need to move a lathe

[shipto]

I have the chance of Harrison 14" lathe like http://www.lathes.co.uk/harrison/page9.htmlthis one. Does anyone have any experience of moving anything like it? how much can it be split apart?

[John Rudd]

 I think Doubleboost bought a similar machine.....quite recently too.....

Mebbe a pm to him?

I think he used Landylift to move it and get in his garage....errr I mean workshop....

Watch out for the cybermen......

[AdeV]

http://www.lathes.co.uk/harrison/page9.html

Presumably, the brake must have been deactivated when running in reverse for, if the operator had just moved from a machine fitted with a secure American long-taper or CamLock fitting - and was therefore used to quick stops from high speed in reverse - accidentally using the brake when running backwards would almost certainly have caused the chuck to unwind and hurtle down the machine shop dissipating its energy by bouncing off other machine tools and maiming workers as it went on its unstoppable way.

I love that website!

Regarding moving big stuff like that, I hire a bloke I know from Ellesmere Port who moves machines for a living. He's not cheap (£400/day + diesel), but he's highly professional and extremely competent, and he can put the machine pretty much anywhere you want it straight off the back of his lorry. He also covers the machines against the weather & turns up when you ask him to. If you're a long way off Merseyside, you'd probably be better off finding someone more local - I can always ask my chap if he knows someone in your area.

[lordedmond]

Ade

Surly that quote from lathes is backwards , with a screwed on chuck ,and the lathe in forwards ,stopping the spindle will let the chuck unscrew , a mass in motion will tend to keep in motion IE unscrew . With the lathe in reverse it will tighten.

as you say don't you just love them

Stuart

[hermetic]

Hi Shipto, The thing is, how far do you have to move it? The only bits you can easily remove are the chuck, the tailstock and the toolpost, and although these do not remove much deadweight, they do remove some of the top heavy weight. All this type of machinery has a manufacturers recomended lifting point. there is usually a tapped hole in the bed for a lifting eye, or a sling point, and you then move the carriage left or right to balance the lift. If you use a fork lift DO NOT lift the lathe from underneath, or try to lift it on a pallet, as this is always a recipe for disaster. Use a lifting beam like this (http://www.dlhonline.co.uk/h-bar-fixed-lifting-beams-palhf--1000-kg-to-10000-kg-9568-p.asp) and suspend the lathe below the forks. I have used landylift as well, he is excellent, experienced, and insured! They can be moved with engine cranes, but you need a really good one with a capacity at least a ton over the deadweight of the lathe, or you will find the wheels are not up to the job, and you will be able to lift it, but not move it. Lift the lathe with the crane, place some heavy timbers on the crane legs, lower the lathe onto them, and ratchet strap it down and pull the crane, don't push the lathe, and stay on level ground!! Extra long timbers ratchet strapped to the crane legs can provide insurance against toppling.  If you are going to trailer it you need a flat, low bed 4 wheel trailer with a smooth metal floor and a good supply of ratchet straps with a rating of at least a ton over deadweight. You can use a ratchet strap to pull the lathe on to the trailer. Above all, take your time, think before you move, no sudden moves and have plenty of reliable bodies available. Four people pushing gently is a lot better than two people chewing their guts out, and a lot safer. You can do a lot on rollers, use steel conduit, 3/4 or 1" water pipe or even short scaffold poles, but you need a clean smooth surface or the rollers will jam, sweep off the surface before you roll across it. A couple of the biggest crowbars you can get can be used CAREFULLY to lift the machine one end at a time to get the rollers under, 3 or 4 rollers are enough, but move slowly. Once on the rollers, inch the machine with a crowbar rather than push it, you have more control that way, and can adjust and add rollers as neccasary. you can go round corners by angling the rollers in the direction you want to go. If you are not confident, get Landylift, Steve moves machines by himself, but he has the gear and the experience. If you see anyone using a forklift under a lathe SMACK HIM! ;-)
Phil

[Jonny]

As Phil said tailstock and chuck, that's it.
Or use someone that insists on picking up by spindle, sackem.
You don't want to start separating from base Harrison went to extreme lengths.

