In the future, I will be needing to move a medium size lathe (Logan
12" - ~1100 lbs.) cross country.

In the past, it was wheeled on to a small trailer, tied down and
relocated locally.

I would be interested in hearing of anyone's suggestions as to how to
prepare this lathe for the cross country move. Assume that the lathe
is on wheels and no forklift or lift is available. To complicate the
situation, also assume only one person is dealing with the load on
both ends of the relocation.

If you have ever moved a larger lathe, you soon realize that they are
very top heavy and are prone to tipping. Other than blocking and tying
the lathe down in place once it has been loaded, I cannot think of any
other precautions that can be taken. I do plan on loading the lathe so
the long axis of the lathe is parallel with the vehicle's so any
sudden braking or acceleration occurs along the long axis of the
lathe.

I would also be interested in hearing of any recomendations of how to
deal with moving heavy machinery that is top heavy with minimal
resources (no lifting devices ala forklifts, engine cranes, etc.)
during the moving phase. I think we all have been in a situation where
a machine needs to be moved and the needed device to move them is
somewhere else.

Thanks for any suggestions or advice.

Too_Many_Tools

Some questions:

What kind of truck are you going using?

Will it be a rental U drive or a moving company?

Flat bed or box van?

You said you had no lifting devices, often these can be rented. You might
also put them on a small trailer, and bring them to a place where they have
forklifts, Often some guy making $8 an hour will jump at the chance to make
a quick $20 and find a Six Pack on the seat of his pick-up after work.

--
Roger Shoaf
If you are not part of the solution, you are not dissolved in the solvent.

"Too_Many_Tools" wrote in message
om...
In the future, I will be needing to move a medium size lathe (Logan
12" - ~1100 lbs.) cross country.

In the past, it was wheeled on to a small trailer, tied down and
relocated locally.

I would be interested in hearing of anyone's suggestions as to how to
prepare this lathe for the cross country move. Assume that the lathe
is on wheels and no forklift or lift is available. To complicate the
situation, also assume only one person is dealing with the load on
both ends of the relocation.

If you have ever moved a larger lathe, you soon realize that they are
very top heavy and are prone to tipping. Other than blocking and tying
the lathe down in place once it has been loaded, I cannot think of any
other precautions that can be taken. I do plan on loading the lathe so
the long axis of the lathe is parallel with the vehicle's so any
sudden braking or acceleration occurs along the long axis of the
lathe.

I would also be interested in hearing of any recomendations of how to
deal with moving heavy machinery that is top heavy with minimal
resources (no lifting devices ala forklifts, engine cranes, etc.)
during the moving phase. I think we all have been in a situation where
a machine needs to be moved and the needed device to move them is
somewhere else.

Thanks for any suggestions or advice.

Too_Many_Tools

When I purchased my Habegger, I removed the headtstock, bed and tailstock.
I also removed the motor and the drawer for the cabinet. I was able to
horse everything around by myself (down an airway into the basement). While
the Logan is larger, this might be the safest and easiest way under the
circumstances you describe.

Besides, it gives you the opportunity to spruce it up before you reinstall
it.

Also, believe it or not it may be least expensive and safest to ship it via
Amtrak. Crate and skid the parts. I once shipped a 150 lb watch cleaning
machine from Baltimore to Chicago for $28; and it got there the next day.
They even provided the plastic wrap. I also shipped a 100 lb timeclock to
Boston. Both arrived in excellent condition.

You just have to arrange pickup and delivery from the station and Amtrak
will even help with that.

--
Regards,
Dewey Clark http://www.historictimekeepers.com
Ebay Sales:
http://cgi6.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAP...ems&userid=dsc
Restorations, Parts for Hamilton M21s, Products for Craftsmen
Makers of Historic Timekeepers Ultrasonic Clock Cleaning Solution

"Too_Many_Tools" wrote in message
om...
In the future, I will be needing to move a medium size lathe (Logan
12" - ~1100 lbs.) cross country.

In the past, it was wheeled on to a small trailer, tied down and
relocated locally.

I would be interested in hearing of anyone's suggestions as to how to
prepare this lathe for the cross country move. Assume that the lathe
is on wheels and no forklift or lift is available. To complicate the
situation, also assume only one person is dealing with the load on
both ends of the relocation.

If you have ever moved a larger lathe, you soon realize that they are
very top heavy and are prone to tipping. Other than blocking and tying
the lathe down in place once it has been loaded, I cannot think of any
other precautions that can be taken. I do plan on loading the lathe so
the long axis of the lathe is parallel with the vehicle's so any
sudden braking or acceleration occurs along the long axis of the
lathe.

I would also be interested in hearing of any recomendations of how to
deal with moving heavy machinery that is top heavy with minimal
resources (no lifting devices ala forklifts, engine cranes, etc.)
during the moving phase. I think we all have been in a situation where
a machine needs to be moved and the needed device to move them is
somewhere else.

