# Pm-1440e-lb Due To Arrive



## N2XD (Oct 22, 2016)

Hello to the group. I have ordered a PM-1440E-LB this past week and will have it shipped out Nov 4th. Have to move out some other equipment to make room. Any one out there have experience unpacking and moving this unit only using a 2 ton engine hoist? Any information would be greatly appreciated. Thanks


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## jbolt (Oct 22, 2016)

Congrats on he new machine!

I recently un-crated and moved my PM-1440GT using a 1 ton engine hoist, a floor jack and a toe jack. The trickiest part is getting the machine off the pallet. PM put the machine and factory crate on another wider pallet for shipping to me so the machine sits high when it arrived. 

I used a reciprocating saw to cut away the center section of the PM pallet from under the factory pallet and then used the floor jack to lift the machine from under the factory pallet one end at a time to get the remaining PM pallet out from under the factory pallet. I lowered each end of the factory pallet onto a 2x4 so I could get the floor jack out and then used the toe jack to get the 2x4 out and the factory pallet on the ground.

Once the factory pallet was on the ground I again cut the center section out between the bases. I then used the toe jack on each end to lift under the base to remove the remaining factory pallet. Each end of the machine was set down on two stacked pieces of  2x4's so the engine hoist would fit under the foot brake.

For the engine hoist I used a nylon tow strap. I cut a piece of 2x4 the width of the lathe bed. The tow strap went through (not around) the bed and then around the 2x4 under the bed. With the tail-stock and carriage all the way to the right and the tow strap and block near the head it balanced pretty well. 

It took me, my wife and my daughter about two hours to un-crate and move into the garage.


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## dieselshadow (Oct 22, 2016)

I borrowed a gantry crane on wheels. You may be able to rent one. It made the job super easy.


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## LucknowKen (Oct 22, 2016)

N2XD said:


> Hello to the group.Any one out there have experience unpacking and moving this unit only using a 2 ton engine hoist? Any information would be greatly appreciated. Thanks



Hello N2XD: Welcome to THM forums. The info i could offer you is in the form of a caution. Keep the boom of your engine hoist as short as possible and watch for obstructions like cracks or tools on the floor.
It took me forever to move an  F. E.Reed  lathe off of the truck and into its general position. 
That was only 15 feet in total. 



lk


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## N2XD (Oct 22, 2016)

dieselshadow said:


> I borrowed a gantry crane on wheels. You may be able to rent one. It made the job super easy.


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## N2XD (Oct 22, 2016)

I have tried to rent a gantry crane here in Franklin, the only problem is that none of the rental places here know what a gantry crane is. I took delivery of the PM-940-PDF a month ago and  used the engine hoist. Have to get the shop wired up. I will try and keep everyone posted as to my progress. Thanks.


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## N2XD (Oct 22, 2016)

Thanks for the suggestions. Tried to see if I could rent a gantry crane. The rental places here do not know what a gantry crane is. Needles to say they did not have one.


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## dieselshadow (Oct 23, 2016)

Are you in Franklin TN? If so, call Lift Gear Hire. They have them. They specialize in renting rigging.

(You can't see profile locations when posting from Tapatalk here on HM.)


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## N2XD (Oct 23, 2016)

No I'm in Franklin,NC


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## dieselshadow (Oct 23, 2016)

Look them up anyway. They may have a branch near you.


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## N2XD (Oct 23, 2016)

I did and left them a message. They just might have a branch in Atlanta which is only an hour and a half away. It sure would be worth it.


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## pugslyyy (Oct 27, 2016)

LucknowKen said:


> Hello N2XD: Welcome to THM forums. The info i could offer you is in the form of a caution. Keep the boom of your engine hoist as short as possible and watch for obstructions like cracks or tools on the floor.
> It took me forever to move an  F. E.Reed  lathe off of the truck and into its general position.
> That was only 15 feet in total.
> View attachment 137961
> ...



Yeah I was going to say the same thing - you can't be in a hurry trying to move a big piece of equipment, that's when things go wrong.  I found a come-along and a pallet jack to be useful.  The come-along gives you a nice controlled pull.


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## maker of things (Nov 2, 2016)

I set mine with an unmodified HF 2 ton shop crane.  I would not recommend it.  The spread of the legs is not wide enough to get any useful angle on the lathe.  If you have access to welding I would suggest modifying the legs so they can straddle the machine. I did something like this http://www.hobby-machinist.com/threads/frankos-hf-engine-hoist-mod.39516/ and feel it would have made placing my e-lb actually safe.


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## N2XD (Nov 3, 2016)

I did find a local home shop gentleman with a Gantry that I could borrow if needed. Looking at delivery Monday so we shall see how it goes.


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## N2XD (Nov 13, 2016)

Well after doing some changing with the shipper the lathe was delivered Friday. However the lift gate on the truck would not work unless it was on level ground. So it is now on the upper part of the driveway. I'm having a skid steer machine brought  up tomorrow that will have the lifting capacity to move the machine down to the shop. This will work out even better because I will be able to have the basic crate lifted of the pallet so I will be able to unpack in a safe manner. Nobody said this was going to be easy.


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## dieselshadow (Nov 13, 2016)

Yup, take your time and do it right. Time spent being patient and calculating making planned moves makes for an uneventful and safe placement of heavy equipment. It would very much suck if something got damaged or somebody gets hurt because someone got into a rush.


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## N2XD (Nov 15, 2016)

Amazing what can be done with the prober equipment. All I have to do is cut the pallet and lift the ends to remove. The machine is in position. Now all I have to wire up the area for the mill and lathe.


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## maker of things (Nov 21, 2016)

N2XD said:


> Amazing what can be done with the proper equipment


and while it doesn't make for a very exciting tale, it probably doesn't take years off you life either.  Congrats.


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## N2XD (Nov 21, 2016)

yes I find that as I get older the less exciting the better. I do plan on modifying the legs on the engine hoist as was suggested. I think that would be a good plan for the future.


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## N2XD (Nov 26, 2016)

Well we are all wired and ready to go on the lathe and mill. have everything ready for the welder and other equipment. Now I have to move everything into position and start the cleaning and lube.


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## dfwilbanks (Jul 1, 2019)

N2XD said:


> Well we are all wired and ready to go on the lathe and mill. have everything ready for the welder and other equipment. Now I have to move everything into position and start the cleaning and lube.



How is your PM-1440E-LB doing after more then 2-1/2 years. I am about to order one. I live in Statesville NC.


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## N2XD (Jul 1, 2019)

I am very pleased with the lathe and I hope you enjoy yours as much as I have enjoyed mine.

John


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