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First mill $400 in south west ON

Chicken lights said:
https://canadianhobbymetalworkers.com/threads/moving-a-couple-cnc-machines-today.1523/

Some machines have a cast base that it’s impossible to feed a chain through by hand.

75% of the time I’ll only use 5/16” chain
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OK. I see what you mean now.

No holes in the base at all on either of my mills.

The Hartford has threaded holes in the base that could take an eye bolt but I was not prepared for that. The Bridgeport has holes in the same location, but they are unthreaded.

In both cases, I didn't have chains so I used straps around the base.

The top straps were just anti-tip as @Dabbler suggested. I used the lifting eyebolt on the ram there. But not tight.
 
Susquatch said:
All I did was to lower the table to lower the center of gravity, screw some 2x4s down to my trailer bed around the base to stop anything from sliding, and put four crossed corner straps down around the base (Left front on mill goes to right front on trailer, etc) and four more straps up high.

I didn't flip the head cuz I didn't know about that at the time. I would do that next time to lower the CG too.
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I'm well aware that lowering the center of gravity by lowering the table and tilting the head would be a good idea but with little experience around mills I probably wouldn't know how to do those things. Especially when it comes to tilting the head I imagine different brands have significant variations on the theme. My recollection from just reading is that for example a Bridgeport head can be turned 180 degrees completely upside down but an Excello will only turn about 90 degrees. It begs the question whether tilting a head 90 degrees for a move is really a good idea because at that angle there are probably different stresses on delicate parts than if the head remained upright.
 
Canadium said:
I'm well aware that lowering the center of gravity by lowering the table and tilting the head would be a good idea but with little experience around mills I probably wouldn't know how to do those things. Especially when it comes to tilting the head I imagine different brands have significant variations on the theme. My recollection from just reading is that for example a Bridgeport head can be turned 180 degrees completely upside down but an Excello will only turn about 90 degrees. It begs the question whether tilting a head 90 degrees for a move is really a good idea because at that angle there are probably different stresses on delicate parts than if the head remained upright.
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Ya, it is simple, but it's not simple. There is a little pin that must be pulled on both of mine to rotate beyond 25 degrees.

You also make a good point in my opinion about whether a partial tilt is really a good idea. I'm not sure about that either. I'll leave that question to other more experienced members to answer.

However, I will add to the confusion. When I did flip my heads to just 90 degrees so I could access the belts and motor more easily, a crap load of accumulated oil ran out of the head. I really don't think it's a good idea to have that oil all over the bed of a trailer with 2500 pounds of cast iron sitting in it - all eager to obey the laws of inertia and friction......:eek:
 
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@Susquatch : there shouldn't be a crap load of oil in the head to come out. If there is, here is what you do: Wait for your wife to go off on some adventure and sneak a broiling pan out of the drawer to take with you. Flip the head and put the pan underneath. Bring the table up to hold the pan under the head to catch drippings.

Load the mill and take it home through the back stealth entrance. Flip the head, remove the pan, clean it out and put it back carefully. Never complain about the oily taste in the next roast.......simple
 
Brent H said:
@Susquatch : there shouldn't be a crap load of oil in the head to come out. If there is, here is what you do: Wait for your wife to go off on some adventure and sneak a broiling pan out of the drawer to take with you. Flip the head and put the pan underneath. Bring the table up to hold the pan under the head to catch drippings.

Load the mill and take it home through the back stealth entrance. Flip the head, remove the pan, clean it out and put it back carefully. Never complain about the oily taste in the next roast.......simple
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I think you have been working with the Coast Gaurd for too long. You know every back door, stealth truck, slippery slimy, trick in the book.

But I agree, that would solve the oil problem for sure!

Might not work on my bride though. She runs a mercenary training school for women with wayward husbands. All the stealth doors in this place are monitored. I even found a peep hole camera behind my rigid tool calendar.
 
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