moving 150kg+ machines inside warehouse

[aytactParticipant @aytact]

Hi all,

I am planning to move around some equipment/machines inside the warehouse. Actually, due to limited space, I want to stack all equipment/machines to a side and whenever I need, I want to move one or two machines to central area. These equipment/machines are lathe, milling machine and hydraulic press.

I was thinking to mount levelling castor wheels, but I read that vibration is getting worse for lathe.

How do you move machines around, which methods are you using? I have heard machine skates, but I could not find a proper one.

Thank you

[halfnutParticipant @halfnut]

Hard to see how levelling castors made for heavy machinery would increase vibration on a lathe? I have one lathe on basic hardware store castors and it works just fine. But it is an old Drummond, weighing about like a Myford.

If it was a problem, you could make some screw jacks with flat feet that you screw down from the bench to the floor after moving it. Easily made from threaded rod of say half inch diameter.

 
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[Andrew CrowParticipant @andrewcrow91475]

I used 3 lengths of thick walled steel tubing as rollers to move my Colchester Student and Brown and Sharp milling machines into place. Us a cro-bar to lift one end while you slide the first two rollers under the machine and  push placing the third roller in front, as one roller comes out of the back move it to the front etc etc. Angle the roller to change direction, surprisingly easy to move once the rollers are underneath.

Andy.

[John HaineParticipant @johnhaine32865]

If the floor is relatively smooth maybe you could make some hover pads one for each machine? I did read up on these when looking at how to move a printing press.  An industrial vac on blow may be able to generate enough pressure and volume.

[Ian ParkinParticipant @ianparkin39383]

As a printing engineer i move most stuff under 2 tonnes around on pallet trucks so it would be easy to mount 4 inch blocks on all your stuff and buy a small short leg 1 tonne truck to move your stuff around and very useful for anything else too..for bigger stuff we use machinery skates which can carry 30 tonnes each big presses are 100 tonne in total

[Nick WheelerParticipant @nickwheeler]

150kg is a reasonable weight to be moving around a warehouse – pallet trucks or robust barrows are the tools of choice throughout the country and are safe and easy for a load that is low to the ground.

But they’re less effective for machines that tend to be tall and top heavy, or long narrow and top heavy which are much trickier to move. If you’re expecting to move them more than once then a proven, permanent fixture using large, durable casters for each machine would be the minimum I’d consider.

[DC31kParticipant @dc31k]

Rollers are just about tolerable for occasional movements.

The OP implies the movements are to be regular, so to lift a machine, install rollers under it, move it, remove the rollers, use the machine, lift the machine again, re-reinstall the rollers, move it back, re-remove the rollers and repeat on the next one is going to get very old very fast.

The same lack of ergonomics applies to air-assisted levitation devices.

Put 2″ diameter solid bar, 3″ long) under each part of the machine that usually touches the floor. Use a pallet truck. In, up, roll, down, go and fetch the next machine. If the machine is not to remain long, push the pallet truck in from the rear and just let it down when using the machine. Fast, easy, painless.

Even if a zero has been missed off the machine weights, a standard pallet truck can take 2t and if the legs are lifted 1/2″ off the ground, nothing is ever going to fall over.

[Nick Wheeler]

On Nick Wheeler Said:

But they’re less effective for machines that tend to be tall and top heavy, or long narrow and top heavy

Your comments have teeth in the case of a person putting a Bridgeport directly onto a pallet truck, jacking it up to the max and then handbrake turning around a corner.

You would extend the legs of the machine so they only need be far enough off the floor for the pallet truck to roll around.

If moving a lathe on a regular basis, it would be easy to attach a long stabiliser bar (think of the pole used by a tight rope walker) which remains 3/4″ off the ground and will touch down if the machine is piloted too exuberantly. Sellotaping the driver’s iphone to the underside of the bar would also encourage responsible driving.

[BazyleParticipant @bazyle]

There just might be a language issue here. Perhaps warehouse = shed so no pallet truck. Vibration issue may be from other threads pointing out poor stability and levelling of lathe.

[David George 1Participant @davidgeorge1]

I have used three trips of steel to move machinery around. Just lift one end with a crow bar and slide a piece of bright drawn steel around 2″ wide by 1/4″  thick and about 6 foot long in the direction you need to move it repeat with the other side on machine. you can slide any machines on the strips easily angling them as necessary and a smear of grease helps as well. This also prevents height restrictions and tipping over as you can get with rollers and pallet trucks etc. You can crowbar up each end and angle the bars to change direction or spin one end round for direction.  I have moved Bridgeport mills, Surface grinders and lathes using this method. It can help to have a block and tackle to pull very heavy machines but things like Bridgeport’s can be pushed by two people easily. I wouldn’t consider moving a machine on my own always have at least one more person to help.

David

[noel shelleyParticipant @noelshelley55608]

If I understand correctly these machine movements are likely to be regular – this is not a good idea. Many machine tools are on sheet steel cabinets meaning the assembly will be top heavy, even ones on cast stands may be only slightly more stable. To move such things needs great care and skill ! A pallet truck is fine if of wide track and used with care on a smooth concrete floor. A high lift engine crane of solid construction ( NOT a cheap bolt together job ) may prove better but still needs care and skill to rig and lift.

For most methods the floor must be smooth and level. Swivelling castor will follow the floor and may turn and run to the low side with VERY unpredictable results. Steel tube as rollers can easily slip or skid

Having had a shaper topple whilst being moved on 2″ rollers trapping me, though thankfully not hurting me I can say that when it all goes wrong you may well not have time to get out of the way, a damaged and expensive machine is one thing but old bones don’t always mend well.   Noel.

[peak4Participant @peak4]

The request is how to move machines around which weigh about 150Kg+
To put it in perspective, a Myford Super 7 on cabinet is about 165Kg
One of mine is still on wheels, as I’ve not got around to finalising the garage layout.
Note that the castors shown here are outside the footprint of the cabinet, whichever way they point.
The lathe setup is actually more stable than just sitting the cabinet on the floor, before bolting it down.
The angle plates are held together with long lengths of threaded rod, so can easily be moved between machines, though I do have another set on my Boxford shaper.
A little common sense is required when moving a longer distance, such as wheeling the lathe lengthwise, and push slowly don’t run etc.

No I didn’t paint it that colour myself.

The wheels & brackets originally came off comms cabinets, which were pretty heavy when loaded, probably north of 500Kg, a lot taller than me and narrow, as they were for 19″ practice, though quite deep.

Bill

[aytactParticipant @aytact]

Thank you so much for all responses, I think Bill’s approach is best.

For the other responses:

– Unfortunately, this place is not a shed. It is 180m2 warehouse, but we have lots of different equipment to operate in multiple different sectors. And unfortunately, we do not want to rent another warehouse in short period due to trying to keep costs at manageable level.

– We have 2 tonne engine crane and pallet truck, but sometimes space getting so full and there is not enough manoeuvre area. Generally happening when we purchase raw material on pallets.

– For now, I have purchased below item to try on 20T hydraulic press.

[Peter Cook 6Participant @petercook6]

You could always do what Kurtis of CEE did and install one of these, although at 6.5 ton capacity its probably overkill.

[Nicholas FarrParticipant @nicholasfarr14254]

Hi peak4, glad to see that you have the whole of the wheels outside the footprint, no matter which way they are pointing.

Regards Nick.

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