We have a precision ground spirit level here some where. I believe it is good to 1/2 or 1/4 of a degree.
Found this on tool post T-nuts sizes
Not sure which is the closest. The AXA’s are what the current tool posts appear to have.
The BXA is .625" thick -ours .410", BXA 2.25" wide - ours 1.9"
Given that: Weld and Machine!
Possible Tool post sets but are they the right size T-nuts, since there seems to be some sort of standard sizes.
I think we have a complete manual scanned on the committee drive + some (all?) of the parts diagrams.
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+1
Before any alignment tests/fixes the lathe really ought to be in its final position and leveled. The leveling process will have the single greatest effect on the alignment and precision the machine will be capable of.
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I will be in tomorrow to give a hybrid lathe class in the afternoon and then remain some time into the evening for what ever can be done on the lathe project. Again on Sunday.
It is clear that the lathe project has reached a feverish pitch. Other committees may have participants and volunteers, but the machine shop has zealots and bulldogs.
If the machine doesn’t have the structure to be aligned before its final installation, then it will need alignment after our install, unless we get luckier than we deserve. The alignment provision is only for the horizontal axis, no provision for vertical misalignment. The head box, thus the spindle bearing set can be pivoted horizontally. Since the cutting tool approaches on the horizontal plane that is by far the more important, sensitive of the alignments. Perhaps, we should do the tests (but no corrections) on the old lathe to see where we are now, so that when good but imperfect alignment data is obtained on the new machine we will have some perspective on what is a reasonable tolerance goal. The manual simply indicates align until the readings are the same at both ends. Well, that is rather unlikely to happen before the year 2525, if man is still alive.
“A precision ground spirit level?” Is that a bar that has taken an extra communion? Now I am going to have to go online and find out what this thing is.
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I’m here now & going to start dealing with the odds & ends.
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Will be there about 7:15
Same, give or take …
We have a level. But no point in checking it while on skates as it would be meaningless.
Made some great progress on the new lathe tonight, and even turned a bit of steel on it!
All that’s needed now is to move and level it. Huzzah!
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A little something to watch while you think about all the projects you can do with the new lathe …
Note the intuitive user interface: line up the colors on each ring and you get the marked speed.
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Yep, the benefit of not having a VFD motor with settings that members can mess with…
I posted this on a PM for the folks working on the lathe when asked about it:
Here is the precision level used for machines. It’s made by South Bend tool. Photo is on rear way in front of tailstock. I did a quick Google of scale indicates that each mark is .005" per linear foot.
This apparently the way you detect twist in addition to level:
Also saw this photo for for adjusting twist on a Southbend, I assume ours has something similar.
image. 
It’s in a wooden box and setting on the crossslide. I did a very very quick check setting it on the ways in four places. They were both not level, which is to be expected, but there wasn’t much difference but is sitting on skates. The difference I saw was was about 1/2 of the space between the lines. So once we get it into place and and actually leveled we’ll see were were are. Nothing that I saw would indicate that is anything but not level instead of twisted. But we’ll see when it’s leveled on the floor.
Also saw this photo for for adjusting twist on a Southbend, I assume ours has something similar.
image. 
Meter could be wrong.
