wrote in message
...
| I have a Brand new 13X40 lathe sitting on a pallet right in front of it's
stand.
|
| It weighs about 1300 lbs.
|
| My first thought was to rent an engine hoise, but most hoists I've seen
are rated to 1/2 Ton..

If you only pick up one end at a time, you're going to be plenty safe,
but any hoist will pick up 1300 pounds, providing you're got the boom in the
right spot. The most critical tool is your brain, use it carefully.

| The Garage roof is a flat 2x12 roof, so it's not strong enough to do the
lifting,
| thought I might be able to attach 4 2x6's to the roof structure, where
the 2x6
| would provide vertical support for the weight and the roof joists keep it
from tipping over.

Not worth messing up the roof over, that's for sure!

| I can always make a stack of 4x4 and cinder blocks and slowly jack it
up...

NEVER use cinder blocks for stuff like this. Evenly loaded, as in a
building wall, these are fine, but you aren't going to be doing that. You
can visit the free wood box of your local fencing dealer and gets lots and
lots of 4x4 chunks in assorted lengths. I use them all the time for all
sorts of stuff around the house, and since they're free, I don't mind
ruining them with oil or what not, and since they're fence posts, weather is
no problem with them, so I toss 'em in a pile outside for safekeeping. If
you don't understand cribbing, stop by your local fire house and they'll
hopefully have the time to explain how to do it safely. No kidding, fireman
are great at that kind of stuff. Anyway, all timbers must be supported on
the broad side (no standing on end) on at least two points, with the higher
up you get the more surface area you need at the bottom.
A quick web search on cribbing:
http://www.res-q-jack.com/infocribbing.htm