New LMS 8.5 X 20 lathe...and my wand needs repair

[wizard]

Well..I got a new lathe...Little Machine Shop 8.5 X 20. It's a bit bigger than my Micromark 7 X 14. I opened up the crate and realized that it was one extremely heavy lathe...230 lbs..I believe.

Well being a Wizard...I took out my mighty magic wand and waved it....and nothing happened... jeeez...all I wanted was for the lathe to come out of the box, rise a measly 4.75 feet in the air and land softly on a work bench. :redface::redface:. Soooo...while I'm getting a new wand ...
an inane question follows...anybody have suggestion on how to get this lathe on to my work bench ? Please...? Doc....

 

[seamus7227]

OMG i am ready to make a roadtrip to your house!!

 

[wizard]

OMG i am ready to make a roadtrip to your house!!

How about this weekend ??....Seamus..you are welcome anytime..

 

[seamus7227]

hmmmm, that is way too tempting of an offer! To make that drive, i would need to take friday off so i could make the drive down, spend all day saturday playing:biggrin:, then drive back sunday! we can arrange this

 

[Ed McDonnell]

4.75 feet is a pretty tall workbench! You might be able to rent a lift table (or an a/c lift). Or you could buy something like this:

Northern Industrial Tools Hydraulic Lift Table — 770-Lb. Capacity, 51 1/2in. Max. Lift | Hydraulic Lift Tables Carts| Northern Tool + Equipment

You would have to build a ramp / platform to get the last couple of inches with this one.

I use a harbor freight shop crane to move equipment around in my shop.

SHOP CRANE, 2 TON FOLDABLE

It's not ideal for getting things on benches unless you can get the legs to roll under the bench (or the bench fits between the legs).

Another way I've gotten stuff into place is to use steel loading ramps (like they use to get ATVs into trucks) and slide things up into place.

Probably the easiest thing would be to find a friend or two and give it the heave ho. If you take off the chuck, carriage and tail stock it might be a whole lot lighter.

Nice looking lathe!

Ed

 

[TLTHW]

Rent an engine hoist for the day?

 

[mredburn]

Try and make some friends really quickly? Offer free back surgery if they need it.? Oh and free beer helps!

 

[Russknan]

Invite some BIG friends. Have beer. Beer is for AFTER it is on the bench. Russ

 

[kovalcik]

I think it goes something like this:

"Hi guys. Glad you could make it to the cookout. The beer is over there by the workshop. Oh, by the way....."

 

[The Penguin]

Invite some BIG friends. Have beer. Beer is for AFTER it is on the bench. Russ

big and DUMB friends. LOL

seriously - I could come by and lend a hand. what part of houston are you in?

I'll be up around Spring for a good part of the day on Saturday...I might could bring a motorcycle lift, but that will only lift it up about 18" I think.

 

[firewhatfire]

call the fire dept and ask for a couple of volunteers, trade em a pen for lifing assistance.

 

[Dave Turner]

If you have a solid attachment point on the ceiling (I drilled a hole through my overhead floor joist and bolted an eye-bolt into it), you can use a comealong (also known as a cable winch - available at Harbor Freight for $15) and tow-strapping to lift your lathe. I've successfully used this arrangement when assembling my bandsaw and jointer.

If your overhead lift point is located elsewhere, you can always lift the lathe onto a rolling cart, then slide the lathe from the cart to your fixed work bench.

 

[Displaced Canadian]

Keg party.

 

[mredburn]

Unfortunatly I have no advice on repairing your "Broken wand' I believe there are doctors that specialize in that.:biggrin:

 

[stonepecker]

College at Houston.
3 big linemen from the football team. (High school might even work)
3 gift card from the local steak house.

Big guys need to eal.

 

[SteveG]

[QUOTE
big and DUMB friends. LOL
[/QUOTE]

"Strong back,weak mind..."

Sorry, I don't fit the description.
Steve

 

[beck3906]

Call for an ambulance. They do that 1-2-3 lift to move patients.

