Capt'n, A steel bench is always better. While you are making it, make some sort of leveling system. If the legs are square tubing, you can just weld a slug of steel on the bottom, then drill and tap for adjustable feet. 5/16" thread at a minimum.

For leveling the lathe, you would level the bench first, the set the lathe on it and check the feet to make sure they are in full contact with the top. You want a no rock condition. If there is a bit of daylight under one of the screw holes, you will introduce a warp in the bed when you tighten things down. A small lathe like the 8x doesn't have to be exactly level, but it won't like a twist in the bed. You can either shim up the mounting area untill all four points are tight, or you could use some epoxy putty and "bed" the feet. Just put a flat of mixed putty under each bolt area and position the lathe. No bolts yet. Once the epoxy has set, you can then drill out and in the holes and then bolt down the lathe. We used to use cement when we did the big machines. Once you have a good solid bed for the lathe to set on, you can level the whole bed, or if it isn't way off, just start using it. The reason for leveling a lathe is to make sure there is no twist in the bed of the lathe. On the big ones, even as stout as they are, it is easy to twist the beds with an uneven floor. Keeping everything straight is the goal and the easist way to accomplish this is to use a level as this gives a very accurate reverence line.

You will enjoy the lathe, it is a tool I use most often. Humm, I still need to finish my collet chuck back plate. Started it months back and it is still not finished. Then on the the P&W Wasp Jr engine I wan't to build.

Don