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  1. #1
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    Default Lifting a BIG lathe

    I’ve acquired a quite big lathe, it’s fairly heavy at just over 3 tonnes, and can’t find any info on how to sling it up to lift it, I can’t see anywhere where a solid bar could be inserted like on other machines, and I think it’s definitely too heavy to lift from the spindle, and my concern with lifting it from the bases is it might roll in the straps. Anyone had much experience with this? Thanks

  2. #2
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    Hi Riverbuilder,

    Photos would provide an excellent place to begin from.

    Grahame

  3. #3
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    If you don't have a photo make and model would help. Some lathes like cazenuves you need to make a steel truss and wooden pads that clamp to the ways and have a lift point, that way you can get the exact COG.

    Sent from my SM-G973F using Tapatalk

  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by Grahame Collins View Post
    Hi Riverbuilder,

    Photos would provide an excellent place to begin from.

    Grahame
    Yes I forgot to take any only have the ones from the advertisement which show nothing really. Turns out the owner’s son has found the original manual (in Japanese) so hopefully there’s a diagram in there.

  5. #5
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    Not that I have moved a lathe as big as 3tonnes myself but I have been present as one around that size was lifted and moved.

    The big points to observe were its balance and center of gravity.

    The lathe had built in cupboards which were loaded up with the lathe ancillaries to get the weight COG low down Luckily it had cupboards at each end which took chucks and other weighty bits and pieces.

    Only one lift point was used and it was a was clamped below and above the bed ways with protecive packers and secured with a big eye bolt.

    The balance was adjusted by traversing the longitudinal travel saddle to the correct adjustment to help make the lathe balance level.
    It appears from the pic you have only storage under the headstock. Bummer! the other end would have been better.. In addition, a small come-along could be rigged between crane lift hook and tailstock end to adjust to level balance.

    Grahame

  6. #6
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    Do not under any circumstances fill any cupboards with loose heave items for ballast. It’s fairly obvious what happens if it goes pear shaped. Whilst it’s not an unacceptable practice to ballast a lift, that is not the way to do it.
    The small come along Grahame is referring to would actually need to be minimum 3500kg rated to be used as part of the lift system unless it’s done as a designed lift where an engineer has calculated the exact loadings for the lift. Not so small..

    Without knowing what equipment you have at your disposal, my suggestion is get professional riggers with a crane and a couple of adjustable spreader bars. Lifting stuff in excess of 3000kg is neither for the faint of heart or inexperienced. From the photos it looks as though the machine may have to skated out of the door first.

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by racingtadpole View Post
    Do not under any circumstances fill any cupboards with loose heave items for ballast. It’s fairly obvious what happens if it goes pear shaped. Whilst it’s not an unacceptable practice to ballast a lift, that is not the way to do it.
    The small come along Grahame is referring to would actually need to be minimum 3500kg rated to be used as part of the lift system unless it’s done as a designed lift where an engineer has calculated the exact loadings for the lift. Not so small..

    Without knowing what equipment you have at your disposal, my suggestion is get professional riggers with a crane and a couple of adjustable spreader bars. Lifting stuff in excess of 3000kg is neither for the faint of heart or inexperienced. From the photos it looks as though the machine may have to skated out of the door first.
    The shed roof is coming off and it’s being lifted by a big crane truck, Ive moved enough stuff to know when to use hydraulics. I have a riggers ticket but haven’t slung up many machines before only structural beams and such. As it turns out, the crane truck guy has the necessary bars on board, just need to look for the best spot for them, I would assume under the bed at each end with a slightly smaller or even a doubled up sling at the head end.

  8. #8
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    Got a lid on it from the sounds. I just assume that most people on here that ask about such things don’t have any qualifications, mainly because most don’t.

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by racingtadpole View Post
    The small come along Grahame is referring to would actually need to be minimum 3500kg rated to be used as part of the lift system unless it’s done as a designed lift where an engineer has calculated the exact loadings for the lift. Not so small..
    .
    I disagree with the above statement and this is why.