Doubleboosts at least half the weight, I scrapped one 5 years ago easily manouvered one handed on 4 rollers and three to push up on to a trailer, big difference.

[shipto]

Thank you all I should have made myself clearer but the last 2 posts pretty much answer what I need to know.
The actual transporting should be ok I am going to ask boss tomorrow if he can get a good price on lorry with a hyab since it only has to move 4 miles ish. The hard part is the first 30-40 metres it has to come out of my uncles shed down his path avoiding ruining his garden, down one step (overhanging slab, dont want to break that) 90 degrees twice to get it to the road where it can be lifted.
Was hoping I could split it a bit to reduce the weight but I guess its gonna be all or nothing.

[srp]

I moved my Harrison 165 (about a ton) using scaffold boards and scaffold poles, but that was on a more or less level driveway. There were three of us, plus a really decent quality 2 tonne engine crane to help lift up the small step into the workshop. About an hour to move 30 m.
If slopes are involved then a winch or 4 part block and tackle would be handy as well as plenty of wedges so you can stop it rolling if necessary.
Engine cranes are of limited use - very difficult to move them when they have a load on them unless you're on a polished concrete floor. A gantry would be nice, with a chain hoist running along an I beam (and not that difficult to make either).

[vintageandclassicrepairs]

Hi All,
Shipto,
It sounds like an awkward job getting the lathe out of where it is presently?
Could a telescopic loader be used? or a Hiab equipped truck?
When I had  the milling machine delivered (1.25 tons) the hiab on the truck had a 40 ft boom and was able to swing it over  the house gable and land it at the workshop door

Loose rollers can be some what uncontrollable
To move the Colchester Triumph 2000 into the workshop I made up a couple of axles using 80x10 flat steel with 25mm round bar stitch welded to it,
I used ball bearings as wheels as the concrete is smooth but larger wheels could easily be fitted
The 80x10 can easily be clamped as desired to the lathe base, (straight or angled to turn) so no fear of the lathe running off the rollers

HTH
John

[shipto]

Hi All,
Shipto,
It sounds like an awkward job getting the lathe out of where it is presently?
Could a telescopic loader be used? or a Hiab equipped truck?
When I had  the milling machine delivered (1.25 tons) the hiab on the truck had a 40 ft boom and was able to swing it over  the house gable and land it at the workshop door

no unfortunatly, as it is I am going to have to take the end off the shed to get it out of there and the shed is right at the bottom of his garden.

Loose rollers can be some what uncontrollable
To move the Colchester Triumph 2000 into the workshop I made up a couple of axles using 80x10 flat steel with 25mm round bar stitch welded to it,
I used ball bearings as wheels as the concrete is smooth but larger wheels could easily be fitted
The 80x10 can easily be clamped as desired to the lathe base, (straight or angled to turn) so no fear of the lathe running off the rollers

HTH
John

Having looked at the prices they want to hire/buy skates I am thinking about something like this I will probably use 76 X 38 channel to make mine however. Going over on saturday to pay him the money and do some measuring up.

[awemawson]

I have sets of skates if you can somehow arrange collection and return to TN33 - they're pretty heavy

[shipto]

I have sets of skates if you can somehow arrange collection and return to TN33 - they're pretty heavy

A kind offer and I thank you but I will decline I am sure I can work something out.
This is the kind of thing that makes me love this site more and more it is filled with people who want to help and advise rather than slating people for trying 

[awemawson]

I have two sets of skates, but I must confess I more usually use odd lengths of gas barrel to shift stuff when doing so single handed 

[shipto]

Made a start on some gear to move it 
might need to split the back one though for some reaon I had 18" in my head for the width of a slab  but its no big hardship to split it and lengthen it with a few bits of angle each side.

