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Lathe Unloading and Moving

Timothy Allen

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I've seen other threads like this (most recently Mustard Monster Arrival), and thought you guys might be interested in my experience taking delivery of my new lathe back at the end of March. I picked it up at the local freight terminal, rather than having to take delivery at the bottom of my long steep driveway. The guys at the terminal loaded the crate into the back of my truck.
CrateInTruck.jpg

I uncrated the lathe the next morning, still in the back of my truck, then removed the tailstock, banjo, and gap bed (along with the box of accessories) to reduce weight. Next I slid the lathe (on its pallet) out the back of my truck and down some 10' ramps into the garage/shop.
LatheUncratedStillInTruck.jpg LatheSlidDownRamps.jpg

Once in the garage, I levered the pallet up with a pry bar to get some pipe rollers under it so I could move it, pivot it and get it into position.
PipeRollersForPositioning.jpg

Then I jacked it up off the pallet, pulled the pallet out and set the lathe down on the floor, put it all back together, plugged it in, and put it to work!
PositionedAndPutToWork.jpg

Sweet!
 
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brian horais

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Nicely done Tim! I really enjoyed following the pictures. You obviously put a lot of thought into how you were going to unload and move the lathe. I took a different approach with my Jet 1640. None of the individual parts weigh more than 100 pounds, so I was able to transport them with a large garden cart and then re-assemble the lathe when I had it in its new location (in a new house). My lathe weighs around 400 pounds but your looks a lot heavier (and sturdier).
 

Timothy Allen

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Thanks Brian. Working alone without any help does require thinking things through....

My lathe weighs 460 pounds per the spec sheet, but the tailstock, banjo, and gap bed each weigh around 35 pounds, so taking them off gets it down to ~355.

There's a lot one can do with simple levers and rollers. I think you could even build a giant pyramid with those things! ;)

The next day after unloading the lathe, I had to load my log splitter for "long distance" transport. Of course it comes with built-in rollers, and the lever is on the hand winch hooked to a chain between the tie-down points in the bed of the truck. The 4x6 across the bed is a stop for the splitter's wheels, so the beam doesn't come crashing through the back window of the cab....

SplitterLoading.jpg
 
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I like your ramps. How are they secured to the truck's tailgate?

I have a 4 to 1 block and tackle that I can bolt to the joists in the garage (or basement). It will only lift things straight up, but that's turned out to make more than one day.
 

brian horais

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Thanks Brian. Working alone without any help does require thinking things through....

My lathe weighs 460 pounds per the spec sheet, but the tailstock, banjo, and gap bed each weigh around 35 pounds, so taking them off gets it down to ~355.

There's a lot one can do with simple levers and rollers. I think you could even build a giant pyramid with those things! ;)

The next day after unloading the lathe, I had to load my log splitter for "long distance" transport. Of course it comes with built-in rollers, and the lever is on the hand winch hooked to a chain between the tie-down points in the bed of the truck. The 4x6 across the bed is a stop for the splitter's wheels, so the beam doesn't come crashing through the back window of the cab....

View attachment 33814
Again, nicely done Tim! It is amazing what you can accomplish by yourself if you think things through before hand. I had to raise my deck a few inches because the ground and footers were settling. I gave it some thought and made some platforms that mounted on either side of the wooden vertical beams. On top of these I used some hydraulic car jacks, purchased for a reasonable price at Harbor Freight. That and a laser leveler and I was 'in business'. The technique of thinking things through becomes a life-habit and finds its applications in many activities, even turning.

