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Lathe Dolly?

underdog

underdog

Joined
Oct 5, 2005
Messages
451
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Location
North Georgia
Anyone seen a dolly made specifically for moving lathes?

I'm trying to adapt a Shop Fox Machine dolly to our club's Jet 1642, and it's not working according to plan...
 
It occurs to me to mention that I'm trying to adapt the dolly in an "I" or "H" formation rather than the standard square formation, to prevent interference with the turners feet...
 
Oneway dolly

Hi Jim,

Oneway has a wheel set for the big lathes which may give you some idea.

The wheels do not stay on the lathe.

The one pic shows a 'driving' wheel which has a long T handle to pull the lathe.

The other pic shows a wheel which clips on the the one side of the tail end. Two of these are used.

Not shown is a crowbar-like rod to lift one side of the lathe at a time to slip the wheel grips onto the lathe.

If this helps, someone may be willing to photo the set up off the lathe to help you visualize.
Regards
 
Speaking of dollys, I have a shortbed Nichols lathe with a huge tail stock. I would love to "swing it out of the way", a system employed by one lathe out there. I have thought about making a foot long bed section on a movable cart the height of may lathe that i can wheel up to the lathe, and wheel away with the tailstock.
 
lift table to move lathes around the shop

I have seen some lift tables at HF for sale that might work - seems that they have two sizes - one for 500lbs and another that will work at 1000lbs.

It is a basic table that you can "pump" up to lift a large lathe up - and move it around the shop. The down side is that the larger table runs 280 or so dollars and it will take two people to load it.

Due to the cost and space it takes up, I think I will go to a small dollies, use a large jack. Not simple, but it will save alot of money, and not take up much space.
 
I posted some pics of my 1642 and how I modified the Jet super heavy-duty mobile base on the thread label "share your shop pics" page 3.

Hope this helps.


underdog said:
Anyone seen a dolly made specifically for moving lathes?

I'm trying to adapt a Shop Fox Machine dolly to our club's Jet 1642, and it's not working according to plan...
Click to expand...
 
Mobilize that Jet

underdog said:
Anyone seen a dolly made specifically for moving lathes?

I'm trying to adapt a Shop Fox Machine dolly to our club's Jet 1642, and it's not working according to plan...
Click to expand...
I have pictures and descriptions of how I made my 1642 mobile in this thread. This works just dandy and the dolly cost less than $100.
 
I decided to go it low tech for my powermatic lathe. I picked up a few small dollys from HF - they were 8 dollars a pop - rated at 300 lbs each. I use a small bottle jack to lift one end up, put a dolly under each of the feet. I lower the jack and repeat for the other side. It takes a bit of effort to move it, but It still moves around aok. My garage floor is quite level & smooth. so I don't have to worry about that.

While I think the lift table is nice - I just don't have to room to keep a low use item around. Plus at around 200 lbs, kind of heavy for one person to unload.
 
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