[Edgwick one]

My lathe came from Adelaide to Perth WA they had it on a pallet I used a crane truck using slings at each end of the pallet After removing the pallet I used steel rod about 1/2 inch thick and moved it into my shed with a bit of huff and puff and a chain block too, hope this is of some help

[shipto]

I have the chance of Harrison 14" lathe like http://www.lathes.co.uk/harrison/page9.htmlthis one. Does anyone have any experience of moving anything like it? how much can it be split apart?

Scratch that I was going on my uncle telling me it is a harrison 14 however it isnt. I looked at it today and to me it looks more like a early L5, or at least thats the closest I can match it from the lathes website. The one thing I cant find however is a model with the oil level pot (or at least thats what I think it is) like this one. I have a picture in all its rusted glory with the oil pot marked.
Dont judge too harshly my uncle is 89 and probably hasnt even turned it on for years but I do have a lot of cleaning up to do.

[mexican jon]

The other thing that is curious is the position of the saddle traverse hand wheel  early Harrison lathes had the hand wheel at the chuck end of the saddle not the back 

[shipto]

Good point I didnt notice that until you mentioned it.

[mexican jon]

Another thing that is bugging me is  the stand under the chuck end is very much like a Colchester as is the saddle and the cross slide  the Early Colchester lathes had the hand wheel at the rear  I wonder if you have got a cross bred or a special  I'll be very interested to find out what it is when you eventually identify it 

[RussellT]

Is that a little surface grinder or a horizontal mill in the background?  Is that included too.

Russell

[shipto]

Is that a little surface grinder or a horizontal mill in the background?  Is that included too.

Russell

It is indeed a little surface grinder and I suspect that if not my uncle but his boss might tell me to clear what I want before it goes to the scrappies  He has a quite decent bench drill and a oxford arc welder in there too so fingers crossed. Although I might need an extension to workshop to find places for it all 

[madman]

Hi From Canada!! I moved my Lathe (A Cincinnati Tray Top Lathe ) The following way!! Worked well and cheap. I got some 1 inch diameter rods to use as rollers, A long pinch or moving Bar. Then a sheet of 4 foot by 8 foot Plywood a 1/2 inch thick. I hired a Moving Lorrie a tow truck tilt and load. (The Platform can slide of it and be flat on the Ground) Then since the truck has a Aluminum Bed the Driver was so appreciative I had bought a sheet of plywood to protect it he gave me a deal. We took a sling around the Lathe used rollers underneath and pinch bar when needed (almost Not) since we used the trucks winch to slide the Lathe up onto the Bed. Then some bits of wood over the ways and we strapped it down drove 92 miles to my Garage. There we tilted the Bed back to ground Level in front of the shop and proceeded to pinch bar and roller it into place in my old Shed or garage. WARNING Lathes are quite Top Heavy so go slow and Easy and it wioll all be good. Be Safe and good Luck . Mike

[hermetic]

I think the traverse handwheel is on that side because it is a gap bed?, can't quite see in the pic but there looks to be two machined flats in the "gap" where the gap peice would fit. Colchesters are like this, straight bed(like mine) has handwheel on the left, gap bed has it on the right.
I hope you are going to finish the job on the faceplate for him before you take it!
Looks to me like an oldie but a goodie, Harrison make damn good machines. I have a early seventies Harrison H mill.
Phil

[shipto]

Its a possibility but the ones pictured on lathes.co.uk all seem have the handwheel on the leading side, however I was looking close at the picture and notice theres a little plaque thats been painted over just under the lead engage lever so all may be solved once I clear that.
The gap is with the lathe too.

[RussellT]

Hi Dwayne

I've just had a look at the Harrison 14" page that you linked to originally.

All the key bits seem to be in the same place levers wheels etc so I think it's an earlier version of that lathe.

Have you tried sending the photo to Tony Griffiths at lathes.co.uk?

Russell