Moving machines

Generally most lathes are very "headstock heavy" which is very fortunate for someone removing one from a pallet.

If the overall weight of a lathe is, for example, 1000# it's usually a simple matter to unbolt the lathe and, with the help of a friend, manually swivel the lathe, bringing the tailstock end around/over the side of the skid and set it on the floor. This is accomplished by leaving one bolt loose, but still through the machine and skid, and using your lift to pickup/pull the tailstock end (unless you and your friend are big, chunky, machinery mover types).

The bolt I'd leave loose normally would be on the head- stock end of the machine closest to the front of the machine. If you have 4 bolts rather than two on the headstock end then I'd use the one at the front and closest to the point of balance of the machine.

By keeping most of the weight on the pallet (headstock end) and still somewhat fastened, you stabilize the mach- ine, preventing it from twisting (which is the common way to begin dropping such a machine).

Does this make sense to you?

dennis in nca

LOL Larry, I wasn't sure of which album, thought it may have been "Don't crush that dwarf, Hand me the Pliars". There cannot be many here (or anywhere) that have ever heard or remember this stuff. Lots of classics, Rocky Rococo, Nick Danger, etc.

Bob

LOL Larry, I wasn't sure of which album, thought it may have been "Don't crush that dwarf, Hand me the Pliars". There cannot be many here (or anywhere) that have ever heard or remember this stuff. Lots of classics, Rocky Rococo, Nick Danger, etc.

Bob

I think that half the Baby Boomers in America who attended college in the '60s or '70s remember them well. Whenever they come up in a conversation among people of that approximate age, somebody will say, "All out for Fort Stinkindesert." d8-)

-- Ed Huntress

Bill et al,

Liftgate truck rental: I've had good luck with renting liftgate trucks from penske. (In the Boston, MA area.) I've moved an older (round ram) Bridgport, and a Southbend heavy 10 lathe without incident. Penske has two types of liftgates, regular and heavy-duty. I seem to recall that the heavy-duty ones were rated to 3500 lbs. What I found esp. helpful about those were the larger area of the liftgate. (though the rating margin was nice, given sketchy info on the weight of an older mill.)

Other very handy tools:

Pallet jack

** Johnson Bar/Jo-bar (at mscdirect.com, I think they call this a "pry dolly" ) ** pry bar, Steel pipes, Straps, chains, Hydraulic jack, Come-along, Scrap wood

I got my BP off its pallet using the Jo-bar, pry bar, lots of scrap lumber, the pipe, and one buddy. IMHO, you can do this sort of machine moving yourself IFF you plan, replan, and think carefully ahead of time about every possible thing that could go wrong. Slow and steady does it.

HTH -- and best of luck,

Larry

On Wed, 17 Oct 2007 08:07:14 -0700, with neither quill nor qualm, bob snipped-for-privacy@yahoo.com quickly quoth:

"All Hail (Harpo Marx, Lennon)" was their best, fer sher.

More from Bozos, if my recollector recollects correctly: "Look, there goes a boxcar full of industrial coke." "Where's it headed?" "Oh, there, it's going into the Executive Branch."

-- Death is more universal than life; everyone dies but not everyone lives. -- A. Sachs

On Wed, 17 Oct 2007 11:16:45 -0400, with neither quill nor qualm, "Ed Huntress" quickly quoth:

I've found only a dozen folks so far, both here Wreck.Metal and on the Wreck) who remember them. Most people I've talked to don't have any idea what I'm talking about and they think I'm even weirder than I really am. Yes, I know. That's pretty tough to do.

...talking to my wall...

-- Death is more universal than life; everyone dies but not everyone lives. -- A. Sachs

Firesign Theater was really popular among the kids I hung out with. My neighbors remember them, too, which we remind ourselves about at our annual Christmas party. When we get going I'm sure everyone else thinks we're nuts. d8-)

-- Ed Huntress

According to Larry Jaques :

[ ... ]

Well ... I heard them -- though I was born a bit early for them, but I was listening to the weird radio stations at the time which would play the full recording from time to time.

Enjoy, DoN.

