# How To Move A 16" Sb 117 C ?



## Investigator (Jul 7, 2016)

I have acquired a 16" SB.  I will need to move it about 3 miles and into my shop where it will first be cleaned and possibly refurbed, and then moved into position to use. 

What is the best/safest/easiest way to move such a beast?  I have trailers, straps, tools, and if I need to lift it can use a skid steer and/or tractor with front end loader.

I have thought about partial disassembly.

looking for advise and suggestions.


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## strantor (Jul 7, 2016)

I picked up an 18" lathe on a tilt-bed trailer once. It was loaded by forklift



When I got it home there was no more forklift. So I built a skid under it out of 4X4s and rolled it down the tilted bed with heavy-walled pipes.







I controlled the descent with two come-along jacks, loosened up a few notches at a time.

When it came time to move this lathe again (moved to a new house) I welded a steel skid for it out of heavy channel with heavy duty casters under it.







Since I didn't have a tilt-be trailer this time, I also made ramps for the skid out of heavy channel.






I welded a boat winch to the tongue of my trailer to pull it up.





I did not transit with the lathe sitting on the casters. I lifted the lathe up with jacks and set the skid frame on cinder blocks, because I was worried about the point load pushing the casters through the trailer floor while going over bumps. My fear was warranted; as soon as I let it down off the blocks, it fell through:








OK, now I've shown you a two ways that work. 
I have NOT however shown you the safest way to get the job done.
In fact I will confess that both of these moves were UNsafe and calculated risks. 
The safer way to do it would be to pay someone else with the proper equipment.
But if I did that, then I might as well also pay someone to do my machining for me.
And pay someone else to drive me to work, hell even pay someone else to go to work and do my unsafe job for me.
But, I get out of bed every day and drive to work through a 60mi. gauntlet of potential death and I do unsafe stuff when I get there, and then back through the gauntlet and I do unsafe stuff at home, and I love it. 
I hope you love living dangerously too, because it sure would be boring not to.


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## woodtickgreg (Jul 7, 2016)

I took my heavy 10 apart twice to move it, much easier in pieces.


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## Uglydog (Jul 7, 2016)

It's always easiest to take it apart when it's standing upright.
All that bending over after she has tipped gets old fast!

Daryl
MN


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## Rootpass (Jul 8, 2016)

I welded casters to 3/8" plate and welded some thin 4" pipe "rings" on each one to have a place to attach a clevis to.
For the surface grinder I built a skid out of 4x4s and 3/4" plywood with a hole at each end to hook a clevis.
From there it's sch 40 pipe to roll on, come alongs, slings, a big pinch bar, nylon straps, block and tackle etc. and the occasional use of the old jeep.
A sheet or two of plywood helps to slide on if you are going to build/use a wooden skid.
Think like an Egyptian building the pyramids and you won't have any trouble.


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## Rootpass (Jul 8, 2016)




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## pineyfolks (Jul 8, 2016)

When I moved my 16"sb I jacked it up enough to place 4'  4x4s under the headstock and tailstock end then used the mounting holes in the lathe and lag bolts to screw it down to the lathe and the trailer. Lots of heavy straps.  A large come-along and chain hoist easily moved it on and off the trailer.


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## Splat (Jul 8, 2016)

Ooof! Did they really lift that lathe with sliding the forks under the bed? Ouch! I'm surprised the bed wasn't bent badly from all the weight at both ends!  I moved my Heavy 10 by taking it apart. Having it in pieces made the move a lot easier and only required two guys.  Getting it into my basement I used an engine hoist.


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## John C (Jul 9, 2016)

Take it apart...  30-60 minutes work depending how familiar you are with them. Beats spending months searching for replacement parts on ebay if it happens to tip over in transit.


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## jpfabricator (Jul 9, 2016)

DONT TIE IT TO THE WOODEN RAILS IN A U-HAUL TRAILER! 

Sent from somwhere in east Texas by Jake!


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## Brain Coral (Jul 10, 2016)

Hello Investigator 

I recently bought and moved a 16" South Bend. At the purchase end, the seller loaded it onto my trailer with a tractor and bucket. It took all the tractor had to lift it high enough for the approximately #2200 lathe to sit on the trailer. At my end, I didn't have anything to lift, except a 4 ton engine hoist,so I dismantled the lathe, piece by piece to get it onto the shop floor. This took me about 2 hours to complete.
















I plan on doing a complete tear down of the lathe, so this worked the best for my situation.

Brian


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