How to load a lathe

[van123d]

So I found a deal on a Monarch lathe. Agreed on price with seller but he has no equipment to help load at his end. I have a flat deck twin axle trailer to move the lathe on and can borrow the neighbours loader to unload here.

I know lots of you have done this before. What is the recommended way to get it onto the trailer. The seller says the lathe weight 3200lbs. It is in Barrie and I am coming from Woodstock.

 

[phaxtris]

you could use a gantry crane, hire a picker, rent a forklift

more than one way to skin this cat, youll probably need to provide some more details of what exactly you have to do to get this thing loaded on buddys end before any good suggestions can be made

 

[van123d]

I have not seen the shop situation but from what I understand I will need to move it from its current location out of the shop which has a 7’ door height. Then somehow pick it up and place onto the trailer. The shop looks to have concrete floors.

The Ad is here so you can see photos. I only bought the Lathe.

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[Aliva]

I'd look into renting a forklift. Probably a couple hundred $ but much easier and safer.

 

[Mcgyver]

They are can be moved along the ground with rollers/pipe. Having a toe jack makes getting them on the rolls a lot easier! I've moved 10ee's by dragging them up onto a flatbed style tow truck (must be steel deck) and craning them onto a truck. Sling in the bed ribs close to the headstock. Take off all the access panels all the way around the lathe. They are sturdy in the shop, held by cams, but I'd have one fall off if it vibrated loose. To get it on a trailer, thats more of a challenge. Rent a forklife but do the math on how far out from the mast the load will be and how big a fork lift you'll need. Another options is pay a tow truck with a proper wrecker (not pickup style) to do the lift. Make sure you have slings in good condition

 

[Susquatch]

I know lots of you have done this before. What is the recommended way to get it onto the trailer.

3200 pounds sounds high. 1.5 tons.

Options to get it outside include:
- One or two engine hoists (2 ton models)
- machine jacks or toe jack to lift it enough to get pipes under it to roll it
- air lift pads with plates
- adjustable height gantry crane - wide enough to straddle trailer too.
- rent a forklift
- nylon sled

Options to load it onto the trailer include:
- gantry crane as per above - tall enough to clear trailer
- tow truck with lift hook - might need to shift on trailer with pipes again.
- Kijiji/marketplace wanted add for local farmer with big loader tractor.
- HD ramp and winch.
- Big Tree and 2Ton Chainfall

Issues to watch out for:
- top heavy lathe falling over
- lift straps bending leade screws. Spacer Blocks can help. But get OEM lifting instructions.
- load shifting when straps slide.

Last but not least - google "move monarch lathe".

 

[Mcgyver]

3200 pounds sounds high. 1.5 tons.

Options to get it outside include:
- One or two engine hoists (2 ton models)
- machine jacks or toe jack to lift it enough to get pipes under it to roll it
- air lift pads with plates
- adjustable height gantry crane - wide enough to straddle trailer too.
- rent a forklift
- nylon sled

Options to load it onto the trailer include:
- gantry crane as per above - tall enough to clear trailer
- tow truck with lift hook - might need to shift on trailer with pipes again.
- Kijiji/marketplace wanted add for local farmer with big loader tractor.
- HD ramp and winch.
- Big Tree and 2Ton Chainfall

Issues to watch out for:
- top heavy lathe falling over
- lift straps bending leade screws. Spacer Blocks can help. But get OEM lifting instructions.
- load shifting when straps slide.

Last but not least - google "move monarch lathe".

Thats what they are, a 3200" lb 10x20 lathe

They have a very heavy and broad cast iron stand with a centre of gravity lower than most similar sized lathes....you'd you have try hard to tip one

 

[Susquatch]

Thats what they are, a 3200" lb 10x20 lathe

They have a very heavy and broad cast iron stand with a centre of gravity lower than most similar sized lathes....you'd you have try hard to tip one

All a big plus for @van123d !

Highmass for rigidity!
Low COG for stability!
All in a 10x20! I'm impressed!

 

[van123d]

Thanks everyone for suggestions so far.

Yes from my research depending on configuration they were between 3000-4000lbs so the estimate of the current owner seems accurate.

Seeing as the owner indicated I can access it with a forklift I will see if I can rent one that is low enough to fit through the door opening.

Ideally I would rent one locally, drive it onto my trailer, and then use it to load the lathe at the current owners shop and then I would have it here to unload as well. Unfortunately I think the weight of a forklift plus the lathe will put me over the 10k lbs limit for my truck and trailer.

For those who have rented a forklift, will the rental place just meet you at a specified time and wait for you to load?

If anyone has a recommendation for a place close to Barrie to rent a forklift from or who can load it for me please let me know. I will start calling places tomorrow.

