Need advice and suggestions..Moving BP mill...

[tool crazy]

When I brought My BP home and unloaded it with a backhoe it still needed to be moved about 30 feet into the shop. Thinking that pipe rollers would be the ticket but I didn't like the idea of geting the mill off the rollers when in position. I have some 1/4" x 2" cold rold flat bar leftover from a previous project so I layed two bars under each side of the mill and covered them with a heavy oil. I was able to push the mill across the flat bar with very little effort and once in place a pry bar was used to remove the" bearings".

[11 Bravo]

I have moved my Bridgeport twice. Both times I used a service truck with a crane that I borrowed from work to lift the machine off the trailer and set it on the floor just inside the shop door as far in as we could reach with the crane.

I never put anything under the machine. With the knee all the way down and the head turned down, I put a nylon strap around the base of the machine right at the floor. I used a 1 ton come along to pull on the strap and just slid the machine on the concrete. Used pry bars for fine tuning the final position and to assist a little with the turning when needed. Used the same method to pull the machine out to the door so the crane could reach it for removing BTW.

The first shop I had it in I drilled a 1/2 inch concrete anchor into the foundation wall behind where the machine was going to sit. Where the drywall came down to the floor there was about 3 inches of foundation wall before it steeped down an inch or so to the floor. Drilled the anchor into that little ledge and bolted a lifting link (an eye bolt would work) into the anchor and just pulled the machine right into place. The shop at my new house had a walk out door in the corner of the shop close to where I wanted the mill. I wrapped a blanket around each end of a 4x4 and laid it across the door opening outside the shop. Wrapped a sling around the 4x4, hooked the come along to it and pulled the mill to within 3 feet of where I wanted it. Slid it to the final spot with prybars without any problems.

Nice and slow, but about as low of danger of tipping the machine over as you can get. As long as the concrete is smooth it is a piece of cake to do it this way.

[H8Allegheny]

Cuemaker, you should seriously consider putting the mill on oak or steel risers, just tall enough to slide a pallet jack under it. That way, you can move it on your schedule, by using a jack you can get on craigslist for $150 or less. (Or from HF if you want to go there.)

Chip

+1 on using steel tube for risers and a pallet jack. I'm tall, so all of my machines are outfitted like this. Makes rearranging things much easier.

While I won't debate the merits of using rollers, I would recommend getting a really good "pry bar" for making the initial and incremental lifts for getting the machine up onto whatever it is you're trying to get it up onto.

Most prybars are straight and therefore require a pivot block on the floor and close to the machine base to generate lift. I've had these either slip/slide or even crush - not good.

I then read about "Johnson bars" - heavy oak handled jobs with a steel lip and wheels. But these seemed more for moving machines than for lifting.

Several years ago, I had two machines delivered by a pro rigging company. A VN 2RQ and an Axelson lathe (8,000#). They had these bent nose rigging bars and with just two of them, they moved and positioned the Axelson in five minutes flat (I'm talking about a 15' move across a concrete floot).

It took a while, but I finally discovered the place that makes and sells them. They are called a "rigger's nose bar." Here's the link:

http://www.easternrigging.com/prybar.htm

I bought a 60" straight tip one and have yet to find anything I can't lift with it. I have a friend that's a retired tool and die maker. I never knew that he had one as well. He's 83 years old and together we moved the Axelson about five feet with them. Once we got a rhythm going, it only took ten minutes.

Brian
Taxachusetts

[1200rpm]

i don`t know if someone suggested it but around here there are a lot of guys in the construction biz looking for work.
to move my mill i got a local guy with a good sized bobcat to pick it up and put it on my garage floor.
well worth the $100 bucks i paid him and he was happy to get the work.
no drama.

