moving a lathe downstairs...

S

Strange_Days

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Hey, does anyone have any experience moving a Lathe down a set of stairs. I'm picking up my lathe this weekend and would ideally put it in my basement to use. at 1300 lbs its a little more than getting a few guys together with a case of beer event :) .

Any ideas would be appreciated,

Thanks,

Matt
 
You can use an electric stair crawling dolly and a few large guys. I would suggest shoring up the stairs from below before attempting to use them. I would contact moving companies that move gun safes. My safe was 1400lb empty. Chris.
 
Strange_Days said:
Hey, does anyone have any experience moving a Lathe down a set of stairs. I'm picking up my lathe this weekend and would ideally put it in my basement to use. at 1300 lbs its a little more than getting a few guys together with a case of beer event :) .
that's for sure. it cost me two cases and several pizzas ;) that was with no stairs to contend with.
it's scary moving that much weight, especailly something so top heavy.
i wouldn't attempt it on wooden stairs with out jacks, 4x4's and whatever else supporting you can do to stairs.
i feel for ya buddy.
good luck & be safe
might want to get some pro help on this
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BHQ said:
Strange_Days said:
Hey, does anyone have any experience moving a Lathe down a set of stairs. I'm picking up my lathe this weekend and would ideally put it in my basement to use. at 1300 lbs its a little more than getting a few guys together with a case of beer event :) .
that's for sure. it cost me two cases and several pizzas ;) that was with no stairs to contend with.
it's scary moving that much weight, especailly something so top heavy.
i wouldn't attempt it on wooden stairs with out jacks, 4x4's and whatever else supporting you can do to stairs.
i feel for ya buddy.
good luck & be safe
might want to get some pro help on this
Click to expand...

I once moved a 13X36 Enco into a basement and at a later date, moved it back out, by myself. I took it thru the small basement window. I took the head stock off the bed, moved the bed up to the window and bolted some 2X4s to the rafters. I then hooked a come-along to the end of the bed and the other to the 2X4 and started pulling the bed thru the window. When it was almost all the way in I hooked up another come-along to the back of the bed so that that end was then supported and pulled it on in. I screwed 2X4s all around the lathes stand and had the stand positioned under the bed and lowered it into place. I then just rolled the stand and bed together to the location that I wanted and set the lathe back up. Actually, getting the headstock into and back out of the basement was the hardest part of the job as it is heavy and compact enough where it's hard to get a hold of good. If taken apart, 3 or 4 people would have no problem moving around.

I've got a big lathe I've moved all over this state, by myself, but never down stairs. It is a 16X54 and weighs well over 3,000 lbs. I've got it bolted down to a frame made of 4X4s. I take about 6 1.5"X36" maple dowels and do like the Egyptians. Just get it up on dowels and roll it along replacing the front dowel with the one that comes off the back.

Dick
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I recently bought a 13 x 40 metal lathe. I picked it up and set it up in my garage all by myself. It really wasn't a big deal. Going down steps is another problem. You should look into getting it moved by pros. I personally would do it for the challange, but that's me. If I were going to do it, this is what I wood do. Rent a engine hoyest, and a winch. make some type of sled that you can fasten the lathe to. Use the hoyest to place into position. use the winch to lower to basement. Let it slide right down the stairs slowly. Most internal stairways should be able to support the weight. Just make sure you look at the stairs before attempting. It's not difficult to brace and support internal construction componets. What ever you do think safety first. This is a lot of weight, better to break the machine than to crush your spine. You cant go wrong if you hire pros. Money well spent.
 
rhncue said:
BHQ said:
I once moved a 13X36 Enco into a basement and at a later date, moved it back out, by myself. I took it thru the small basement window. I took the head stock off the bed, moved the bed up to the window and bolted some 2X4s to the rafters. I then hooked a come-along to the end of the bed and the other to the 2X4 and started pulling the bed thru the window. When it was almost all the way in I hooked up another come-along to the back of the bed so that that end was then supported and pulled it on in. I screwed 2X4s all around the lathes stand and had the stand positioned under the bed and lowered it into place. I then just rolled the stand and bed together to the location that I wanted and set the lathe back up. Actually, getting the headstock into and back out of the basement was the hardest part of the job as it is heavy and compact enough where it's hard to get a hold of good. If taken apart, 3 or 4 people would have no problem moving around.

