So this happened while moving my 10ee...

gpcoe · Dec 8, 2013

What should have been a leisurely move turned to disaster. I borrowed some machinery skates from work and successfully moved it into position. I had moved it to remove the generator. I had also removed the motor as well. I decided to move it back so I'd have better access to the motor cavity and when I jacked up the spindle side to take it off the skates it didn't lift evenly. I had the lifting jack in the middle of the casting where I've lifted from several times before so I didn't think much about it, but I failed to realize that because all of the motor and generator were removed that the lathe was now extremely top heavy. Before I could make the decision to drop the lathe back down to move the jack, the CG shifted and the whole lathe toppled forward.

NOBODY was hurt!!! Just my pride.

Long story short, a good friend brought over a chain hoist that we strapped to the roof joists and we were able to get it upright again. I'll post pics of the up righting when he emails me the pictures. Anyhow, most of the damage seems to be centralized on the front control knobs, and the tail of the direction control (this is a ELSR machine) was broken off. I'll need to make a new rod and tail peice.

The most concerning is that cross slide leads screw no longer turns smoothly. I won't know til I can dismantle it, but I fear that it may be damaged. Do I remember right that someone was making a new replacement leadscrew? Anybody have some info on this?

Anyway that's all for now.

Greg

metalmaster10 · Dec 8, 2013

Ouch!
Came really close to this while moving a Cincinnati #4 horizontal earlier this year. Had it on 4 skates, one slid out while going over a dip in the floor.... We got under it with a prybar fast enough, but it was just too close! Not again!
Glad no one was hurt!

S_W_Bausch · Dec 8, 2013

I've seen a couple sets of skates offered on local craigslist for little money......

Meh....

I respect Milacron's opinion of the value (and danger) of skates; I recall he doesn't think much of them.

Of course, if they were tied together with bars, bolted to a sheet of plywood, etc. I might reconsider, but there's a lot of utility in pipe rollers.

I have been known to drag machines across concrete; a come-a-long makes it easier than you think, and yes, the technique wouldn't work with a South Bend Lathe.

For that, I built a "cutting board" pallet from 2*3's; place a pipe roller in the middle and spin the machine if needed.

kpotter · Dec 8, 2013

Sometimes you can straighten the screw, use an arbor press and v blocks. Handles should be easy enough to get, check the apron for cracks they usually take the full force of the fall. Bummer this is why I dont use skates. Most of the machienry movers that I have delt with use dollies that they build.

gpcoe · Dec 8, 2013

I won't be moving the lathe again without putting some weight in the bottom. Even with my buddy there, we used a floor jack under the front apron under the spindle end in case it decided to tip forward again. I don't think I'd blame the skates. These are rated for the large machining centers at work and are more than capable of this. However, that being said, if I were on rolling tube or round stock the distance to fall would have been much more agreeable. Either way, I should have been much more careful of the CG with all the equipment out of the bottom. If I'd thought about that first I would have been much more careful when it wasn't lifting nice and even.

Greg

hitandmiss · Dec 8, 2013

"The most concerning is that cross slide leads screw no longer turns smoothly. I won't know til I can dismantle it, but I fear that it may be damaged."

Since you have a TA, the short stub that the screw telescopes in is probably what is bent. Just unbolt from the operator side of the machine, it pulls off the lead screw.

Bill

gpcoe · Dec 8, 2013

You can see some of the damage here. Notice that none of the handheld knobs are there anymore and the levers are all bent over. The forward/reverse rod looks worst than it was because I had to bend it out of the way, but the end block cracked off. Overall I think I came out alright if the leads crew can be saved. I'll have to do more digging to make sure, but the apron was locked during the move and I didn't notice anything alarming on it yet.

