# How to move a lathe (out of / into a basement)



## RobinHood (Dec 23, 2020)

Stumbled across this write-up (with pictures) of how this fellow moved his lathes out of and into his basement...

https://www.fahnoetech.com/moving-lathes/

No cost for the move is given...


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## RobinHood (Dec 23, 2020)

And then Larry moves the Hardinge out of the basement again...

https://www.fahnoetech.com/shop-move/


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## Tom Kitta (Dec 23, 2020)

The lathe he is dealing with is not uber heavy but more importantly it is short & easy to maneuver especially if garage and stairs do not have any turns - this is not the case in most homes. Neither my home nor my parents have such a nice flush through basement entry. 

Stairs are not as weak as people think they are - they do not disintegrate if few people stand on them at the same time. You can also brace them from underneath for extra added strength.


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## CalgaryPT (Dec 23, 2020)

RobinHood said:


> Stumbled across this write-up (with pictures) of how this fellow moved his lathes out of and into his basement...
> 
> https://www.fahnoetech.com/moving-lathes/
> 
> No cost for the move is given...


That pic of the crane lifting the lathe above the roof line made me think of a hidden cost not documented in his excellent write up. If it were me, I'd have to factor in the airplane ticket to a tropical location, hotel costs, meal costs, spending money and maybe a gift card or two for my wife. I'd need to get her out of town so she didn't see what was going on just so I could have a new machine. That means bribing the neighbours to keep them quiet as well. Suddenly the price is through the roof, so to speak.

I'm only exaggerating a little here; I once had the guy from Modern Tool park their Western Star Flatbed and Pickup Crane around the corner from our house until I could convince my wife to go shopping for a few hours. Granted, I needed her to move her car so there was access for the crane, but the fact that she didn't see the rig and connect the dots when she drove away was a bonus.

I fear if there is ever an _Intervention/Hoarders - Tool Edition_ show on TV, a few of us here would be instant celebrities.

Loved the vid. Thanks @RobinHood.


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## 6.5 Fan (Dec 24, 2020)

Interesting move. When we built our house on the farm i insisted that the basement stairs were directly in line with the back door. I have been involved in moving beds, fridges, deepfreezes, furnaces and an upright heavy as hell piano into crappy hell hole places.


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## cuslog (Dec 24, 2020)

Interesting, the trouble some people will go to for their hobbies !
In my working life, I owned a small construction Co., owned / operated  a couple of my own cranes for ~30 years. Looked like good rigging for the most part, until I saw that photo from the back yard that showed the power line location - that crane cable must have come awfully close to that line. - I hope they had the power dis-connected for that !


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## Dabbler (Dec 24, 2020)

He did a great job.  I think it was pretty costly.  I'd love to buy a forklift, I even found one at a giveaway price.  No room...


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## PeterT (Dec 24, 2020)

Nice shop. Well insulated, slab floor heating, integrated overhead iron for moving heavy stuff....
https://www.fahnoetech.com/shop-construction/


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## historicalarms (Dec 24, 2020)

CalgaryPT said:


> That pic of the crane lifting the lathe above the roof line made me think of a hidden cost not documented in his excellent write up. If it were me, I'd have to factor in the airplane ticket to a tropical location, hotel costs, meal costs, spending money and maybe a gift card or two for my wife. I'd need to get her out of town so she didn't see what was going on just so I could have a new machine. That means bribing the neighbours to keep them quiet as well. Suddenly the price is through the roof, so to speak.
> 
> I'm only exaggerating a little here; I once had the guy from Modern Tool park their Western Star Flatbed and Pickup Crane around the corner from our house until I could convince my wife to go shopping for a few hours. Granted, I needed her to move her car so there was access for the crane, but the fact that she didn't see the rig and connect the dots when she drove away was a bonus.
> 
> ...


  I used to have the same problem coming home from gun auctions...leave the truck parked close to the house just so I would be sure she seen the new "uprights" on the front seat from the window...and then throw my hat in the front door...if it came back out all chew'd to hell ...time to back off for an hour or so.


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