"RoyJ" wrote in message
link.net...
Looking at a getting a Bridgport mill, '73 vintage with 42" table and
variable speed head. Unit it sitting in a garage with easy access, need to
transport it 20 miles, then get it down 3 steps into the shop. I presume
this thing weighs in at about 2000 pounds with a ugly top heavy weight
distribtion.

Plan is to lower table, tilt head upside down to get some clearance and to
lower the center of gravity. Then jack it up and bolt it to a 4'x6' skid
made of 4x4 posts 6' long and 2x12 cross pieces. With some beveled ends, I
can easily skid it out of the garage and up onto a low trailer. (9000
pound winch on the Jeep is handy)

To get it into the shop with a 36" wide doorway I need to pull the table.
Unbolt the power feed and cranks, unscrew the lead screw, and slide it out
sideways. (??? Am I missing something here?)

How bad is it to unbolt the head and handle that seperately? I have a
hoist to make it easy to grab and lift it off. Getting it back on would be
a bit more challenging. How much does the head weigh? Does it lower the
top heavy weight enough to make it safer to do the 3 steps down?

I have plenty of ropes, chains, straps, 3 come alongs, timbers, planks,
1-1/2" pipe rollers, 1/2" pipe rollers, etc plus a healty respect for
heavy objects so I'm just looking for comments specific to a Bridgeport.

Cheers.

Roy,

I just moved a smaller Bridgeport weighing about 1500# into my garage. I
picked it up in my pick up truck. I transported it by lowering the knee all
the way down and removing the entire ram with the head attached. I used an
engine hoist to reassemble it and it worked well. Once the ram was removed
the mill is no longer top heavy at all and transporting it in my Dodge
Dakota.

Once back on the ground, I moved it around using 3/4" black pipe.

Good Luck.

Joe...