I'd just call around to the local high school or trade school, ask the
receptionist for someone who could reccommend a couple of sturdy
characters to come over and help you. At a trade school, the students
might think it is fun to help and to see what the old codgers are doing.

I know students at the local college, it's easy to get volenteers to put
up sheetrock (!!!) during school breaks. They are so happy to do
something other than hit the books.

Andrew VK3BFA wrote:
Hey good people,
this is a rhetorical question, so will probably figure it out meself
(in time).....Inspired by the Silver Tongues of this group, I went and
bought a 9 by 20 Chinese lathe. (And a milling machine).

OK - the courier literally dropped it off the back of his truck, on top
of the box the mill is in. Got it onto one of my TV service trolleys,
(with help from my 10yo grandaughter) took off the wood , dragged it,
cursing and swearing, into the workshop. (A 8ft crowbar helped get it
over a few obstacles). Cleaned it up, turned it on, it works. Its
noisy, but adjusting the gear clearances and lubricating it quietened
it down. Now - the chip tray is not on the bottom, the lathe is still
bolted to the wooden crate it came on. I need to get the thing UP onto
the bench, and bolt it down.

Question - how do I do this, and get the chip tray on, without killing
myself. It weighs 95Kg, and I cant lift it up, slide the tray onto the
mounting bolts, and tighten it up. Tomorrow, I will purchase a sheet of
1 inch MDF as a base, countersink the bottom, and set up the mounting
bolts. (My radio workbenches are NOT designed to hold anything this big
and heavy).

How do I manouvre(sp) it up, onto the bench, line it up with the
mounting bolts, and get it down onto the mounting bolts. Without
killing myself, or needing to take yet another trip to the Chiropractor
to fix my back. (Again).

I dont have an engine lift, and cant borrow one. My friends are mainly
past their prime, so I am reluctant to ask for help - dont want them
killing themselves either. I cant rig a block and tackle - the ceiling
is plasterboard under a tin roof, so would collapse.

Any ideas folks. Its got other things I need to adjust up, but my newly
purchased school textbook on Fitting and Maching will hopefully have
how to do this.

Help......

Andrew VK3BFA.