IH manual mill dimensions and moving

[Olin]

I'm planning to get an IH manual mill (with DRO), and I'm trying to figure out how best to get it into my basement shop. I'm planning to pick it up at IH and transport it in a pickup truck.

The approach I'm considering is to remove the table, drain the oil, crank the head down as far as it will go, and transport the mill on its back. I'd make a custom skid for holding it in that position: a piece of 3/4 plywood and 2x4s around the edges to stop the mill from sliding. I'd use nylon straps to hold it down on the skid and discourage it from tipping sideways.

Picking up the mill at IH, I'd probably need to use their forklift to get the skid up into the truck, but once it's there, all the remaining transport would be downhill on ramps (with a winch) or horizontal on a cart. I have an engine hoist to tilt it back upright and get it on the stand.

Is this approach practical? I haven't managed to find any side-view or rear-view pictures that show what it would be like lying on its back--are the castings flat there, or will it wobble? And if it's not flat, would it be plausible to stick some shims in (shingles, maybe?) to stop the wobbling? Will I need to make any special arrangements for the table, or is it light enough (under 200 lbs?) that it can just be wrapped with moving pads?

Alternatively, is there a better approach? I have to negotiate a fairly stairway with low headroom, so I don't think it's practical to move it standing up, and I have to take the table off because it's too wide for the stair. I'm not eager to disassemble it more completely, as I'm afraid I'd irretrievably screw up alignment putting it back together.

Also, can someone tell me the actual dimensions of the base, and of the height from the base to the top of the column, so I can make a skid that will fit properly? When the head is cranked all the way down, is the top of the motor (VFD motor) above the head of the column, and how far?

[saabman]

It comes in a crate so make sure you figure that in your plans. I picked mine up at IH and transported it in my pickup. As I planned to tram the column, I took it apart (column, head, base, saddle, and table) to get it in my basement shop.

[arizonavideo]

Mills are top heavy.

If I was going hundreds of miles I might do what you said. It would be best to lay it on its back and then tip it to the right side as the z crank handle is on the left. You will need to take it apart anyhow to get it down stairs.

It is fairly easy to pull the table by removing the left handle and end cap and sliding the table to the left and then remove the leadscrew.

You might want to remove the quill down feed too as it might hit the ground.

If you have a full size truck I would think it would also be OK to slide it up to the cab in the crate so it cant move forward when you stop and strap it good. It is only 1000 pounds so any truck can handle it. The only problem here is getting the mill from the back up to the cab. A good forklift driver can give it a nice push to get you close but you will have some new scratches in the bed.

Some moving buddies UHMWPE plastic sliders would make it a one man job. remove then before you travel.

[mcarvey]

ZincBoy made an fantastic solid model of a IH clone, which can be found off of the following post. I just borrowed his dimensions. http://www.cnczone.com/forums/bencht...zay7045fg.html

Also, can someone tell me the actual dimensions of the base, and of the height from the base to the top of the column, so I can make a skid that will fit properly?

Acording to ZincBoy's model. Base is roughly 27.625" deep x 15.75" wide, bottom of base to top of column is 46.0625"

When the head is cranked all the way down, is the top of the motor (VFD motor) above the head of the column, and how far?

yeah, the top of the motor is above the head of the column. I don't know how far but can check on Monday. The motor is easy to remove for transport.

The table if fairly straightforward to remove, and although it's not terribly heavy (almost certainly under 200 lbs) it can be a bit of a pain for one person to remove if you don't have some wood blocks/shims for it to rest it on as it goes past the end of the dovetail.

If it comes on a crate, and you can fit the crate in your truck, I wouldn't bother trying to lay it on its back. The shipping palates/crates are quite stable.

The head and column are also straightforward to remove, as long as you use lots of caution when you do it. They are heavy enough that one person cant' really do it that safely without the help from a hoist of some sort. The column is attached to the base by 4 large socket head cap screws. I don't remember the size off the top of my head (I can check on monday) but it makes you life easier if you have the corresponding size hex key/hex bit socket.

I wouldn't worry about screwing up the alignment of it too much- even if the mill comes pre-trammed (I'm not sure if it does) you will probably want to verify that for yourself anyway.

Hope this helps,
Matt

[mcarvey]

Just checked and looks like you'll need at 12mm hex bit socket (or hex wrench) if you want to remove the 4 bolts that attach the column to the base. Note that my mill is an older model.

[ksanalytical]

I got mine just a few months ago and it is still a 12mm hex that holds the base on... I'd recommend using a stout allen wrench with a cheater bar or a hex key socket and ratchet. These things can be quite tight and you'll want to get them nice and tight when you reassemble.

Ken

[nlbrewe]

I got an IH mill last summer. A lift gate truck delivered it to my driveway, and with a pallet cart, I got it into the garage and under a Harbor Freight ceiling mounted hoist. I removed the crate, which left the mill sitting on a pallet, and then lifted the mill off the pallet with the hoist. I made a template of the mill base to use in making the stand.

When the stand was finished, I hired a rigger to move it to the basement via outside stairway. They sent 4 really strong guys with a large hand truck they called a "stevedore". We took the table off the mill by removing the left end cap, and strapped the mill to the stevedore with the back of the mill against the stevedore. The riggers manhandled the stevedore across the lawn to the back of my house, and carefully slid it down the stairs and into the basement. I had placed the stand under a beam in the basement, so we used a chain hoist to lift the mill and slid the stand under the mill. I bolted the mill to the table and we then used a pallet cart to move the mill to the final location. The whole operation took about 2 hours and it cost me $500 for the riggers. I figured it was money well spent. There was no way that me and my friends could have done this safely, and the riggers had the experience and knowhow to get the job done.

Tommy at IH can provide details for taking the mill apart, and also how much each piece weighs. I have since had the mill all apart, aligning the column and making adjustments.