Put an angle plate on the table, either at right angles or parallel to the column ways depending on which lean direction your are trying to check, and attach the DTI to the head. Run the DTI up and down the angle plate using the Z axis and note the change in reading over a measured travel. Reverse the angle plate by 180 degrees and repeat the DTI reading. Do some simple math on the results and you have your answer.
Tramming the spindle is irrelevant to the trueness of the column.
Phil
Originally Posted by bilinghm  Ideally, I want to square the column independently from the head. The spindle bore may not be square to the column. Tramming the spindle without knowing if the column is square to the table could introduce error as the head moves up and down. |