Moving my PM machines.

[Morgan RedHawk]

Yall, I am fixing to move my PM-932 and PM-1236 to my new house about 8 miles up the road. I am debating whether I should separate the machines from their stands to move them or if I should move them as is. Both machines are on stout bases that I made and the lathe's base is a single piece beneath both sections of the stands. Either way, I am planning on affixing them to pallets and moving them with my pallet jack. I can remove the machines from their stands easily with a gantry, but the gantry will not be available at the new place. I will have to place the mill back on the stand with my engine crane. I used the engine crane to get it up there the first time, but it seemed kinda sketchy and I would like to avoid repeating the operation if possible. The engine crane is a 2 ton one. I don't want to risk damaging the stand or machines moving them as one either. What do yall think would be the best course of action? Anyone moved them as a single unit before?

 

[Bob Korves]

Sure, they can be transported assembled. Just be aware that they are top heavy and in danger of tipping over if lifting and moving them. Provide hold downs solidly able to securely keep them from tipping over. Mounting them on good solid pallets helps, but you do need to get them safely off the pallets at the end of the move.

 

[ConValSam]

I recently watched a video of some giant thing being moved and thought, "that seems like total overkill." Afterward I realized those guys make a living moving stuff safely.

To ensure your machines arrive in exactly the same condition as they left, err on the side of overkill.

 

[macardoso]

When I moved my lathe about 10 miles to my current house I probably used 15-20 large webbing straps and spent well over an hour rigging it. Assume you're going to get rear ended or hit a massive pothole then strap it to the point where you know nothing will happen to the machine if that does happen. A bit of extra cost and time to plan ahead and be safe will make sure your machines are there to be used in the future.

 

[Morgan RedHawk]

Luckily the move is all down back roads with little traffic. I have moved a Bridgeport before and strapped the crap out of it. Top, bottom, middle, front and back. I am planning on doing the same this time. Good point about getting rear ended, though. That would not be good. To get them off of the pallets, I am planning on using the methods that Tom Lipton demonstrated on one of his videos. Wood blocks, moving up and down a little at a time. I used a similar method on that Bridgeport, but his method is much easier (I moved a hydraulic toe jack around the corners of the machine about 50 times). I never thought about using a prybar instead.

 

[mikey]

I helped move a B&S horizontal mill on a pallet and the wood cracked in several places just loading it onto the pallet. We learned that a piece of plywood screwed to the top of the pallet really helps strengthen the support under the machine while still allowing access for the forks. It also helps to temporarily bolt the machine stand to the plywood and then strap it down with too many straps. This gives you a much wider base to prevent tipping in transit.

I've helped move a fair number of machines, not all successfully. If something starts to tip and go, step back and let it go. You will NOT be stopping a machine in excess of 1,000# with arm strength once it moves past the tipping point.

Please be safe and if you can, get as many friends as you can get to help you.

Congrats on the new house, Morgan!

 

[Morgan RedHawk]

Thanks for the tips guys, I will let you know how it goes. Interesting idea to use plywood on the pallet. Should I go for the thick 3/4" stuff?

 

[mikey]

I would.