What's the easiest way to move around a 3000 lbs vertical Mill? Anyone ever add wheels? Seems like it would be nice to move the Mill around when you need to get behind it or need the room or when doing a major clean-up.

A friend suggested using a bunch of galvanized pipe to act as rollers, pushing it along and pulling the pipe from the back to the front as it goes.

Well you don't want it dancing around on the wheels....check out makeitsimple.com.....click on Sections and then click on Metal Working Guides and reviews.....some nice temporary wheels for moving machines.

The local tool rental has what is called "Roller Skates", they have multiple 1" dimeter shafts about 6" long in a cage, with a rotary plate on top. Place one under each corner, and use a shaft to turn each skate, then push/pull the machine on location.
http://www.likest.com/tank/
They are used by millwrights and machinery movers

Machinery skates will work but are scary for this type of machine.
The base is small and the center of gravity is high, making it tippy.
On a base this small the skates will get light due to base and floor imperfections causing the skate to leave from under the machine.
To move machinery on skates is minimum a 2 man job for a simple machine. Any less is playing with gas and matches.
Knee mills are designed to be lifted and moved by the overarm.

I agree, but I have run Vertical Mills with 14" diameter spindles!
The size was not specified by split63, and yes they do not work with Bridgeport mills! Bridgeport's need to be lifted with a Fork Lift under the ram, or by the EyeBolt with the center of gravity adjusted!

In 1976 I ran a SIGMA mill in N.J. that took 20 inserts in the shell mill, it was cutting 12" diameter .600 deep in hot roll steel 10 foot long! We bolted a 1/4" steel plate to the cinderblock wall to keep the big blue chips from chewing it up from 20' away!

Eric

Correct
It is all relative.
When someone says "knee mill"
I visual a standard toolroom mill ;-)

Split could make an underslung carriage with outrigger wheels to keep the machine 1/2" off the floor and have the wheels on jack plates to lower machine onto floor for use.
This is a lot of work though.

The size was not specified by split63, and yes they do not work with Bridgeport mills! Bridgeport's need to be lifted with a Fork Lift under the ram, or by the EyeBolt with the center of gravity adjusted!


Its a Bridgeport Series I Boss Vertical Mill.

We slide them around on plastic ski's and soapy water..(my wife's idea)..works great..I've moved a 60 ton Iron worker this way..(it didn't weight 60 tons..more like 3 tons).

You just use a pry bar and some blocks to get it high enough to slip the ski's under and away you go..

These are available at any snowmobile shop..the thin plastic ski covers work best..

Or you could make some out of UHMW PE ..and just heat the ends to form a curved tip and tail...about 4 to 6 inches wide and the length of the machine base..

The weight of the machine keeps them under it..a little soapy water and one guy can push the machine any place he needs to..that is if the floor is ever close to smooth..now a heavy broomed concrete floor might pose problems..

Kind of the same thing as those plastic "Furniture Movers" As Seen On TV :D

Linky: http://www.thesnowmobilestore.com/acb/showdetl.cfm?&DID=32&Product_ID=8217&CATID=308

I use 1" black iron pipe. Once you get it up on two pipes, you roll until the front pipe is under the center of gravity. The machine will tip either way with almost no force. So you run the back pipe around front, put it under, and start rolling again. Someone once mentioned to me that this was a lot like work, but I have safely moved my 5000 lb Bridgeport by myself with this method. Moved my lathe too, but it's not a good idea.

I like the machine mover from makeitsimple, but I'm afraid that there are a lot of things that aren't going to stop by themselves using that method.

wms.....well doesn't that just show you.....women are pretty industrious.....

I use forklift......nudge...nudge...if that don't work.....I pick it up.....