How to move a 5600# lathe?

[John-e Bravada]

I have a line on a 17”x60” Clausing lathe. I just don’t know how I’m going to get this 5600# pig off my trailer when I get it home. The seller can load it for me but unloading it in a three car garage is going to be tricky. I was thinking of using cherry pickers (2) to pluck it off the trailer but the more I think about it the more it scares me. With limited overhead room and not much room to work I’m striking out on ideas. The only option that seems to make sense is to have it dropped off on a roll back wrecker and slide/roll it off into the garage.

Any ideas/experiences?

[TB76Bronco]

The wrecker sounds like a good idea. You may also be able to take it off in pieces or rent a forklift to get it off.

[texascadillac42]

No friends with a small forklift, or decent sized skidsteer or mini-X that could pick it off and bull it into your garage?

[John-e Bravada]

I've got a buddy with a 4000# forklift but it's not quite enought and it is to tall to fit in my garage.:mad3:

I have a friend who works for RSC. I'll hit him up for a rental quote.

[randii]

A good operator with a tow-truck boom can pluck it off your trailer and set it on cribbing in your shop (simple to move from there) -- just be damn sure that he rigs it to lift well above the center of gravity.

Unless it is on a skid, I'd be more comfortable with a boom-truck than a roll-back.

Making two shop-cranes work together sounds difficult, and the lack of width in the platform on the ground makes me nervous. If you do choose to go this way, use cribbing to make sure any potential drop is small enough so that the lathe can't over-balance and do a face-plant.

Randii

[87JeepWrangler]

build/buy a gantry crane?

[guy,sxj]

A couple of years ago my bro got a 17"x96" Southbend for free. We used a large fork lift to put it on my trailer. To get it off he had a friend of a friend with a large backhoe lift it off and put it on machine rollers. It only cost him $150 for the service.

[Travis Waldher]

a chain fall or two, a few friends, several sections of pipe and a piece of 3/8-1/2" plate steel ought to do the trick.

Use the pipe as rollers to move it

The chainfall to control the descent off the back of the trailer, and the plate steel to land the edge of the lathe on so it can have pipe underneath to keep rolling.

Assuming you have ramps that are up to the task of course.

[PTSchram]

You will not be able to move that with an engine hoist, trust me on this (read my posts on my machinery addiction.). If you do try to move it using engine hoists, keep in mind that lathes are not balanced front to back and if you do not provide for this unequal weight distribution, you will topple the machine and hopefully, not hurt anyone when it happens.

I strongly suggest you have it picked up by a wrecker and delivered by the same means. Roll-back wreckers work very well and are probably the safest way to do this job without injury to the machine, the trailer or the people involved.

Yes, I have moved many machines in less than safe manners. I grew up and got smarter.

[ChevyJeep]

i would just build 2 6 wheeled casters and put them under one end then use either a little forklift that will fit in the garage and move it around like its a trailer thats how they moved our new Mazak into the shop and that thing was massive almost didnt fit though the 8' x 12' door i dont remember what it weighs but not sure what you could get it off the trailer with Clausing lathes are nice wish i could get one

Judd

[fabcam]

See how much it would cost for a professional company to do it. It might be worth it.

.

[fj40guy]

Yes, I have moved many machines in less than safe manners. I grew up and got smarter.

Last time I moved, I had a rigging crew move the mill, lathe, drill press for me. While the minimum charge was $500, and they did everything under two hours.... I figure it paid for itself in money saved on Chiropractic visits. :)

[PTSchram]

Last time I moved, I had a rigging crew move the mill, lathe, drill press for me. While the minimum charge was $500, and they did everything under two hours.... I figure it paid for itself in money saved on Chiropractic visits. :)

Eggsactly! It kinda defeats the purpose if you drop a machine on your foot and can't enjoy what's left of it (the foot, nor the machine) because your foot is fawked up GOOD and the machine is in tiny little pieces.

[fabcam]

Last time I moved, I had a rigging crew move the mill, lathe, drill press for me. While the minimum charge was $500, and they did everything under two hours.... I figure it paid for itself in money saved on Chiropractic visits. :)

Counting out 5 spots isn't so bad when all fingers and limbs are still attached.
.

