Lifting turret of BP

[Jonathans]

OK. I got a hold of the guy that did the rebuild for me. He's had to deal with this often and here's what he had to say for the benefit of myself and anyone else undertaking this.
First. Don't unbolt the turret without first supporting it as it will fall forward an onto the floor. I figured this myself, but didn't ask him how he knew this!
Second. There are small ears in the base casting below the spider. Loosen the 4 bolts slightly. Remove 2 bolts diagonally from each other. SLOWLY loosen the other 2 bolts so the spider lowers level and sits on the ears.
Remove the bolts. Now lift the turret and install the riser and turret with the new longer bolts. Its a good idea to check the threads for ease of starting in the threads of the spider before installing the riser.
Don't screw up and drop the spider.

 

[Buffalo20]

When I put the riser in my mill, I extended the ram and cribbed the table to the ram, then used the knee to lift the ram/head assembly up. Raised it up high enough to install the riser, then lowered the assembly down and installed the bolts.

Mine had one spider to hold the riser block to the mill and another spider to hold the ram/head assembly to the riser block.

 

[f350ca]

They are an unruly thing to handle, thats why mine hasn't came back out. I have an overhead crane which helped a LOT. Slung around the head then the come along back to the ram balanced it. The riser should come with longer bolts. The spider as said will balance in there.

Greg

 

[Jonathans]

When I put the riser in my mill, I extended the ram and cribbed the table to the ram, then used the knee to lift the ram/head assembly up. Raised it up high enough to install the riser, then lowered the assembly down and installed the bolts.

Mine had one spider to hold the riser block to the mill and another spider to hold the ram/head assembly to the riser block.


View attachment 240278

I like how you handled that. Was the head still attached, or did you remove it?

 

[Buffalo20]

head was still attached

 

[itsme_Bernie]

Here is what I do to give clearance underneath and around Machinery when I'm using an engine hoist, 2 1/2 inch angle iron, about 3 feet long, slipped down the tubes for the weight bearing legs:

.
Bernie

 

[itsme_Bernie]

This machine is about 900lbs
Another:

.
Bernie

 

[itsme_Bernie]

Capacity of a normal, standard Series 1 Bridgeport table, according to the literature , is 750 pounds. I don't know the capacity of yours.

Could you loosen the spider bolts about half an inch or more, start to lift the turret, and wrap some wire or something around each of the bolts in between the turrit and the column, this way when you loosen the bolts all the way, the wire at each corner will just hold the bolts up?

Now you don't have to reach inside the machine, you have control over the spider both from the wires you wrap around each corner in between


.
Bernie

 

[Jonathans]

Bernie,
I think what you are referring to would require that the turret would need to be bolted onto the base with studs. Unfortunately my rig is using bolts, so they lift out completely with the turret.
My table is super beefy as compared to a "normal" Series 1 table its dimensions are around 34" x 15" and is supposed to be more rigid than a standard table. Not sure what the screw dimensions are.
I have no manual, nor can I find one, so don't know what the capacity is rated as.

 

[Silverbullet]

Use the forklift be safe