Tool I beat Tom Lipton to it!

[Dabbler]

Years ago, TomLipton (youtube "oxtool") designed some lathe skates using ready-rod to move the lathe, and secure the skates to the lathe. they worked fine, until I had to reposition my big lathe. So two years ago, I bought 3 Vevor lathe skates, in order to reposition the lathe properly. (perhaps for the only time I'll ever be ahead of him!)

In this video, he shows off his new Vevor lathe skates, along with a nice modification to them:

 

[slow-poke]

Interesting, and timely I will be moving my old lathe to make room for my new lathe. I ordered some pretty cheap skates in comparison but my old lathe is a light weight in comparison.

 

[KeeponDragon]

I was watching one of CEE's video's a long while ago...they were using Vevor skates I think...
But the object being shuffled was so heavy, the wheels delaminated from the hubs.
After seeing that, I decided to try n make my own...probably 300% overkill in the materials I have chosen...if they work though, it was material worth scrounging and hoarding
Considering what the name brand unit's go for...I can see why people opt for the lower grade offerings....
Either way, it'll be safer and easier to move my equipment when the time comes...

 

[Stuart Samuel]

Years ago, TomLipton (youtube "oxtool") designed some lathe skates using ready-rod to move the lathe, and secure the skates to the lathe. they worked fine, until I had to reposition my big lathe. So two years ago, I bought 3 Vevor lathe skates, in order to reposition the lathe properly. (perhaps for the only time I'll ever be ahead of him!)

In this video, he shows off his new Vevor lathe skates, along with a nice modification to them:

I made a copy of the set he showed, with the pallet jack wheels at one end, on angle iron with threaded rod, and a little bearing dolly for the tailstock end. Managed to get my lathe (~3500lbs) through a man door, with an immediate 90 degree turn. I did put down some 20 gauge steel sheet on the linoleum floor, I suspect the bearings would have crushed troughs into it otherwise. That said, skates are definitely on my classifieds watch list.

 

[Dabbler]

I was watching one of CEE's video's a long while ago...they were using Vevor skates I think...
But the object being shuffled was so heavy, the wheels delaminated from the hubs.
After seeing that, I decided to try n make my own...probably 300% overkill in the materials I have chosen...if they work though, it was material worth scrounging and hoarding

He was using the 12 tonne skates, but they rolled over pipe used to fill the sill gap. They are designed to roll over flat terrain. Curtis is well known for over-engineering everything, making things that are virtually indestructible, for instance his machine stands... So they failed from improper loading and abuse, not from bad manufacture. The machine MUST be suspended by the central turntable to get proper loading, and the skates will have bridged the gap far better. But Curtis is not a machine mover, and forgot about loading and point loading from the ground.

I have a set of the 6 tonne skates, and at 50$ each, they work just fine. For anything in the hobbyist range, these skates are just fine. I'll keep my oxtool skates, as I already have them, but I'll use then seldom, if ever now that I have the Vevor ones.

 

[Susquatch]

I'll keep my oxtool skates, as I already have them, but I'll use then seldom, if ever now that I have the Vevor ones.

I didn't know that Vevor made Machine skates......

Like @Stuart Samuel, I've had skates on my watch list for years. I almost had a nice set but the seller sold them right out from under me - I was really pissed because he had said he would hold them for me.

At the Vevor price (plus some Vevor points I have), I almost can't say no. It's that or wait till they arrive in time to move my coffin.....

I see they have them with steel rollers or Poly Urethane rollers for the same price. Any clear reason to choose one over the other?

Also, most of the skates I see have 4 or 5 rollers. The Vevor only has 2. Is that a concern?

 

[Dabbler]

I chose polyurethane. They mar the concrete less, and will roll over tiny things on the floor (very tiny things). I use the 6 tonne skates as 2+ tonne skates, and they work fine. I would not trust each skate to 5 tonne, for instance.

 

[Mcgyver]

skates and lathes can be dangerous, maybe make a carriage for them to sit on, bolt them to the machine or use three instead of four? I do it like an Egyptian...... prybar and rollers. What is the thing to have for moving is a toe jack....mine copied from Madman Mike who shows up here occasional. Makes lifting the lathe up for the pipes easy.

