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Millrite Moving Methods?
- Thread starter Dave Bonzo
- Start date
- Joined
- Apr 9, 2023
- Messages
- 166
Sound advice; thank you. The cost of a hotel for the night isn't bad, and it might make a lot of difference.
Update on my own Millrite move, just a couple hours from @Dave Bonzo :
We began disassembly of the machine today, removing the head by first supporting it and being careful to avoid it rotating without control. I learned how to splice adjustable whoopie slings recently and they came in very handy. Slings are made from 3/8" Samson Tenex Tec with a break strength of about 6,000 lbs.
Once separated, we placed the head on a plywood dolly. We'll be doing the same with the ram and table tomorrow, and then moving on Saturday, weather permitting.
Also, I made a gantry crane. Specifically for this move. Mostly made from 3x3 lumber (3x5 top beam) with the joining plates made from baltic birch plywood and cut on the CNC. Wide enough to drive a flatbed trailer under, tall enough to hoist the base of the Millrite above the deck height of the trailer, with room to spare.
For trailer rentals, I'm going the cheap and easy route. My plan is to rent a Home Depot 5x8 flatbed trailer (with high walls). This is only rated to 1,700 lbs, which won't be enough for the mill and lathe I'll be moving at once. But, my plan is to put the mill head and ram in the bed of my pickup truck. The lathe and mill base will go onto the flatbed. It will be near the max weight, but I think I'll be OK. The Home Depot trailer is a bit flimsy, but the high walls offer a lot of good ratchet strap mounting points, plus there are D rings along the bottom for more.
We began disassembly of the machine today, removing the head by first supporting it and being careful to avoid it rotating without control. I learned how to splice adjustable whoopie slings recently and they came in very handy. Slings are made from 3/8" Samson Tenex Tec with a break strength of about 6,000 lbs.
Once separated, we placed the head on a plywood dolly. We'll be doing the same with the ram and table tomorrow, and then moving on Saturday, weather permitting.
Also, I made a gantry crane. Specifically for this move. Mostly made from 3x3 lumber (3x5 top beam) with the joining plates made from baltic birch plywood and cut on the CNC. Wide enough to drive a flatbed trailer under, tall enough to hoist the base of the Millrite above the deck height of the trailer, with room to spare.
For trailer rentals, I'm going the cheap and easy route. My plan is to rent a Home Depot 5x8 flatbed trailer (with high walls). This is only rated to 1,700 lbs, which won't be enough for the mill and lathe I'll be moving at once. But, my plan is to put the mill head and ram in the bed of my pickup truck. The lathe and mill base will go onto the flatbed. It will be near the max weight, but I think I'll be OK. The Home Depot trailer is a bit flimsy, but the high walls offer a lot of good ratchet strap mounting points, plus there are D rings along the bottom for more.
- Joined
- Apr 9, 2023
- Messages
- 166
Quick update:
The trailer lights on the Toyota are working, the US-spec hitch is installed, and I have a 10' trailer reserved at the nearby Sunbelt; it's the drop-deck, so hopefully that'll make things easy. I also have a pair of Roll-A-Lifts reserved, and I got a heavy appliance hand truck for the smaller things. I have...oh, two dozen ratchet straps or so...for securing things, so I should be good there. I'll pick up some lumber for chocking and blocking, and I'll take the 5' heavy pry bar with me. Planning on leaving this afternoon.
Right now, I'm thinking that I'll load the lathe(s) just forward of the axle, then place the mill just behind/over the axle; that should bias the weight slightly towards the front, so hopefully it'll pull well. I think the lathe(s) won't be so bad to move, but the mill is unwieldy, so I'm thinking that I'll do the head-rotation thing to invert that portion and then put the table down as low as it'll go. That should make it a bit easier to move; I don't think there's any hoisting ability on-site to fully disassemble things.
I have about six hours to look through things and load stuff, so there's no rush...at least, I think there isn't. We'll see.
The trailer lights on the Toyota are working, the US-spec hitch is installed, and I have a 10' trailer reserved at the nearby Sunbelt; it's the drop-deck, so hopefully that'll make things easy. I also have a pair of Roll-A-Lifts reserved, and I got a heavy appliance hand truck for the smaller things. I have...oh, two dozen ratchet straps or so...for securing things, so I should be good there. I'll pick up some lumber for chocking and blocking, and I'll take the 5' heavy pry bar with me. Planning on leaving this afternoon.
Right now, I'm thinking that I'll load the lathe(s) just forward of the axle, then place the mill just behind/over the axle; that should bias the weight slightly towards the front, so hopefully it'll pull well. I think the lathe(s) won't be so bad to move, but the mill is unwieldy, so I'm thinking that I'll do the head-rotation thing to invert that portion and then put the table down as low as it'll go. That should make it a bit easier to move; I don't think there's any hoisting ability on-site to fully disassemble things.
I have about six hours to look through things and load stuff, so there's no rush...at least, I think there isn't. We'll see.
- Joined
- Sep 28, 2013
- Messages
- 4,318
good luck and travel safe!
- Joined
- Apr 23, 2018
- Messages
- 6,592
The only two things I would add are a toe jack (for getting floor hugging machines on blocks) and a come-along for dragging things up the trailer ramp or lip.
Don't forget your gloves, some snacks, and plenty of cold liquids.
I'm looking forward to seeing what you've scored!
Don't forget your gloves, some snacks, and plenty of cold liquids.
I'm looking forward to seeing what you've scored!
- Joined
- Apr 9, 2023
- Messages
- 166
Didn't think of a toe jack; not sure where to find one of those in the next three hours...
Come-along is easy. I need one of those anyway. Gloves and straps are already packed, and food and water is already in the fridge.
Come-along is easy. I need one of those anyway. Gloves and straps are already packed, and food and water is already in the fridge.
- Joined
- Nov 22, 2022
- Messages
- 404
- Joined
- Apr 23, 2018
- Messages
- 6,592
The 52" pry bar and blocks will work in place of a toe jack. Floor jacks and bottle jacks help when there are lift points. The rest of the equipment you've rented will make life easy for you!