    The come along at no stage would bear the entire weight of the lathe, unless there was a catastophic failure of the main lift sling/chains. In that case the lathe would crash towards the ground anyway as the major weight would be in the headstock end and the bed would be somewhere near the vertical.Only then would a come-along ( fitted as described) bear the full weight of the lathe. Other than above why would the come-along take more the a 100ksgs of weight strain-that small amount involved in balancing the lathe to level. Lathe or not , the lift point on an irregular weighted body is always off center towards the most heavy weighted end.

    I have seen a few lifts of several tons(gearboxes and turbines) floated out from underneath floors where an overhead crane could not get anywhere near. The licensed riggers used come-alongs to level these machines with little effort. The major weight was taken with multiple heavy duty chain blocks .

    As I stated the purpose of the come-along is to adjust balance. This was required as the lathe balance was tailstock heavy which is usually not the case.

    I have seem that on a lathe where the lifting clamp access was only through a single hole in the web between the bed ways and the headstock did hang low. Even with the carriage rolled out to the tailstock end, the head stock hung low and the come-along was placed at the head stock end and the lifting hook ring /oval.

    With the single lifting point lift, the balance is usually achieved by first placing the single lifting point close to the head stock and then running the carriage out towards the tailstock end.

    The machinery lifted would normally have a long guidance rope for guiding it from swinging left or right while its on the crane hook. The guidance person can be then well away from the lathe should it fall.

    Grahame

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by riverbuilder View Post
    The shed roof is coming off and it’s being lifted by a big crane truck, Ive moved enough stuff to know when to use hydraulics. I have a riggers ticket but haven’t slung up many machines before only structural beams and such. As it turns out, the crane truck guy has the necessary bars on board, just need to look for the best spot for them, I would assume under the bed at each end with a slightly smaller or even a doubled up sling at the head end.
    It good that you are getting a pro to move it.peace of mind and all that.

    What about getting into your shed?

    I am sure we shall all love to see the pics that follow?

    Grahame

  11. #11
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    Prior to covid i was in logistics moving heavy equipment and stuff ect for 23 years , in tricky places most of the time i.e steps , tight access ect. That lathe i would have moved it with 2 blokes , using a crow bar , chocks , pallet jack , metal skates , pipes , and then moved it out with couple of Sampsons onto a flat tail lifter vehicle. Good idea using the hiab , makes moving it so much easier if you got the access.

  12. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by Iron triangle View Post
    Prior to covid i was in logistics moving heavy equipment and stuff ect for 23 years , in tricky places most of the time i.e steps , tight access ect. That lathe i would have moved it with 2 blokes , using a crow bar , chocks , pallet jack , metal skates , pipes , and then moved it out with couple of Sampsons onto a flat tail lifter vehicle. Good idea using the hiab , makes moving it so much easier if you got the access.
    Yes, just have to take down 2metal fence panels, it’s a corner block so no problem with access. For $650 cash, from Revesby to Somersby, using the truck is a no brainer.

  13. #13
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    Familiar with the concept of load levelling/lift equalising Grahame, but everywhere I’ve worked in the last 20yrs that’s required me to use my riggers ticket has had a rule that says every lifting component used must exceed the weight of the lift, the exception is an engineered or designed lift where an engineer specifically calls out the lifting components in the design of the lift. Pretty standard practise across the industry these days to follow that practise these days.

  14. #14
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    We have moved similar sized lathes at work by slinging under the bed. Enjoy the new toy
    Gear cutting specialists and general engineers www.hardmanbros.com.au
    Fine pitch gear cutting from 0.1 Module www.rigear.com.au

  15. #15
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    Quote Originally Posted by riverbuilder View Post
    Yes I forgot to take any only have the ones from the advertisement which show nothing really. Turns out the owner’s son has found the original manual (in Japanese) so hopefully there’s a diagram in there.
    The manual doesn't cover lifting?

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