Larry,

That's a really interesting idea; I will check on local availability. Did you do anything special to secure the machine in the truck? Any concerns about the center of gravity? Did you invert the head? Note that I know to ask about that, but that's about as far as it goes.

I am seriously considering getting one. The capacities are impressive, and the prices are (gulp) reasonable. A stacker/work positioner would probably do more for me, but would be no match for a mill where a palette jack would. I already have an engine hoist, so some strong dollies and a light stacker might be a better use of my money, especially if I take it easy on the weight of the mill.

Do you mean something like:

I have not seen those before, but they do look useful. What is the purpose of the wheel? Do the wheels spin, or are they fixed to the bar? Having them spin seems counter-intuitive to me, but maybe that's just because I've nudged some heavy loads around with a pry bar too many times, and don't know what I'm missing.

I do not yet have a come-along, but getting a couple of them is on my list. I know exactly how to find an anchor for going out of the garage (I keep finding new ways to use a pickup truck), but getting an anchor inside the garage is tougher.

The pipe idea is familiar, but bothers me a bit. Right or wrong, my engine hoist feels safer to me. There have been mentions of combining a hoist and heavy dollies, and also using a gantry crane. A gantry crane could sit almost out of the way (over other stuff), but looks like a lot of metal with not too many uses.

Beyond just understanding what I am getting into in buying any particular machine, I would very much like to be able to move (or at least nudge) whatever I buy. Imagine storm damage that leaves water pouring on the mill and/or the mill in the way of a temporary repair. Being able to get it out of the way would seem really important in a hurry.

Thinking of it from that perspective, looking at the reactions here regarding what is or isn't too heavy for a DIY move, what did and did not ruffle movers, etc., it would be nice to stay under 2000 lb. There are a couple of 8x36 machines that I might learn to like. One looks attractive, but has sealed bearings, which I am not sure I want???

No rush, but thanks to all for the insights. I think a lathe is next, but this has been very helpful. Anyone wanting to argue for a better mill instead of a lathe? I think I'm too happy with my existing mill for that to wash, but now would be a good time if you care to debate that :)

Bill

On Wed, 17 Oct 2007 22:50:13 -0400, with neither quill nor qualm, "Ed Huntress" quickly quoth:

Ditto my "pack", but not with many others.

They all still do, I'm sure.

"Roll up your sleeve and bend over. Do you want regular or Ethyl?"

-- History is often stranger than fiction. Fiction has to be plausible. History is what happens when people don't follow the script. --pete flip, RCM

According to Bill Schwab :

[ ... ]

Two of those can be used to move the machine by lifting one edge and then rolling in the direction that edge points. Two of them can also be use to lift one edge enough (with two people) to set the pipes under that edge, and then moved to lift the other edge to allow it to roll, while relaxing your force on the handle allows the lifted edge to come back into contact to act as a brake.

They can also be used to lift an edge and fit mice under that edge, and then you can move to the opposite edge to lift and allow motion or set the edge back down to prevent motion while the mice permit motion full time (until they are removed).

I don't have any (yet) but I do want to get them when the other expenses go away for a while. (The air conditioner compressor seized up Wednesday night, and will have to be replaced.)

Enjoy, DoN.

But what do the mice say about this?? Should someone not- ify PETA?

In other words: What's "mice?" I've never heard the term used in machinery moving before (however, mousing hooks is a term I am familiar with).

dennis in nca

Bill, et al,

Sorry for the delayed reply. Busy here. Comments interspersed below.

Probably not -- these are the Atlas of mice. :-)

A mouse is a little box with a series of rollers which circulate around it -- sort of an infinite set of short pipe rollers except tha these rollers are solid, not hollow.

They also have a "tail" (a handle which lets you control the direction it is pointing), and a turret on the top to allow you to turn the mouse body while there is weight on the top.

They are referred to in the plural, because you need at least two to have reasonable balance and control.

Enjoy, DoN.

I see, thanks. In the Chicago area we would call them machinery moving dollies or "roller skates." Different manufacturers might call them something else, so "mice" may just be another manufacturer's term.

dennis in nca

dennis in nca