10EE on wheels? Roll-a-Monarch?

More of a curiosity question, but definitely a possibility. I searched here and via Google but came up empty so want to ask. Has anyone put their 10EE on wheels? As in, maintaining the kinematic, 3 point system, with caster wheels? Not so much the dollies and such that we have seen. Actually using three large casters. Thanks.

I have almost everything in my shop on casters, but never the Monarch.

Lee (the saw guy)

No reason why not, but I think I would have some sort of screw down leveler feet to stabilize it and screw them up when your going to roll it.

oldster said:

I have almost everything in my shop on casters, but never the Monarch.

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Same here. The very few things not on casters are on custom pallets for grabbing with a pallet jack. Ooh! You just reminded me that I need to go buy some replacement wheels. Thanks!

daryl bane said:

No reason why not, but I think I would have some sort of screw down leveler feet to stabilize it and screw them up when your going to roll it.

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That's what I was thinking. Trying to figure out how and where to attach them but wanted to see if anyone had already been here and done this.

I should add, that this occurred to me because the base is still on the shipping pallet I made and I rather like the added height of it all. Being as how most other stuff is on casters here, I figured that casters durable to carry the 10EE would be at least as high and likely even give me another 1" - 2".

Three wheels will make it tippy. Better to make angle iron rectangular frame that supports the lathe at three points and then use four castors. Be mindfull of castor axle locations and make sure they can never be inside the original floor contact points of the lathe. This usually means the castor base will be bigger than the lathe base.

mach2 said:

Three wheels will make it tippy. Better to make angle iron rectangular frame that supports the lathe at three points and then use four castors. Be mindfull of castor axle locations and make sure they can never be inside the original floor contact points of the lathe. This usually means the castor base will be bigger than the lathe base.

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Theorhetically, why would it be any more tippy? It sits on three points inside the base's profile as it is. It would continue to bear upon those exact same three points. So why would anything change?

I would probably make up a tube "pallet and use the pallet jack instead of leaving it on casters. Lathes can get squirrelly when you spin something a bit out of balance..... my luck murphy would show up at the most inopportune time.

to show my point I once had my 17 x 75 Colchester 8000 series lathe ( not real heavy construction but decent, about 5k lbs) jumping off the floor at 110 rpm with an unbalanced large shaft chucked up ( took a forklift to load it.... not sure what bent it) and high speed can magnify that quickly. I don't like chasing my lathe around, but if you do caster, make sure the lathe can unplug itself....

As my user name gives away I have a
14x30 1920 leblond on factory 3wheel carrige

There is a thread on here with pics

http://www.practicalmachinist.com/vb/antique-machinery-and-history/i-bought-roll-round-leblond-14-lathe-257763/

Zahnrad Kopf said:

Theorhetically, why would it be any more tippy? It sits on three points inside the base's profile as it is. It would continue to bear upon those exact same three points. So why would anything change?

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Not saying it would be impossible, just be cautious. On castors the center of gravity will be higher. I'm not familiar with the monarch bearing point locations but assume a point at the tail stock end centered on the base casting, if it were to tip at all the corners of the base would limit the tip. A castor would raise the lathe and remove that limit. Also a castor axel will constantly be moving relitive to the original bearing point exasperating the condition. Castors will need locks and a three legged arrangement will complicate access especially in a small shop, if clear access all around not so much of a problem. How much does a 10EE tail stock end weigh, that castor will need to heavy duty.

I have a lot of things on wheels, but not the lathe. A steel pallet and pallet jack is the way to go.

mach2 said:

Three wheels will make it tippy. Better to make angle iron rectangular frame that supports the lathe at three points and then use four castors. Be mindfull of castor axle locations and make sure they can never be inside the original floor contact points of the lathe. This usually means the castor base will be bigger than the lathe base.

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3 points define a plane...Unless you keep it on a surface plate only 3 wheels will be doing anything most of the time anyway.

moonlight machine said:

3 points define a plane...Unless you keep it on a surface plate only 3 wheels will be doing anything most of the time anyway.

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With a stiff frame, yes. If a frame is made flexible the four wheels will be In contact with the floor all the time. And at 3500 pounds most frames will be flexible enough. Anybody out there with their 10ee on wheels?

daryl bane said:

No reason why not, but I think I would have some sort of screw down leveler feet to stabilize it and screw them up when your going to roll it.

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Exactly that. There's a thread on mine from few years ago. I HAVE 2,000 lb per-each casters. They are waaaay too tall for a safe 10EE roll-about, cannot recommend them even were it not. Most caster failures are from side-loads.

Machinery skates are what one wants, and 'caster', as-in self-align under force, they do not.

Have to be 'aimed' before moving.

I bored out two of the kinematic cored holes to take 3/4" bolts. Moved the HS end rear one slightly to gain more space vis a vis the motor mounting plate.

