Dismantling an SX3 mill

This topic has 10 replies, 4 voices, and was last updated 2 July 2013 at 10:06 by Chris Parsons.

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1 July 2013 at 10:57 #123535
Chris Parsons
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@chrisparsons64193
I am now starting to think about the logistics of buying an SX3 mill – my workshop is in a spare room on the first floor, and as the machine weighs close to 200Kg it is a bit heavy to get upstairs…

I have been told that the delivery driver basically dumps the machine on your drive, in the crate and waves goodbye – so I am thinking about dismantling it into 'manageable' components to get it indoors?

I have read the excellent guide from Arc about the complete stripdown but am hoping to avoid taking too much to bits initially – once it is indoors and installed on the stand I can do any 'fettling' or cleaning required etc but am hoping someone has been in a similar position that can offer any advice or guidance?

Probably more caution than reluctance, but have visions of the rain clouds gathering and the light fading while I am still struggling to take things apart

Thanks

Chris

Edited By Chris Parsons on 01/07/2013 11:28:16
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1 July 2013 at 10:57 #6769
Chris Parsons
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@chrisparsons64193
1 July 2013 at 11:22 #123536
Ady1
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@ady1
I have a 1st floor workshop and a full Drummond M series setup which weighs about 250kg with the cast iron legs and table

I lugged the whole lot upstairs then had second thoughts about rigging it on oak skis to spread the load across the floor. I had visions of the floor beams slowly bending under the load

So all the table/legs went back downstairs into the garage and the lathe itself went onto a sturdy wood table and skis setup upstairs

It's not just the lathe/mill, it's all the tooling to go with these things, they all add up to a lot of floor load

Once you've lugged all those 50-100kg bits about you'll get a personal idea of whether the floor should be capable of taking it

Keep heavy stuff close to the walls and away from the centre of the room

Think about using 4×4 oak skis which stretch across the room and spread the load

Try and have the skis going at right angles to the floor beams under the floorboards, to spread the load across more than one or two beams

gl
1 July 2013 at 11:36 #123538
Chris Parsons
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@chrisparsons64193
Have also been thinking about this – I boarded the floor completely (on top of the existing floorboards) with 38mm sheets of MDF – but did wonder about sitting the stand on additional 'beams' to spread the load a bit more – worth doing?

The lathe in on a workbench that spreads the load over an area but the stand for the mill has a smaller 'footprint' – 430mm * 720mm to be exact

They will both be up against a (different) wall, and not in the middle of the room

Chris
1 July 2013 at 14:16 #123547
Chris Parsons
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@chrisparsons64193
Thanks – think I will put some 'beams' down, can't hurt – I agonised a bit over noise when I got the lathe but it is actually pretty quiet, and the mill is belt driven, and if anything even quieter (perhaps because of no gear chain?)

Out of deference to neighbourly relations I don't run it in the evenings after 7ish anyway, it has not been a problem so far (touch wood…)

After a day at work I am too tired to do much in the evenings anyway usually <g>

Best wishes

Chris
1 July 2013 at 18:46 #123576
Ady1
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@ady1
You could always put some kind of rubber or plastic mat under the skis, to absorb vibration
1 July 2013 at 21:43 #123591
Clive Hartland
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@clivehartland94829
Blockboard would be better than MDF as a base. Also mount the machine on anti vibration rubber bases, they are quite cheap.

The delivery driver will only deposit the crate on a pallet to the garge door. No other help from him at all. He just wanted to be on his way again as mine was the last load of the day. Dismantling the X3 is quite easy, you could take the 2 slides off as one unit and the smaller bits like the motor and drive and gearing will only take a little bit of weight off the mass. I would not seperate the column from the base. It is a really heavy bit of kit as I moved mine alone into the garage from the pallet and then lifted it using blocks of 2" x 4" , screwing each one to the other as I tilted and lifted it to bench height. It took all of 5/6 hours non stop. Then of course I had to unscrew and dismantle the pillar of wood I had made. I dont think my wrists have recovered yet.

Clive

Edited By Clive Hartland on 01/07/2013 21:45:38
2 July 2013 at 09:37 #123631
Chris Parsons
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@chrisparsons64193
Ah – thank you Clive, this is just the sort of information I was looking for…

I was heartened to read that dismantling it is not so difficult, the Arc guide
makes it look pretty straight forward

"take the 2 slides off'? You mean the milling table X and Y slides?

Take the milling head off the column complete or the swivel? In either
case I will have to disconnect the cabling?

The only advice I got from Arc was take the head off, take the column off
the base and take the table off, the four components are then manageable

Plan at the moment is to borrow the stair climbing sack truck from work
rather than try and carry the components myself, and use a free standing
engine hoist to drop the base on the mill stand, column on the base and
mill head back on the dovetails – sound feasible? I will strap the components
onto the truck with webbing before trying to move anything

Why did you not want to separate the column from the base? I could try and
move the base and column in one go I guess but it does look pretty heavy.

I have been told the head weighs around 50 Kg but am not sure about the
rest of it…

The lathe was 100Kg and the delivery driver and I got this upstairs on an ordinary
sack truck, him pulling, me pushing (carefully) – what a nice man (delivery driver from Axminster,
he went well above and beyond, 10/10) I used blocks of wood as a fulcrum and lever to drop
it onto the drip tray and line up the mounting bolts

I have already covered the floor with rubber matting, but am not sure what an
'antI vibration rubber base' is?

I can get some cronies around to help me but they only deliver Mon-Fri so
it means having to get them to take the day off work – once it is inside I can take my
time sorting it out, it's only really getting it indoors/upstairs (undamaged – the machinery
and me) that is concerning me (at the moment)

Good to have something substantial when you want to use it, but not when you want
to shift it around *sigh*

Chris
2 July 2013 at 09:52 #123632
John Stevenson 1
Participant
@johnstevenson1
Split it into 4, head, column, table and base.

This makes them all moveable by two handy guys, Also same guys can reassemble upstairs with no lifting gear needed but some support blocks would be handy.

Head will need disconnecting from the column electrically but all the cables run in one flex conduit. Care will be needed to note where each cable goes
2 July 2013 at 10:00 #123634
Chris Parsons
Participant
@chrisparsons64193
I am now starting to wonder if I am worrying too much about doing it all when it is delivered…if I park the car in front of the crate and cover the crate up, I think anyone would have a job nicking it (my
driveway(parking space is directly off a main road)

As you say, Murphys law says I will get the last delivery of the day with no light left…

Chris
2 July 2013 at 10:06 #123635
Chris Parsons
Participant
@chrisparsons64193
Thank you John – do you think two guys could reach to get the head back on the column when it is on the stand?

I will get/make a support strut the same as the one shown on the Arc write up

Chris
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