Am I asking for trouble

[B2]

Hi

As this is my first "real" tool, I am likely going to hire a rigging company to pick the machine up, transport it, move in into the basement via the Bilco door, and hoist it onto the stand which I will have decided on and will have waiting for it.

I too live in Pittsburgh, in the city. My house was built in 1930. Over a period of a few years, I purchased both a PM940M-CNC and a PM1440GT from PM. In each case they delivered the machine to me. They haul with a tilting trailer and so can just roll the equipment off to the street. For the 940 they simply dropped it off on the pallet, but brought a pallet jack and rolled it down the driveway and into the garage. I then worked on it and later moved it into the basement myself. In the case of the PM9400GT they made two trips, one for the lathe and a second to bring a fork lift. In this case they were able to use extended tinges on the fork lift and actually set it inside the door of my basement. My basement door and floor is about 2.5' higher than the driveway so I built some support structure over the door way steps to help them a bit. However, others have had the Bilco door arrangements and have removed any wooden stairs to make the bottom level with the basement floor and then just lowered the machinery into the hole. I think @davidpbest said he actually knocked out a wall and put in Bilco doors or similar and then he brings equipment in this way. He posted some pictures of his mill being put through the doors. https://www.flickr.com/photos/davidpbest/albums/72157706051422605 .

Anyway, when you make some decisions and study your facilities a bit maybe you should just talk to Matt at PM about delivery. His guys are very helpful, know how to handle the equipment, and are careful. Matt is very reasonable. Certainly more experienced at this than most riggers. There are lots of riggers in the Pgh area, however if you want a good rigger that I have experience with I suggest you call Benkart Rigging. They moved and helped me install some 22 foot long, 10x8' I-beams into my house when I was remodeling in 2011. They treated me right.

You might want to post a few pictures of your entrance way and structures so that people can make suggestions.

Dave L.

 

[JerryCordova]

It's good to be cautious when it comes to protecting your equipment from moisture, but a little bit of water in your basement should not necessarily be a deal-breaker for your lathe. However, it is important to take steps to minimize the risk of rust and other damage.
First, make sure the lathe is properly protected during transportation and rigging. Cover it with a tarp or plastic sheeting to keep it dry during transport and hoisting. Once the lathe is in your basement, make sure it is placed on a sturdy stand that keeps it off the floor and away from any potential moisture sources.
It's also a good idea to invest in a dehumidifier for your basement to help control the humidity levels. This will reduce the amount of moisture in the air and help prevent rust from forming on your lathe and other tools. Additionally, you may want to consider applying a rust inhibitor to the metal surfaces of your lathe and other tools to provide an extra layer of protection.
Finally, make sure to regularly clean and maintain your lathe to keep it in good working condition. This includes wiping down any metal surfaces with a clean, dry cloth after use, lubricating moving parts as needed, and checking for signs of rust or other damage. With proper care and maintenance, your lathe should be able to withstand the occasional exposure to moisture in your basement.

 

[B2]

@Aurelius

Did you get your lathe? How did the install go?

This includes wiping down any metal surfaces with a clean, dry cloth after use, lubricating moving parts as needed, and checking for signs of rust or other damage. With proper care and maintenance, your lathe should be able to withstand the occasional exposure to moisture in your basement.

The best rust inhibitors that I have ever seen are the products by LPS. My father-in-law, who worked for TWA, turned me on to the stuff decades ago and he was right. They used it on repaired surfaces on the planes to prevent rust when a surface could not be painted right a way. He recommended LPS-3, which even seems to work well if you want to spray your metal surfaces with saltwater and still not have them rust! But it is kind of heavy sticky stuff. I have even used it as rust inhibitor in my car doors, rocker panels etc. You can get it off with naphtha (lighter fluid). On the other hand LPS-2 is a nice lightweight oil with some rust inhibitor, which I commonly use to wipe down my tools when I am putting them away. Of course almost any oil is better than nothing for this. LPS-1 is also a nice light weight dry lubricant, but I am not for sure about its ability to prevent rust as the solvent tends to dry up. You can get either in spray cans or as a fluid in a can (gallon).

 

[wlburton]

I'm not sure if riggers even are willing to go down stairs? Anyhow I think you are looking at 1500$ or more at least
Maybe call some piano movers and ask if they could do something like a lathe? Tell them the size and weight
-M

Piano movers have moved my South Bend 10L (significantly heavier than the one he's looking at) up or down stairs several times. It's lighter than a Steinway concert grand piano. Interestingly, the last time we had a piano moved the movers (in Minneapolis) said they're moving more gun safes than pianos these days.

 

[Aurelius]

@Aurelius

Did you get your lathe? How did the install go?

Yeah, I got the lathe without much trouble. One of the advantages of being on the other side of the city from Precision Matthews I guess. I hired a moving company who had a crew of 4 guys who picked the machine up off PM's loading dock and delivered it directly to my house. My shop is in the basement of a 100+ year old house with a narrow staircase down to it and they brought the machine inside and even got it situated on the stand I had waiting and ready for it and didn't leave until it was all bolted down. Overall I was very happy. Mind you this was February of last year so it has been up and running for a little over a year now. There was (and still is) a good bit of learning but I am getting moderately proficient at actually hitting the dimensions I am aiming for and making parts that fit together the way they are supposed to.

 

[B2]

@Aurelius

I too live in Pgh (Squirrel Hill area) and in a house that was built in 1930! So far you are the only other HM that I have interacted with who also lives here. It is good to hear you are getting the hang of it. If you don't mind, maybe one of these days you can show me some lathe turning techniques! Maybe we can help each other out?

Fortunately, my home has a walkout basement with a few steps up to get into the basement. For a reasonable fee PM delivered my lathe on their trailer and then delivered a fork lift, which they used with tine extensions and lifted the lathe up and placed it inside the basement door. I had built casters for the stand with lathe attached and PM was nice enough to let me mount them to the stand out at the PM shop. So when they sit it into the basement we could then, with a little effort to get around a corner doorway/hallway, roll it into place. They were very helpful. PM --- Great guys to work with. A few years before I had purchased a mill and they delivered it to my garage, but it was still in the crate. I moved it around... in pieces.

Dave L.

 

[Aurelius]

Yeah, PM said they could deliver it to me as well.
The movers were needed more for the getting it down the stairs and to its final resting place on the stand. The lathe is heavier and a bit more unwieldy that I (and, more specifically, my wife) were comfortable with me handling.