Moving a Sweet 16 lathe into a basement shop

[Bruce Markwardt]

I have a Robust Sweet 16 standard bed lathe on order. If the stars align, I am expecting it to be shipped in the next couple of weeks. I requested that it be shipped to my house. I am expecting that the delivery company will put it on my driveway and then I will need to figure out how to get it into my basement shop.

I know there are at least a couple of Sweet 16 owners on this site. And others with even bigger lathes. Any advice on how to get this thing down into my who without doing too much damage to either the lathe or the house?

Thanks!

[John Keeton]

Bruce, I don't own one, but as I recall, Steve Schlumpf was able to disassemble his Am. Bty. to get it down in his basement. I forget what he said the headstock weighed, but as I recall, that was the mother load of the job.

Here is the thread (http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?192697-Happy-Birthday-to-my-Beauty!!/page3) for his "one year anniversary" and he talks some about the move.

[Dennis Nagle]

I would assume that it will be shipped in pieces and not assembled. If so, just find a friend to help you lug it down stairs.

[Curt Fuller]

One of my most handy investments into woodturning and life in general was a hand truck. Buy a good one with pneumatic tires and it will save your back when hauling that lathe to the basement. Your delivery driver will probably use one to unload it. A hand truck and a couple good straps and you can move about anything that will fit through the doors, not to mention logs too heavy to carry, blanks into the shop, moving your furniture, etc.

[Bruce Markwardt]

I would assume that it will be shipped in pieces and not assembled. If so, just find a friend to help you lug it down stairs.

It's shipped assembled, but I can take off the easily removable pieces (banjo, tailstock, etc.) before moving it.

Curt - I'll look into buying a hand truck. I did look into renting one but buying probably makes more sense.

[Bruce Markwardt]

Bruce, I don't own one, but as I recall, Steve Schlumpf was able to disassemble his Am. Bty. to get it down in his basement. I forget what he said the headstock weighed, but as I recall, that was the mother load of the job.

Here is the thread (http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?192697-Happy-Birthday-to-my-Beauty!!/page3) for his "one year anniversary" and he talks some about the move.

Thanks! That was helpful. I actually thought about driving to pick mine up, but it's just too far away.

[Bernie Weishapl]

Ditto what Curt said. A good hand truck is worth it's weight in gold.

[Reed Gray]

Hey, if you are a bowl turner, hand truck is as essential as a chainsaw. Don't leave home without it.

Your Robust can be taken apart, but not sure about the wiring on the motor to get the headstock off. Call Brent about it. Do take measurements of widths of doorways. Getting it down inside may be as simple as calling a couple of friends, or the local high school football team.

Like said before, they are shipped fully assembled.

robo hippy

[Bruce Markwardt]

OK, help me out here... Can anyone recommend a decent hand truck? I looked at the usual websites (Amazon, HD, Lowes, HF) and it seems that all of the products they sell get mediocre reviews.

[Jeffrey J Smith]

Your Robust can be taken apart, but not sure about the wiring on the motor to get the headstock off. Call Brent about it. Do take measurements of widths of doorways.
robo hippy

I'm thinking the Sweet 16 headstock isn't the sliding variety of the AB. It's fixed, so other than the removable section of the bed and the tailstock, the only other things that are easily removed are the legs. May be just as easy to get four bodies to carry it down. I'd contact Brent for some advice. They set my AB up with a disconnect fitting for some of the wiring for easy reassembly when I got mine home. They do try to make your installation as easy as possible.

Jeff

[Bill Bolen]

Last year a turning friend bought a new Oneway. He had the same problem with basement steps. He ended up removing the tailstock, banjo and the legs. Called two men and a truck (moving company) and they sent out 4 guys once he had explained what he neeeded. 45 minutes and $400 later they had moved the lathe to the shop and helped him reinstall the legs. Sometimes it's better for us Medicare receipants to just pay for some pro help!
:D

[Tim Leiter]

I bought a real nice hand truck from Menard's. It was cheaper than Home Depot although they both should have a good one with pneumatic tires, if there is one of the stores in your neck of the woods.
I wish you luck on unloading your new lathe. When I bought my new bandsaw the truck driver wouldn't even help get it down off the truck, he would only move it to the back of the semi. I had to have friends ready to unload it. Is the delivery company going to unload it from the truck for you or do you have to get it down. Might be a good idea to check into it, if you have't already.
Tim.

[Bruce Markwardt]

Thanks Tim. We don't have a Menard's in the immediate area but I think there is one a ways south of us. I'll check.

I specifically requested that the lathe be shipped in a truck with a power liftgate and dropped in the driveway, but I'll check with Robust to make sure that is going to happen. Assuming that the delivery will be on a weekday, I'll be here by myself.