[flylo]

Love those "air bearings" they show also. I keep 2 large bars & a half dozen 1/2 pipes. I tell people you can move the world with them but everyone wants yo rent,buy & hire heavy equipment. Also don't care for chains chipping the paint on shop equipment.I lust think how much they did 100+ years ago without heavy equip we have today. The secret is think it thru,go slow,have help & watch very carefully. Dry sand comes on handy at times on heavy flay bottom boxed items. Works like little ball bearings under the load on steel, smooth concrete, or semi floors. Great post,Thanks!

+1 on using steel tube for risers and a pallet jack. I'm tall, so all of my machines are outfitted like this. Makes rearranging things much easier.

While I won't debate the merits of using rollers, I would recommend getting a really good "pry bar" for making the initial and incremental lifts for getting the machine up onto whatever it is you're trying to get it up onto.

Most prybars are straight and therefore require a pivot block on the floor and close to the machine base to generate lift. I've had these either slip/slide or even crush - not good.

I then read about "Johnson bars" - heavy oak handled jobs with a steel lip and wheels. But these seemed more for moving machines than for lifting.

Several years ago, I had two machines delivered by a pro rigging company. A VN 2RQ and an Axelson lathe (8,000#). They had these bent nose rigging bars and with just two of them, they moved and positioned the Axelson in five minutes flat (I'm talking about a 15' move across a concrete floot).

It took a while, but I finally discovered the place that makes and sells them. They are called a "rigger's nose bar." Here's the link:

http://www.easternrigging.com/prybar.htm

I bought a 60" straight tip one and have yet to find anything I can't lift with it. I have a friend that's a retired tool and die maker. I never knew that he had one as well. He's 83 years old and together we moved the Axelson about five feet with them. Once we got a rhythm going, it only took ten minutes.

Brian
Taxachusetts

[Rustybolt]

There should be a sticky on this subject, it comes up so often.
Some little things not covered.
Do Not Transport The Machine On Its Trailer With Rollers Underneath The Machine. The whole object of strapping a machine to a trailer or truck bed is to make the machine a part of the trailer or truck bed. There must be absolutely no play in the rigging. When in doubt add another strap and tighten the hell out of it. Nothing in the world is sadder than a nice machine laying broken in the middle of an intersection.
When using a lever to lift the machine to place rollers underneath, lift only as high as is needed to place the roller. This is especially true of BPs as they tend to be top heavy. Make sure your lifting lever is long enough. A lifetime of back pain isn't worth one machine tool.
Be Careful! Plan Ahead. Take It Slow!







Have fun, Bye

[H8Allegheny]

Love those "air bearings" they show also. I keep 2 large bars & a half dozen 1/2 pipes. I tell people you can move the world with them but everyone wants yo rent,buy & hire heavy equipment. Also don't care for chains chipping the paint on shop equipment.I lust think how much they did 100+ years ago without heavy equip we have today. The secret is think it thru,go slow,have help & watch very carefully. Dry sand comes on handy at times on heavy flay bottom boxed items. Works like little ball bearings under the load on steel, smooth concrete, or semi floors. Great post,Thanks!

To prevent chipping paint with binder chains cost me all of $30 (for a bottle of Chivas).

I went down to the local fire department and talked to the chief. For that bottle of Chivas, I got a 75' length of to-be-discarded 3" fire hose. I cut it into 12" and up up lengths. Run the chain through it and position appropriately. Works like a charm.

Brian
Taxachusetts

[Alistair Hosie]

I too say it's better to pay someone with knowledge of these things, but then I am not a known risk taker.Have fun and please be safe these things can kill. Alistair

[Alistair Hosie]

$30 dolars for abottle of Chivas Regal I live in Scotland and we can't get it that cheap our gasoline is nearly that priceAlistair

[sophijo]

That drop deck trailer is a great idea! I've used one to move two machines. One added point is that I attached a "come-along" to the mill when I rolled it off; to control the rate. With the drop deck there's nearly no incline so not a big issue. I rolled it into shop on 1/2" solid rod (4pcs x 3') using 48" crowbar from Harbor freight.