The question of getting the mill off the pallet is actually a very good one. I faced that problem after I received mine and scratched my head for a few days. The pallet is only 5½ inches in height but that machine is very heavy and you don't want to drop it when removing the pallet! I don't have an engine hoist so this is how I managed:
I used two 2x6 x 10 foot long rafters supported on one end on two static car jacks. On the other end I used a 2 ton hydraulic cylinder. Short 2x4's at either end of the long rafters were nailed to keep them from moving away from each other during the operation. I then inserted two, 3 foot long steel pipes in the holes at the top of the base. As the instuction manual states, this is from where you are supposed to lift, normally with a fork lift.
A few pumps of the hydraulic cylinder and the whole machine easily levitated above the now unbolted pallet. The pallet was removed and the empty space underneeth temporatily filled with a few 2X4's stacked to a height lower than the pallet height. The hydraulic cylinder was then lowered until the rafters touched the ground. The whole rafters and support were then repositionned (the static jacks moved more to the rear) so I could lift again to remove more 2x4's. Using this back and forth technique I was able to gradually remove the remaining wood cleats and lower the machine on to the floor. I then lifted with only one steel pipe, inserted the other pipe under the base and rolled the mill to its final position in the garage.
By the way I agree with the comments about the base being to low on this mill. I would really like the X-Y table to be 8 to 12 inches higher. I wish Grizzly would supply a higher base. I hadn't thought of leaving part of the pallet to keep the machine higher (clever) but, in retrospect, I prefer the machine be on a more solid base. My garage floor is sloped to force any water into the drain, centrally located on the floor. I had to prop up one corner of the base to level the machine. A cut up pallet would not have been very solid with this arrangement. Some day I hope to make a spacer, either to sit the entire machine on or fit it between the base and the machine, so as to lift it to a more confortable working position. But for the moment, one year after, I remain very satisfied with the purchase. I use it often. For my telescope making hobby, this machine is more than I will ever need.
One last thing: A few owners mentionned having shimed the vertical column after mesuring a lack of perpendicularity to the X-Y table. I've not measured mine but, I have a question for those who measured a misalignment: did you tighten the two bolts on the vertical slide that support the milling head before taking your perpendicualrity measurement? Normally, when you machine, you would tighten these before cutting, to reduce vibration and ensure a clean cut. Tightening these down would slightly straighen the head since you are, in fact, pushing against the gib of the vertical dovetail way. If you don't tighten, the weight of the milling head would force it to lean forward somewhat. 0.005" over 8.5 inches is not much!
Pierre Lemay
Montréal.
