lifting a lathe
#11
My grandfathers old power king lathe is going into storage, after having picked up a heavier slightly newer PM90 from a school auction earlier this year. My kid found an inspection sticker on the PM90 of 1963.

It didn't come with a face plate but did come with a 4 jaw check that may be original powermatic based on the green color. It has a 1 hp single phase motor with a working reeves drive. I want to rig a paddle style kill switch, currently it just has a 3 prong plug. I'll also need an adapter to use my stronghold chuck.

It is still sitting on a couple of custom dollies that made moving it prety easy.

Any suggestions for an easy wasy to lift it, in order to put a mobile base under it ?

I could unbolt the base from the bed, but the cast iron bed and motor look pretty heavy. The two ends of the base have a welded chip deflector type piece that doesn't allow you to get under the bed without detaching the bed from the base. Between the bed ways are some cast supports that I don't know as I would want to lift from.

I'm still undecided whether to go with a one pice mobile base, or with a base under each end. the two smaller bases would probably use 6 total lock casters, 3 on each end.
My .02
Karl




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#12
When I put a mobile base under my lathe, I used two Irwin Quick Grip bar clamps in the expansion mode placed under the bed. I didn't use a conventional mobile base (too short). I built a platform for each set of legs. Each platform has four ea casters. The legs on my Nova DVR have feet that are bolted to the base. It does raise the bed height a few inches, but I just stack multiple anti-fatigue mats to stand on when turning. Good for my sorry, worn-out knees. Another advantage of independent platforms for each set of legs, is the ability to put a rolling storage cabinet under the lathe when not in use. I have a dedicated lathe storage cabinet that houses all my chucks, tool rests, sandpaper, dead and live centers, etc.
Still Learning,

Allan Hill
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#13
I lifted my big Grizzly lathe with a hydraulic floor jack.
First one end, then the other.
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#14
Herb G said:


I lifted my big Grizzly lathe with a hydraulic floor jack.
First one end, then the other.




^This, or the oversize, weight-lifter copilot on the heavy end. Worked for me.
Better to follow the leader than the pack. Less to step in.
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#15
Bolting 4” x 4”‘s on outside of each end of the lathe and jacking up one end at a time slowly. Just don’t know if that sheet metal stand strong enough.

http://www.vintagemachinery.org/pubs/655/4332.pdf

Would something like these work? I like 4 wheels on each end.
http://www.rockler.com/workbench-caster-kit-4-pack

http://www.grizzly.com/products/Extensio...57A/D2259A

[url=http://www.grizzly.com/products/Extension-Bars-For-Super-Shop-Fox-Mobile-Bases/G8685
]http://www.grizzly.com/products/Extension-Bars-For-Super-Shop-Fox-Mobile-Bases/G8685[/url][/url]
http://www.grizzly.com/products/Universa...Base/D3757

Packard Woodworks has a threaded adapter for your chuck/lathe/
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#16
Motorcycle jack is an easy way to do that. Mine will get the motorcycle tires 25" off the ground, up to 1500 lbs. I used it to get my lathe bed high enough to attach the legs.

The smaller ( less expensive) ones I've seen have similar weight capacity, but won't lift as high. In this case you can use dunnage to get more lift.
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#17
Wildwood said:


Bolting 4” x 4”‘s on outside of each end of the lathe and jacking up one end at a time slowly. Just don’t know if that sheet metal stand strong enough.




We lifted the bed, and the sheet metal followed. Crib your jack to the height required.
Better to follow the leader than the pack. Less to step in.
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#18
For my Powermatic lathe I jacked it up with a car jack under the arch and was able to even move it and level it out too.

Arlin
As of this time I am not teaching vets to turn. Also please do not send any items to me without prior notification.  Thank You Everyone.

It is always the right time, to do the right thing.
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#19
I used a 2-ton Harbor Freight crane for all my lifting. I had to do a lot of heavy lifting when I moved my shop and that crane really earned its keep!
VH07V  
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#20
Thanks everyone, for the input and refrences.

Lifting from the bottom outside edge of a base isn't a big concern but then the problem is lowering into a recessed mobile base.

Lifting from above is an isssue with a place to lift from.

Wildwood:

Thanks for the info on Packard for the adapter. probably less expensive than ordering direct from Oneway in CA.
The seperate base for each end would be easier to get the lathe onto. I'm not sure if the comercial units where each base has 2 fixed base wheels and two swiveling would work well for a lathe. The two fixed wheels on each end of the lathe probably would probably make the bases working in tadem want to roll in one direction.

The outside of each base has thick steel where the lathe can be bolted down. I used a wrecking bar and blocking to lift from this point working back and forth from one end to the other to get the lathe up. I then slid a custom dolly under all but the last couple inches of one base and then the other end.

This method worked to get the lathe up but it wouldn't allow lowering onto a low mobile base becaude the outside couple inches are under the blocking.

The specs show a shipping weight of 700 lb, I'm guessing a machine weight of around 650.

The rocklerworkbench casters are probably a little to light weight for the headstock end, The column bases aren't perfecty flat either.

Ahill said "I built a platform for each set of legs. Each platform has four ea casters."

Are the casters total locking ? With four wheels on each end is there a problem with rocking ? That is why I was cnsidering 3 wheels on each end.

Hairy & Arlin

The angled sheet metal welded between each column won't allow for jacking between the columns.

Any PM90 owners have thoughts on this idea:

There are some cast iron cross pieces under the bed. I could rig up something to span 3 of them and try lifting up from that. A chain run up thru the bed to a chain fall attached to an overhead eye beam.

Two seperate pieces would pobably be easier. maybe a commercial base for the foot end. This would create a fairly small footprint to allow more room for walking around that end. A three wheeled base for the headstock end using coulson 4" total lock casters. Two casters would be splayed out to the side on the very end. These would be far enough away to not be underfoot. The third wheel would be toward the middle of the lathe.
My .02
Karl




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