rolling a heavy mill

[Frank S]

Needing to get my Horizontal mill out of the container I decided to just cut 5 pieces of 1 1/4" pipe and act like an Egyptian
At first I thought of fabricating a set of skates but due to the weight I would have needed to make them with very wide rollers and I would need 4 of them plus they would have needed to be steerable . Way too much time involved for a 1 time move of a machine with a solid flat bottom on its base
With pipes I could set them at varying angles as I rolled it and turn the machine as I progressed I was able to pull the 6000lb mill with a 500 lb rated tool box chain come -a-long I used a 6 ton shorty house jack to lift the machine
My very small stature wife was able to ratchet the little come-along at times by using a short cheater pipe on the handle this is something I wouldn't use on it but I probably have 10 times the wrist strength that she does

[DIYer]

Thanks Frank S! We've added your Heavy Mill Rolling Method to our Miscellaneous category,
as well as to your builder page: Frank S's Homemade Tools. Your receipt:

Heavy Mill Rolling Method by Frank S

tags: ratchet, roller, mill

[metric_taper]

At least this behemoth didn't fall through the floor. Looks like a slotter attachment siting on the table.
I have a baby machine, 1930s Rockford Miller, originally overhead line shaft driven, but a LIMA conversion was on it from the local machine shop I got it from.
It sits unused on the shop.

[NortonDommi]

Pipe, chain. levers, rope and a few blocks of wood can accomplish many great things.

[Frank S]

Pipe, chain. levers, rope and a few blocks of wood can accomplish many great things.

Don't forget the willingness to expel lots of sweat

[baja]

I am also a huge fan of Egyptian engineering. I had a similar experience last week in which I purchased a shipping container that needed to be where I had built an 8' x 14' shed a couple years ago. Being that I built it on top of two I-beams that run 490 lbs. each plus the weight of the steel frame and that it is also full makes it close to 6000 lbs. I had to move it on dirt 33' west and 15' south and turn it 90 degrees. I started with three rollers but found I only needed two. I had the advantage of having a small forklift that I picked and pushed and shifted rollers and side-shifting, it only took about a couple hors.

[NortonDommi]

Not a scientist moving big stuff by hand:

[WmRMeyers]

Needing to get my Horizontal mill out of the container I decided to just cut 5 pieces of 1 1/4" pipe and act like an Egyptian
At first I thought of fabricating a set of skates but due to the weight I would have needed to make them with very wide rollers and I would need 4 of them plus they would have needed to be steerable . Way too much time involved for a 1 time move of a machine with a solid flat bottom on its base
With pipes I could set them at varying angles as I rolled it and turn the machine as I progressed I was able to pull the 6000lb mill with a 500 lb rated tool box chain come -a-long I used a 6 ton shorty house jack to lift the machine
My very small stature wife was able to ratchet the little come-along at times by using a short cheater pipe on the handle this is something I wouldn't use on it but I probably have 10 times the wrist strength that she does
]

I used a couple of pieces of 5/8" bar stock (hardware store mystery metal) to move my 900# monster drill press the same way. Kept having to move the back bar, but was able to rock the drill press on the other bar to get it in place at the front. I thought about making skates myself, but couldn't get to any of the machines to make them, so the bar stock was my best bet. I did find some 270# rated furniture skates at the local tool wholesale house, which I used on my metal shaper. That is on a welded angle-iron stand with 4 separate legs with no feet. I'm preparing to put the countershaft for it back together, so need to be able to move it easily, and the bought skates will do fine until I have it ready to run. It's probably 400# or so, once I get the motor and countershaft mounted. I've used a scissor jack, the HF small wooded furniture skates, those 5/8" bars, and my engine hoist for everything else. About $50 for the metal furniture skates was good. I'd kind of like to have one of the old single-post car jacks, or an high-lift jack, but haven't been able to scrounge one yet. I think I have mentioned that I'm a cheap bastrich before. Unfortunately, I've been having trouble with my shoulder again, and it's slowing me down, and bumming me out.