Hardinge UM Disassembly Question

bearbon

bearbon

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NEVER MIND - I got help with this from the Yahoo group. My UM is now successfully a virtual "exploded view" all over the shop and on my work benches. Now if there could just be some warmer weather....

I posted this on the Yahoo Hardinge group site but it looks pretty inactive right now so I'm hoping someone here will be able to help.

I have a UM mill I'm in the process of restoring to service. It sat unused for many years and the spindle was very stiff to turn. Thanks to tips from others on this site I've removed the overarm and spindle (yes, I marked and scribed the bearing positions). Since I have the spindle out I want to split the column from the base to make it easier to clean up each section on my bench, but first I need to remove the table and knee.

Can someone please tell me how the table is removed? If I remove the swivel plate tapered lock screws can I hoist the table and swivel base off the saddle? I'd rather take the table off first rather than wrestle the table and swivel plate apart on the bench. Thanks, Bear
 
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I sometimes see these for sale, but as my shop is in the basement they look a bit too heavy. Do you know what the heaviest piece weights? Thanks, Jim.
 
I brought mine in intact: slid it down planks over the cellar steps. And have never had the knee off, so can't be of much help, though I should remove it to correct some problems in the vertical dovetails.
 
Jim, The major parts of the machine, when broken down, aren't too heavy for a couple of guys and some basic tackle to handle. Just disassembling the mill is a project in itself and depends on how rusty the parts are and how long its been without care.

Take a look at this thread from the Yahoo Hardinge TM/UM group about how others moved their machines into basements and shops. http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Hardinge-Mill/conversations/messages/2536

- Howard

Jim_cellarshop said:
I sometimes see these for sale, but as my shop is in the basement they look a bit too heavy. Do you know what the heaviest piece weights? Thanks, Jim.
Click to expand...
 
This thread just makes me think of the day I brought my TM home. Loaded into the truck in one piece and into the basement in many, many pieces.

A few pieces of advice in came someone comes along who needs to do this again.

The largest pieces you end up with are the main casting, the tray and the base.

The main casting can be carried by the over arm. We used 2 2x4's with some bracing to keep it from sliding when you went downstairs. That was really easy to move with the leverage you get from the long 2x4's.

The base and the tray where slid down the stairs using the same 2x4's as ski's.

Everything else could be carried by one person. The pig of a motor and the knee are the worst bits.
 
I brought mine home in the back of a pickup and disassembled and cleaned there before bringing it inside. I took the table off in pieces. I removed the table feed screw(call it X) and then slid the table our. It is heavy but if you are ready it only requires 1 person. Then I removed the Y axis screw and disassembled all the parts and removed the gib abd slid the Y off the dovetail. I then removed the nut from the top of the vertical screw and then removed the gib from the vertcal slide and lifted the vertical slice off. then I removed the screw from the nut. To remove the column from the pan you need to remove the intermediate shaft from inside the base so the belts will be free to go with the column. There are 4(or was it 5...) bolts that hold the column to the pan. You will need a hoist if you are doing it yourself. I did it with a cable type come-along and a hoist made of 2x4s with a 5/8 pin running through the 4 2x4s. The 2x4 frame meant I could walk it 1 leg at a time to pick the column up and walk it back over the base to set it down.

When re-assembling - do not tightened the bolts holding the column to the base until after you have mounted the vertical slide and can run the vertical slide all the way down to make sure the column is in the proper place and is not trying to force the screw against one side of the nut.
 
Hi, been away a while, work & life.
Thanks for the info, due to funds I have had to place the mill on hold. Back to milling on my lathe...
I do have a walk out door in my basement, but getting anything over 300lbs +/- down the steep hill & min clearance would be difficult. And I would most likely need to move it agian in 4-5 years. I may just go for a bench mill although I would like to get something more rigid. I will have to see what's available this fall.
Thanks for every one's help.
Jim
 
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