deal on an older bridgeport step pulley J head machine. The machine itself is really tight and fully functioning so far although needs a good teardown, cleaning and checkover. The question I have is that this machine is very low to the ground. I could easily sit on a stool and do my milling work. I would like to get this thing up higher by about a foot to make it easier to see what I'm working on as the eyes that could once split a hair can't even see it now lol without the help of glasses.

Welcome aboard. Are you talking about elevating your Bridgeport? Or your lathe? I'm 6'2" and don't have much trouble with the height my Bridgeport runs at. But as a machinist you probably know Bridgeport tower extensions are available which add about a foot to the column, enabling you to raise the table considerably. I see them for sale used once in a while on ebay or craigslist for reasonable prices. I have an old 1926 SouthBend lathe and set it up on 2x4 blocks with firm rubber padding underneath. Probably raised it about 2 inches off the ground. Helped a little, although I didn't think it sat that low anyway. I could get a stool to run it if necessary, but so far am ok standing by it.

Otherwise, don't tell some of "the experts" here you think it's necessary to tear your machine down simply for cleaning and inspection. According to them, nothing could be more foolish. As far as I'm concerned, way to go. Post some pics when you get a chance. And what brand of lathe did you get? I might be in the market for something a little more modern myself.
 
Welcome aboard. Are you talking about elevating your Bridgeport? Or your lathe? I'm 6'2" and don't have much trouble with the height my Bridgeport runs at. But as a machinist you probably know Bridgeport tower extensions are available which add about a foot to the column, enabling you to raise the table considerably. I see them for sale used once in a while on ebay or craigslist for reasonable prices. I have an old 1926 SouthBend lathe and set it up on 2x4 blocks with firm rubber padding underneath. Probably raised it about 2 inches off the ground. Helped a little, although I didn't think it sat that low anyway. I could get a stool to run it if necessary, but so far am ok standing by it.

Otherwise, don't tell some of "the experts" here you think it's necessary to tear your machine down simply for cleaning and inspection. According to them, nothing could be more foolish. As far as I'm concerned, way to go. Post some pics when you get a chance. And what brand of lathe did you get? I might be in the market for something a little more modern myself.

Thanks for the input. I was watching for a riser block on that auction site but don't like the prices seeing as my money is Canadian lol so that's like 30% more.The reason I am going to take apart and clean is someone put grease to it instead of oil so I want to clean everything out and probably add an oiler
I've owned an off shore 14 x 40 lathe that i have owned for over a dozen years and to be honest although I am not a fan of offshore stuff this machine has never given me any problems and is great for the home shop guy or hot rod builder like myself.Tooling and machines etc. are harder to come by here in Northern Ontario Canada.I'll probably just leave it for now and keep watching for a spacer.
Fortunately I live on a border and have a mailing address in the States for making shipping of stuff easier
Will try and post pics once I get into it.
Cheers
Pete
 








 
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