 

[phaxtris]

i have never rented equipment where you are, but normally rental places have staff on the whole time they are open, you just show up (during business' hours) and load

pipes to get it out the door and a gantry crane might be the best bet if you cant find a low enough forklift, or the cost is to high (with transport, etc), i have seen gantry cranes for rent before

you can get it up high enough without toe jacks to use pipes if you cant find them, just a bar, 1/4" at a time, each corner, once its up on the pipes its pretty easy to move around

 

[Janger]

I would get help from someone who has done this before. Or hire a rigger.

 

[Rauce]

I loaded and unloaded my hendey T&G which is a similar weight and size without a crane or forklift.

Reinforced the trailer ramp with two 2x6s. Wheel chocks on the trailer, jackstands under the trailers rear corners (in case the trailer tries to tip). Use the tongue jack to tip the trailer back a bit and drag it onto the trailer rolling on pieces of 3/4” pipe with a come a long. Do the reverse at the other end.

 

[PaulL]

I loaded and unloaded my hendey T&G which is a similar weight and size without a crane or forklift.

Reinforced the trailer ramp with two 2x6s. Wheel chocks on the trailer, jackstands under the trailers rear corners (in case the trailer tries to tip). Use the tongue jack to tip the trailer back a bit and drag it onto the trailer rolling on pieces of 3/4” pipe with a come a long. Do the reverse at the other end.

Slow and steady wins the race. If you have to strain you're doing it wrong. Listen to the little voice. And continually ask "where is it going to go if anything fails".

 

[Rauce]

Slow and steady wins the race. If you have to strain you're doing it wrong. Listen to the little voice. And continually ask "where is it going to go if anything fails".

Yup. It’s not quick but it worked and no scary moments. Better than I can say for some of the forklift machine lifts I’ve seen lately.

 

[Tecnico]

Slow and steady wins the race. If you have to strain you're doing it wrong. Listen to the little voice. And continually ask "where is it going to go if anything fails".

What @PaulL said!

You’re on the right track by asking for advice before hand and having a well thought out plan before you start.

When you go to pick it up call a huddle and brief the operation. Tell everyone that’s helping or wants to get in there what‘s going to happen and what you expect from them so they don’t go off and improvise. If you don’t want their help ask them to stand back, it’s your machine and your show.

Good planning & it’ll come off well!

FWIW I used a setup a lot like @Rauce had with the same trailer to move my mill except I put it on a wheeled dolly. Went nice & smoothly. There are photos in my thread.

D

 

[6.5 Fan]

I used the same method as Rauce to unload my Colchester by my self. If you can mount a winch, not a wench, to the front of your trailer that helps a lot.

 

[historicalarms]

I recently moved a Lathe in the same weight class as yours and used the method Susquatch recommended. I used two 2 Ton shop/engine lift cranes on rollers to unload & move the thing. One crane at each end to lift off the trailer an inch and then drive the trailer out from under, just reverse to load the thing. It is safe and stable. I had a couple offers to help but refused them & did it myself....When I'm the only one there I know where my own hands and feet and fingers are at at all times

 

[Susquatch]

I used the same method as Rauce to unload my Colchester by my self. If you can mount a winch, not a wench, to the front of your trailer that helps a lot.

I dunno. I'd much rather have @Brent H's wrench. Where you mount his wench is none of my business.

Just sayin....

 

[Dan Dubeau]

https://www.practicalmachinist.com/forum/categories/monarch-lathes.10/

I'm sure there are more than a few well documented moves of that very lathe over at PM. Might be a good spot to supplement the good suggestions you've received here. I like the drag on rollers advice over the forklift. Might be slower, but inexperience on a forklift can ruin a day (and a machine) pretty quick. You'd be surprised how quick a pinch par and rollers can shift a machine around though. It goes much faster than you'd think.

Congrats on the machine. I'd love to have a lathe like that someday.

 

[Dabbler]

Your move has multiple stages. First you have to get it off the floor safely. Second you need to move it to the loading area. If it can be moved on a continuous surface to outdoors, all the better.then. Only then, you need to get it on the trailer.

If this is in an industrial area, check adjoining businesses to see if they have a forklift and, for a consideration help you load it.

You least risky way is to hire a rigger. For a lathe that nice, I'd seriously consider it, unless the fees for that area are prohibitive.

If you are going DIY, you will need a toe jack to lift the lathe, and 4"X4" wooden wedges to sustain your progress. (mine are 24" long) You lift in appropriate increments - about 1/2 of an inch - until you can set it on machine skates. Machine skeates are well worth the investment.

****warning*** lathes topple very easily, even the Monarch 10ee . You never use 4 skates to move a lathe. (there are too many horror stories). You use a single skate at the tailstock end, and two skates on the headstock end. There is an exception for Ton Lipton style skates, where you end up with 4 rolling elements, be they are tied together in pairs.

There are several ways to do the final lift. by far the easiest is to use a drop deck trailer (from Sunbelt rentals). These are a game changer, especially for a first-timer.