How to Unload/Unbox new 14x40 lathe

[jareese]

Hello all - I will be getting a 14x40 Lathe in the very near future (few months yet) and I seem to be stuck on how to actually get the lathe off of the pallet it will be on. I think I have everything else figured out, at least as far as I am aware - I know there is *always* that ONE thing.. I am in the country, I can buy or rent an engine hoist and straps if it will work, my concern is straddling the pallet.... I have a low ceiling in the garage so large equipment, like a Skid-steer, most likely won't have the height needed...

Thanks in advance for any advice/suggestions!

**edited delivery timeframe

 

[BladesIIB]

Congratulations on your new machine. I rented a forklift to get my lathe off the pallet and turned and aligned with my garage door entrance where I wanted to put it. I used 2x4's to create a sort of ramp to match the lip entrance into my garage, then used 3/4" pipe as rollers to egyptian roller the lathe into place. The pipe across the 2x4 is where I put the lathe down from the forklift to begin rolling it straight into place. I also purchased a large lever bar off Amazon to allow for some lifting and adjusting to keep it on the rollers. Full video here if you want more detail on anything. All the best with your install.

 

[pontiac428]

I wouldn't dare with the engine hoist on a 14" lathe. Not worth it.

Pallet jacks, floor jacks, *toe jacks*, and crib blocks are all your friends. Raise the lathe enough to unbolt and remove the pallet, and ease her down. Some 4x4 posts, a stack of end cut 2x wood blocks, and a floor jack will do the job. Place the posts like a litter, crib one end, jack and block, move to the other side, jack and block, never tilting the lathe more than it takes to get jus one piece of dunnage under the litter. When the pallet is out, do the reverse.

As one who has embarrassingly toppled a lathe, I will be the first to say go easy and have help on hand. And as one who has also flipped an engine hoist and twisted the ram like a pretzel, engine hoists should never be used for large stuff and never over 1/2 ton no matter what the label says.

 

[Aukai]

I used a chain fall, and machine skates, there was a set for sale in our ad section at the bottom.

 

[hanermo2]

Nothing wrong with engine hoists - ...
You just need *proper* industrial ones, like for heavy industrial engines, rated for 5000 kg. Not the toys.

Just like the proper machinery skates, we used at haas, 10-20 tons each.
One person could/did move a 4000 kg machine tool on the skates, given a level good hard concrete floor.

A 14x40 circa 2000 kg is not that heavy or hard.
Given access, I would pay a rigger to put it in place for 2-500€ or so.

I could do it alone, with no tools, but then the 4 days (safely) are much better spent doing something else.

 

[7milesup]

Given access, I would pay a rigger to put it in place for 2-500€ or so.

You must have cheap riggers in Spain. The riggers around here won't leave their place for less than $250 and then tack on $250/hr while they are gone from their base. It is crazy expensive.

 

[7milesup]

@jareese I purchased a 14x40 about two years ago and faced the same dilemma. The pictures below are how I went about it, but in a nutshell, I built a plate with an eyelet that went up through the bed ways. The two bolts sticking registered against a web due to balance issues. I removed as much of the pallet as possible so that the engine hoist legs would start to straddle the pallet. Then, attached the engine hoist to the eye and started to lift. I started to cut the pallet away with a Sawzall and eventually, due to how I had it balanced, was able to slide the tailstock end of the pallet out from underneath the lathe. One big advantage of lifting a lathe this way is you will not have to worry about it tipping over unless you have a catastrophic failure of the engine hoist or chain.

 

[jareese]

@jareese I purchased a 14x40 about two years ago and faced the same dilemma. The pictures below are how I went about it, but in a nutshell, I built a plate with an eyelet that went up through the bed ways. The two bolts sticking registered against a web due to balance issues. I removed as much of the pallet as possible so that the engine hoist legs would start to straddle the pallet. Then, attached the engine hoist to the eye and started to lift. I started to cut the pallet away with a Sawzall and eventually, due to how I had it balanced, was able to slide the tailstock end of the pallet out from underneath the lathe. One big advantage of lifting a lathe this way is you will not have to worry about it tipping over unless you have a catastrophic failure of the engine hoist or chain.

View attachment 434392

I actually like this idea... I can rent a heavy duty hoist so I don't have to worry about the Ch!ne$3 toys... Hmmmm... Got me thinkin now.. Plus that Eisen is quite a bit heavier than the PM will be... Thanks.

 

[Ultradog MN]

What does your machine weigh?
Are you just trying to lift it to pull the pallet out?
People seem to forget about wood.
Make yourself a gantry.
Three 10" microlam joists 8' long.
Triple up some 2x6s for posts on the ends.
X brace the heck out of it.
Tie it to the ceiling joists also and use the building to assist in keeping it upright.
I used to live in a typical suburban home with attached 2 car garage.
I built a a gantry as described.
Used 3 1/2" deck screws to assemble it.
I could lift an entire tractor that weighed most of a couple tons.
Was poor at the time so kept the lumber clean.
After finishing the task I disassembled the gantry and returned the lumber to Home Depot.
A few screw holes don't hurt lumber.

 

[7milesup]

Used 3 1/2" deck screws to assemble it.
I could lift an entire tractor that weighed most of a couple tons.

You are lucky. Very lucky. Deck screws should never be used in a shear application. Drywall screws should not be used in shear either. Yes, they hang drywall with them, but the shear load is minimal. Deck screws are meant for just that, to hold the decking down to structure.
If one wants to assemble a structure for load, one needs to use bolts, GRK RSS screws, or similar.