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Moving a machine without forktruck

electromech31

Plastic
Joined
Jan 9, 2007
Location
Southern Wisconsin
My problem is I purchased a Gisholt #5 turret lathe. roughly 5' x 9', tooling up the wasso, 4500 lbs, twenty miles away, sitting in a dry shed, gravel driveway, no forktruck. Renting a forktruck for both locations would be more then the lathe.
The best idea I have had so far is jack up lathe, build skid under it. roll skid and lathe on barstock rollers, make a 90 degree turn. Roll it up a ramp (made from 4x4x8 bolted together), ramp will be cribbed up with 4x4s. pulled by a 2 ton chain hoist chained to front of low height trailer, trailer will also be cribbed. Reverse when I reach my shop.
I figure if pyramid's can be built like this so it should work to move a lathe.
Any suggestions or your crazy ways of moving machines?
 
Any idea how many people died making the pyramids?

Do you have several thousand slaves to help?

(apologies - couldn't help myself)


Charles
 
Rent 1 of those hydraulic trailers that goes down to the ground.

Lift 1 end of the lathe with a shop crane high enough to slip a 2” roller under it and then back the trailer under the lathe. Use rollers of what ever size and winch the lathe up on the trailer

Only because you are on gravel

When you get it home to a lathe friendly concrete floor use machine skates
 
I think I'd consider the cost of materials for the skid/ramp/cribbing plus your time (at $30~$50 per hour) and then rethink the forklift rental cost or the cost of a rigger with a rollback truck & forklift.

The right equipment really makes a job easier!

Mike
 
just a steel bed roll back car carrier with some chain will do this, that lathe is plently stout to simply drag on a concrete floor using the truck's winch. pull it to the door and have the bed kissing the edge of the floor, a little digging may help. you can cut a couple of frisbys in half and slide those under the legs, they make nice sliders and the lip helps hold them on. some ivory dish soap makes a good lube on the floor if needed, and is easier to clean up than grease. Use it straight of watered down. that is how I have done simular moves. if you have to go around a corner , you can.
 
Skidding the machine the very first thing (lathes ARE top heavy) is excellent procedure. Don't move the lathe without the skid. They are very easy to face plant without that extra width.

The difficulties of geavel and dirt can be overcome with a little shovel work to level out the surface. Lay down planks or thick plywood in the machine path .

A forklift will make light work of the whole thing if there is good footing on the dirt. An 8000 lb forklift here is $175 for a day delivered. smae charge for U haul with a trailer. If you have a stout truck to pull the lathe on a trailer it should pull the U haul. Then it's back and forth with the truck until the lathe is moved and the forklift returned.

Hard to beat a fioklift.
 
per Forest's suggestion on skidding. If you do, bolt thru your hardwood. forget about lag screws and softwood, it will not do you any good WHEN YOU NEED IT, period.
 
We've got several 2 x 12" rough sawn oak planks for moving machines. We just put 3/4" round bars of steel under them and roll the machine along with pinch bars. Once you get the machine outside of the building, I would use a wrecker to haul it the rest of the way.
 
my 1700lb hardinge was moved into my garage by sliding off a tilting-bed flat bed truck and then rolling it on two steel tubes and using a huge pry bar
 
Skidding the machine the very first thing (lathes ARE top heavy) is excellent procedure. Don't move the lathe without the skid. They are very easy to face plant without that extra width.

Actually assuming it's a proper 1940's or newer Gisholt it would be difficult to turn over compared to conventional engine lathe. Still top heavy of course, but no where near as top heavy as a standard lathe and they have a heavy wide base. Still, a skid couldn't hurt...
 
The method described in the original post is what I have used to move most of my machines. I have learned a few things that I would like to share:
A round pry bar of less than 1 1/8th dia is useless. It flexes before the heavy thing comes up.
I prefer solid round vs pipe as rollers. I just don't trust pipe.
When using the chain hoist in a horizontal mode, throw down a piece of old carpet so the chain can't snag or pick up debris.
When running the hoist, wear ear muffs. The chain will either make you deaf or drive you crazy.
Tie down or screw down ramps if possible. Use 2" oak planks if available. Don't trust pine with knots in it. Support with cribbing every 18 inches along ramp.
If you are close enough to the machine so that if it falls, it can hit you, keep one hand on the machine. Any movement will be transmitted through your arm and will instantly tell you what the machine wants to do.
If you are working with a helper, note where he is and what he is doing at all times.

There are many other things to consider, but the forum will time me out if I don't send this on. good luck. Post some pics if you survive. WWQ
 
do they have tow trucks in your parts?

wall3.jpg


that's not a light mill. and it's hung out as far as the boom goes. and the truck is not on level ground.

you could probaly use the tire lift hydraulics to hold the bottom and the cable lift boom to hold the top and drive slow.
 
Sounds like the guy who was told he could pick all the oranges he wanted; but then he couldn't pick up the box he put them in. *S

Usually machinists figure out how they will do the job, before they start it.

BUT! I have done the same type of thing a few times myself. LOL

I'm sure you'll figure it out.

Best of luck,

Stan-
 
The rollers are a fine idea for concrete surfaces, or those "paved" with wood. Flat surfaces better, of course, inclines and declines are tough work without a helper as the rollers all want to roll away.

The general problem with a lathe is that the end pedestals are fine for rolling, it is that pesky space between them where the chip pan usually hangs.

I think you are right in thinking to skid the lathe, but there are a couple issues...first the machine needs to somehow get on top of the skid. Next, the beam strength of the skid timbers needs to be able to support the weight if you get to a point where the pedestals aren't completely supported. Also you have to have plans to get the machine off the skid later.

I've moved things like this in the past and it is entirely within the realm of possibilities, just work slow and sure, and incrementally get 1 inch at a time. A tow-truck crane or flatbed/tiltbed car hauler cuts the work down by a factor of 5. A forklift cuts the work down by a factor of 10.
 
the one problem that always seems to occur when my friends, brother, and I are moving a machine is 2 or 3 guys want to run the "show". Designate a boss, the most experienced mover.
 








 
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