Befuddled about bearings, a couple of questions

[WobblyHand]

Just throwing out random thoughts:
Maybe you could secure to something outside so that a rope came in from the left side of the kitchen "ext doorway" and to the right side of the basement doorway. Small deflection angles wont put too much pressure on the door frames. Is any of that floor carpeted? If so a 2x4 could probably be screwed down to the floor through the carpet without leaving any marks.

Appreciate the thoughts and ideas. The kitchen floor is tiled. Don't want to mess with it. I was thinking of one anchor using a 4x4 across the external doorway. Anchor "attach point" would be to the extreme left side of the doorway. Middle anchor might be a stud in the middle of the wall. I know I can find that one. I want one more anchor point. It could be the entrance way into the main house, or (if I am lucky,) if there is a beam on the exterior wall at the entrance way.

 

[WobblyHand]

Use two long boards down the steps as ramps. Bolt two short pieces of 2x4 to the bottom of the lathe, roughly 24" long, at 90 degrees to the bed using the two bolt holes in the bed. (Use the engine hoist to lift it off the pallet?). Use the above plan to connect a rope to the lathe, with an electric winch outside secured to a tree, car bumper, etc. Ask your wife to work the winch buttons, while you guide the lathe down FROM ABOVE.

You could even bolt small casters to the end of the 2x4's to help roll the lathe on the floor. Just keep the casters on the outside of the long boards, so the long boards are directly in contact with wood, so you're not rolling down the steps.

Planning to use ramps on the steps. I'm good with a trolley or casters, this is the easy bit. Anchoring is not so easy, at least in this house.

However, you have an interesting idea about winching from outside. Got to measure the closest immovable object that I can get a strap around. Bit concerned about friction of the rope around the doorway. Maybe I can make a metal guard for that.

 

[Bob Korves]

An anchor for holding the pull rope or cable can be lots of things, depending who and what you know best. You could use a backhoe with the bucket pushed into the ground, a drilling rig and a post that fits the drilled hole, a screw anchor with something like a handle just above ground level, or whatever else you can stick into the ground as a stop. You could use 2 nearby trees that are nowhere in line with the entry if you run ropes for each tree, knotted together so the knot is in line with the needed direction of pull. I am just guessing and putting things out there. Be imaginative, and think about what assets you, your friends, or a rental business might be able to supply. If you know somebody that is or has been a rigger, try to get him/her interested in helping. There are at least 1,000,000 ways to skin a cat... ;-)

 

[rabler]

You could use 2 nearby trees that are nowhere in line with the entry if you run ropes for each tree, knotted together so the knot is in line with the needed direction of pull.

Just be careful with this approach, as the angle makes a big difference. A narrow Y is OK, but a T (straight line between two trees, with the actual load at 90 degrees to the line between the trees) creates a huge tension on the line between the tree and can easily snap that. This is where experienced riggers (and/or a good grasp of physics) are invaluable.

 

[matthewsx]

Here's your solution.



Bilco doors. Expensive yes, but if you're going to have a shop in the basement it'll likely pay off in the long run.

John

 

[WobblyHand]

An anchor for holding the pull rope or cable can be lots of things, depending who and what you know best. You could use a backhoe with the bucket pushed into the ground, a drilling rig and a post that fits the drilled hole, a screw anchor with something like a handle just above ground level, or whatever else you can stick into the ground as a stop. You could use 2 nearby trees that are nowhere in line with the entry if you run ropes for each tree, knotted together so the knot is in line with the needed direction of pull. I am just guessing and putting things out there. Be imaginative, and think about what assets you, your friends, or a rental business might be able to supply. If you know somebody that is or has been a rigger, try to get him/her interested in helping. There are at least 1,000,000 ways to skin a cat... ;-)

Thanks for the suggestions. What @rabler said, re: 2 trees. A tight line between trees pulled or pushed perpendicularly can generate enormous forces. You can pull a car out of a ditch this way, a little a time. Of course this is academic, since the only tree I have in that part of the yard is a single beech with about a 20" diameter trunk. It is 57 feet away from the exterior door. Got a fence around the yard so not so easy to get a vehicle in close. However, it's only a matter of pulling a section of fence.

There's loads of ways to solve this problem. Key is to reduce some of the constraints, or turn a constraint into an advantage. Still thinking on it.
Wish I knew a rigger.

 

[WobblyHand]

Here's your solution.

View attachment 382488

Bilco doors. Expensive yes, but if you're going to have a shop in the basement it'll likely pay off in the long run.

John

That would be very nice. Does she come with it?

I know exactly where I would put the stairs. Would make things a heck of a lot easier. How much horizontal space from the house is required?

 

[matthewsx]

That would be very nice. Does she come with it?

I know exactly where I would put the stairs. Would make things a heck of a lot easier. How much horizontal space from the house is required?

Now now....

Since I'm sitting in the basement of our 1882 house I just went over and measured. Ours isn't an official "Bilco" but it goes out about 8 feet with normal pitch stairs to a full height basement.

If you're planning on keeping the house it'll be a great improvement that will be useful for more than machine tools. Do you have a furnace or other mechanical items down there?

Like I said before you should be able to get the disassembled lathe downstairs with a couple of strong guys who know how to move stuff. But, your spouse might just appreciate the external access for lugging that cooler outside.

John

 

[WobblyHand]

Been here 35 years. Unless we move to be nearer our kids, we are staying. Have a steam boiler down in the main basement. When it was replaced some 15 years ago, they had to carry in (and out) sections at a time. Little stuff went through a basement window. Big stuff came down piece by piece and was assembled in place. To put in the door I'd need to pull a permit (or two). Since I live in a historic district, pretty sure a simple Bilco won't do, even though it would be invisible to the whole neighborhood. The door itself would be the cheap part. That being said, it is an interesting idea. Sure has made me think. I'll be going out back to see how much yard I'll give up.

Since the basement is not finished, it has become my area. My spouse has to store those coolers elsewhere!

 

[matthewsx]

Been here 35 years. Unless we move to be nearer our kids, we are staying. Have a steam boiler down in the main basement. When it was replaced some 15 years ago, they had to carry in (and out) sections at a time. Little stuff went through a basement window. Big stuff came down piece by piece and was assembled in place. To put in the door I'd need to pull a permit (or two). Since I live in a historic district, pretty sure a simple Bilco won't do, even though it would be invisible to the whole neighborhood. The door itself would be the cheap part. That being said, it is an interesting idea. Sure has made me think. I'll be going out back to see how much yard I'll give up.

Since the basement is not finished, it has become my area. My spouse has to store those coolers elsewhere!

Here's the doors I built probably 10 years ago.


Fortunately we don't have any historical preservation ordinances but we've done everything we can to keep the place looking like it should.

One of the doors I replaced.



I love cedar for outdoor projects

John