[How-To] Lifting Bridgeport mill off trailer

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ironwrx

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Hi I just purchased a Bridgeport mill last week, and have it on a trailer backed up to the shop. I have an overhead I-beam coming out of the shop about 4 feet with a heavy trolley and a 2 ton chainfall. I need to know a safe “pick point” to lift the machine by with the chainfall. I was thinking of using a heavy lifting strap wrapped around the column. Someone suggested that you could simply thread a heavy lifting eye in to the 5/8” threaded hole in the top of the ram. Isn’t that putting too much point loading in that one hole?
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I think I would use the eye bolt, and that looks like an appropriate type eye. and go for it but lets hear from others. I used straps around the horizontal head support and worked nicely.
 
That is what the hole is for.

But...

Not at that point on your beam,

Back it inside, lift off, then drive out from under it and lower to ground

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tq60 said:
That is what the hole is for.

But...

Not at that point on your beam,

Back it inside, lift off, then drive out from under it and lower to ground

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I’d love to do what you suggest, but it’s impossible. Too much in the way inside.


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I used that point with an eye to lift my tree mill to move it into final position. My Tree mill is around 3400 lbs. a lot more than a Bridgeport. I do not remember if mine was 5/8 or 3/4. That is now the attachment point for my DRO. Adjust the ram and table to a position where the mill hangs level.
 
Take it slow for sure at the start. You should be fine, but I do not actually know your beam capabilities. The closer you can get to the building the better probably. Since you have the head off, that base probably weighs in about 1,400 max. I know my skid loader would not pick one up similar.

I usually wrap a strap sling around the top Ram, being careful of sharp corners cutting the strap.


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Update!! The Bridgeport has landed!!! I appreciate all the comments, but I just felt the point loading would be to great in that one spot in the ram casting. So I ended up wrapping a lifting sling around the column, under the knee, and off the end of the ram. Seems to have worked. Thanks. - Jon
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I moved all my equipment with my skid steer. The heaviest lathe I have weighs 5000 pounds and I had no problem unloading and moving it in to my shop. I moved a smaller lathe and a Index 645 the same way.
 
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