Lifting a Bridgeport?

I finally got my Bridgeport. Phase 1 was getting it from the ship point into my garage. The head was removed to fit it in the delivery truck. It is on a skid. That part worked out well and is complete.

I have a buddy coming over Saturday with his Bobcat to get it off the trailer and into the garage. That shouldn't be a problem.

Now for the fun. I can move the head off the table using my 2 ton crane. He can put it into position with the Bobcat. The only problem is that it will still be on the skid. In order to get the skid out from under it, I need to lift it a few inches. My question is: Can I run a chain through the mounting bracket inside the column (is that the right term?) and lift it using that? This is the same bracket that holds the head on, so i'm guessing it will be strong enough. However, I thought it would be a good idea to ask before i cracked it and put myself behind in setting it up.

Thanks
Caspian

I would put the ram back on first then lift it by the ram [with properly torqued bolts] either with the screw eye hole, ie with a proper forged eye, or by wrapping a strap around the ram, both of which are proper. you can then lift the whole thing off the skid outside and then put it on either a pallet jack to get inside, or on pipes. if you can get the bob cat inside, you can simply place the mill on the floor and gently push it along, add some dish soap if needed.

The Bobcat will be able to get in the garage, no problem.

I can't slide it because I have a thin rubber matting on the floor to protect it from oils and such.

The strap idea may be the way I'll have to go.

Any other thoughts/ideas?

Caspian said:

I can't slide it because I have a thin rubber matting on the floor to protect it from oils and such.

Any other thoughts/ideas?

Click to expand...

Get a couple of lengths of round bar stock - 1/2" - 3/4" will work fine - rub some grease along the length, put the mill on the bars then *slide* it along into place.
This is exactly how I moved my Bridgy into a single car garage with a rough concrete floor.
You'd be surprised how easy it is to move it this way.

You can lay down some thin metal sheet on the floor so you can slide it on
Should work

You had better make sure your buddy has a SERIOUS Bobcat, because most of them won't even think about lifting it. A Bridgeport is well over 2000 pounds. My 753G tipped without even budging my Bpt.

I told him it'll be 2000-2200 lbs and he said, "no problem". He has a construction biz and he has a few. I'm guessing he has a heavy duty one he's planning on using.

Unless you really need it right now for the work you'll be doing, it might be a really good idea to set that riser block aside, and get a set of the correct length studs to mount the turret base to the column without the riser. As a generality, a Bridgeport with the riser in place is surprisingly inconvenient to use, so keep the riser put aside unless the work absolutely requires it. I can't remember, off-hand, the length of the 1/2-13 studs needed to fit into the spider and hold the turret assy, but doubtless someone here can give you the gen on those.

The cast iron 'spider' part which carries the studs for the turret assembly is surprisingly fragile, however you could make up a plate of steel, aluminium, or even a couple thicknesses of 3/4" plywood with a drilled hole pattern for those studs, put a forged 1/2 or 5/8 thread eye-bolt in the centre, and lift the machine easily.

If you haven't the correct studs yet, using hardware store grade 5 or, better, grade 8 bolts of suitable length will suffice nicely. (for that matter, making up an 'x' of two scraps of flat steel, drilled at the ends for the studs from the spider, and in the centre for an eye-bolt, would lift the Bridgeport safely.

Once the machine is safely on the floor, move it with the ancient Egyptian technique.....a few rollers and a heel-bar or other prying tool.

By taking the head off the ram, which two strong helpers can easily handle by hand lifting (having the motor off first is preferable), and sliding the ram out of the turret, again a 'two strong helpers' operation, the turret can be lifted onto the column by hand, the ram replaced in the turret, and the head replaced on the ram, all by hand lifting with good helpers.

cheers

Carla



cheers

Carla

Carla,

Removing the riser is a good idea. I don't need it for anything in the near future. I really like the idea of making a bracket from steel. I have some stock that will be perfect.

If all goes well, the Bobcat can drop it in position (while on the skid). I can then use the fabricated bracket to lift it up while pulling the skid out from underneath.

Does anyone know the correct size studs for mounting the head without the riser?

Thanks
Caspian

Why not put eye bolts in the holes in the base (eye side up). Then you can place a chain/sling into the eyebolts and lift enough to get it off the pallet.
Then use pipe under the base to roll it into position. (3 pipe min).
my .02
Chuck

This has been gone through many times here but unfortunately the search feature is not available at the moment. Many good points being given out by members here. Each situation is unique but let common sense prevail and be safe. I used straps, pipes and a backhoe on my move. I uploaded a bunch of pictures to my site a while ago for myself and others like yourself to ponder at. They may help you so here's the link. The pictures are large so have patience.

http://www.glowhound.com/Machinery/index2.html


You can push your BP around with just your hands if your floor is flat with pipes. Strapping is probably the best thing to use. The fella that took the BP out of his basement took the head/ram of first, then used only one strap in a noose setup around the column. It grabs under the fat portion of the neck and wont come off under load. Scared me just thinking of it. Good thing I wasn't there to see it, but- it worked. I would NOT grab the spider in the column and lift via that with a strap. That will probably cost you $$ for another one and a tipped over BP.

