1440's type - informational thread -Post Yours here

[Damn Yankee]

Full custom - 3/4" ply top and bottom, 4 x 4" stringers x 4 - screwed not nailed.

 

[Damn Yankee]

Sorry, previous post was response to Eyerelief.

 

[Eyerelief]

Sorry, previous post was response to Eyerelief.

Sounds plenty sturdy, but thats just speculation on my part. I watched my lathe sink through standard pallets without slowing down. The 2x6 pallets were just enough to get the unit moved one time. I had to rebuild the pallets with each move because they were trashed. Moved the lathe 3 times so far.
If I understand you correctly, you are wanting to leave your lathe on the pallets so that you can move it around? I don't think I would do that. While the unit is running, I would think the casters would allow enough movement to induce a wobble. That is just my opinion tho. That opinion does come with some experience I might add. I had a 10" on a stand with casters and it wobbled under power. If the machine is moving, it would be near impossible to get accurate cuts or good finishes.

 

[Damn Yankee]

Sounds plenty sturdy, but thats just speculation on my part. I watched my lathe sink through standard pallets without slowing down. The 2x6 pallets were just enough to get the unit moved one time. I had to rebuild the pallets with each move because they were trashed. Moved the lathe 3 times so far.
If I understand you correctly, you are wanting to leave your lathe on the pallets so that you can move it around? I don't think I would do that. While the unit is running, I would think the casters would allow enough movement to induce a wobble. That is just my opinion tho. That opinion does come with some experience I might add. I had a 10" on a stand with casters and it wobbled under power. If the machine is moving, it would be near impossible to get accurate cuts or good finishes.

Cannot levelers be included to get the casters off the ground?

 

[Dabbler]

I could not get it down the stairs to a basement so I passed

@Damn Yankee too bad. I've taken 2 lathes down stairs and both of them back up. One was a 1200 lb lathe, and the other was a 3800 lb one. I'm a little too far away to help on the spur of the moment.

 

[pontiac428]

@Damn Yankee too bad. I've taken 2 lathes down stairs and both of them back up. One was a 1200 lb lathe, and the other was a 3800 lb one. I'm a little too far away to help on the spur of the moment.

Yeah, but have you seen his access?

 

[Weldingrod1]

Dude!
You might need a smaller lathe

Sent from my SM-G715A using Tapatalk

 

[Damn Yankee]

Dude!
You might need a smaller lathe

Sent from my SM-G715A using Tapatalk

A Harbor Freight special?

 

[Damn Yankee]

@Damn Yankee too bad. I've taken 2 lathes down stairs and both of them back up. One was a 1200 lb lathe, and the other was a 3800 lb one. I'm a little too far away to help on the spur of the moment.

Hey Dabbler,

I worked a method out where I thought I could get it down:
Take it apart into 3 sections, cover the wood basement stairs with plywood (ramp), make basically a horizontal A-Frame up against the door frame, and winch it down.

What stopped me was the thought of getting it back up without damaging the new kitchen and most of all, having to shore-up the stairs to go down, then back up. I was 55 at the time and when carrying two 50# salt bags down the stairs - 1) I was worn out, and 2) the stair jiggled like Jello. I always thought they were going to give way under my 340# load and never thought they would hold the lathe.

But new house, new wife, and another opportunity!

 

[Dabbler]

When we took down the 3800 lb lathe, we took the bases off and the headstock off the ways. We made a plywood ramp that had a gap in the centre for people to use.

Under the stairs we reinforced with permanent 2X4 joists every 12"on the stringers, and temporary 2X4 posts in the centre of each tread. Even the 975 lb lathe bed was hand carried to the ramp (!!) and slid down, 2 guys on the bottom, and one on top. The friction was enough that they had to nudge it down to make progress. All the pieces were hand carried to the place in the shop and the lathe was reassembled using an engine hoist.

I was not the primary mover for that move, but the 4 piano movers my friend hired to do the job were (!!!!). I was the one that reinforced the stairs and put the ramp in. I was there for the last parts and the beginning of reassembly.

Getting it out of the basement was much, much harder. Gravity is *not* your friend. I planned, and executed the move by myself and used 3 friends as labour. The moving company wanted 10K$ to move the lathe out the basement. The wouldn't touch the full sized Bridgeport mill. The move is documented HERE.