Best way to transport a substantial lathe.

[ian_in_the_midlands]

A lot of the lathes are very heavy.
For instance, all of the Union Graduates on Ebay are collection only.

People who own these lathes, or any similar machinery:
How did you transport yours home when you bought it?
Did you get the professionals in, or press-gang a mate and risk personal injury and equipment damage?

I have seen it advertised that a disassembled Union Graduate will fit in an estate car - can this be true/realistic?
If you used professionals, who did you use, and how expensive is it?

 

[paultnl]

If you can get it put on a pallet, there are a number of reasonably priced options.

 

[ian_in_the_midlands]

What are the options? Removal companies? Couriers?
What sort of price would I be looking at?

 

[paultnl]

A quick google got this http://www.p4d.co.uk/palletdelivery?gcl ... 9jeO7w_wcB

 

[wizard]

Union Graduate will come apart very easy into 3 large pieces had mine bolted to a pallet cost £85.00

 

[leisurefix]

When I first bought my Union Graduate (long bed), I hired a high roof transit. The person I bought it from had a fork lift truck that we used to lift it in to the van. To take it out, I split it into 3 parts, walking the headstock down a couple of doubled up scaffolding planks.

I have since moved the lathe twice, both times I had a hire van with a tail lift - this was much easier to get the lathe in and out. The lathe was broken down in to 3 sections, the headstock, bed, and foot. The bed is heavy, but manageable by one person, the foot is quite light. The headstock is heavy, and quite awkward but easily manageable by one strong person with a tail lift. I suspect it may be possible to get in to an estate car for which you would need 2 people, obviously all the weight will pivot on the car so you will risk denting the bumper. Whichever method, make sure you have some substantial rope to secure it with.

Cheers, Andy

 

[flh801978]

I have collected all my graduates in my estate car by myself
Get the pedestal to the tailgate place a piece of plywood against the bumper and push the pedestal over
Then grasp the base and lift it up and in
They only 100 kg or so

Ian

 

[Inspector]

What are the laws in Britain regarding renting trucks? Here in Canada with my regular drivers licence I can rent a 5 ton or smaller cube truck with a lift gate and move whatever I need if it is too big for my trailer or a friend's import pick up truck (both good for 3/4 ton). Well worth the $100 to $200 it costs including the diesel.

Pete

 

[Jamesc]

I have heard very good things about these people http://www.homeworkshop.org.uk/inde...cle&id=8:landylift&catid=18:traders&Itemid=20 (no connection whatsoever).

Having moved many large lumps of machinery I wimped out when I got my mill and got a local company to do it for me (sadly no longer around). What a differnece, they had the right kit and much more importantly knew exactly what they were doing. The mill weighs in at well over a ton but they dropped it into place without even breaking a sweat (I am sure I would have broken much more than that).

If you are unsure why take the risk, the price I paid was very reasonable when you take hiring a vehicle and fuel into account ant the whole process was painless.

Regards

James

 

[JimB]

A cast iron bed is brittle and so it's best not to move it flat on a metal tray or to let it dance around. A wooden pallet makes all the difference.

 

[dickm]

If you do go down the rental route, then be warned that some rental companies won't rent you a tail lift if you are over 65. Got caught out when needing to transport a very heavy biomass boiler, and after a special trip in to Aberdeen, filling in all the paperwork and having my driving licence photocopied, the clerk suddenly said "No go, you are over 65". So if you are a senior citizen, worth checking with any hire company before getting caught this way.
Not sure if such age discrimination is legal; fortunately another local company was more helpful.

 

[paul-c]

I have collected all my graduates in my estate car by myself
Get the pedestal to the tailgate place a piece of plywood against the bumper and push the pedestal over
Then grasp the base and lift it up and in
They only 100 kg or so

Ian

i have done exactly the same myself when collecting my graduate - collected it myself the seller was astounded how easily it came apart and while i couldn't have just picked the headstock up i was able to "walk" it some 30 feet out to my vehicle by wiggling it from side to side and then lay it against the vehicle and slide it into place.
obviously you can just pick up and carry the bed , tailstock and legs.
i just used some blocks of wood and wedges to stop it from rolling around while travelling.
best of luck
paul-c