Moving the VF2SS

[JohnJW]

We need to move the VF2SS a few (~3) miles to a different warehouse. The image of Geof towing the TL2 with his tractor keeps popping into my mind but the spec weight of the VF2SS is 8000# and I don't think our 3000# forklifts or box trucks can handle that much weight.

We are also taking delivery on a TL2 so I am wondering if I can piggyback the VF2SS with the delivery. Should I ask Haas to arrange it, or is this more of an informal request I can talk to the rigger after they delivery the TL2? It's only a few miles and if it's informal I'm taking the risk that nothing will happen in that 3 miles. . . . How much should I pay for the service? I'm hoping it's cheaper than having to call a rigger from the yellow pages.

Also, other than removing all the tools, lines and coolant, should I bolt the spindle down with the red delivery brackets? Should I just jog to position and tighten the bolts? Does it matter if the bolts are just snug or do they have to the really tight for the trip.

thanks,

John

[Geof]

If you are only going a short distance I would not worry about the shipping brackets. They are really only applicable when the machines is going to be sitting on a truck for many hours experiencing a nice rythmic vibration, or worse riding piggyback on a railcar.

However, I would worry about the stability of the machine just sitting on its little feet on a truck. These machines are bolted down to a big pallet for shipping that gives them a footprint much larger than the machine base. Without this extended footprint I think there is a possibility the machine could tip if a truck braked hard.

It could be okay but I think it should be strapped from the top of the column casting with the straps running out like guy wires from a flag pole in four directions. If you get competent riggers they should be able to figure out how to make it secure when it is only one its own base.

EDIT: It was a Super MiniMill behind the tractor, the TL2 I did with a big flatbed trailer and pickup truck.

[JohnJW]

Goef, the stuff you do with your Haas is simply amazing. Haas should give you an award for all the goodwill you generated by sharing your ideas, thoughts, and images

My local HFO helped me with the riggers. Just two guys who leveraged the base, pushed in some metal skates, pushed the machine out, and picked it with a forklift. They were able to maneuver through some tight spaces with that massive forklift. Considering how heavy the machine is, they made it look easy. They strapped it down using just the corner leveling screws, it was short trip and the machine didn't fall off. . . . so I guess it was okay.

From talking with the riggers, new machine delivery is way down, but they got quite a bit business from all the machinery auctions. . . .

[fattybean]

Sorry I don't have exact specs but we just moved own 2 VF2SS' about a mile and to my surprise my boss hauled them one at a time on his dually flat bed ,3500 SuperDuty IIRC, he rented a bigger fork lift(??? not a monster, normal configuration just a bit bigger).

For securing I put a long work holding bolt in a tool holder and one in the T-slot and threaded them together with a coupling nut and locking nut on each side of the coupling. Our shipping brackets would have required us to take off the vises and fixture plate.