Anchoring Machine To Floor Shop Safety

[oldhank60]

wondering what some of the simple methods used to secure your machine to floor so you never have to worry about tipping machine over .

I got levelers for my PM 935, and while I was installing I worried that it could tip over. I had that happen with a lathe once, it was still hooked to engine life so no damage done, anyway I slowly raising 935 so I can get pad under each leveling stud, they wont go under stud when it is sitting on floor , head is rolled over and table down because I relocated it a few days ago , I kept thinking about machine tipping over and how I could achor it to floor, I know I cant anchor it thru holes leveling studs go into those holes so what do I do?

what I did was get some 4 inch angle iron and drill holes in casting on outside of base, installed concrete 5/8" anchors and locked it loosely to floor, I made sure I could still adjust levelers and not tip over, then when table is leveled I just tight down bolt to concrete anchor and done,

what methods are being used by others is what I would like to hear about. I was going to skip anchoring 935 to floor didn't figure it would ever tip over with small bed, but decided not to take any chances, will also be adding anchors to my 1340GT , I don't think it would ever tip either but since my body has been beat up enough in life I guess I lean to safe side

 

[dieselshadow]

I have a 940 and it's incredibly hard to try and tip over with the head halfway up the column. I've milled a few parts so far with it and I would venture to say the mill isn't going anywhere, let alone tip over. Anchoring it certainly won't hurt as long as you leave a method in place to level it and not pull it out of square. It may require making another base that you can bolt to the stand and anchor to the floor.

My lathe requires an even larger lever to get it to want to move. It really loves gravity.

 

[Eddyde]

Honestly, I seldom have seen a machine anchored to the floor, and I've seen lot in my years. Very top heavy machines with a small footprint like a Floor standing drill press are sometimes anchored but most machines are so heavy tipping over isn't a concern. However, with hobby type machines on lightweight bases tipping could be a concern. Your solution sounds adequate and as Dieselshadow said, "as long as you don pull it out of square" it should be fine. Another solution, could be to install a safety chain from the top of the machine to the wall or ceiling.

 

[Bob Korves]

Machines tip over when you are moving them and when you are doing things like putting leveling feet under them and not being careful enough, not when they just sitting there doing their jobs. Once in position they will not fall over unless you drive a fork lift or something into them or something equally dumb. Make sure you lift the machine equally perhaps an inch at a time at each corner, so it does not get dangerously off balance. Keep the supports as near to the corners as possible. Leave just enough room for installing the leveling feet. An engine hoist or gantry crane for extra safety is a good idea. As Eddyde said, floor drill presses and other tall and top heavy tools like them are an exception. With my fairly light floor drill press I took a 30x36" steel plate, 3/8" thick I had laying around, countersunk the 1/2" holes on the bottom of the plate for mounting the drill press, and installed countersunk flat head bolts in the holes, then set the drill press over the bolts and tightened it down. Totally safe from tipping over barring crashes with motorized vehicles or trying to move it using unsafe methods.

Concrete anchors are not always reliably strong against vertical pulls, which they would see in a tipping event, unless they are of the correct style and installed strictly using the manufactures instructions and understanding the limitations of them. Concrete is also weak in tension. I think a machine is probably safer loose on the floor against something like a fork lift hit than it is bolted down to the floor.

 

[oldhank60]

like mentioned in post I did tip a lathe over one time, a cinnci 12.5x30 tray top model. very top heavy, I had it in postition and turning one leveling stud and it went over like a tree cut with chain saw... slow motion till the engine hoist caught it, had hell of a time getting it back up right from hanging from hoist postition, it took only 1 flat of bolt to make it go, and it was not very far off other side , bubble was almost perfect and it went. only machine I ever tipped but it did scare the hell out of me. could of crushed me or the dog .
my garage has a 2" drop to front every 12 foot for water draining,, we used to flood almost every year till I put up a levy up around the run off that cover west side of property, since levy was done I have not had water come in but once, with lot of mud. I dont know if that 2" floor drop has anything to do with it or not.

 

[dieselshadow]

Dang. A machine that was designed to tip over when level? That's crazy....

 

[tmarks11]

Machines tip over when you are moving them .... Once in position they will not fall over unless you drive a fork lift or something into them or something equally dumb.

or until you have an earthquake.

 

[TOOLMASTER]

think it was required in California

 

[Bob Korves]

or until you have an earthquake.

Just my opinion, but I live in earthquake country and will take my chances with a loose machine over one bolted to the floor. The loose machine can slide on the floor in an earthquake, but the one bolted to the floor has the relative sideways energy converted into tip over inertia, after breaking out the drilled anchors due to concrete that is weak in tension and anchors weaker in vertical pullout strength. Example: earthquake pushes building forward which moves machine relatively backwards, it is anchored so the inertial forces will push the unrestrained top of the machine over the anchored rear of the machine, which will pull the front anchors upward. Study earthquake building design. Trying to hold dense objects stationary relative to the earthquake displacement is hopeless.

 

[randyjaco]

When I was in California I did. I did not even consider it in Texas. Unless you are in an earthquake zone, I sure don't see a need.

Randy