Everybody has their own preference for Bridgeport height. For me, a 4" riser makes it the perfect height for vice work. I would rather use a 7" riser than none.

But I have only very rarely used a Bp with a manual drawbar. Most of my time has been with Erickson QC30, and I have a power drawbar now.

If I was going to move a Bp without the ram, I would make a plate and put the eyebolt from the ram on the table. The table could be moved in or out to get proper balance. There is no way you will get proper balance lifting through the column with the ram removed.

The turret, ram, and ram adapter 350#.

The head maybe 150#

We used a come along and a beam across 3 trusses to get the 350# piece in place. Muscle f**k*d the head on.

We did use the knee and blocks to help get the head on.

Clutch

Take the riser out, you may never need it.

Put the head and ram back on.

Use straps under the ram front to rear to lift it. Move ram back and forth to balance the mill.

Set it inside on 3/8" Pipe. I use 5 pipes and replace them as it rolls along.

You may want to put some thin plywood down to protect the rubber mat.

The rubbler mat on the floor don't sound good to me but it's your floor.

I had some rubber mats down and they were to hard to sweep stuff off of and stuff got ground into them. They are gone now.

You have a two ton crane and the mill weighs a shade over one ton with the head and ram on it.

Set the head and ram off and put it on the floor with plywood under it. Then set the rest of the mill off the pallet and trailer and set it where you want it. The legs of the crane(engine hoist I presume) can go under the trailer. Then set the ram and head back on the column. With the pallet gone the legs of the crane will straddle the base of the mill.

If you take the riser block off, the length of the bolts should be the same size as the bolts that are in it now minus the length of the riser block. If you put four eye bolts that will screw into that spider where the bolts go and with a coupla bars through the eye bolts, there should be no problem picking it up. A T-nut with a 1/2" eye bolt screwed into it inserted in the table with a second chain might be required for balancing purposes only. After all, if you put straps under the ram and picked the complete assembled machine up, the weight would still go back through those tapped holes in the spider.

I don't think that a bobcat is going to pick that up. I tried to pick up my hurco smb1 that already had the head and ram off and it picked the back tires up on the bobcat 753 and the hurco did not even wiggle. The hurco is about the same size as the bridgeport. Don't use the engine hoist if you can avoid it, there are a lot of stories on this and other forums about engine hoist lifts that went real bad. Probably the easiest way to get it off at your house is to call an old school boom wrecker (not a new roll on one). They can easily and safely lift it and get it on the ground for not a lot of cash. Once on the ground, they are easy to move with pipes.

Caspian,
My BP manual for a Series I 2J variable speed lists the installed weight as 2200 lbs.

If you use a boom(conventional) tow truck, keep an eye on overhead clearance, especially the door. This is usually the limiting factor in how far the truck can insert the mill into a garage. Make sure it is a hydraulic extension type boom to get it inside a ways.
Can you pull up the rubber mat for the move? I expect the Bobcat will tear it up, if it has to turn at all inside the garage.

I used a tow truck to move mine into the garage. I got it as far as clearance would allow, then used the wheel lift to shove it farther in. A 4x4 laid on the floor can be used as an extension to push it farther.

Will

Carl Darnell said:

Take the riser out, you may never need it.

Click to expand...

yeah you might as well send me the riser since you don't need it....

Update

Suprisingly, installation went without a hitch.

The Bobcat is the "medium" sized one so it had no problem lifting it. It was a bit strained, but didn't teeter or make the operator feel nervous.

I ended up removing the rubber mat. It is too slippery when it gets wet and with all the slush from winter, I didn't want to bust my ass. I figure it's better to have a dirty floor than break a bone. I may still move the matting to under where the truck sits so the salt doesn't eat into the concrete.

Anyway, here's the Bobcat putting the mill into her new home.

Thanks for all the advise. Removing the riser was necessary to getting it in the garage and a great idea.

Caspian

Looks like a good move, the latest "skid steer" loaders have a product line with models having a lot more capacity on the forks/bucket than the older ones....I suppose this translates into more overall weight.

While a skid-steer wouldn't be my first choice of machinery mover, really anything that can be driven in a careful, controlled manner and can handle the weight is feasible. It's definitely a lot more useful for plowing the driveway than a forklift