Lifting a lathe with an engine hoist.....?

[calstar]

I've searched the threads here and the method below seems to be a good way to go, any negatives? Lathe is a 12x36 1980s Taiwanese model, so its not extremely heavy.


AR1911 Re: Moving a lathe

"I have pretty much settled on lifting lathes by the spindle nose, behind the chuck. The forces in doing so are far below those the spindle is designed for in normal use. I do like the use of the pipe, I may incorporate that. And those levelers are the ticket."​

thanks, Brian

 

[Pontiac Freak]

I moved my HF 12x36 with a Cherry Picker. The manual (i think) shows a strap under the table lifting.

 

[pdentrem]

I used a lifting ring that was threaded onto a plate fitted underneath the bed. Used the carriage and tailstock to balance the lathe. Here is two pictures. Strap through the web of the bed as suggested is good as well.
Pierre

 

[george wilson]

You can lift the lathe with a strap around the bed just in front of the headstock. Better yet,thread it through the INSIDE of the bed. If you must put the strap around the outside of the bed,be careful to NOT squeeze the leadscrew or other feed rods,etc..

Be careful the strap does not get around any sharp corners,or flashings on castings. It can get cut when under a heavy load,and drop your lathe. . There is hardly any leeway for clearance of the leadscrew in the half nuts. And,the leadscrew can be tricky to re straighten.

Be very wary of IMPORT lifting straps. They can let go.

 

[zmotorsports]

Personally I would NOT lift it by the spindle/chuck. I know there are people that do it but I can't bring myself to use that method. I just got mine up and running and used a rated capacity lifting strap around the bed. I found the best balance of headstock to tailstock area and slung it fairly close to the bed yet clearing the headstock with the arm of the engine hoist. I also went one step further and added a lighter weight tie down style from the engine hoist to the tailstock end of the bed and added a very light amount of tension. This was merely to assist in balancing the weight and keeping the tailstock end from tipping down and possibly having the strap slip on the bedways.

Also, be certain to keep the lifting strap behind the leadscrew and feedrod so you don't damage them in the process of lifting the lathe.

Mike.

 

[dave2176]

I could never put a 1,000 pound work piece on my lathe so I wouldn't consider lifting a 1,000 pound lathe by those same bearings and spindle. I lift like Mike and George described.

Dave

 

[george wilson]

I used to be nervous about lifting a small machine,but having lifted several much heavier ones in my career,I'm more sure of myself! But,never get TOO sure of yourself.

There are those who lift by the spindle. I think it might depend upon the lathe. My Hardinge HLVH has a very small spindle,super high precision bearings,and weighs a LOT. I definitely would not even think about lifting it,or a Monarch 10EE(even HEAVIER!!!) by the spindle.

Ordinary lathes? I prefer to be conservative and lift by the bed as I described,but I won't say they can't be lifted by the spindle. The headstocks are bolted onto the beds,don't forget. And,a broken casting (like where a thin looking headstock foot is) would be a disaster. I'd rather play it safe myself.

Especially when thinking about the integrity of Chinese cast iron.

I heard about a father and son making Bridgeport body castings in Taiwan,in a shop no bigger than a single car garage. That,I'd like some video of!! Got to admire them!! But,quality control? Who knows! They must have been digging a pit to bury the patterns in,and pouring from a furnace,like they used to make cannon 200 years ago. They HAD to be melting about double the required amount of iron to allow for feeding liquid iron into the shrinking casting as it cooled. It takes a lot to keep feeding a casting.

 

[Charles Spencer]

I heard about a father and son making Bridgeport body castings in Taiwan,in a shop no bigger than a single car garage. That,I'd like some video of!! Got to admire them!! But,quality control? Who knows!

This guy does well enough in his tiny shop to give us problems:

 

[george wilson]

Well,he's not making AK 47's!!! His specialty looks like old British single shots,or single shot shotguns.

 

[Cheeseking]

Per my colchester manual....



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