A BIG "thank you"

[Wirecutter]

I moved my BP with a borrowed pallet jack. It was never on a pallet, per se. It was trucked while bolted to a bunch of 4x4s, and I used shorter blocks of 4x4 to put the mill down on. When I did the final positioning, I used a free-standing engine hoist connected to a beefy eye-bolt screwed into the middle of the ram. (I had one of those heavy cloth straps I was going to use for lifting, but I couldn't manage a stable configuration.)

Later, I used a crowbar and scraps of varying-thickness stainless sheet to shim the base to get it level. Works great.

I have to say, though, that your BP is nicer than the one I got. Nice find!

-M

[Gary Rose]

Nice looking mill.

As for getting it off the pallet, it appears harder than it is. I got my Series II on a pallet and scratched my head for a couple of days trying to figure how I was going to get it off. A friend of mine came over and within two hours it was done - safely.

What we did was to use a long pry bar to lift the machine (back first, then front) slightly to get spacers underneath each corner. Kept doing that until there was about 2" of air underneath the machine. Don't do too much at once or you could tip the machine. Also helps if you can lower the knee and rotate the head around to lower the CG. We couldn't do that so we took 'er slow.

After it was spaced up. We put two longish pieces of 1.5" square heavy wall tubing under the machine, creating a track running off the pallet. Make sure you support the ends of the tubing and the centre and near the pallet edge (we used scrap aluminum blocks).

Using the pry bar we lifted and removed the spacers (same way we got them in) until the mill was sitting on the tubing "track". Some gear oil was slathered on the track and we used the pry bar to inch the machine forward until it was off the pallet. GO SLOW. Do not let the mill slide to the side, forward only! (It's not that hard to do, just don't get cocky).

Once it was off the pallet, we put the spacers under it again, removed the tubing. Then you can remove the spacers or lower it onto some bars to roll it around to where you want it. No problemo.

Stay safe,

Gary



[This message has been edited by Gary Rose (edited 07-19-2005).]

[This message has been edited by Gary Rose (edited 07-19-2005).]

[huck]

Great looking machine you got there. Treat it well and it should last you a long time.

I think Thrud said before that Flaking doesnt do anything but make your machine wear out faster, but hell, thats some real beutiful flaking! Nice Mill, and it has a DRO as well. Geez, A noob with a Bridgeport, looks like you been listening. That mill could mill my mill down in a couple passes.

[Excitable Boy]

Don't take this the wrong way, but

YOU SUCK!

Color me green with envy. That machine is everything I wish my BP was. Congratulations man, you've got a lot to smile about.

------------------
Pursue Excellence and the rest will follow.

[jburstein]

that's known as flaking. It has a couple of purposes. The first is oil rentention. A perfectly smooth surface wouldn't retain oil and the slideways would "wring" together, rendering it impossible to move the table, the flaking breaks up that smooth surface, preventing said "wringing."

The other purpose is decorative, and to show wear. If the flaking is gone, you can tell that there is some fairly serious wear on the machine. Besides, it just looks snazzy.

-Justin

[caligearhead]

***NOOB ALERT***


Whats with the strange pattern on the ways shown in the photo? Maybe something to do with the grinding process?

[bikenut]

Hey Morgan, nice looking machine. Good to have some young blood around here to balance all the old farts. Good luck, and watch those fingers.....Goober sayes Hey!

[gizmo2]

Only one issue I see... and that's yur last line, about waiting until you know something before you start posting. Hell, that don't stop the rest of us, so it shouldn't apply to you either. Bomb away!VEry nice machine tool. Like they say, buy the best and cry once. Don't think you can do much better'n you did, nice find.

[Ed Wilson]

Very nice mill..I personally inspected and ran this mill while it was up for auction. You got the mill at a good price..I believe if the person selling the mill had shown some better close up photos and a better description of it including the right serial number it would have gone much higher.

From the same auction I won a very nice heavy duty workbench for my shop..Just what I was looking for but couldn't pay the price of a new one.

Best of luck with your mill..But a word of warning, that old heavy American iron can become addictive. I was just thinking the other day, surely I have room for just one more lathe, or mill, or saw, or drill press..

Ed

[JRouche]

Very nice, you look happy!

Dont become too concerned with the pallet breaking. Is it an oak pallet or other hardwood?

Good luck placing twice as much weight on it to try and snap the members.

Think about the mill being some what centered on the center rib. Even if it was shifted off to one side or the other 2 or 3 inches, the amount of weight actually applied per square inch is slim.
JRouche

[SJorgensen]

So you have no mistakes to share with us? You will never become an expert that way.
Good luck with your new mill and have fun.

[NiftyNev]

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">I decided that NiftyNev had a good point and went out today and used the pallet jack to releave the stress on the pallet long enough to slide a couple of 2x4s stacked sideways on each other for the length of the base right underneath either side. The edges of the base are now both supported with them. Thanks for that advice, NiftyNev!</font>

No worries.I've seen the timber some pallets are made of (made 1000s of them some weiging up to a couple of tonnes} and wouldn't want your mill to end up on the floor or worse, on top of you.Enjoy the new toy.

Nev

[Your Old Dog]

Sounds like you don't need any suggestions from me, you're doing pretty well on your own! But, if you were going to set your mill on a concrete pedestal the same height as the pallet, you could likely slide it of using a come-a-long tied around both. Just an idea while your figureing out how your going to do it. Good luck and she's got nice legs..........I mean ways

[Morgan_RedHawk]

Thanks yall for the words of encouragement! I think I have a way to get it off the pallet, but I have not completed the rotary converter I am building, so I have a little time to think about it. I decided that NiftyNev had a good point and went out today and used the pallet jack to releave the stress on the pallet long enough to slide a couple of 2x4s stacked sideways on each other for the length of the base right underneath either side. The edges of the base are now both supported with them. Thanks for that advice, NiftyNev! Fortunately I only had to move it about 4 feet on the pallet. We only used it once it was off the trailer. Carried it back on a 2 axle trailer behind my buddies F250 powerstroke diesel. It handled it like it wasnt even there. Once back, we had a wrecker come out and lift her up, drove the trailer out from underneath and set her down on the pallet. Then I just rolled her on in. We had the head inverted and the knee cranked down all the way and I think that really helped make the whole thing more stable. From the serial number it is a 90 - 91 model. She came out of an R&D shop that this old guy was closing down. He also had a Lagun in there for sale..dang those suckers are a lot bigger than they look in pictures! It is a Bridgeport power feed that you see, and it came with a one shot oiler and a coolant system with a little magnetic coolant hose thingy. Picked it up for about $4000. Here is a nice shot of the ways on her.
Thanks again yall, I am looking forward to becoming a contributing member of this board...just as soon as I know what I am talking about!