Self Propelled Moving Cart

S

StudioMachinist

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With work I've not had a lot of time to work on my lathe stand, but with a one day off I was able to almost finish my solution to moving my PM-1130 lathe from my garage, down through my uneven yard, into the sliding glass doors leading into my basement. This will be even more useful when the day comes I need to move my machines up the hill.

It's very simple:
- 2x 3/4" 2x4' plywood, glued together
- 8" pneumatic HF castors (I believe rated at 285 LBS each)
- 1500 LBS AC winch

Basically I will load the cart, rig it to a tree near where I want it to go, and winch away. A rigging point on the rear of the cart will attach a haul back/tag line run through a snatch block to control the speed on steep areas.

I will also be making "out riggers" out of 2x4s and smaller castors to prevent the cart from rolling.

Would have liked to use smaller castors to lower the center of gravity but it gives me clearance for my shop crane to roll under.1000000920.jpg1000000921.jpg
 
What a cool idea! (Shamefully) I should have thought of this. This is a solution I need for a similar issue. Thank You
 
You will also need runways / planks for the wheels to run on, unless the ground is frozen.
 
StudioMachinist said:
With work I've not had a lot of time to work on my lathe stand, but with a one day off I was able to almost finish my solution to moving my PM-1130 lathe from my garage, down through my uneven yard, into the sliding glass doors leading into my basement. This will be even more useful when the day comes I need to move my machines up the hill.

It's very simple:
- 2x 3/4" 2x4' plywood, glued together
- 8" pneumatic HF castors (I believe rated at 285 LBS each)
- 1500 LBS AC winch

Basically I will load the cart, rig it to a tree near where I want it to go, and winch away. A rigging point on the rear of the cart will attach a haul back/tag line run through a snatch block to control the speed on steep areas.

I will also be making "out riggers" out of 2x4s and smaller castors to prevent the cart from rolling.

Would have liked to use smaller castors to lower the center of gravity but it gives me clearance for my shop crane to roll under.View attachment 477973View attachment 477974
Click to expand...
I'm curious why you attached the winch to the cart, permanently vs just attaching the cart to the winch via the cable.
Then you can use the winch for whatever else you need it for, and the cart for whatever you need it for.

I keep mine separate, I used 2x4 and 2x6s and put a big eye bolt on the front crossmember to pull it. While I am sure yours will work, it doesn't seem like the best use of the winch. looks like yours is the A/C version, so now you need to move the AC around to wherever you are traveling.
 
OTmachine said:
You will also need runways / planks for the wheels to run on, unless the ground is frozen.
Click to expand...
Maybe for some stretches, it's only a 5-600 LBS lathe.

woodchucker said:
I'm curious why you attached the winch to the cart, permanently vs just attaching the cart to the winch via the cable.
Then you can use the winch for whatever else you need it for, and the cart for whatever you need it for.

I keep mine separate, I used 2x4 and 2x6s and put a big eye bolt on the front crossmember to pull it. While I am sure yours will work, it doesn't seem like the best use of the winch. looks like yours is the A/C version, so now you need to move the AC around to wherever you are traveling.
Click to expand...
I went this route for simplicity. The only purpose for this winch will be for the cart. I have a stronger DC winch but I decided it would be easier to tend an extension cord maybe a couple times for the foreseeable future rather than having to accommodate space for a battery.
 
I think the AC is a good choice, but I think the winch location is the poorer choice. Also I don't know the size of your lathe, but that is a very high lift, with a light ply substrate. While ply is strong, if I were lifting 1000+lbs, I'd want 2x material. if you are only lifting <300lbs you are probably good.

Whatever you are going to attach the winch cable to, is how you could have mounted the winch and had the cable drive the dolly.
 
woodchucker said:
I think the AC is a good choice, but I think the winch location is the poorer choice. Also I don't know the size of your lathe, but that is a very high lift, with a light ply substrate. While ply is strong, if I were lifting 1000+lbs, I'd want 2x material. if you are only lifting <300lbs you are probably good.
Click to expand...
The lathe will have a large rectangular steel tube (the torsional beam for the stand) between it and the cart so the load will be directly over the castors.

woodchucker said:
Whatever you are going to attach the winch cable to, is how you could have mounted the winch and had the cable drive the dolly.
Click to expand...
Yes I thought of this but I liked the idea of only having to move just the rigging sling from tree to tree, or whatever the rigging point might be, rather than some winch/bracket/rigging deal to the tree and then paying out to the cart. Plus with the winch and cart in one package I can keep hands in the load and the controls.
 
I like the idea of being at the load with the controls.
I also like the idea of the reinforcement the winch bracket gives to the wooden structure.
Did I ever mention I HATE BATTERIES.
Probably one of those deep rooted childhood traumas!
 
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