1. Home
  2. ⏣ General Metalworking
  3. Update on moving two very heavy things (and more questions)

Update on moving two very heavy things (and more questions)

Well I guess they're not _that_heavy.

The local fellow with machine tools he moved into his garage says the lathe is a pick-up for two big or three not-so-big people, the drill press is easier, but the mill may be ticklish.

The mill is a Brown & Sharp model 0 horizontal, quite old. It has one round overarm. I think I can get the overarm, the table, the motor & gearbox, the main-shaft and pulley, and all the little stuff that might break off it, but the piece that's left is still a big piece of cast iron. The foot is about

21" x 27", it stands about 56" high, and if the knee doesn't have to come off that might be a help. It will have to be tipped over onto its side to get out the hole. It would really help if I knew rougly how much this main section is likely to weigh.

All of these have to be got out of a door that is 31" x 46", so they are going to ride on little wooden sleds. These will be under them the whole time from out-of-the-basement until they are on their feet in the new shop. I plan to roll these sleds over lengths of pipe (thanks to whoever suggested that one). I'd like some advice on what size of wood to make these sleds out of - will economy 2x4 studs do, placed side-by-side and braced with cross pieces where the lathe/drill/mill has space? Or do I go and get full-dimension 4x4's?

There are are two conflicting influences here - a) I'm cheap b) This was my dad's stuff and I don't want it broken

And no, I was too small to remember how the hell he (5'8"and 140lbs) got that stuff in there in the first place.

Reply to
jtaylor
Loading thread data ...

Greetings:

I would use 4x4's. The efficiency of rolling over the pipe will greatly benefit from the relative rigidity of the 4x4 vs 2x4. Cut the 4x4 ends at approx 45 degree angle to make pipe sections easier to feed. Cut the 4x4's about 50% longer than the supported part of the mill to gain leverage when rotating or lifting the unit. Center the mill over the 4x4's so roughly equal lengths of wood are extending from front and back. I've used the same technique to move a 1500 kilo horizontal mill, 16" Southbend lathe, and medium size shaper. Sort through the lumber selection to get the straightest, crack-free pieces available.

Regards, Jim Brown

Reply to
Jim Brown

I've had outstanding success moving reasonably heavy machines (up to 2 tons) on 2 x 6 planks. You can bolt the machine to the planks if necessary, which it might be in your case. Installing elevator bolts, or recessed carriage bolts or hex head bolts would leave the bottom face free from protrusions so you don't have any obstructions when rolling on pipe.

My most recent success, just two weeks ago, was moving a Bridgeport knockoff, but larger, with power feeds on all three axis. Once placed on a couple planks, it was a simple matter to roll it into position (on 1-1/4" pipe) in the home shop where it was delivered. The rigidity of 4 x 4's can be a high price to pay when height is a concern, such as in your case where you're trying to take a machine through a limited opening.

Harold

Reply to
Harold & Susan Vordos

You can usually rent a couple of Roller Pry Trucks at any rental joint for a few dollars a day... two guys can easily move 8,000# - 10,000# as long as you don't need to lift it very high. David

Reply to
David Courtney

Based on the size and height..Id have to give a semi educated guess that the casting weighs on the order of 700-900 lbs. This could be handled quite well with a furniture dolly, or a good solid refrigerator dolly. I think Id try the furniture dolly first. Nail a pair of 2x6s side by side, separated by cross ties. Id then nail down a 1x1 furring strip on the outside of the 2x6s, which were nailed separated by the distance between your dolly wheels, less the furring strips. This gives you a track that the dolly can run inside of, so you only have to worry about a straight pull, rather than them running off the side of the planks. A few husky guys, or a couple guys and a vehicle with a stout rope to act as a motive engine will suck those out of the basement in short order. Of course you have to secure the load to the furniture dolly securely.

Gunner

"A vote for Kerry is a de facto vote for bin Laden." Strider

Reply to
Gunner

And if you're gonna use a rope drape some blankets or something over it. If the driver of the vehicle doesn't stop in time when the rope is stretched to it's limit it's likely to break and whip around. I've done this. Stretched a rope until it broke. It really packed a whollop. Even melted part of the rope. ERS

Reply to
Eric R Snow

PolyTech Forum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.