Well, the previous owner didn't know how to turn the thing on, he was that green. Old school sheet metal guy who sold his product line off and had the building for sale. I turned it on, figured out the E-stop to enable the drives, then figured out how JOG worked and jogged it into shipping position.
I read the other threads about preparing a fadal for shipping, but this machine didn't match any of that advice. I made up steel bars to go through the counterweight, but it turns out they want a 2x6 to support the bottom of the counterweight. Next the head lockdown bracket wasn't quite right because the casting had no holes! I prepared ahead of time and brought a piece of 3/4" MDF with a couple of holes as a spacer just in case my 17-1/2" bracket was too short. Well, it turns out that a 17-1/2" bracket with a piece of 3/4" MDF under it is just the right height to rest the Z on and take tension off the counterweight. I drilled a couple of holes in the bracket and used a ratchet strap to secure the head to the table.
I tarped the machine at the pickup because we were getting some light rain, knowing that rain in Merlin meant it was dry in Klamath, I drove until it got dry in White city, removed the shredded tarp, and drove up the mountain. Well, the clouds convened around the mountain and it was light rain all the way up the west side of the cascades. Once we got to the top, it dried out and the machine dried off on the way down the mountain and across the valley.
Got home and there wasn't a trace of moisture on the machine.
I called the local rental place and EVERY forklift they had in 3 stores was rented. It just so happened that the 8k telehandler I was interested in was rented to the elementary school project a mile or so up the road. I struck a deal with them and rented it for a couple hours to unload the machine and move my CHNC-1 into the garage (from the barn).
Now the garage has 10lbs of crap in it.
I need to do some re-decorating in the garage to put the machines in a place that makes sense. The Hardinge will sit on blocks for the time being while I clean up the mill. The Hardinge has its own issues, including wonky servo drives, which I'm hoping to remedy with tuning and/or new firmware.
I haven't seen the spindle turn on, on the Fadal, but it's relatively simple and easy to get at. This machine has a pair of belts and 3 pulley ranges, I think they are 2500, 5000, and 7500 speed ranges. It has an air mist lubricator for the spindle bearings, so I don't know if it could possibly be a 10k spindle or not. It doesn't look to have a locking drawbar.
The labels inside the control cabinet say the backlash is 5-6 tenths per axis, and I don't think the machine has been used much since, but the way lubricator was empty and there are way lube hoses that are not connected