Thanks for sharing,
Brian
 
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With a little foresight one person can usually pull off a heavy equipment move if they have the basic tools and equipment needed to address the size and weight of the machine.
Knowing your limitations and prior experience goes a long way in accomplishing these moves safely. I have worked on industrial sites for several decades and witnessed a number
of near misses and injuries involved with equipment and material picks with hoists, cranes and other moving equipment. The biggest failure with most of these incidents is being in the
wrong place at the wrong time. You will never stop the potential energy of a heavy piece of equipment that conforms to the laws of gravity and inertia.
Keep your body, hands and feet out of the line of fire. (Number one cause of injuries when moving equipment)
Use rigging that is rated for 4X the weight of the machine being moved. (Rigging failures are common in the industry inspect each time you use)
When moving equipment down a ramp, restrain the machine from a runaway potential with a rope, chain or winch. (once they break loose it is hard to stop)
When using ramps secure both ends to prevent movement and support the length as needed based on weight of the equipment. (wood ramps will bow and slip easily)
 
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When I got my Vic 240 I had to unload it by myself. I did some thing similar to what Timothy did. I had some 1 1/2 by 25 inch birch bench tops. Put 2 of them side by side. I used some blocks and a 4 X 4 to lever one end up in the air. I slipped one of those 2 wheel dollies, with a plywood top, under one end, did the same to the other end, and eased it off of the back end of the truck. Got it close to where I wanted it in the shop and levered it off of the dollies. Levers can move mountains.... Oh, there is a gravel ramp up to the walk way in front of my shop so I can back a truck up and the back end of the truck is very close to the height of the walk. I actually planned it out that way....

robo hippy
 

Timothy Allen

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Some years ago my siblings and I bought our father a new wood stove for his birthday, or father's day, or maybe no occaision at all (can't remember). At the stove store, they loaded the stove onto my truck with a forklift. When I got to my dad's house, there was no one there. I backed up to the front door and wondered how I was going to get this thing into the house by myself. I knew there were plenty of planks around, but I needed more. Then I remembered the stash of Tonka trucks in the shed out back, left from when we were kids. I picked out two trucks, and was able to lift one corner of the stove at a time enough to get a truck under each of the two legs at the heavy end of the stove. Then I just picked up the light end of the stove and wheeled it into the house on those two toy Tonka trucks!
 
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I purchased a PM3520 a few months ago. After delivery to my garage I unboxed and disassembled as far as possible. The most difficult part of assembly was attaching the bed to the legs; I did this with the bed laying on its side, then I lifted the bed/legs up with the assistance of a jack and a long lever. Once that was up I could lift the motor and tail assemblies individually to mount them on the bed. I did this all by myself, which I wouldn't recommend, but I didn't want to wait a week to get my son out to help.
 

hockenbery

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Hydraulic table
https://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200696308_200696308
Got one similar to this 30 years ago saved at least a $1000 in Advil’s.

great for moving and assembling lathes moving concrete benches

Great auxiliary table for the bandsaw. Tailgate height on my pickup.

For big blanks - slide them off the hand truck onto the table, wheel it to the bandsaw, jack the table level with the bandsaw table for a big auxiliary table. Wheel it to the lathe. If needed a couple of 2x4s can get it on center and my back has never done any lifting.
 
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I bought a used hydraulic table. Got it home and realised it was too dang heavy for me to muscle into the basement (and it doesn't disassemble). It lives in the garage, gut it's still useful to unload the pickup. Next shop will be at grade level.
 
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I bought a used hydraulic table. Got it home and realised it was too dang heavy for me to muscle into the basement (and it doesn't disassemble). It lives in the garage, gut it's still useful to unload the pickup. Next shop will be at grade level.

Lay a couple of long 2x4's heading down the stairs and you can usually use a strap or rope to slide a heavy item down a flight of stairs smoothly.
 
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A friend told me he and his friends moved an entire house. All it took was two six packs.
 

Timothy Allen

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My dad moved a big barn across my hometown, towing it behind a VW beetle....


.... one post or beam at time on a trailer!

