Desperate for advice on receiving an 800 lb lathe!

[David Wadstrup]

Hello. I haven’t posted here in a while, but could really use some advice. I am taking delivery of a mid-sized lathe soon, but will have to store it in a climate-controlled storage unit until I'm able to find suitable shop space. The manufacturer will ship the lathe in a crate that has a footprint of 33”x64” and a height of 60”. It will weigh 800 lbs. I’ll somehow need to get it off the truck and into my storage unit with the help of only one or two other people. I intend to build a heavy duty platform on heavy duty casters, onto which I’ll place the crated lathe. I already own the casters -- they have 6" wheels and are rated for up to 500 lbs apiece. And I'll construct the platform out of inexpensive 2"x4"s -- my plan is to essentially laminate a bunch of them as you would a cutting board. But how do I get the crated lathe on top of it? And how do I wheel the whole thing over a 3" lip and over a door's threshold?


Being a mostly hand-tool woodworker, I am unfamiliar with moving and managing any kind of heavy equipment. I have done a fair amount of research on how others move things of this size and weight, but am unsure of what method will be best for me. Many people suggest lifting the crate from above, whether using an engine lift or some other device. This approach isn’t suitable for me. Others suggest using blocking. If I understand them correctly, I think the approach would be to insert two beams through the crate’s pallet, lift one side, place blocking underneath the beams, and then repeat on the other side. I guess I’d keep doing this incrementally until I get the crate 11” off the ground, at which point I would be able to wheel my platform underneath. This method concerns me given that the crate is only 33” wide for its 60” height. Uncontrollable tipping is a real concern. And how would I even slightly tip something that weighs 800 lbs?


I wonder if the simplest method would be best for me. What if I were to lower the crate on the lift gate, stop the gate at the same height as my platform, abut my platform up against the gate, lock the casters, and then slide the crate onto the platform? Sounds reasonable, but I have no idea of whether it’s even possible to slide an 800 lb crate with only one or two other people. Is it possible, or is it just too heavy? I really have no idea. What do you think?


If it’s not possible, I imagine I could use a pallet jack to drive the crate onto the lift gate, lower it to the hight of my platform, and then drive the pallet jack with the crate onto it. This approach presents two problems: 1) do all lift-gated delivery trucks even travel with pallet jacks?, 2) would I have to build my platform much wider than the dimensions of the crate to allow the pallet jack to drive on top of it? There are solutions to these problems, but both are very inconvenient — borrowing a pallet jack and transporting it in my car to the storage unit will be very difficult; building a platform bigger than the 33"x64” crate could create an issue with doorway clearance.


Lastly, I am concerned with the 3” high “step” from the driveway up onto the concrete entrance to the storage unit. I suppose I could make some sort of wedge/ramp to help wheel it up. But getting the mobile platform with the 800 lb crate on top of it over the doorway’s threshold will have to be done with nothing more than muscle and finesse. Is it even possible to wheel an 800 lb items up ANY kind of incline or over ANY kind of obstruction like a threshold? I honesty don’t know.


Thank you very much for reading through my long-winded questions. This is going to be a challenging(for me) delivery and I could use any suggestions, advice, thoughts anyone has to offer. I truly will very much appreciate it!


Best,


David

[Tom M King]

Leverage and different thicknesses of blocks of wood to use as fulcrums. The most important thing is to take your time, and first priority is that no one gets any injury. No straining or fingers under allowed. I'd use a couple of long steel wrecking bars or pry bars and have a bunch of blocks of wood on hand as well as boards to roll the casters on. Having the casters is a big benefit. You can walk one end sideways with a bar and fulcrum to get it off the liftgate onto your dolly. The trucker may have a manual pallet jack/truck and you may be able to rent one.

https://www.amazon.com/Pallet-Jack-5...zcF9hdGY&psc=1

[Bill Howatt]

How much money have you invested in the lathe? If it's significant then spending a few bucks for a cheap pickup day rental and pallet jack shouldn't be out of the question.
You would have said so, but can you get more muscle power to help?
Hire movers, such as piano movers who are used to heavy things.
People have removed the tailstock (easy) and the headstock (maybe not so easy to put back) to reduce the weight
If you get the box moving, you might be surprised how a gradual ramp works so well with 6" wheels
Tilting an end up with a lever to get it onto a step does not require lifting 800 lbs.
Sliding the lathe the skid's boards is doable if they are pointed in the direction of travel - I said doable, not necessarily without effort.

[Patrick Kane]

Hey David,

I dont know your personal condition, but a reasonably fit adult could handle that crate with mild effort with a pallet jack. Since it is already crated, im guaranteeing it has skids under it allowing fork lift tines or a pallet jack to get under the crate. Typical pallet jack rentals in my area are maybe $35-40 for 4 hours and maybe $60 for the day. I rented them many times before i ultimately bought one. By the time you jerk around with making your own platform, you would be out the same amount of money for just renting the jack. I think you will be surprised at the ease with the pallet jack.

Yes, make a small ramp for the pallet jack to maneuver that elevation. It truly shouldnt be an effort with two people. I pulled an old 12" jointer up my 10-12% grade driveway, which was a heck of an effort for 50-60'. But, that jointer was closer to 1200lbs. In my experience, under 500lbs is a cake walk on wheels, 500-1000lbs is challenging for one person over long slopes but easy on level ground, 1000-1500lbs requires effort on level ground and two people for slope, and over 2500lbs is difficult on your own in any conditions.

