"...Will that be one shim or two?"

[QSIMDO]

I'm putting this befuddlement down to the fact that I've got too many projects going at once and not age.

That works for me and I'm stickin' with it!

Here's the question.
After 4 or 5 years and a couple of moves I'm squaring my column.
I've got 2 shims under the side next to the hold-down bolts and now I'm going to do the "front to back" adjustment.

I'm looking at it and thinking I should only use one shim in the middle of the side and then one in the front so as not to screw up the left to right adjustment.
I'm thinking if I stay with the two under the side and then if I have to shim the front............

Am I making any sense?

[jetflatline]

Every time I try to plan/calculate this sort of thing I get it wrong because I don't account for a surprise variable.

If you have the time, why not just go around in a circle? You have the left/right, now do the front/back then check to see how much the left/right is off?

[QSIMDO]

Oh...I've been going around in a circle that's for sure.

Really, if you consider it as you would, say, leveling a transit you'd only want 3 points for adjustment and I was considering that as well.

Actually, in the X axis direction I'm down to like .0005 in 6"...and I don't want to screw it up!

Y axis direction has me spinnin' though because it keeps asking for more forward tilt and I added more and nothing moved! That's when I left it for the night.

I'll do more this weekend but I've also been pondering...why not replace the cap screws with studs?
Pull the column, set the studs, thread down a nut, set the column then just adjust the nuts under the base until plumb then lock it all down with nuts & lock washers on top?

Then maybe point up the resulting gaps with machine grout like a rotten chimney.

Hell, the mill and base are leveled up on less than that!

Why, this could be revolutionary!

[QSIMDO]

Sorry to say, we'll have to wait for the revolution.

A fresh day got it straightened out conventionally, swarf has been made and all's right with the world.

Knee mill next!