Once he got it all, we had a traditional barn raising. I was about 4.
 

brian horais

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Some years ago my siblings and I bought our father a new wood stove for his birthday, or father's day, or maybe no occaision at all (can't remember). At the stove store, they loaded the stove onto my truck with a forklift. When I got to my dad's house, there was no one there. I backed up to the front door and wondered how I was going to get this thing into the house by myself. I knew there were plenty of planks around, but I needed more. Then I remembered the stash of Tonka trucks in the shed out back, left from when we were kids. I picked out two trucks, and was able to lift one corner of the stove at a time enough to get a truck under each of the two legs at the heavy end of the stove. Then I just picked up the light end of the stove and wheeled it into the house on those two toy Tonka trucks!
Great story Tim - necessity is often the driving force that creates new solutions. I had a nice skateboard in high school in the mid 60s, and kept it over the years. Once when we were moving heavy furniture around a house we were moving into, I got tired of trying to lift and slide the dressers and other heavy items. Then I thought of the skateboard and put it under the far side of the item I wanted to move. I lifted the other side and was able to move and steer the item pretty easily. Sort of like a articulated moving dolly...
 
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Thanks Brian. Working alone without any help does require thinking things through....

My lathe weighs 460 pounds per the spec sheet, but the tailstock, banjo, and gap bed each weigh around 35 pounds, so taking them off gets it down to ~355.

There's a lot one can do with simple levers and rollers. I think you could even build a giant pyramid with those things! ;)

levers, fulcrums, and rope will let you do some amazing things with heavy objects laying the ground.
 
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levers, fulcrums, and rope will let you do some amazing things with heavy objects laying the ground.

Yes indeed. When adjusting the leveling feet on my lathe, I found the easiest way to do it was lift a bit with a crowbar just enough, adjust the foot, and let it down again. (I stuck a piece of wood underneath the leg for safety.) I first did it with a panel lifter, which worked, but a longer lever works better!

Very fast. Very easy. Never lift if a lever will do it!
 
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Yes indeed. When adjusting the leveling feet on my lathe, I found the easiest way to do it was lift a bit with a crowbar just enough, adjust the foot, and let it down again. (I stuck a piece of wood underneath the leg for safety.) I first did it with a panel lifter, which worked, but a longer lever works better!

Very fast. Very easy. Never lift if a lever will do it!

I moved some 350-400 pound chunks of log across my backyard with only 20 feet of rope. I was perplexed about how to shift them for cutting until I watch RoboHippy's bowl blank prep video. He put a loop around the log, laid the standing end on the ground and stood on it, then pulled on the working end. Coolest thing ever.

I can honestly say moving those logs really impressed the Budget Committee.
 
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It's been a few years, but i found the easiest way to move big chunks of logs was a front end loader ... THAT need came about after a blizzard left the remains of a 150' (yup) pine tree leaning ominously toward the house. Like the cheapskate I am, I didn't want to pay to have the wood hauled off after they took the tree down. Sooo, when I came that evening, the 8' - 10' trunk sections were right where they dropped as they took the tree down ... a section at a time, top to bottom, embedded vertically in the ground. It was Woodhenge vs Kubota.

Alas, I no longer have a tractor (or need one).
 
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It's been a few years, but i found the easiest way to move big chunks of logs was a front end loader ... THAT need came about after a blizzard left the remains of a 150' (yup) pine tree leaning ominously toward the house. Like the cheapskate I am, I didn't want to pay to have the wood hauled off after they took the tree down. Sooo, when I came that evening, the 8' - 10' trunk sections were right where they dropped as they took the tree down ... a section at a time, top to bottom, embedded vertically in the ground. It was Woodhenge vs Kubota.

Alas, I no longer have a tractor (or need one).

Yep, I agree. Unfortunately, every time I start eyeing big yellow machines, the Budget Committee finds other things for me to do.

Your Woodhenge must have been awesome looking.
 
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I moved my Sweet 16 off my trailer with the help of my son without too much trouble. Used 2x6’s and slid right into shop. I have a wooden floor and it slid right across the floor. I bought a little bottle jack in case I need to lift it which I did to put some pads under the feet. Not as much of a hassle as I was suspecting, well worth it. Love that lathe, great for a small shop like mine.
 
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