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  1. #1
    Join Date
    May 2020
    Location
    Willowbank QLD
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    517

    Default Wanted to hire 2 ton Gantry SE QLD

    Hello all

    Does anyone have a 2 ton mobile gantry that they would hire me for a day or two next week in SE QLD. I am Ipswich based. The mill is in Toowoomba.

    I am wanting to lift a mill.

    Thanks

    Steve

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Mar 2014
    Location
    South of Adelaide
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    1,225

  3. #3
    Join Date
    May 2020
    Location
    Willowbank QLD
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    517

    Default

    Thanks, that may be an option, If someone has one in Toowoomba it was save a lot of transport.

    Steve

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Nov 2017
    Location
    Geelong, Australia
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    57
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    2,651

    Default

    It would be worth asking the crane truck mobs what it would cost to get it picked up and delivered to you, or even just lifted and dropped on your trailer etc.
    Being under 2T as long as they can pretty much pick it straight up it likely won’t cost too much.

    Having moved a few machines by myself and also had some done with a crane truck - the crane truck is soooo much safer and less stressful.

    Steve

  5. #5
    Join Date
    May 2020
    Location
    Willowbank QLD
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    517

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by OxxAndBert View Post
    It would be worth asking the crane truck mobs what it would cost to get it picked up and delivered to you, or even just lifted and dropped on your trailer etc.
    Being under 2T as long as they can pretty much pick it straight up it likely won’t cost too much.

    Having moved a few machines by myself and also had some done with a crane truck - the crane truck is soooo much safer and less stressful.

    Steve
    Steve

    That was my second thought. My first thought was to hire a forklift as I have a license and load it myself. I could not get one for a few hours. My second thought was a crane truck. I tried dry hire as I have a MR license. The hire companies apparently have reduced their stock due to Covid and did not have one. I approached a couple of companies and got two quotes. One was $1250+GST for them to do everything. The other was $750+GST if I get it the 10 Meters to the nearest doorway. The move is 95KM and 90% highway. It takes my an hour and ten drive

    Therefore I am considering moving it myself. I will either use a gantry or pull the head and ram off with my engine crane and do it in two pieces.

    Steve

    Steve

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Nov 2017
    Location
    Geelong, Australia
    Age
    57
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    2,651

    Default

    Pallet jacks are great for distance moves on good concrete. I’ve got a couple of my machines on risers made out of heavy channel as I find the working height better, but easy to move with a pallet jack when you need to.
    Fabricating a decent pallet that you can bolt the machine to gives both a wider base for stability and opens up the possibility of using the likes of a tilt tray for transport.
    Pallet jacks are only about $300 new, and anything from free upwards used. I’ve picked up a couple that were being thrown out - either needed some oil or the handle was broken off due to being hit with a forklift…
    Just a thought.

    Steve

  7. #7
    Join Date
    May 2020
    Location
    Willowbank QLD
    Posts
    517

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by OxxAndBert View Post
    Pallet jacks are great for distance moves on good concrete. I’ve got a couple of my machines on risers made out of heavy channel as I find the working height better, but easy to move with a pallet jack when you need to.
    Fabricating a decent pallet that you can bolt the machine to gives both a wider base for stability and opens up the possibility of using the likes of a tilt tray for transport.
    Pallet jacks are only about $300 new, and anything from free upwards used. I’ve picked up a couple that were being thrown out - either needed some oil or the handle was broken off due to being hit with a forklift…
    Just a thought.

    Steve
    Steve

    You have got my interest now. We have a two ton pallet jack at work I could borrow. We also have a stack of pallets.
    I had half thought of this but could not work out how to get the mill onto the pallet.

    If you have any tips I am all ears.

    Thanks Steve

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Nov 2017
    Location
    Geelong, Australia
    Age
    57
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    2,651

    Default

    Raise it up with a crowbar and bits of wood. Or make up a toe jack out of a small hydraulic jack or a porta power cylinder.
    Just raise each side a bit at a time, block and move to the other side. Pieces of MDF are good packers. If you have a dozen or so bits of thinner stuff - 8 or 10mm thick you can make the most of each lift. Once up above pallet height a couple of bits of heavy angle that’s long enough to span the pallet can be used to support the machine while you slide a pallet in there.
    Better still a PRE-fabricated steel structure that you can slide in piece by piece and bolt together in place.

    If your engine crane has the capacity you could use that to lift gradually while you block it up, or even just as a secondary support.
    Obvious other things are lower the CofG as much as possible by adjusting the knee down and tilting or removing the head. And never ever rush. Better to take a couple of hours than to end up with a machine on its ear - even worse if you are under it.

    Steve

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
    Location
    Southern Flinders Ranges
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    1,536

    Default

    If it’s on a pallet you can get a tilt tray to move it

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
    Location
    Lebrina
    Posts
    1,910

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by racingtadpole View Post
    If it’s on a pallet you can get a tilt tray to move it
    That's certainly an option, but you'd want a damn good tilt tray operator and a not too high center of gravity. I've worked with quite a few tilt tray operators through work and there is only one, maybe two that I would trust to move a machine on a pallet.
    I was surprised at the prices quoted by the crane truck operators for such a short and simple move, it would seem they have plenty of work and don't really want the job.

  11. #11
    Join Date
    May 2020
    Location
    Willowbank QLD
    Posts
    517

    Default

    The mill is now in my shed. Thanks for all of the suggestions.

    I went and picked it up on Monday. I pulled the head, slotting head, ram and turret off it. I then used an engine crane to lift each end and got it up on blocks. I used a pallet jack to get it across the room to where a step was. By luck the step was the same height as my trailer. By using bars to roll the mill on and tethering it to the building I got it on the trailer. All quite uneventful but time consuming.

    The trip home was uneventful.

    By use of engine crane I moved the head, slotting head, ram and turret into the shed. This left the bottom half on the trailer.
    As It happened on Friday I noticed a neighbor up the road getting a load of bricks delivered. I approached the driver and for a very small fee he used his crane on the truck to lift the mill of the trailer to the doorway of the shed. I then used bars to get it inside.

    It worked out well as when I pulled the turret of I found the spider had one leg cracked off it and the other had a crack in it. I am glad I did not lift the mill as it may have let go. I am getting the spider welded up.

    I have confirmed the motor is faulty so am looking at options for a Kondia mill motor with the variable speed head. The stock motor has a very long 25mm shaft. I am considering single phase or a three phase, VFD and different pulleys or a rewind if I can find a place in SE QLD.

    Steve

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Nov 2017
    Location
    Geelong, Australia
    Age
    57
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    2,651

    Default

    Uneventful is the best type of machine move….
    Nice bit of luck with the truck crane too!!

    Steve

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