Greg

rmsfla · Dec 8, 2013

I've moved machinery almost every day for over 40 years.
I never had a accident.
It just sickens me to see such a accident like this.
No substitute for experience.
Some pixs moving a #2 Cincinnati out and a #4 as a replacement somewhere in PM.
Check out "Robbie's Machinery Moving Skates" again somewhere in PM.
I guess I need to make a video giving some pointers on how to go about rigging machine tools safely.
Anybody living close to me has means and time to help make this video for the membership?
Robbie

gpcoe · Dec 8, 2013

Using the chain fall to pick it up. That's my dumb ass in the back. Sorry for the crappy cell phone pics.

Greg

PaulM · Dec 9, 2013

Greg,

As others said - arbor press and V blocks (or similar) and a dial indicator can work well straightening. I had very good luck doing that on the taper slide I made (ground stock was not as flat as I wanted it).

Sould you want to replace - I've got a bunch of taper and non taper crosslide screws complete with nut - all used. Your close enough that if you want one you could probably swing by and select the best one.
Say $50? plus shipping if shipping is needed.

BobRenz · Dec 9, 2013

OUCH!

Best of luck in your repair project.

bukwerm · Dec 9, 2013

gpcoe said:

Is it just me or do the red towels underneath make it look like she fell and bled out? :eek:

+1 on the OUCH.
Hope you get her going again.

omrc7771 · Dec 9, 2013

Last time I used skates I was in my early 20's. Realized that there is almost always a better way to move machines

Chip Chester · Dec 9, 2013

No offense meant, but "your dumb ass" between the lathe, wall, and mill back there has no place to go if gravity rears its ugly head again. Just sayin'.

Chip

norb · Dec 9, 2013

Whenever I move machinery, I always put wood under the machine just a little bit thinner than the skates, and constantly readjust the wood so that if I loose a skate the machine just falls on the wood. It takes longer to move the machine around but well worth the effort.

allloutmx · Dec 9, 2013

OOooof! My condolences. On the upside...you learned something and it didnt cost you any limbs

gpcoe · Dec 9, 2013

bukwerm said:
Is it just me or do the red towels underneath make it look like she fell and bled out?

+1 on the OUCH.
Hope you get her going again.

Yes, She bled out, plus I didn't even realize there was a plate covering an oil catch bin under the bed that had some (probably) 30 year old oil in it. Spindle and Gearbox definitely bled out though.

Chip Chester said:
No offense meant, but "your dumb ass" between the lathe, wall, and mill back there has no place to go if gravity rears its ugly head again. Just sayin'.

Chip

None taken. at that point it was very far on the side of falling back to the ground. Once it was more upright we didn't go back there.

Greg

cmccull166 · Dec 9, 2013

I was almost squished using skates under a bridgeport ,Helping my dad and another friend ,skate came out it fell my way
but being next to a wall the machines handle stuck into the wall stopping the fall.Yep I was underneath it.
I will never forget that 30 some years ago....... and NEVER EVER USE SKATES UNDER A TOP HEAVY MACHINE!!!!!!!!!!!!!

oldster · Dec 9, 2013

Some points to remember:

1..machines are not automobiles that require a wheel on every corner and skates are not wheels!

2..we all learned in high school trig class, "three points establish a plane"

3..shop floors are not really a surface plate. They have low spots that are designed to attract skates and retain them as the machine moves on.

4..WITH SKATES, THREE IS THE MAGIC NUMBER.

If the move won't work with three, rethink your move.

Lee (the saw guy)

allloutmx · Dec 9, 2013

Very true...I learned three skates is better when moving my mill in. My floor is pitched to the drains in the middle of each bay...I almost had a picture like yours. I got really really lucky when it fell off the 4th skate.

So this happened while moving my 10ee...

Aluminum

Stainless

Diamond

Diamond

Aluminum

Titanium

Aluminum

Cast Iron

Aluminum

Stainless

Stainless

Cast Iron

Hot Rolled

Diamond

Cast Iron

Titanium

Aluminum

Hot Rolled

Hot Rolled

Titanium

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