Advice on Monarch 10EE and Bridgeport Series 1 acquisition

No advise on getting them off the loading dock, but a drop deck trailer rental is your friend after that. I rented mine from Sunbelt and a truck from Enterprise. I built a 4X6 pallet frame ~ 4' wide as an anti-tip and easily moved with a pallet jack off the trailer single handed. Use a chain as a check safety and slid it off the trailer 6" at a time with the $1,000 tie down straps. When I had to move it from VA to WA also put a set of Rhino Cart - All Terrain moving on the frame, worked well.

A LOT of experience with the MG on the Practical Machinist Forum, helped me get my 1954 square dial MG running. Also some strong opinions, just roll with it. One member went off forum for me and walked me through every step trading pictures as we went. Mechanically the MG aren't that complicated once you understand them. And once understood, the MG trouble shooting pretty straight forward. And there are plenty of parts available from those who choose to replace them. Which is a lot of work and $ in your case probably not needed. Rotary Phase Converter is the hands down choice for the Monarch and then you may as run the Bridgeport off it too. Hard wire or use a locking plug to switch cords to the machine as needed. An IG friend recently built a RPC following a YouTube video of all things, there is also a, from what I've seen, very friendly Practical Machinist RPC forum with plans and expertise. I bought mine off eBay new from the manufacturer at a better price than listed on their site.

Ron
 
Shiseiji said:
No advise on getting them off the loading dock, but a drop deck trailer rental is your friend after that. I rented mine from Sunbelt and a truck from Enterprise. I built a 4X6 pallet frame ~ 4' wide as an anti-tip and easily moved with a pallet jack off the trailer single handed. Use a chain as a check safety and slid it off the trailer 6" at a time with the $1,000 tie down straps. When I had to move it from VA to WA also put a set of Rhino Cart - All Terrain moving on the frame, worked well.

A LOT of experience with the MG on the Practical Machinist Forum, helped me get my 1954 square dial MG running. Also some strong opinions, just roll with it. One member went off forum for me and walked me through every step trading pictures as we went. Mechanically the MG aren't that complicated once you understand them. And once understood, the MG trouble shooting pretty straight forward. And there are plenty of parts available from those who choose to replace them. Which is a lot of work and $ in your case probably not needed. Rotary Phase Converter is the hands down choice for the Monarch and then you may as run the Bridgeport off it too. Hard wire or use a locking plug to switch cords to the machine as needed. An IG friend recently built a RPC following a YouTube video of all things, there is also a, from what I've seen, very friendly Practical Machinist RPC forum with plans and expertise. I bought mine off eBay new from the manufacturer at a better price than listed on their site.

Ron
Click to expand...
1,000 pound
 
Macca said:
Unfortunately no, the forklifts are stuck up on the loading bay.
Click to expand...
The dock will be a plus for any rigging company. Then they just roll up to your shop with their trailer and forklift and put them where you need them.

DIY is good but ultimately you’ll have plenty to do when they are in place. I’ve owned a lathe that had been dropped, do everything you can to minimize this possibility.

John
 
I think spending the $ on a rigging co to get them off the dock and onto a kneeling trailer, IMHO don't bother with a roll off tow truck, expertise is always a big question, is a very, very small investment in tools of this caliber. Have them lift them, put on pallets, and put it on your trailer. The next machine will easily roll on or can be pulled on with a cheap Harbor Freight come-along. Once started it will roll easily. If you decide to sell them later you will easily make back your $. I suspect Monarch would take the lathe off your hands for a tidy sum.
 
Wanted to pass this on too, a very detailed thread on a complete rebuild of a 10EE because he is also doing a single phase conversion of the MG. Didn't catch why, but it is an option. Then you could put a VFD on the BP. Experience of many is do not purchase a VFD unless you can download the manual 1st to be sure it will do what you want. Not all have analog control circuits needed for push button start/stop, reverse and potentiometer speed control. It's a bummer to find the sweet deal isn't. To set it up often a schematic will provide critical information not in the text.

Ron
 
Shiseiji said:
No advise on getting them off the loading dock, but a drop deck trailer rental is your friend after that. I rented mine from Sunbelt and a truck from Enterprise. I built a 4X6 pallet frame ~ 4' wide as an anti-tip and easily moved with a pallet jack off the trailer single handed. Use a chain as a check safety and slid it off the trailer 6" at a time with the $1,000 tie down straps. When I had to move it from VA to WA also put a set of Rhino Cart - All Terrain moving on the frame, worked well.

A LOT of experience with the MG on the Practical Machinist Forum, helped me get my 1954 square dial MG running. Also some strong opinions, just roll with it. One member went off forum for me and walked me through every step trading pictures as we went. Mechanically the MG aren't that complicated once you understand them. And once understood, the MG trouble shooting pretty straight forward. And there are plenty of parts available from those who choose to replace them. Which is a lot of work and $ in your case probably not needed. Rotary Phase Converter is the hands down choice for the Monarch and then you may as run the Bridgeport off it too. Hard wire or use a locking plug to switch cords to the machine as needed. An IG friend recently built a RPC following a YouTube video of all things, there is also a, from what I've seen, very friendly Practical Machinist RPC forum with plans and expertise. I bought mine off eBay new from the manufacturer at a better price than listed on their site.

Ron
Click to expand...
So if i go the RPC route, what HP should i be looking at? I don't plan on running the mill and lathe at the same time. Also If i went the RPC route, would it be best to run the mill on the RPC too? The mill uses belts (not 100% sure on this), is a VFD that nice to have for speed control?
 
Macca said:
So if i go the RPC route, what HP should i be looking at? I don't plan on running the mill and lathe at the same time. Also If i went the RPC route, would it be best to run the mill on the RPC too? The mill uses belts (not 100% sure on this), is a VFD that nice to have for speed control?
Click to expand...
Just a SWAG but probably a 10hp rotary converter would do you good. I'd run both machines off it initially, maybe indefinitely.

VFD's are great for variable speed and can accomplish other things too but these are both very capable machines as is.

John
 
Get the Monarch home and assess it's condition as much as possible without firing it up. The ELSR is fairly rare and the MG system is the one most favored by people who rehab 10EE. An old 10EE with the original drive working is worth more than a vfd converted one unless the conversion is very well done and the back gear is modified to remain on the machine. Most conversions scrap the back gear.

Keep in mind that RPCs are not all rated alike so you need to know when comparing. A Kay 10 hp unit will start a 10 hp motor, an Am Rotary 10 hp will run 10 hp and start 5 hp ( or a little more ) so it is effectively half the size.

The good news is that 10EE parts are available and there is lots of info available so you have many sources for help. Still not a job for the impatient or faint hearted. Rehabbing a fine lathe to spec will cost some cash. Given the lathe is free you aren't likely to lose money but you won't get paid for your time so you need to enjoy the process. There will be a lot of frustration and finally a feeling that is hard to explain when the machine performs. It can take months if you are lucky or years if time is limited.

Good luck either way, Dave
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top