# Moving a Monarch 10ee



## DMS (Oct 27, 2012)

I just purchased a 1956 Monarch 10ee (well, gave the guy a deposit so I can work out the details on transportation). My patience/procrastination paid off, and rather than getting one off E-bay, one came up about 10miles away. So, now that I have it, and don't know exactly where it is going to live in my garage, my plan is to have the riggers drop it just inside the garage door on some 4x4s until I can get rid of some other stuff, add power for the beast, and move it into position.

So my question is, what is the best way to move it around the shop. I don't currently have a pallet jack, but that was my first thought. I was also looking at these leveling casters

http://www.footmastercasters.com/caster_leveling_top_plate_GD-120F.html

which are recommended for loads up to 4400lbs for a set of 4. With the casters, I would have to build some sort of frame to attach them to, that would sit under the lathe. It's a bit more work, and a bit more expensive. The bad thing about the pallet jack is that I would have to find some place to store it when I wasn't using it, though it could also be useful for other things.

Your experience and thoughts are appreciated. I'm trying to get someone to move the thing on Thurs or Fri of this week.

DMS


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## Hawkeye (Oct 27, 2012)

Congratulations on your find. Is it possible to rent a pallet jack in your area? That would be pretty cheap.

If you have enough solid area on the bottom of the lathe (possibly by fastening two heavy wood rails lengthwise), you can move it easily. My mill weighs about 3200 pounds and I moved it through the shop door and turned it into its present location, just by rolling it on lengths of 1 1/2" pipe. Turning is very easy if you arrange your pipes like wheel spokes. It turns by itself when you push it.


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## DMS (Oct 27, 2012)

I hadn't given a lot of thought to renting one. Looks like there is a place locally that will rent them for $35 a day (or $100 a week), which seems a bit steep for a day, but it's not that bad.

When you used the pipes. how did you get the mill up on them in the first place? I'm figuring that I will either leave the lathe on wood blocks, or build a frame with casters, that way it will be easy to move with the jack or casters. I'm worried that if I set it down directly on the floor... I won't be able to get anything under it again.

DMS


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## 8ntsane (Oct 27, 2012)

Congrats on the 10EE

Im im not mistaken, the 10EE has those ajustable feet built in. I know when I was helping my friend move his around, we had to be carefull of where we were sticking the big pinch bar.

Im not sure if a pallet jack would be much good or not. You should be able to roll it around on a few pieces of round stock. I usually use 1/2 solid bar, rather than tube, or pipe. I like to keep the machine as close to the ground as possible.

Good luck with your new Lathe


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## jgedde (Oct 27, 2012)

I'm happy you got your 10EE.  I wish I was so lucky...  But, then again, getting it down into my shop (in the basement) would be an expensive proposition.

Does your post count as tool gloat?  I think it does!  )

Does it run?  I'm guessing it has the vacuum tube speed controller.

Take some nice pics for us so we can drool!

John


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## Hawkeye (Oct 27, 2012)

DMS said:


> When you used the pipes. how did you get the mill up on them in the first place?
> DMS



When I was waiting to go pick up my mill, I spent some time making a toe jack. I ended up using it over and over again when I moved the mill into the shop. Check out http://www.hobby-machinist.com/showthread.php/6393-Victoria-U1-or-P1-Mill, particularly post #22. Lots of pictures, including the jack. I only needed to lift the machine 3/8" to get the jack under it.


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## Cal Haines (Oct 29, 2012)

Hiring a rigger is going to be expensive. You can buy a machinery mover's pry lever and a set of skates for less than it will probably cost for the riggers.
http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200356890_200356890
http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/NTESearch?storeId=6970&Ntt=pry+lever

A hydraulic lowering trailer makes moving a machine the size of a 10EE a breeze.

10EEs use 3 points of support, 2 under the headstock and one under the tailstock.  I don't recall, but there may be raised spots on the bottom of the casting for the supports that may cause minor problems using pipes, but nothing you can't work around.  Otherwise, the bottom of a 10EE is mostly flat, so it will roll on pipes just fine.

Mike,  Nice job moving the mill.  We need better photos of your shop-made toe jack.

_Cal_


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## DMS (Oct 29, 2012)

I'm OK moving things around the shop, but I've never towed a vehicle before, and I don't want to start with my new baby 

I called a local guy. He gave me a pretty reasonable price for the move, so that's that. I'm gonna have him drop it off just inside my garage, until I can install the wiring, and clear up the area where the lathe will live (assuming I can't get that done before Thursday).  If I have him leave it on blocks I'll have to have some way to move it into position, which is the root of my original question.


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## PurpLev (Oct 29, 2012)

congrats on the purchase. that is such a nice lathe!
depending on the open space in your garage, the rolling around on pipes might be the cheapest/easiest to manage. if not, renting a pallet jack, or an engine hoist (at least a 3Ton one I believe) would be my 2nd choice). money well spent.


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## DMS (Oct 29, 2012)

I don't think I have enough room to maneuver with the pipes. The mill is in the center of the garage. Just enough room to do a pirouette with a pallet jack to swing the thing around. I think that's my best bet. That is of course unless I can move a large bench, wire in the 220 circuit by Thursday... it could happen.


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## Hawkeye (Oct 29, 2012)

Cal, I'm sure I had posted the toe jack before, but I can't find it anywhere. So, I posted a new one.

http://www.hobby-machinist.com/showthread.php/9120-Another-Toe-Jack?p=76256#post76256


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## Nightshift (Nov 7, 2012)

DMS, like Cal said, the bottom of an EE is relatively flat, except for the 3 slightly raised foot areas. If you don't have a toe jack, now is the time to make one. You will be soooo thankful you did as they make it easy to get under any heavy equipment (safely). Trying to move a 3,300 lb. EE with a pry bar is not what I consider easy ... or safe. Lift it with your toe jack to slip three 1" pipe rollers under and then it's quite easy to use a pry bar to roll and wiggle it into position. An EE does not need to be bolted down (obviously) or even leveled for that matter ... but I don't know of a single machinist who would NOT level their $100,000 (new) EE! You've got the Rolls Royce of super precision lathes so take the time to set it up level.

Since you probably don't have the lifting capability to raise it up and see, here's what the bottom of the EE base casting looks like. Cheers, Bill ('52 10EE)


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## Cal Haines (Nov 7, 2012)

Bill,  Thanks for the photo.  Do you have more photos of the base?

Unlike a carpenter's pry bar, a proper machinery mover's pry lever (like the Northern Equipment bar that I linked to) is very much able to safely and effectively lift a 10EE.  It's no problem to get a 10EE up on pipes with one but you do need a a fair amount of space to work.  Toe jacks are very handy and work better in close quarters.

http://www.northerntool.com/images/product/images/14849_lg.jpg

_Cal_


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## DMS (Nov 7, 2012)

The guys I had move it used a similar bar, but no bearings on it. They dropped it in the doorway to my garage with a forklift, shoved it the rest of the way in with the forks, then hand "walked" it with that moving bar.

Watching riggers work is like watching a magician.


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