[merl]

Michael Henry,checked out your web site and your move pics, great stuff!
My wife and I did the exact same thing about 7 years ago when we moved in to our present home.
I have a Harding tool room horizontal mill that only goes about 700lbs. but it doesn't come apart in as many pieces as yours.
We had this machine in the basement of two houses prior to this one so we were fairly well reherst in the procedure (yeah right,)
We used a nearly identicle set up to yours so I don't think I'm so crazy when I look back at it.
One thing we had different was a set of 4"x4"x1/2 wall angle iron "tracks" that we liad on the basement steps to help ease things down.
These worked fine and I highly recomend that anyone that moves heavy iron up and down the basement steps invest in a pair.
However, MAKE SURE that they are not too long or they won't lay on the steps and stay stableized.
We cut them to fit the stairs in the old house and found when we laid them down in the new house they were just a couple inches too long but, we didn't take the time to cut them shorter and just went ahead with it(bad decision number one).
Well it was 12am and we said " lets just get the mill put down the steps and we'll quit for the night" (bad decision number two)
So we start and about 2/3rds from the bottom one of the tracks slipps and the mill tips and slipps off the one track.
Fortunatly the stairs are flanked by a brick wall on either side so it wasn't going over but, not going down either.
So I say" I'll just squeese down the side of it to help slip it back on the track while you crank the winch down a little" (bad decision number three)
Long story short, the mill slipped a little more and came to rest on the edge of the angle iron, with one of my fingers in there for padding.
I was able to get my finger out my self but I didn't need to take my glove off to see that it was broken.
Got to spend the night in the ER waiting to get it fixed (smashed into six pieces inbetween the 1st and 2nd knuckle) and got the next 2 1/2 months off from work to reflect on the incident( I had two alignment pin sticking out of my finger and couldn't even work in my own shop)
I consider myself to be very lucky when, you think how badly things might have turned out, This is the only serious accident I've had in nearly 30 years as a machinist although there have been some close calls and I have seen some horrific things happen to others not so lucky.
But I digress.
I can tell just from the bright lites and the nice white walls that you must have a pretty good time down there.
PS shame on you for leaving that nice little shaper under the steps!
mine is the center piece of my basement shop.
To your continuing enjoyment!! (everybody)

merl