[Dan Forman]

Rather than a standard hand truck, consider an appliance dolly - the kind with smaller wheels and an integral strap assembly to hold thing to it. It will also have belts above the wheels to slow the descent down the stairs. Milwaukee 800 lb. Capacity Appliance Hand Truck-HDA700 at The Home Depot (http://www.homedepot.com/p/t/100329861?catalogId=10053&langId=-1&storeId=10051&N=5yc1vZarxn&R=100329861#.UTt4ho7yfMM) .

They are very sturdy, and very handy. Expect to pay about $100 for one, but well worth it in the long run. I moved (with help) a table saw, two bandsaws, and my Powermatic 3520 B (in pieces) into my basement with it. Another advantage is the much taller frame, which means you won't have to bend over as much while going down the stairs, giving you better position to resist the force of gravity.

Dan

[Rodney Walker]

No specific advice on how to get the lathe downstairs, but it's a good problem to have. Congrats on your new lathe.
Rodney

[Greg Savage]

As for the hand truck, an appliance dolly is great to have.....Sooner or later, everyone that you know will have borrowed it. One thing to keep in mind is that the "foot" of these are very narrow. Just something to keep in mind is you'd want to move a big stack of bowl blanks or some such load.

I highly recommend a Magliner dolly/hand truck......I have used the same Magliner since my rock'n'roll days in the late 70's.....This Magliner was old when I got it......BUT....They ain't cheap! The one that I have would probably sell for @$350 these days....OUCH!.....These trucks will take incredible abuse.

http://www.magliner.com/

[Bruce Markwardt]

As for the hand truck, an appliance dolly is great to have.....Sooner or later, everyone that you know will have borrowed it. One thing to keep in mind is that the "foot" of these are very narrow. Just something to keep in mind is you'd want to move a big stack of bowl blanks or some such load.

I highly recommend a Magliner dolly/hand truck......I have used the same Magliner since my rock'n'roll days in the late 70's.....This Magliner was old when I got it......BUT....They ain't cheap! The one that I have would probably sell for @$350 these days....OUCH!.....These trucks will take incredible abuse.

http://www.magliner.com/

Lots of recommendations! Thanks! I think pneumatic wheels would be a plus. I can see using this on grass and other surfaces that might not like those little hard wheels. At this point, I don't see myself spending the money for a Magliner. But one never knows! ANyone see an advantage in one of them that converts to a flat cart? Those look light duty, but I could see uses for the cart.

[ray hampton]

this subject have been covered here before , maybe someone can post a link

[Thomas Canfield]

My previous shop was down 7 steps on a paver stone walk way. The steps were set in concrete, but other pavers set in sand/gravel. I used a pneumatic tire hand truck from Tractor Supply, but the steps with the pneumatic tires added to lift problems getting things up from the shop (especially when moving a year ago). The bigger wheels also increase the force required to tip the load. The appliance dolly going up and down stairs is really a big help since there is the little crawler belts to help with the steps. You can always make a little platform/box to attach when you need to haul wood (bowls or raw) up and down the steps.

[Alan Trout]

I helped a friend with his sweet 16 and it comes fully assembled. It really is not that heavy I lifted one end at a time and moved it off of the pallet which was pretty easy. Take the gap off of the bed, tailstock, banjo, The legs come off pretty easy and if you take the motor off probably you and one other person can take it down the stairs with no big problem. Good luck and have a great time with your new lathe. They are very nice. Probably the nicest 16" lathe around.

Alan

[Joe McMahon]

About a year ago I was faced with getting my Sweet 16 into my basement. It comes lashed to a wooden skid. I took three 2 X 4 a bit longer than the run of the stairs and used them as rails down the stairs. I used a dolly to get the lathe to the top of the stairs and then set the skid on top of the rails. I had a friend help me hold it back and we then slid the skid down the rails. Wood on wood does not slide readily so there was quite a bit of friction that helped us ease it down the length of the stairs. Once in the basement it was back on the dolly to the spot where I wanted the lathe. The hardest part was getting the lathe off the skid and in position. As you know, the headstock is attached so it stays. The only thing I could take off was the tailstock and banjo. It all worked out and the lathe is very comfortable in it's new home.

Good luck with yours.

[Eric Holmquist]

I ordered my AB with lift gate service, the driver used a pallet jack to move the skid to a spot of my choosing in my garage. You need a fairly strait paved driveway for the driver to back the truck up to the garage and roll the skid where you want it.

Even though the Sweet 16 does not have a sliding headstock, I would be surprised if it was welded to the ways, so I would think it could be unbolted to aid in moving it.

[Bruce Markwardt]

Thanks again everybody! I'm planning to have it dropped and moved into my garage. Once I get a good look at it, I'll finalize my plan. I'll be sure to let everyone know how it goes.

Bruce

[Noah Barfield]

Call your local moving company and explain the scenario. Odds are pretty good that you can hire a couple (or several) movers for an hour to do this for you. Be sure to tip them well for saving your back!

Noah