Yike! 1200 lbs. Arriving Today!

[KenS]

I've bought a nearly pristine SB Heavy 10 complete with much tooling. It's at the shipper's terminal, and we are going to arrange for it's delivery. This part is good.

BUT....how do you move such a thing around? It's on the SB double door cabinet, presumably on a pallet or skids, and crated.
I need to move it from the driveway over a 4" step and into it's new location in the garage, about 20' from that step.

There's not much manpower available My decrepit self and my less decrepit but 5'3" 120 lb. wife.

Dowels as rollers?

I don't see buying those fancy, read expensive, material handling rolller skids for a one time job.

[SGW]

A good lathe!

Hopefully it will come on a lift gate truck so you won't need to figure out how to get it off the truck.... If you do need to do that, try renting a couple sections of pipe scaffolding, which will give you a 12' height. Put a heavy beam across the top with a come-along attached to be your "crane." Back the truck up to it, hook on the come-along, slide the lathe out, and lower away. But that could get pretty dicey if you're not a competent rigger. Arrange for a lift gate on the truck!

Your best bet may be to take it apart. You ought to be able to take the lathe off the cabinet, take out the motor, take off the tailstock, etc. You'll still have some fairly heavy pieces, but they will be in the 400-pound range instead of 1200 pounds.

Or, if you want to move it intact, try some 2" iron pipe as rollers. You ought to be able to buy three pieces, maybe 3' long, pretty reasonably. You may also need a couple of planks. A couple of 2x6x8s ought to do it. It's amazing what you can do with a few rollers and levers. Look at the pyramids, after all. Just watch out for it being top-heavy and falling over on you.

[SGW]

P.S. I did the steel scaffolding trick when I got my milling machine, except I got that delivered in a pickup truck that could back in between the scaffolding uprights (with VERY little clearance -- if you try this, measure first!). That way the milling machine could be picked up vertically and the truck driven out from under it. I *think* you'd be able to make it work by just backing up to the scaffolding, hooking on, and sliding the machine out, but then you'd have the problem of the thing swinging, which you'd have to pretty careful to control.

[KenS]

Hi,
I just talked to the shipper. They'll bring it with a liftgate bobcat truck and a pallet jack. If the jack can roll the box up to the step and raise it enough to get higher than that, the pipe roller trick might be enough to bring it inside intact.

I have been using the Egyptians in describing the possibilities to my wife, but instead of enthusiasm I get a wry look. LOL!

It was good to hear that they didn't intend to drive up in a semi and a teamster driver who'd just say "Here".

Thanks for responding; I've still got a ways to go with this. It's still on a trailer, and the shipping clerk read to me that the bill of lading reads Ten FOOT lathe! Huh?

[Ron LaDow]

KenS,
I've had some experience with what you're describing. As a friend answered when I asked about demo construction work, the first rule is 'don't hurt yourself'.
Seriously, the roller/wedge/lever approach will work just fine. Remember that horsepower is force over time. You've got time; just use the force necessary.
And remember also that no sneak thief is going to run off with the lathe overnight. Hell, even I can outrun anybody carrying a lathe..

[SGW]

So...did you kill yourself?

[KenS]

Hi,

Not yet, but soon!

The shipper's manager took pleasure it seemed to note that the sender had neglected to check "residential delivery" when submitting the crate for shipment. So he informed me that there would be a $50. fee for that, as well as a $100. fee for the liftgate truck, payable by me.

I declined this kind offer, and went the 20 miles to their location. The lathe is now sitting in our pickup in the driveway (It's beautiful, by the way!). I'm halfway to an arrangement for a forklift to take it off the truck and ease it into the converted garage where it's to live. The forklift won't be able to get it to the end location, about 8 feet in from the door, so once it's on the floor I'll begin to kill myself.

[SGW]

I think you've got it under control. But keep us informed!

The South Bend "heavy 10" is a NICE lathe. You'll like it.

[bdarin]

Had the same problem when I bought my mill-drill. Had to move 700lb myself from the porch to the basement. I took it apart and moved it piece-by-piece then reassmbled it on the stand. Worked out great and only half killed myself instead of totally.

[Joel]

I went and rented an engine hoist for $20.00. Worked great and my lathe weighed about the same as yours. I used a 2 inch nylon sling under the bed and a couple of tie downs to keep it balanced. Just drop the lathe on the step, put the hoist on the other side, and your off! I kept the machine just off the floor when rolling, just to be safe. Piece of cake!