Riggers in PGH?

That is why I mentioned using the car as a winch. If the car has a hitch that is perfect. Run the cable under the car and attach it to the rear of the car so that the driver is moving forward while lowering and can see what is happening.
A car and a length of steel rope with stuff to terminate the ends (at least 1/4 Dia) from the hardware store, and some plywood (maybe a few 2x boards for the stairs) is all that is needed. I had 4 people, not big strong people. One driving the car to lower or raise the load. one at the top of the stairs to relay info to the driver, and 2 to guide the machine down the ramp from ABOVE the machine. Depending on your setup you may not need the one at the top of the stairs, especially if you have some walkie talkies. One person should be plenty to guide the machine down, 2 is just safer as long as there is room for 2.
IF the cable will hit the top of the steps as you are going down, you need to place a board there (board must be secured so it does not slide out of position) for the cable to slide on so it is not damaged by the corner of the top step. I used my engine hoist with a pulley for this since I had to run the cable thru the house and out a window that lined up with the stairs and I had to hold the cable up off the window sill, and high enough to not hit the top of the stairs.

If I were closer I would love to come help play with new toys.
 
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When it's time if you can't find a professional (or even if you can) put a call out on here for folks who can help. I did, and had a couple of guys come down who knew what they were doing when I bought my 13x40 lathe.

I just loaded that one up with it's new owner and offloaded my 12x36 pretty much by myself.

The most important thing to know if you attempt to move any large machine is that you have to move it with your brain. Nobody is strong enough to manhandle these things and bad stuff happens if you try. Many of the tools used are simple, pry bar, lengths of pipe, come along. Engine hoists and trailers can be rented or borrowed.

Professional riggers may shy away from jobs like this for lots of reasons, if you do get a quote it might be high enough that they figure you'll pass. The machine you're trying to move is well within DIY realm, most of us wouldn't have the machines we do if someone else had to move them for us.

You have some time to work it out however, and being so close to PM you may be able to get them to help. But it not put the call out when you're ready and you may be pleasantly surprised.

John
 
I suggest you simply contact PM again and get them to deliver directly to your home. Depending up on your site, you might even be able to get them to set the lathe into your basement using a fork lift with long tines. Matt is very helpful this way. As far as your moving it in your basement people roll lathes on pipes as well as on dollies. Get it out of the crate, but perhaps leave it bolted to the pallet, before you try to put it into your house.

I live in Pgh, about 25-30 miles from PM. They did this for me for a very reasonable fee. I have a little different situation. I purchased the PM 1440GT, which is considerably bigger and heaver than your purchase and it is already on steel stands. They uncrated it at PM and I went there and installed dolly wheels on the stands so that I could just push it around in my basement once I got it in. They made two trailer trips. The combined lathe and forklift weight was more than they wanted to put on the trailer they deliver with. One to bring the forklift and one to bring the lathe on its stands etc to my house on a trailer. I set up the unload blocking at my house basement steps for them a head of time. My basement is actually a walk out so it sounds a bit easier than your situation. I have 3-4 steps "up" into my basement, but a conventional door entry. They used tine extensions on the forklift and their standard strapping with wood block method on the lathe bed arrangement to pick it up and lift it over the steps so that the spindle base (wheels) were in the basement and on the floor. They rested the tail stock stand wheels on the outside step which I had leveled with concrete blocks and plywood. They got a bit of a second grip and pushed it on in to the basement. We all then wheeled it into my machining area (around some tight doors). They did a nice job. They move these machines around in their shop all of the time so they know how to grip the machines. Pretty straight forward.

If you want to hire a rigger, I suggest you contact Benkart Rigging. They are good and more importantly very safety minded...cautious and think through everything before they start a lift. They moved and helped me install 3 separate 22' x 10"x7" I-beams into my house when I was remodeling it. They were not nearly as expensive as you might have expected. I had used them before to move some large (8'x3'x10") granite optical tables at work (just a slab or rock, no handles or places to tie to). You would be amazed at some of the things these guys move around and how little, but the right, equipment they have to have to do the job.

Take some pictures of your sight so that PM or the Riggers can see what they are getting into. If they do not have to make a trip to see the site it will save you a little.

Good Luck.

Dave
 
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