Breakdown of 9" SBL for transport / stairs

dave230862 · Sep 16, 2021

Sorry if this is repeated question. If so, please point me to the thread and I won't belabour this point further.

Thinking to get a 9" SBL in the near future but will need to bring to basement either by myself or with one other person. Thinking weight must be ~300lbs+ so considering to disassemble for transport. I recall my Atlas could come apart pretty easily. Is it difficult to remove the headstock and carriage for this sort of purpose? I am assuming I will need to do a tear down and clean up anyway, prior to running.

Thoughts, resources, recommendations?

Cheers,

Dave

jim rozen · Sep 16, 2021

This is how I've always done this. Remove tailstock, headstock, remove leadscrew and QC gearbox as a unit. Tape the leadscrew to a 2X4 with strapping tape to prevent any bend problems. Wind the carriage off the end and this leaves the bed by itself.

Two adults can move a 9" bed by hand, no problems. Don't drop it on a toe.

Phil in Montana · Sep 16, 2021

300 lbs is child's play, move it whole...Phil

garyphansen · Sep 16, 2021

A friend and I carried my 9" Model A floor model with a 4' bed down my basement stairs. We did take off the tail stock and the counter shaft. However, that was 35 years ago and I am not sure I would try it now.

mcload · Sep 17, 2021

Moving A 9" Machine

Much depends on the steepness, width, and step (board) size of your stairs...only you know this. Moving a machine in whole could be either easy
or perilous, especially given that the unit is top heavy for all practical purposes. It also depends on how much help you can muster for this
move. There was a time when furnishing pizza and beer was enough, but those days are probably behind us.

You don't mention the bench size nor the horizontal drive. These two pieces can be back breakers just on their own, and most certainly add
to the overall weight. If it were me, and if I could only get one other guy (hopefully a weight lifter), I would first want to get the bench down the stairs
just to have a platform to set the bed onto. Even though you might be ready to restore the machine, I would wait until it's down in the basement
before I start taking all the pieces apart.

Personally, I would remove the tailstock, saddle, compound, gear guards, etc first. Those all come off with relative ease. The headstock w/QCGB is kind of
a can of worms and easy to misplace parts unless you are really careful about labeling and bagging. So I would try to move the bed with the HS intact.
Then, after everything is down in basement, you can start the tedious and careful task of removing parts.(And don't ever forget to take snaps with your phone
as you take it apart).

If you can't find any neighborly help, it wouldn't be a bad idea to get a small local moving company to move it down to the basement for you.
They've got the muscle and can use the work. I would think for as short a time it would take, 20 bucks a worker sounds about right. They can do
it quickly, safely, and at a specified time. For the sake of saving your back, now is not the time for heroics or to get cheap.

BTW, don't forget to first prep the area where the lathe will live, running conduit to the machine area for 110/220, and even epoxy painting a section
of the floor (2-coats min) where the unit will sit. If you do this, the bench w/machine will move and slide much easier than if on just bare cement.
And don't forget to add an abundance of lighting over the machine. Nothing worse than just a single hanging bulb.

Good luck.

PMc

View attachment 329464

SLK001 · Sep 17, 2021

I would remove the tailstock and the headstock only. The headstock is held on by only two bolts and the tailstock is self evident on removal. If you're concerned about handling the bed down a flight of stairs, get two 2x4s and drill and counterbore holes for the bed bolts and then bolt the bed to the 2x4s. You can then use the 2x4s as a sled to slid it down the stairs. I used to move my 9" by just removing the tailstock. I could lift the rest of the bed with a little effort, but I NEVER TOOK IT UP OR DOWN A FLIGHT OF STAIRS.

mcload · Sep 17, 2021

Just use your own good judgement; you'll do fine.

PMc

dave230862 · Sep 17, 2021

Thanks for the really detailed thoughts and ideas. I really appreciate that. Your set up looks very nice. I'm just starting the planning for the purchase which won't happen for a year or so (nearer to retirement) and I will be prepping the space with some of the ideas you mentioned. All make total sense.

dave230862 · Sep 17, 2021

Thanks for the comments. Interesting approach!

dave230862 · Sep 17, 2021

jim rozen said:
This is how I've always done this. Remove tailstock, headstock, remove leadscrew and QC gearbox as a unit. Tape the leadscrew to a 2X4 with strapping tape to prevent any bend problems. Wind the carriage off the end and this leaves the bed by itself.

Two adults can move a 9" bed by hand, no problems. Don't drop it on a toe.

Thanks for the comments. It was sort of what I hoped to hear!

jim rozen · Sep 17, 2021

One tricky point if you elect to unmount a QC gearbox and leadscrew: 1) remove them as a unit, which requires undoing the screws holding the gearbox and lead screw bracket. These can be troublesome and will probably require an impact screwdriver. That's one tool I invariably bring when dismantling a lathe like that for transport. 2) Tape the leadscrew to a 2x4....

pavt · Sep 17, 2021

On mine, I removed the tailstock and ran the carriage all the way to the end of the bed. Strapped the entire machine into an appliance dolly with the headstock end down on the plate. Dragged the entire thing UP the stairs into my place. Going downhill should be easy with the right dolly.

mattthemuppet · Sep 18, 2021

depends on the length of the bed and the age, just the bed of my '29 wide 9 was challenging to get up on my bench. I certainly wouldn't have considered carrying it anywhere. Best bet always is not to carry it anywhere, make a sled for the lathe and a slide for the stairs then lower it down with a rope looped around something immoveable. Lots more control, no risk of hernias or slipped disks and no need to disassemble at least at first.

dave230862 · Sep 20, 2021

pavt said:
On mine, I removed the tailstock and ran the carriage all the way to the end of the bed. Strapped the entire machine into an appliance dolly with the headstock end down on the plate. Dragged the entire thing UP the stairs into my place. Going downhill should be easy with the right dolly.

That's one option. I have a very HD appliance dolly with 12" pneumatic tires. Definitely need a spotter/safety person below, though. Thanks!

dave230862 · Sep 20, 2021

mattthemuppet said:
depends on the length of the bed and the age, just the bed of my '29 wide 9 was challenging to get up on my bench. I certainly wouldn't have considered carrying it anywhere. Best bet always is not to carry it anywhere, make a sled for the lathe and a slide for the stairs then lower it down with a rope looped around something immoveable. Lots more control, no risk of hernias or slipped disks and no need to disassemble at least at first.

Thanks. Yea, I have a plan to temporarily attach a winch to the rafters in my shop and contrive some sort of cradle with web belts to let me lift it onto a table. Once on a table it's easy enough to move the table by walking it over to the block wall where everything will be anchored.

jim rozen · Sep 20, 2021

dave230862 said:
Thanks. Yea, I have a plan to temporarily attach a winch to the rafters in my shop and contrive some sort of cradle with web belts to let me lift it onto a table. Once on a table it's easy enough to move the table by walking it over to the block wall where everything will be anchored.

If you break it down, two people can move the bed easily by hand. Or one, if that one person is my wife....

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