Thanks for any suggestions or advice.

Too_Many_Tools

In article ,
says...

I would also be interested in hearing of any recomendations of how to
deal with moving heavy machinery that is top heavy with minimal
resources (no lifting devices ala forklifts, engine cranes, etc.)
during the moving phase.

Dismantle into smaller chunks so that two individuals
can carry each chunk easily. I've moved more large
stuff that way.

Jim

==================================================
please reply to:
JRR(zero) at yktvmv (dot) vnet (dot) ibm (dot) com
==================================================

You may need a heavy tree limb or beam and a chain fall to raise at least one
end of your machine to load single-handedly. Perhaps some sort of ramp would
work if it is a cabinet-style machine.
You didn't specify whether truck or trailer would be used this time but if the
lathe has cast iron legs and you load it onto a truck you can make short work
of the job by unbolting the headstock-end legs first and just slide the machine
and chip pan onto the truck bed and then remove the other leg set and slide the
remainder on. You can support the motor/countershaft assembly or better yet,
remove that first since the connection is very brittle.
Perhaps a bit off topic, but I was surprised how the harmonics generated by
varying road surfaces can loosen bolts, nuts, etc which aren't "properly"
torqued over the long haul. Almost lost my Cincinnati Toolmaster's vertical
head and the main control panel literally fell off a 15x42 lathe I was hauling
x-country which pulled a bunch of wires out as it went. These are good sized
machines but no matter, I'd make sure any loose accessories are well packed
away and you frequently check your tie-downs or binders and "loosening" heavy
parts.
Have a safe trip and watch your back.
Uncle Lucky

I would be interested in hearing of anyone's suggestions as to how to

I just bought a lathe of similar size. It was delivered 300 miles.
The lathe was moved in the back of a pickup truck. It was positioned
with the head towards the cab and the tail towards the rear.
It was bolted to boards as wide as the truck bed and double nutted.
Other boards were cut to length and positioned between the tailgate
and the cross boards to prevent it from moving backwards.
It was unloaded with a strap around the bed hooked to a hoist.
AFter it was lifted up, the truck was driven out from under it.

It went very smooth... Rocky (rockwell 11x24) is setting in my garage...
chuck

On 30 Jul 2003 08:36:34 -0700,
(Too_Many_Tools) wrote:

In the future, I will be needing to move a medium size lathe (Logan
12" - ~1100 lbs.) cross country.

In the past, it was wheeled on to a small trailer, tied down and
relocated locally.

I would be interested in hearing of anyone's suggestions as to how to
prepare this lathe for the cross country move. Assume that the lathe
is on wheels and no forklift or lift is available. To complicate the
situation, also assume only one person is dealing with the load on
both ends of the relocation.

If you have ever moved a larger lathe, you soon realize that they are
very top heavy and are prone to tipping. Other than blocking and tying
the lathe down in place once it has been loaded, I cannot think of any
other precautions that can be taken. I do plan on loading the lathe so
the long axis of the lathe is parallel with the vehicle's so any
sudden braking or acceleration occurs along the long axis of the
lathe.

I would also be interested in hearing of any recomendations of how to
deal with moving heavy machinery that is top heavy with minimal
resources (no lifting devices ala forklifts, engine cranes, etc.)
during the moving phase. I think we all have been in a situation where
a machine needs to be moved and the needed device to move them is
somewhere else.

Thanks for any suggestions or advice.

Too_Many_Tools

Lag bolt it to Skids (4X6s work well) if you can't bolt them on very
far apart then bolt the lathe down to crosspieces about 4 feet wide
then lag bolt them down to the Skids. If you get the skids wide
enough you don't really have to worry about the top heavy problem so
much. Buy, rent, or borrow a car trailer or (less ahndy, but nicer
for moving) horse trailer (they do ride lower, makes for easier
loading). Get several wooden posts of about 4" diameter, they make
good rollers and are large enough to roll over small irregularities.
Have some blocks and planks handy to use as ramps and you can pull the
lathe anywhere with a good come-along and a pile of log chains. It
takes a long time, but you can move about anyting like this if you are
careful and think thring through. Always keep a log chain tied to the
lathe with a few feet of slack when moving it, that will save you from
having any runaways. It is easier than you'd think to be paying
attention to a roller and not notice that the whole thing has started
rolling downhill.

If you jack up the back bumper of your vehicle the trailer will teeter
totter into a ramp, kinda, anyway, the back will go down, support it
there with blocks and set your ramps and just winch it on. You can
move it all by yourself, no heavy lifting, and you don't have to
disassemble it. I have a few pictures of me moving a 19" LeBlond
lathe this way on a sidehill an up into a building. You can see them
at
http://www.metalworking.com/DropBox/...retired_files/

look under Movingthings01.jpg and on up.

Don't let it intimidate you, remember the egyptians moved big giant
blocks of stone with ropes and wooden levers. With sufficient
mechanical advantage and time you can move anything.

Dave