[toad007]

My vote is for the flat deck tow truck idea. My roommate/shop partner is a tow truck driver and he just unloaded my 16cw monarch(18.5x54....~6000lbs) a couple weeks ago into our shop. I had built two pallets out of 4x6's and and 2x4's for the legs of the lathe. He slid the bed of the tow truck under the lip of the trailer, rigged it up to the winch, winched that fucker on, the reverse was basically the same, used the winch to keep the lathe from sliding off uncontrollably and just nudged it off by "jerking" the hydraulics on the bed. I would say from the time we started to the time it was in the shop and where i wanted it in one of the bays, maybe 20 minutes? He has also done this with horizontal mill(sunstrand #1) of mine. Works tits...DO IT!

[Wyoming9]

I would go with the roll back.

If the price is cheap enough have them haul it for you.

You can rent machine moving dollies, but for that amount of weight pipe will be fine.

If you can get a trailer that tilts thats another option. me i would go with what takes the least amount of time.

[SHERPA]

c r e a t i v i t y..............

2 pickers would work.... if: Big IF: they're close to the total rated capacity.

take everything off the lathe you can (without taking vital components off)

remove chucks. tailstock, etc. move SLOWLY......... no sudden moves.

get it high enough to pull the trailer our from under it..... set it on a pallet

jack.... or, build a cart for it prior, and you'll be able to push it around

whenever you need to.

--Sherpa........
small shop, make everything mobile.......... even my 95 ton iron worker can
be moved.

[NJ]

skidsteer or mini-X that could pick it off and bull it into your garage?

no skid steer is going to lift 5600 lbs. You would be into a substantial backhoe, if that, possibly loader. Our Cat 420d backhoes (second largest cat makes) will not lift 5600 pounds, and our skid steer is rated for less then 2 grand (there are larger ones though)

[300sniper]

use the roll-back to get it there and as close as you can to where it needs to be. from there roll it on 3 pipes into position.

when ever i need something heavy moved i invite a bunch of friends over for a bbq. when they all get there i surprise them with the "while you are here, give me a hand with this real quick":D

[wiggamoe]

The best and safest way to move a heavy piece of machinery is to call a professional moving company. I just received a mill and lathe. The local moving company, Harvey Machinery Moving, wants $250 to move the mill from the east side of Indianapolis to the south side. They will move the machinery into my garage and level it. That isn't too bad.

[FF3PM]

Call Dan's Towing out of Stillman Valley (Dan Kunce) he has done many tool boxes (even my own) and other odd items with his roll back, he is a very good operator. I think he may have a boom that could pick it up. If not Maggios could boom it into the garage but they are pretty pricey. I really doubt you will find any skid steer with that heavy of a lift, especially up high. I have access to several of them and I think the largest is a T300 and that only has a #3000 lift and that is down low. Give me a call if You need help, I am local to you, I'll PM you my number.
You could always disassemble it. My old neighbor and I moved his South Bend lathe into his basement piece by piece.

[Realsquash]

You could rent a machine (or machine and operator) like this. Capacity of 6000 lbs on this one. If you at all care about your new machine you should pay up or I will take it off your hands!

Andy

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3172/2291353825_fcedddf70f.jpg?v=0

[Urban Wheeler]

The best and safest way to move a heavy piece of machinery is to call a professional moving company. I just received a mill and lathe. The local moving company, Harvey Machinery Moving, wants $250 to move the mill from the east side of Indianapolis to the south side. They will move the machinery into my garage and level it. That isn't too bad.

That's the big part of all this, your machinery has to be level in order for it to cut accurately.

[John-e Bravada]

Call Dan's Towing out of Stillman Valley (Dan Kunce) he has done many tool boxes (even my own) and other odd items with his roll back, he is a very good operator. I think he may have a boom that could pick it up. If not Maggios could boom it into the garage but they are pretty pricey. I really doubt you will find any skid steer with that heavy of a lift, especially up high. I have access to several of them and I think the largest is a T300 and that only has a #3000 lift and that is down low. Give me a call if You need help, I am local to you, I'll PM you my number.
You could always disassemble it. My old neighbor and I moved his South Bend lathe into his basement piece by piece.

Thanks FF3PM! I've been out to Dan's Towing before, he's a real nice guy. One of my buddies works at Dan's Goodyear in Oregon and they have a roll back. I think that's the way I'm going to go. I'm also picking up a Bridgeport from the same place. I'm picking that up tonight so I'll post some pics of the three ring circus unloading process:eek: I hope I don't loose any fingers:D

[DUG]

There are several good, cheap and even safe ways to do this.

One is to measure the base or legs and make a pair of 'skates' that fit under it and when the P/O sets it on a roll back for you have him set it into the skates. Tie it down good and then you can roll it off the truck into your garage/shop and use an engine crane to lift the ends enough to get the skates out from under it. Going from a roll back onto machinery rollers is not as easy as you would think, I had a less then fun time with it once and prefer the skates.

