There is not turner one who totally agrees with turner two or even three so we all agree to disagree and choose our own conditions. As for the bolting down causing a problem with pulling out of align, That might hold up if there is a twist or roll in the floor and it might pull down a leg and twist the bed, however proper shims and pads would correct that.
(Check this Scenario....The base rocks on the floor because the floor is twisted or uneven so you bolt it down so it doesn't rock... the floor didn't change the leg length didn't change, so something changed....
I suspect the bed twisted In the same manner, The same base rocks on the floor same reason, you add a couple hundred pounds of sand to a shelf on the base, the rock stops, Floor still didn't change, legs still are the same length, something changed,
again I suspect the bed twisted. So, If you are weighting down your stands with all that Ballast, you best make sure the legs are shimmed up even before sand or bolts.
)
Stu, Bolting the lathe to the floor is a great way to transmit the sounds as you have direct contact as you have already found out. Use of a rubber pad between the floor and leg (even with a bolt would soften the contact. My Air compressor drives my "personal critic" bonkers (much like your late night phone calls) so I slid an old Truck Mud Flap (found on the side of the road) under the unit and now there is one less thing for her to worry about and she has room for new concerns. Same with the pump to my pool mounted on a slab and with 5 @ 50# bags of sand plus water at 8# per gal. and it still made noise, although the slab is not attached to my foundation (12" between them) I still heard the hummmmmm all night long.
At the beginning of one season I slid another Truck Mud Flap (Our highways are littered with them as we are on a major truck route) under the filter/pump, refilled with sand and of course water and enjoyed sleepful night from then on.
My new truck has a shorter bed than my last truck, I had a rubber bed pad in the old truck and transferred it to my new truck and cut off a foot of the 3/8" thick black rubber. I am read for the next vibrating equipment and don't have to salvage highway litter.