Projects - Metallum

A collection of diy home shop projects I've been working on including machining, 3d printing and machine tool reconditioning

www.metallum.shop

 

[Stuart Samuel]

skates and lathes can be dangerous, maybe make a carriage for them to sit on, bolt them to the machine or use three instead of four? I do it like an Egyptian...... prybar and rollers. What is the thing to have for moving is a toe jack....mine copied from Madman Mike who shows up here occasional. Makes lifting the lathe up for the pipes easy.

Projects - Metallum

A collection of diy home shop projects I've been working on including machining, 3d printing and machine tool reconditioning

www.metallum.shop

I'll second the toe jack, especially for confined spaces, where a prybar isn't really practical. I bought a Vevor one (2.5 tonnes on the toe) to move the lathe in, and it was invaluable. I was very leery of relying on it (spent a lot of time blocking up as I lifted, to minimize risk), especially for the first few lifts, but I didn't have any issues. They're stupid cheap, but if anyone in the area (Etobicoke, bottom of the 427) wants to borrow one, it's just gathering dust most of the time.

 

[Elektrishun]

Speaking of skates and moving heavy equipment...

I worked on a job where our crew assisted with decommissioning an MRI. Once the MRI was ready to be moved out of the room a moving crew from Ontario showed up with air skates. Seemed like nobody working on that job had seen air skates in action before. We stood around watching like kids during a parade as they literally floated the MRI out of the room and down the hallway.

Another cool aspect of that decommissioning job was watching the guy in charge send about $20,000 worth of Helium up into the air. Not sure why it couldn't be "captured" and reused. It was a bit of a spectacle to see it billowing out the quench vent while knowing the dollar amount.

 

[van123d]

I have a set of the vevor skates and have used them a fair bit. I find that when loaded they really want to track straight in whatever direction they are pointing and do not want to turn. Not sure if it is too much friction from the poly wheels or the bearing for the rotating platform. This means that if they are not pointing perfectly in the direction of travel and all parallel to each other they want to walk themselves from under the machine. Especially true if you need to turn the machine.

I have tried using plywood between the machine and the skate to get more friction there but it didn’t make much difference. I just have to make small movements and constantly use a pipe to adjust the angle of the skates and often reposition them if they start to walk off.

These are the only skates I have used so not sure if this issue is common to all skates or if this is unique to these.

 

[Dabbler]

I agree with several posts above: using machinery skates requires more skill and care than using pipes. For the first 4 machines I moved, I used black iron pipe and pry bar. It is slow, but very reliable and virtually foolproof. (nothing is 100% foolproof, foolishness is a super power) The close proximity to the floor and the slow progress makes it safer for people doing their early moves.

I now use skates most of the time - they are faster, more convenient to change direction, and when used properly are very safe.

- I even have one of those 5 wheel swivel skates, which can be VERY dangerous if used incorrectly. One guy on MobbyMachinist badly broke his brand new, never run PM 1440 lathe by taking a small turn with one of these swivel skates. It cost almost a third of the original purchase price to set it right. BUT used properly it can also be a game changer for ease of direction changes and versatility.

 

[Susquatch]

I chose polyurethane. They mar the concrete less, and will roll over tiny things on the floor (very tiny things). I use the 6 tonne skates as 2+ tonne skates, and they work fine. I would not trust each skate to 5 tonne, for instance.

OK, I ordered the PU skates yesterday too. They had a father's day sale plus I had points. Good deal overall I thought. They arrived today. Box was ripped open top to bottom. But the skates were unskathed..... (sp intentional).

Wow! These things are BEASTS. The Vevor photos were very misleading. They are much bigger than I expected. Although I'll never need to use them as rated, I have no trouble believing the, rating now.

The swivel top is sitting on a ring of ball bearings and the rollers feel like they are on bearings too. It looks like I could make a handle to turn them - that may or may not really be practical.

In any event, now I have skates. So thanks for the tip @Dabbler.