Need Help!- How to physically move the mill?

[FloridaClay]

Hello all,

Well, I purchased the Bridgemill Eldorado. The man I purchased it from was able to put it on my trailer with his tractor (he had a boom welded on a front bucket). However, I now have it home and need to get it off of the trailer. How do you guys move this beast? It's bolted to the table and coupled with the height of the trailer, it's rather high. When you move it, do you normally unbolt it from the table? I was going to use an engine hoist (cherry picker), but I don't think it will boom high enough.

Any help will be greatly appreciated.

FloridaClay

[flyinchips]

This Harbor Freight goes to 82" <http://www.harborfreight.com/1-ton-capacity-foldable-shop-crane-93840.html>. Or, rent one that is similar. Or, borrow mine, you pick up and drop off.

[WoodSpinner]

Originally Posted by FloridaClay Hello all, Well, I purchased the Bridgemill Eldorado. The man I purchased it from was able to put it on my trailer with his tractor (he had a boom welded on a front bucket). However, I now have it home and need to get it off of the trailer. How do you guys move this beast? It's bolted to the table and coupled with the height of the trailer, it's rather high. When you move it, do you normally unbolt it from the table? I was going to use an engine hoist (cherry picker), but I don't think it will boom high enough. Any help will be greatly appreciated. FloridaClay

you could hire a tow truck to come and use its extendable hydraulic boom to lift it off the truck, just trying to give options.

John

[FloridaClay]

@ flyinchips: Thanks for posting in my threads. The information that you provided in my previous post provided me with the confidence to actually purchase the mill.

Okay, after taking some measurements today, the height of the mill is 90" (on the trailer). As I was reading the specs of these home use engine hoists/cranes, 90" is at the upper-end of their boom capabilities. As such, the rating of the crane at full boom is 500 lbs or so. That really concerns me since the machine (supposedly) weighs 900+ lbs.

@ WoodSpinner: Very good information! I was just reading another thread where they mentioned using a wrecker.

I think my most logical steps now is to call a couple wrecker companies tomorrow to gauge their respective level of expertise (and to get some rates) and to contact my local tool rental company to see if they can give me an idea as to what they have that can help.

Thanks again for the ideas and I'll post my results.

[WoodSpinner]

Originally Posted by FloridaClay @ flyinchips: Thanks for posting in my threads. The information that you provided in my previous post provided me with the confidence to actually purchase the mill. Okay, after taking some measurements today, the height of the mill is 90" (on the trailer). As I was reading the specs of these home use engine hoists/cranes, 90" is at the upper-end of their boom capabilities. As such, the rating of the crane at full boom is 500 lbs or so. That really concerns me since the machine (supposedly) weighs 900+ lbs. @ WoodSpinner: Very good information! I was just reading another thread where they mentioned using a wrecker. I think my most logical steps now is to call a couple wrecker companies tomorrow to gauge their respective level of expertise (and to get some rates) and to contact my local tool rental company to see if they can give me an idea as to what they have that can help. Thanks again for the ideas and I'll post my results.

I used to run a wrecker for a living(30)+ years and did equiptment unloading as a specialty, generally speaking its best if the wrecker can lift the load and then you pull the trailer out from under it, its close to impossible to move the wrecker while handling a swingling load so lots of chains to stabilize it before moving.

Good luck
John

[FloridaClay]

Originally Posted by WoodSpinner I used to run a wrecker for a living(30)+ years and did equiptment unloading as a specialty, generally speaking its best if the wrecker can lift the load and then you pull the trailer out from under it, its close to impossible to move the wrecker while handling a swingling load so lots of chains to stabilize it before moving. Good luck John

Yes, that was my thinking exactly. If I can get the wrecker to lift it just a few inches, I can pull the trailer out from under it. I'll then have him lower it down on some casters so that it can be rolled into the shop.

[flyinchips]

You are correct in worrying about the max weight difference. 90" is quite a bit different from the 72" I had to lift. I purchased the 2 ton unit to install my Tormach. It moved the ShopTask without much trouble, but the 1700 pound Tormach was at the limit, even with the boom pulled in to 2 tons. The casters on the unit were the problem. They just weren't designed to roll 2000 pounds on concrete!

[smallblock]

Originally Posted by FloridaClay Hello all, Well, I purchased the Bridgemill Eldorado. The man I purchased it from was able to put it on my trailer with his tractor (he had a boom welded on a front bucket). However, I now have it home and need to get it off of the trailer. How do you guys move this beast? It's bolted to the table and coupled with the height of the trailer, it's rather high. When you move it, do you normally unbolt it from the table? I was going to use an engine hoist (cherry picker), but I don't think it will boom high enough. Any help will be greatly appreciated. FloridaClay

If you have a place in your shop ceiling to hook a come-a - long, just back the trailer under it, lift the machine and drive out. Then lower it to the floor. Once on the floor, one guy can lever the machine in place with a 2 X 4.

[dgapilot]

Each time I've moved mine, I take the legs off first. That way the heavy part is sown low enoug so I can lift it with my engine hoist. I've put it on and off the back of a pick up a couple times. Just take your time.

Since it sounds like you had it put on the trailer with the legs attached, the wrecker sounds like the best bet. Lower the mill head as far as it goes, take the chuck off the lathe spindle, take the tail stock off and run the table as far to the tailstock end as you can. Makes it a little easier to balance and a little lighter.

[FloridaClay]

Okay, so I have the mill almost ready to move. I've decided to see how the wrecker thing will work. I've made a little platform for the mill to sit on. It's made of two furniture dollies (rated at 1K lbs each) and a couple of 2 x 4's and plywood. So when the wrecker lifts the unit, I will move the trailer and have him lower the mill down upon the little rig I've made. Anybody want to take bets that this is going to work? I have my doubts....See pictures of the rig (it's actually sitting on the table legs for reference) and mill attached..Tell me what you think ..

[TomB]

When I unloaded mine it had to come from the back of a pickup truck to the floor. I have a place to hook a chain hoist in my garage so I used that on one end and a engine hoist on the other end. Lifted it up them drove out from under then set it down.

The caution is that as I lifted it the springs under the truck relaxed and the truck bed rose with the load. I had to lift much further than I anticipated before I got to where I could drive out from under it. I made it but probably only has a 1/2" of additional lift on the engine hoist. I was about ready to start piling cement block either side of the tailgate.

Tom

[rocketflier]

Originally Posted by FloridaClay Okay, so I have the mill almost ready to move. I've decided to see how the wrecker thing will work. I've made a little platform for the mill to sit on. It's made of two furniture dollies (rated at 1K lbs each) and a couple of 2 x 4's and plywood. So when the wrecker lifts the unit, I will move the trailer and have him lower the mill down upon the little rig I've made. Anybody want to take bets that this is going to work? I have my doubts....See pictures of the rig (it's actually sitting on the table legs for reference) and mill attached..Tell me what you think ..

Looks like you have 2 of the smaller, cheap HF furniture dollies. I think it would be less effort and cost to simply push it over from on the trailer.