Northern Tool 3300 lb per-each 8-bearing skates were drilled as well. A linen-bakelite filler plate drilled to match was set into the channel of each. 3/4" bolt, head down, rising through the centre of each skate.

Three nuts and a few more washers decide whether the weight is on the skates or if the bolt-head pushes against steel Scotch-block plates I can place between the skate's axles. Those insure it dasn't go walkabout, even if NOT jacked-up.

I 'aim' the skates by taking the strain off with an automotive trolley jack under the 10EE base. No need to waste space on a pallet jack I don't have room to swing, OR store.

When working on the 10EE's innards or wotever, I 'crab' it out into an open space with all three set at about 30 to 50 degrees off the 10EE's long-axis.

Once out there, I most-often set each of the three skate's axis to the minds-eye circumference of a circle and can then pivot the 10EE in its own length.

Skates were purchased. I stock them anyway. Also their 4400 lb urethane-roller cousins. Had my fill of loose pipe-rollers long ago.

No cutting or welding was required, no steel bought but three 3/4" bolts, some nuts and washers.

With skates in-hand, all it wanted was just three holes, one center of each steel skate, three more in the reinforced phenolic filler (makes 'aiming' easier), opening-up two of the three already-cored kinematic holes and drilling one outright to pass larger bolts.

The cored holes will pass 5/8" without that but I wanted the holes cylindrical, not conical, so as to avoid the bolts being able to tilt.

We've actually had a couple of Earthquakes here. No problems, but I AM glad I went up to 3/4" bolts rather than 5/8" drop-in size.


Bill

mach2 said:

With a stiff frame, yes. If a frame is made flexible the four wheels will be In contact with the floor all the time. And at 3500 pounds most frames will be flexible enough. Anybody out there with their 10ee on wheels?

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Flex it is bound to do. No such thing as perfect stiffness. Defy you to measure it on my 10EE base and bed when on its 3-points, though - skates in-play OR jackscrews.

I picked up some urethane wheels at auction a while back. My 10ee is currently on a skid, which is on the wheels. They are great for machine moving. The wheels I have are similar to these, but mine are only 2.75" long. The poly on mine dents fairly easily with a fingernail, suggesting it will not be durable. But then it recovers. Even sharply toothed traction ramps didn't seem to hurt it.

3" DIA X 3-3/4" LOAD ROLLER W/2mm BALL BEARINGS

Zahnrad Kopf said:

More of a curiosity question, but definitely a possibility. I searched here and via Google but came up empty so want to ask. Has anyone put their 10EE on wheels? As in, maintaining the kinematic, 3 point system, with caster wheels? Not so much the dollies and such that we have seen. Actually using three large casters. Thanks.

Click to expand...

All my woodworking stuff is on casters, but I think if you have a tool like a lathe that needs to be leveled, moving it around will require that you level it each time you plop it down. If you keep it up on the casters there is no chance of leveling it because even a locked caster will creep a bit. So, how often would you want to move it? The frames my table saw, jointer, etc sits on have 3 wheels and one is on a cam to list the machine off the floor to roll and when released it sits back on the leveling feet. the saw and jointer is rarely moved the planer and the bandsaw is moved every time i use it. My shop is small . I have a bench late so that does nto move, it sits on a concrete ledge. The mill is just sitting in place, no moving base for that.

dee
;-D

I agree about the 4 casters and using 3 leveling jacks. That machine is heavy but I would bet it is top heavy . The base is 3 points but those pads are what 4" x 4" contact and a caster wheel that touches is what 1/4" x 1".

I have seen Myford Grinders on carts or on stands that they use a pallet jack on to move it in the shop to do 2nd ops. Never seen a lathe on casters. I would the to see you pushing it along and the one caster hits a nail of the floor and the momentum tips the machine over. Rich

Monarchist said:

Flex it is bound to do. No such thing as perfect stiffness.

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Ain't that the truth? No matter who demands it

dee
;-D

Monarchist said:

Flex it is bound to do. No such thing as perfect stiffness. Defy you to measure it on my 10EE base and bed when on its 3-points, though - skates in-play OR jackscrews.

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To clarify what I meant by flexible , I was referring to a castored mobile base and not the cast iron 10EE base. The 10EE base is stiff for sure or three bearing points wouldn't work well.

I have my 10EE on skates so I can roll it in and out of the garage while I work on it. This photo was taken back in January and now, six months later, it has worked out very well.





The skates are Northern Industrial P/N 2613S077, and are rated at 4400 pounds each, more than sufficient for my 10EE when it is fully back together. I got them on ebay for $54.99 each.

This link probably won't work for very long, but searching on the terms above should help you find them.

Northern Industrial Machinery Skate 44 lb Cap 2613S77 | eBay

Alan