Our shops tornado plan: Into the CNC lathe!

[cacrawfo]

My shop is a in a pole barn out in the middle of a cornfield in Illinois. Today we got a severe weather advisory, and I barely was able to get the sliding door shut before the wind and sideways rain came down on us. Blew pretty bad for awhile, and I got to thinking what I would do if we got a tornado out here...

Then it hit me!

I'll climb my happy ass into the 13,000lb Ikegai lathe! There is a nice spot for me inbetween the X-slide and the ways for the hydraulic tailstock. I could lay completely down in the chip area and wait it out.... I don't think any tornado is going to pick up a chunk of iron like that!

Any thoughts?
Carl C

[ajmoir]

If it's bolted down it might be alright.

My advice, start digging.

[Geof]

Turn the power off first, you don't want a bit of flying debris pushing the green button with you in there .

I'm on the west coast, when I had lathes it was possible to crawl under they were my planned earthquake refuge; I don't think your idea is a nutty as it sounds.

[ImanCarrot]

Turn the power off first, you don't want a bit of flying debris pushing the green button with you in there

Eeeek! that just don't bear thinking about! Well said Geoff.

Also.. you might want a crate of beer in there, would make the time pass a bit easier

I used to work in an old munitions factory which had a bomb proof cellar which was used during air raids in WW2- it was used as storage after the war and the amount of stuff you could "discover" down there was amazing!

[gmfoster]

Originally Posted by cacrawfo My shop is a in a pole barn out in the middle of a cornfield in Illinois. Today we got a severe weather advisory, and I barely was able to get the sliding door shut before the wind and sideways rain came down on us. Blew pretty bad for awhile, and I got to thinking what I would do if we got a tornado out here... Then it hit me! I'll climb my happy ass into the 13,000lb Ikegai lathe! There is a nice spot for me inbetween the X-slide and the ways for the hydraulic tailstock. I could lay completely down in the chip area and wait it out.... I don't think any tornado is going to pick up a chunk of iron like that! Any thoughts? Carl C

Well they have been known to move train locomotives off the track, but the lathe would be better than nothing...
garry