If you have a low ceiling height call around and look for a small lift truck with a 'truckers' mast on it. Keep calling places for a short mast with a full free lift and you will end up with something that will at least get it in your garage. Just be conscious of load center... if you have a machine that is short but boarder line on capacity picking out of L/C can lead to a bad day. A skid steer with a fork attachment can also do wonders for moving machines.

Another hint. Machinery often moves nicer top rigged instead of putting forks under it. If you run into an issue getting the forks up high enough w/o the top of the carriage getting into the door or ceiling flip the forks upside down.

[ShawnM]

... If you run into an issue getting the forks up high enough w/o the top of the carriage getting into the door or ceiling flip the forks upside down.

Whoa!! :eek: I was with you until you said this!! As soon as you flip your forks ALL of your weight is now being held by the guide on the fork. Not too mention you lose all of your support from the heel of the fork being pressed harder into the mast as weight is applied. Doing what you said now provides a 4' plus lever for the weight on a 1/4" to 3/8" lip. This guide is not meant for loads what so ever. :eek:

[DUG]

Whoa!! :eek: I was with you until you said this!! As soon as you flip your forks ALL of your weight is now being held by the guide on the fork. Not too mention you lose all of your support from the heel of the fork being pressed harder into the mast as weight is applied. Doing what you said now provides a 4' plus lever for the weight on a 1/4" to 3/8" lip. This guide is not meant for loads what so ever. :eek:

Depends on the fork, some have tiny guides where others use a hook comparable to the upper; common sense should apply. There are also forks specifically made to be reversible, they have pins in the hook that would normally be the guide. I actually just got a set of them today...

You still have support but it is a little wonky due to the longer applied lever arm.

Anytime I have done this I have done it with a machine rated well over what I was moving.

Having watched riggers and millwrights for years I have learned that many of their tricks, like this one, may be a bit out there; I should have added a disclaimer.

[IDASHO]

Any local building supply outfits there?

Order something, then slip the driver $20 to have him unload it with his boom. :smokin:

[John-e Bravada]

Any local building supply outfits there?

Order something, then slip the driver $20 to have him unload it with his boom. :smokin:

:D I thought about that, order a pallet of shingles then send them back right away:laughing:

[Gummi Bear]

Another vote for an equipment mover.

I have had them move all kinds of machinery and heavy electrical switchgear for me.

They've got the equipment to do it right, they know what they're doing, and they're insured...

[houseofbs]

I've moved my lathe about 4 times. We jacked up one end and put the ends of two long 4x4s under it. Then went to the other end jacked it up and pushed the 4x4s under the other end so that the lathe is completly supported left to right with two long 4x4s, one front one back. We then ran 4 long lag bolts into the 4x4s to keep them from moving. This is the point that you call a couple of friends (it doesn't take many). Jack up the lathe, put about 5 pipes under it and roll it where ever you want. Now call the roll back truck. It was really pretty easy and cheap.

[John-e Bravada]

Well after hillbilly moving the Bridgeport the Rigging Guys are looking better and better. What an adventure this ended up being. With the mill in the middle of the trailer we hooked onto it with a buddies tractor and drug it to the back. After a couple failed attempts to pick it off the back of the trailer we pulled the head off to lighten and shorten the load. Even so we almost tipped the tractor driving the base up the driveway. I now have a dent in the asphalt were he set it down once the one rear tires was a foot in the air.:eek: He squared up to the slope of the drive and we ran the base in and set it in place. We the moved the head into the garage but we had to take the tractor back and had run out of day light. I then set the head back on with the cherry picker. Taking off the head only save us a couple hundred pounds. I was amazed how much the base of this thing weighed. Now it's in it's new home. I guess now I have to build a rotary phase converter and learn how to run this thing:laughing:

I don't think the lathe is going to fit in the garage:( I have a buddy who might store/use it till I get a proper shop. We will still have to move it into his place. Here we go again!

[PTSchram]

Now you know why I'm so adamant about doing this the right way!

I have come so close to hurting myself on so many occasions (more reasons why I made such a good safety manager :flipoff2:) that I no longer even try to jury rig moving machinery.

[Realsquash]

I don't think the lathe is going to fit in the garage:( I have a buddy who might store/use it till I get a proper shop. We will still have to move it into his place. Here we go again!

I can help you "store" that lathe :D I'll even transport it!

Andy