 

[ed4copies]

Being the type that rarely asks for help, I have a couple observations that may make this possible:

It looks like a garage (Dawn pointed out the mechanism in the background could be a garage door). Is this also where the "bench" is located?

If so, are the wood cross beams exposed, as they are in most garages?

Do you have a "garden tractor"? Or your car can be a good substitute.

Plan:
Take OFF the tailstock and "banjo" (wood lathe terminology). That should remove at least 50 pounds. Use garden tractor or car to push the box and "body" of the lathe right in front of the final location on the bench. Attach one end of a long rope to the bumper (well the hole in the frame that is usually right under the bumper, these days) of your car (make sure the rope is secure, no slipping). Throw the rope over one of your exposed beams, right above the lathe.

Attach the other end of the rope to the lathe bed, allow it to slide to the tailstock end, but make CERTAIN it will hold. Back up the car, the lathe will rise. When it is higher than the table, have your wife or son swing it over the bench, keeping their fingers in your sight (you are driving the car). When it is properly positioned over the bench, drive forward---don't let it completely "seat" on the bench, you want to adjust the position.

Job accomplished, you can now drink the WHOLE case of beer, since you didn't need help!!!

Congrats!!
Ed

(Years ago, I would have had Dawn grab one end and we would have lifted it to the desired position---grandpa always said, "Too soon old, too late schmardt"!!) Now, I look for levers and "non-lift options"!!

 

[hard hat]

one friend, a 12 pack, and a large pizza. a little heave-ho and it'll be there. with two people that's only 115 lbs each...

 

[MartinPens]

Home Depot = day laborers...?
I think Seamus is your best bet. Hope it works out. Look forward to seeing what comes from this beauty. First thing, make yourself a new wand.

 

[MarkD]

Call your local tool rental place. I bet they have will have something to do the job, and you won't have a bunch of big drunk men to get rid of afterwards :biggrin:

 

[mrburls]

Hey Doc, Congrads on the new lathe upgrade. What I used to move my new metal lathe out of the crate and on to the work bench was an engine lift. I've used it for a number of things to move when I borrowed it from a friend. You can roll it around to where it needs to be with lathe hanging from lift. If you don't know anyone with a engine lift, you can buy them at Harbor Freight for under $200.00 They do come in handy at times.
And I was able to do it myself without help :wink:

Keith "mrburls"

 

[penmaker56]

Doc, I am drooling, I wish I space for that myself!

 

[seamus7227]

So I wonder........did you get this up on the table yet?!

 

[BKelley]

Congratulations on the new lathe, I believe it is identical to my 8.5 x 16 except for bed length. They are good solid little lathes . When I got mine, I had to go to the local UPS terminal and they loaded it on my truck with a fork lift. Upon arrival at home I backed truck up to shop door, opened boxes up and accessories were carried into shop. When time for lifting lathe, I borrowed two hefty men from my lawn service people and they placed it on my work bench. That was about 3:00 in the evening and by the same time next day, I had cleaned adjusted, and was pen turning. I hope you enjoy yours as much as I have mine.

Ben

 

[terryf]

Doc, you should have asked the guy that offloaded that monster box to put it on the bench for you. Must been a huge linebacker looking at the size of that thing.

Seriously though, its either a rope with pulleys and a 6:1 mechanical advantage or an electric boat winch as was mentioned earlier. (or four of Davids mates )

Happy turning

 

[ironman123]

I like Rick's idea best.:biggrin:

"Call for an ambulance. They do that 1-2-3 lift to move patients. "

Ray

 

[wizard]

On the table!

Got it on the table....many thanks to Shawn Pachlhofer (The Penguin) and his friend Mike Myers for coming over and helping getting my lathe set up! Now I just need the time to make something . Again, many thanks Shawn and Mike!!! Regards, Doc

 

[The Penguin]

No problem Doc - get busy!

I'll swing by again to help with the mill when it arrives.

 

[GerberMike]

Glad to help Doc. Thanks for the conversation and showing off your.. um... collection.:biggrin: