Moving heavy machinery?

[Honeybee]

Does anyone have any experience with moving heavy machinery?
I bought a 1100 lb lathe and need to move it into my workshop.
Now for those of you who have not been to my shop, it is located in my house and that means moving it up 3 steps if we come in the front door or moving it over a non removable metal banister if we come in the back door.

I can disasemble it somewhat but even if I take off the Turret and apron it will weigh in at 700 pounds plus.

The man I am buying it from is loading it on my pickup with a cherry picker (engine hoist) but I don't even have one of those.

Any ideas or help out there???

 

[ENC]

Might be able to rent something, from a rental shop. Like a hoist or fork truck.

Evan

 

[Honeybee]

I will check into renting something later in the week when I have time, the lathe will be here Sunday afternoon so that means renting over the weekend.

 

[english kanigit]

Whatever it might be the cost of renting the proper equipment to do the job right the first time is a whole lot cheaper than mucking it up and hurting somebody or breaking your new acquisition in a bad way. A previous employer of mine learned this the hard way.

Good luck!

Ek

 

[dennishoddy]

Contact a moving company.
When I was a senior in High school working for Bekins Van Lines, we used a "piano" board, and a 4 wheel dolly to move a concert grand piano from a stage to another building, and put it back on the 4' stage in the other building.....using 2 people.
All manual, no machinery involved.
Contact a moving company and get a free estimate.

 

[Jefpainthorse]

I'd bolt some 4x4 runners to the legs on the base. That wood would allow you to get a set of piano dolleys or something similar under that whole tool and you could roll it part of the way.

Having those skids makes a lift point... a couple of floor jacks and some leverage will get it on the stairs...look at things ... think out a plan and those stairs won't be very hard to get up.

The biggest machine tool I ever helped move was a horizontal boring machine that weighed about 17,000. Most of that move was done with pipes, bottle jacks and pinch bars. When you need to move stuff like that...it's like eating an elephant...one bite at a time. Have fun and good luck!

Short lengths of pipe (even Sched 40 1/2 inch will work) can be used as rollers under that runner too... if you have room to roll things around... get 6 or 7 lenghts and as you roll the leading edge off the first pipe shuttle it around to the front... the Egyptians build pyramids with rollers like that.

 

[grwd]

I used a cartage company when I bought my mill and lathe; It was spensive but I didnt want to screw it up by doing the "trailer, 4 buddies, and a case of beer" method.

 

[PUMPKIN]

i have a service bed with a 6500 pound capacity crane on it. i could set it on your house if you wanted it there. pm me and we could work something out.

 

[Honeybee]

Now thats what I'm talking about.
drop it on the roof and let it land where I want it, then just patch the roof.
Wait, I don't like that idea, how about just lifting it through the front door?