How to lift 16" lathe

[Investigator]

I will be going to pick up my 12" Logan lathes. Need to move them about 20 miles home. Plan is to rent a fork lift to load and unload. I want to try to lift them fully assembled. My question is; do you have advice on the best way? Straps with forks above? Where to put straps?

Any advice would be appreciated.

Scott

 

[Chuck K]

The simplest way is to lift them under the bed near the headstock with the carriage moved as far to the right as possible. You want your forks set fairly narrow. Just lift it a little and adjust your lifting spot until it's perfectly balanced. Don't lift under the chip pan....it isn't strong enough.

 

[Reeltor]

I don't know about how your lathes are setup. When I move my Monarch 16" I have a hunk of 4x4 with a notch cut into it to protect the lead screw and drive rod. I've never lifted from above, always jacked from below using a steel bar under the bed, find the balance point and jack from both front and rear of lathe to get it high enough to mount on skids. The wood chunks may be necessary to keep your straps off of the control bits. Be careful,, remember how top heavy a lathe is.

Mike

 

[Uglydog]

I've not done this.
I've seen lathes moved by fork. Including my lathes.
Balance seems to be a critical factor. Be sure to manage this well.
Consider the ground on which you are driving the fork. Will it sink? Are there holes?
The blocks of wood are a huge benefit.
The best fork operator used different height wood to help with level, regardless make sure that it is balanced.
Consider moving your saddle and steady to help offset the weight of the head-stock.
Be sure that the fork is rated for the weight of the machine.
Watch your overhead height, wires, obstructions, garage door height, etc.
These are just observations from watching several machines moved.

Daryl
MN

 

[brino]

Lots of great advice above. A couple more things:

-be sure the tailstock is locked to the ways, again it can be moved to help balance.
-if you do use straps be very careful of routing, do NOT let them touch (push/pull) the lead-screw during the lift that can bend you lead-screw making replacement necessary.

Please let us know how it goes......and post some pictures of your new machine!

Good luck and be careful!

-brino

 

[tq60]

Above mostly correct.

But forks need to be WIDE NOT NARROW for obvious reason of it can tip easy if the forks are narrow but not so much if wide.

Clean the forks with decrease to be certian tops are free of any oil or grease.

Get some 2 X 4 chunks long enough to bridge the bed, easy is to have them same length as forks then have a few shorter ones and take a hand saw too.

Ours is 16 X 54 and it has control rods that are lower than bottom of bed so long wood on fork as the wood grips the steel and being against the truck end it does not move closer.

Next a shorter length that goes from end of fork at truck to just under bed and short of control rod.

Last another shorter one that goes from end of fork at truck to touch back side of bed as this prevents lathe from sliding on the lift.

Check for pivot or roll as many can be top heavy and if it is use a long all thread and more blocks to bolt lathe bed to fork lift or use strap to secure it down.

When lifted tilt forks back just a few degrees as that keeps it from sliding forward and last is do every move SLOW.

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