I've got a big lathe I've moved all over this state, by myself, but never down stairs. It is a 16X54 and weighs well over 3,000 lbs. I've got it bolted down to a frame made of 4X4s. I take about 6 1.5"X36" maple dowels and do like the Egyptians. Just get it up on dowels and roll it along replacing the front dowel with the one that comes off the back.

Dick
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My father in law once moved his house on the same concept - just used telephone poles. If the weight is a factor you can use metal piping (what I did when I moved mill and some of the heavier things into my shop).
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Thanks, the winch idea was sorta what I had already been leaning towards and it'll be easy to brace my steps from below. I'll have to give it some serious thought before I do anything tho I think. I don't know if there are any movers around here that could handle this kind of thing...no specialty movers really.

Thanks,

Matt LeClerc
 
I haved moved an enco 12 x 36 down concrete steps used a winch and put the lathe in or on a skid like a 2x12 or one like for pianos along with four guys. Two years later hired a moving company two guys and $250 later much easier on the back...hurt the wallet though.

Remember to think out what your doing and do it in the safest way you can.

Best of luck..
Craig
 
Dikie sez,

blah, blah, blah...
Walk like an Egyptian

You ARE the man<we already knew that>

Dale<who was laid up for 2 weeks, moving a wood
lathe upstairs WITH a two wheeler>
 
i helped a friend of mine move an extremly heavy huge safe into his basement..we had a total of 6 guys..but i suggested since the basement stairs were in line with the sliding glass doors in his back yard to use a tow strap..ok we backed his pickup truck up to his back porch.we then lowered the safe onto a 3ft x 3ft platform with casters on it then we pushed it straight thru the kitchen to the basement stairs..we wrapped the tow strap around it then used 2 other tow straps to attach it to the pickup then we slowly lowered it down the stairs about 18 stairs by backing up the pickup truck towards the house..once down in the basement we put it on 4 1inch wooden dowles and manhandled it into place...we were lucky we had a straight shot from the back yard into the house to the basement stairs...hope this helps..good luck...OR you can pay to have professional movers move it and they will be insured....
 
I used a tow truck with a winch and nailed down oak planks on my stairs and just slide it down with 2 guys guideing it.Worked like a charm...:)
 
Strange_Days said:
Hey, does anyone have any experience moving a Lathe down a set of stairs. I'm picking up my lathe this weekend and would ideally put it in my basement to use. at 1300 lbs its a little more than getting a few guys together with a case of beer event :) .

Any ideas would be appreciated,

Thanks,

Matt
Click to expand...

Matt, I moved two into my basement down outside concrete steps. The key is taking everything possible off the lathe. We took the headstock, tailstock, pan and cabinet, etc all off the lathe before trying to move it. Four people were able to manhandle it with no major problems.
 
i have heard NEVER take the headstock off ??? too tough to get it realigned properly. they are supposedly shimmed etc from the factory
 
LOU'S CUE'S said:
i have heard NEVER take the headstock off ??? too tough to get it realigned properly. they are supposedly shimmed etc from the factory
Click to expand...

Wasn't a problem with the two I moved.
 
Moving Lathe

Take the bed, tailstock, and Headstock off of the lathe. Move the lathe where you need it and reasemble. The cabinet is the hardest part of the lathe to move. A good trick to move the headstock around is to put a large strong dowel thru it.
 
The dowel is a great idea. Any idea how much a typical 12 or 13 inch geared headstock weighs? I have two to move and I am curious. I think it may weigh more than the bed.
 
olsonsview said:
The dowel is a great idea. Any idea how much a typical 12 or 13 inch geared headstock weighs? I have two to move and I am curious. I think it may weigh more than the bed.
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My grizzly is your size and weighed in at 1800lbs I think.

We kept it in the shipping crate, put planks down the stairs and used 4 guys with some dowells to help push/ease it down the stairs. We used a thick rope to guide the crate down the bulk head stairs as well. We wrapped the rope around a huge tree near by. We used the dowells to move the crate across the floor. I rented an engine lift to put the lathe up in the stands.

You might use a winch or come-a-long to ease the lathe down the stairs.
Yeah, pizza and beer for a few freinds.

Take your time. We had one injury because the director of this operation was in a hurry for some reason:( ( crushed big toe)

Hope this helps.
Chris
 
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