[Steve Demuth]

David,

For getting it off the truck, you absolutely should either insist on lift-gate delivery, or rent or borrow a fork lift or other mechanical lift device. Unloading an 800lb crate with those dimensions on casters on a ramp is a recipe for disaster - damaged equipment if you're lucky, serious injuries if not.

Once it's on the ground, on your casters, moving it shouldn't be a big problem, as long as you're on reasonably level, hard surfaces. Strap the crate firmly to the skates, and have plenty of wedges and pry bars for everyone. Move it slowly with one person using pry bars under the skates to shift it, and the others guiding and steering as necessry, and making sure it stays plumb. The 3" lip won't present much of a problem if you are prepared in advance. With 6" casters and a short ramp, you can lever the wheels over the lip easily.

I've moved lots of objects considerably heavier that your crate by myself. You just need to be deliberate and careful - but only once they are on a decent surface. If you can't provide that, you should get equipment to help.

[andy bessette]

I would delay delivery until you have the shop space ready to accept the machine. Then have it moved directly into place.

[Kevin Jenness]

Use pipe rollers under the crate. If the driver can get the liftgate next to the 3" curb you can slide it off the platform onto the rollers and into the storage bay. If not you will have to use a big pry bar and blocks or make a ramp to get over the hump. A Johnson bar would be handy but not essential, and a sledge to knock the rollers around for steering. Three 2" steel pipes 4' long will do it. A chain hoist or comealong can be used in combination with a ramp. Take your time and be careful.

If you don't feel comfortable with the idea hire someone competent. Maybe there is a forklift nearby that can be hired or depending on the access you may be able to transfer the crate to a rollback flatbed that can get the crate over the curb and into or close to the unit.

If you are intent on making a heavy dolly, save some time and effort by glue/nailing plywood skins onto a 2x frame, it will be equally strong and lighter than a solid lamination. The truth is, you would be fine with a couple of standard furniture dollies. I have moved many heavier machines on rollers. It's harder to steer than dollies but keeps the center of gravity lower.

[Tom Levy]

You don’t mention incline factor for the driveway or surface material. I moved my 750lb lathe crate over my backyard grass surface with PVC rollers as Kevin suggested. Casters would not work over dirt. I suggest more than three so you have more in play to balance the crate as you hop the last one forward. In either case once something that large is placed on rolling wheels or pipes, any incline will make it more dangerous if it starts getting any momentum. The pipe rollers in that case are somewhat safer because the object would just skid off the last pipe and stop likely without tipping, vs casters could become a runaway object. I didn’t have a come along and just drove a spike in behind my crate to stop rollback as I moved it, but that only worked due to the dirt surface and slight incline.

[Richard Coers]

My favorite way to move that kind of crate is have a local roll back flat bed wrecker pick up the crate at the terminal. They can back up to your shop door and raise the bed and control the sliding with their winch. Best $100 I've spent when I received a 3,000 pound lathe.
hapfojames.jpg

[Edward Weber]

I'm going to assume that the thing isn't assembled.
Unpack it and move it one piece at a time. There are only 5 major pieces, each one can be put on a standard movers dolly.

[Cameron Wood]

The delivery truck will have a pallet jack, otherwise how would they get it off their truck? Usually they will put it where you want in the immediate area.
Don't go crazy with the dolly- it's basically the weight of four guys, who could easily stand together on a middling dolly.
As above, don't try to slide it onto the dolly from the liftgate- the driver won't want to be part of that anyway.
Lots of blocking and pieces of plywood. Since it will be on a pallet, just a 2x4 will probably work as a lever.

[mike calabrese]

I took delivery of a 700 pound lathe and paid a few $ extra for lift gate delivery.
Once on the ground with one friend we simply lifted one end at a time and set it on 2 of the the moving cart shown here rated at 1000 pounds each . Worked like a charm easy to roll and done.
good luck
calabrese55
https://www.harborfreight.com/18-in-...lly-58312.html

[David M Peters]

I'd second Ed's advice of moving the lathe in pieces on a handtruck. That's how I moved my Robust AB down & out of my old basement shop. The headstock was the only part where I was greatful to have deadlifts in my workout routine.

[David Wadstrup]

Thanks so much to all who have replied with their advice and experiences! You've given me a lot to think about and have encouraged me to come prepared! First off, I think I'm going to make sure to have a pallet jack on hand, just in case. I'll also make sure to have a ramp for the 3" lip, some spare lengths of 2"x4"s to act as levers, and some blocking.

And thanks to David and Ed for the suggestion of moving it in pieces. I'm hoping to not have to uncrate the lathe at this point since I'll be moving it again in the future, but it's nice to know this is an option should it come to it. Also, that it's an option when getting it into a place a pallet jack can't.

Thanks again, everyone! I really appreciate all the feedback!

[Bill Dufour]

Any plans for big iron in the future? A engine hoist can be had used for around $100 dollars. Get one rated for two tons and it can lift most wood shop equipment at full boom extension. Makes it easy to lift my tablesaw and planer up onto mobile bases.
Going full Egyptian works well just have a stack of blocking. For rollers pvc pipe, ,thick wall, is cheap. Pyramids used tree trunks. The bigger the diameter the easier it is to roll. I used a block and tackle to put the head on my drill press because it was under a shelf with no headroom for extra lifting tackle and a boom.
Do not be lured by machine skates. overkill and complex for that weight. You could ask to rent machine skates.
Bill D.
These cheapies have no steering bar but you get the idea.
https://www.amazon.com/VEVOR-Machine...Le5fD_BwE&th=1