Lathe Delivery, Backhoe Required

[Eddyde]

Hi All,

Back in mid March, I found the lathe I'd been looking for on eBay, a 13" Clausing Colchester. The lathe looked pretty good in the pictures and the description sounded accurate from what could see. The price was around the usual for that machine. I took a chance and put in a lowball offer, the the seller accepted. He offered a money back guarantee, so I figured the worst I'd be out would be the drive to Connecticut (about 100mi) to check it out, which I planed to do the next week... Well as is the usual story with my life, I suddenly got very busy and I had to keep postponing the inspection. The seller was totally cool about it saying he could hold it for a couple of months if necessary. Finally by mid April I was able to carve out enough time to get out there, only problem I didn't have time to check it out first, I had to go with a truck to get it, and would be out the rental fee if I declined to take it... So I rented a truck, got a friend to help and went to get it.

Luckily, the machine was as described, running smooth and quiet, the ways looking nice without much noticeable wear. The seller placed the lathe in the back of the truck with a forklift and off we went...

Brand-new rental truck, only had 300 miles on it.

Unloading was pretty easy. However, my shop is in a basement and I hadn't quite figured how I'd get it down there...
Luckily, another friend down the road had the answer, though I wasn't able to get him there till late May.

Now you see where I'm going with this...

It wasn't till last week, the beginning of October, I had time to make the final move.

Had to cut out a section of the retaining wall...

I welded up a ramp out of some angle I had salvaged from a job site.

A little rigging and...

Got it onto the ramp without too much trouble...

My third helper...

a HF electric winch mounted to a temporary column.

It went pretty easy, the ramp had enough friction to prevent a runaway...

But we had it secured on the other end just to be sure.

We took it slow-n-safe

Nice-n-easy

Finally home

Getting her cleaned up...

 

[Barncat]

Wow, that is dedication. Good work!

 

[MAKEITOUTOFWOOD]

Great lathe. Enjoy

 

[Cadillac]

That’s using your resources good job. Would dread getting out of there though. Nice work.

 

[Ken from ontario]

As the say, if there's a will there's a way.
That is one great looking lathe with lots of life left .

 

[RJSakowski]

That is determination!

Fortunately my basement entrance is a straight shot so a much easier proposition but I have used similar techniques to get my Tormach, lathe, and milling machine in. I use 2 x 8 planks with ties across to keep them in place and a pair of come-alongs to control the slide down the ramp.

 

[markba633csi]

Is that about your 5th lathe now Ed?

 

[Technical Ted]

Great job! I had to put in a complete outside entrance with a Bilco door to get my lathe in my basement in the house I lived in 40 years ago. Now I'm lucky and have a drive in access! Makes things a lot easier!

Ted

 

[derf]

Now since you have that much tore up, it would be a good time to make it a permanent machine ramp.

 

[Eddyde]

Thanks for all the positive replies! It was a fun challenge getting the lathe down there. Now to get her tuned up and making chips!

Is that about your 5th lathe now Ed?

Ha, it's only 4, but good to know your trying to keep score!

Now since you have that much tore up, it would be a good time to make it a permanent machine ramp.

Yes, I was originally going to build a permanent ramp before moving the lathe, but time was running out and I had to get it down there before winter. I'll build it in the spring, hopefully...