I am trying to come up with a way to build a dolly/carriage device for a full size mill (4000lbs's). I think I saw some one on this site do something like what I am trying to do but have been unable to find it. Ideally the tires/casters would be able to deflate or come off completely after the machine is put into place, allowing the machine to sit on the frame/ground during use. I am doing this for a couple of reasons, I am going to try to get this mill as far to the back of the garage as possible, but I only have a 7 foot door so larger forklifts will not fit though. Second once or twice a year I would like to be able to roll the machine forward to clean around it.
Anyone done anything like this yet? Am I crazy? I am only trying to lift it 1/2" or so just enought to roll it on completly flat ground, so tipping shouldn't be a issue.

Bryan

Make some UHMW feet for it. It is just slippery enough that you can skid the mill across cement. I've seen it done on a 3016 fadal and a haas lathe.

Put the caster out the side like a creeper dolly so that the machine is under slung in the middle (just off the floor).
Put jack screws beside each wheel.
When in place jack it off the wheels - remove the wheels and jack it down. The dolly frame will be a permanent fixture under the machine.

You could also use the jacking screws as your machine levellers and just leave the wheels on.

if you don't like pry bars and pipe rollers, "doin' the Egyptian" here's one idea.

http://bbs.homeshopmachinist.net/showthread.php?t=23012&highlight=moving

my mill is 2500-2800 lbs or so i've been told and three machinery movers walked it to the back end of the garage in about 30 seconds, no pry bars, no pipe. there are manual ways to do this that aren't that bad - and a specialized solution means you'll spending a bunch of time and money making something with a duty cycle 0.0000000001. Still, if you are going to make it, having a more universal moving system would be appealing vs dedicated to one machine

Make some UHMW feet for it. It is just slippery enough that you can skid the mill across cement. I've seen it done on a 3016 fadal and a haas lathe.

Do this. UHMW skids will slide very readily and you can often inch the machine around with a pry bar. We move 9000 lb machines on UHMW skids using either a Jackall or a 12Volt vehicle winch. Our guess is that less than 1000lb pull is needed to move them.

Somewhere I posted pictures but I forget where :confused: