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Damn Yankee

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That's how many times a post like this has been posted?

Hi All, can we talk lathe? If I had my way, I would have a very heavy (rigid) and powerful lathe. But, I have no way to move it - only an engine hoist. A few months ago, I wanted a full-sized knee milling machine, but had to settle on a 7 x 27 tabletop. It sits on a toolbox inside the house. Unless the lathe is a tabletop (12 x 30), it must go in the garage which is already an auto shop, wood shop, and welding shop - each complete. It is also a garage when no projects are happening. I get away with this because it is a 3-car garage housing only two cars and all large equipment are on wheels.

Being a Newb, I quickly learned the limitations of an underpowered and no-mass machine. I currently have a project that really requires a lathe, but I can use my rotary table and do the lathe part but at 6 times the time and effort :rolleyes:. So now, I am obsessed with buying a lathe.

I do no commercial stuff, only hobby stuff. Yes, it might be mild steel and I don't expect titanium... Size-wise, I think I probably would be content with a 30" bed but 36" would be better. And if I could move it, a 14 x 40 would be a dream.

Considering, I am already mill constrained, what would you do? If the consensus is a full-sized lathe, what is the max spindle speed I should be interested in? What is the advantage of a gearhead, and if I do that, should I go 3-phase with a VFD for full speed control?

John
 
If the issue is no way to move it, know this: I and lots of others have moved and positioned lots of quality equipment with a Harbor freight hoist. I moved my 2500 lb. Takisawa, a 14x30 lathe with ease, same with a Jet VBS-900 bandsaw, same with A Kalamazoo 9x16 horizontal saw. A drop bed trailer makes it all ”easy”.
 
Winegrower said:
If the issue is no way to move it, know this: I and lots of others have moved and positioned lots of quality equipment with a Harbor freight hoist. I moved my 2500 lb. Takisawa, a 14x30 lathe with ease, same with a Jet VBS-900 bandsaw, same with A Kalamazoo 9x16 horizontal saw. A drop bed trailer makes it all ”easy”.
Click to expand...
Well, I do have both...
 
You don't even need a Johnson bar if you're only moving it into a garage. I moved a 13 x 56 Sheldon into my garage with a drop deck trailer, a few pieces of 1" rod and a small pry bar. Most trailer rental companies have drop deck trailers. The bed lowers to the ground for loading and is raised for transporting.

The trip from the garage to the basement was a little more complicated. I had to disassemble the machine and take it down piece by piece on a refrigerator dolly. The base under the headstock required a moving company with a stair climber dolly. It weighed in the neighborhood of 800 to 900 lbs. There were no rental dollies available that could carry that weight, and buying one for a single move was cost prohibitive.

Here are some pictures of it being unloaded. Note the bed is lowered to floor level for easy unloading.
 

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Where there's a will there's a way. I've moved 11k machinery by myself. I do have a large backhoe, and trailer with a 12k winch. Now unlike mmcmdl, I haven't managed to move one with my Johnson. Guess I need to start working out. ;) Mike
 
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