HF 12x37 Lathe Coming to my driveway?

[Russ Kaiser]

I have been shopping for a larger lathe for a few months now. I looked at quite a few used lathes on Craig's list and couldn't find anything in my price range that I wanted to own or I could find room and power for. Yesterday after taking a vacation day and coming back from a two hour trip to look at two, over-priced, basket-case Emco Compact 10s I had had enough.

I knew HF was running a 20% off sale that ended yesterday and so I bit the bullet and purchased the harbor freight 43681 12x37 lathe; good reviews and just what I need size wise.

Well,If the web site selling experience is any indication I may already be in trouble. I had to read the on line manual to get the real specs and it looks like a cousin to the grizzly 12x37.

What I am wondering about is the measly $103 dollars they charged me for shipping. Will that put it in my driveway or will the truck driver show up with a semi with no lift gate and a temper. I tried speaking with HF associates yesterday and I couldn't get any straight answers; I don't think they are US based.

I was hoping one of you has had a similar experience recently and could tell me. If they can't put it in my driveway. I can get it delivered to work, which has a loading dock and my coworkers can set it on my truck.

Thanks,

Russ

[bobsch]

I've found standard shipping usually means a semi with, as you said, a driver with an attitude and no lift gate. It usually costs extra to have the local terminal re-load to a lift gate truck for local delivery.

[Al_The_Man]

I have also found that they will not deliver to residential area unless extra for the tail lift, but if they have a local wharehouse, I have had them off load it to their dock and allow you to pick it up with your own vehicle loaded using their forklift.
If you can get them to deliver to your dock at work, it probabally would be the best way.
Al.

[Russ Kaiser]

I will contact them and reschedule for work. That way, I don't have to worry about being home either.

Russ

[nguyenst]

I just got mine , exact same one you got with 20% off. It comes on freight for $104, no lift gate. You are responsible for the liftgate charges. The freight company will call you prior to delivery and tell you that it will cost $140 extra. Rediculous but that's how it is. I opt to rent a trailer from Uhaul for $20. Came to the freight center and pick up the lathe that way. They can forklift it into your trailer. When you get home, tilt the trailer and pull the crate out with a neighbor's help. Mine is still on the floor of the garage. Haven't figure out how to get it on the bench yet.

[Russ Kaiser]

Well, the lathe has arrived and is in the parts warehouse at work. The crate looks completely intact - good! And it's a big joker - not so good!

I think I am going to borrow a trailer to take it home, since getting it out of the bed of my truck will put the boom of the engine hoist at a high angle and make it hard to lift without interference.

Regardless, it looks like it will have to be un-crated on the trailer or truck and then lifted and I am concerned about rigging. Until I have it home I don't want to open the crate, so I am just looking at drawings and photos, but I don't see a convenient way to grab this thing other than to wrap a couple of chokers under the bed.

I certainly don't see any fittings designed for lifting and there is nothing in the manual other than a little blurb to move the apron and tailstock to the far end to help balance. I understand from nguyenst that the chip tray isn't attached so that should make things easier.

If anyone has any warnings or advice, I would love to hear it. The lathe weighs about 850 lbs.

[nguyenst]

I should be lifting mine sometime tomorrow onto the bench so will let you know how it goes.

Van

[Russ Kaiser]

Van,

I found a photo of a lifting clamp made from 2 pieces of channel on the 12x36 forum - I will be making one of these. I have already liberated the lifting eyes from a control cabinet at work (3/4 inch so plenty stout for the task) and I am going to go scrounge for the steel soon.

Luckily my employer lets us buy anything out of the scrap bin for the same price they get paid for it by the recycling outfit. That's just a few cents a lb. Most of the time, if the piece is small, they just let me have it.

Q. Who has the nicest car in town?

A. The man who runs the scrap steel yard, always buying low, always selling high.

[Spinnetti]

Originally Posted by nguyenst I just got mine , exact same one you got with 20% off. It comes on freight for $104, no lift gate. You are responsible for the liftgate charges. The freight company will call you prior to delivery and tell you that it will cost $140 extra. Rediculous but that's how it is. I opt to rent a trailer from Uhaul for $20. Came to the freight center and pick up the lathe that way. They can forklift it into your trailer. When you get home, tilt the trailer and pull the crate out with a neighbor's help. Mine is still on the floor of the garage. Haven't figure out how to get it on the bench yet.

Yep, that's the drill... the shipping co. called me, but upcharge was minimal. I forget exactly, but the guy at my request drove down my back lawn and put it right infront of my basement door (walkout).. I used a automotive cherry picker to move it in place.... (I have the Griz 12x37)

[nguyenst]

I got the lathe off the pallet first by lifting longitudinally so I can clear the pallet with the cherry picker.






I then put the lathe on some wooden blocks so I can raise it up high so the legs of the cherry picker will clear it. This way I can come in at it perpendicular to the lathe and lift it and push against the wall. Only problem now is finishing up the stand.

[GaryCorlew]

I bought that same exact lathe! In my opinion its a good lathe, I also used a cherry picker to get it out of my truck. I unboxed it on my truck then I used lifting slings to pick it up, I put 1 as close to the headstock as possible and the other I put in front of the apron so I could move it back and forth to get the balance right, Once I got it where I wanted it I then lifted it up enough to clear the skid/truck, then drove my truck out from under it. Mine is no longer manual, I cnc'ed it with a tool turret, ball screws, and VFD. It sure was a pleasant surprise to open up the box to find it green rather than that god awful red they show on the website!!

[Spinnetti]

Originally Posted by GaryCorlew I bought that same exact lathe! In my opinion its a good lathe, I also used a cherry picker to get it out of my truck. I unboxed it on my truck then I used lifting slings to pick it up, I put 1 as close to the headstock as possible and the other I put in front of the apron so I could move it back and forth to get the balance right, Once I got it where I wanted it I then lifted it up enough to clear the skid/truck, then drove my truck out from under it. Mine is no longer manual, I cnc'ed it with a tool turret, ball screws, and VFD. It sure was a pleasant surprise to open up the box to find it green rather than that god awful red they show on the website!!

I'd like to know (a lot) more about that if you don't mind... I have mine partially apart right now to do the same thing. I got some crummy ballscrews off ebay, but haven't figured it all out yet. I don't know how to do the sync for threading yet either. I was going to do it manual/cnc, but decided on pure cnc. I stripped out the entire carriage drive system, am changing the switch to be on top of the lathe only, and will remove most of the carriage too... I'd like to set it up as a gang but still have tail stock capability... Do you have a seperate thread somewhere?

Thanks!