Moving a Bridgeport

[IanHParticipant @ianh]

My Bridgeport came in to my back garden workshop over the house with the help of a 35 Ton crane. The crane operators were fantastic, putting the machine down at the workshop door with tremendous precision.

[David George 1Participant @davidgeorge1]

Colin when moving these round the factory I had a couple of 6mm x 100mm x 1.5 meter strips of mild steel to slide these on and a large cross bar to adjust to take weight whilst strip position and angle. Two people can slide these easily this way. No need for rollers on the flat.

David

[colin hamiltonParticipant @colinhamilton16803]

Posted by IanH on 11/01/2022 08:16:21:

My Bridgeport came in to my back garden workshop over the house with the help of a 35 Ton crane. The crane operators were fantastic, putting the machine down at the workshop door with tremendous precision.

OMG. That's fantastic but must have cost a fortune.

[Colin HeseltineParticipant @colinheseltine48622]

20 years ago we had a similar crane and a full size low loader when my dad sold his Cincinnati milling machine and large lathe. They had to pick up from outside garage and lift over phone lines.
colin

[norm nortonParticipant @normnorton75434]

Colin

A few years ago I collected a Bridgeport on a low bed car trailer. The supplier loaded it with a fork lift attached to the top eye. At home, I put a 2 ton engine crane around it to lift from the top eye and tried to ease the crane down the, now tilted and jacked, trailer and onto concrete. The problem was the solid iron engine crane wheels on solid axles – it all bound up and stuck to any surface on the trailer. No risk of a runaway! we had to pry bar it down with retaining safety check straps being eased in stages.

Then when it was on the concrete those wheels just dug in and would not roll. It was pry barred into the workshop door, then lowered onto steel bars to roll it into position – much easier to rotate, etc. You need heavy, long pry bars and at least three chaps. At least while on the engine crane it could not topple, once off the crane we took it very cautiously.

Best of luck.

[colin hamiltonParticipant @colinhamilton16803]

Thanks to everyone for your input. After reading some of your stories I've had another think. One of the local farmers has agreed to lift it off the trailer for me so I don't need to slide it down the ramp anymore!

[colin hamiltonParticipant @colinhamilton16803]

It's in safely. Thanks for all the advice. I'm glad I was prompted into getting some help lifting it. Now that I've moved it on the pallet truck and felt just how top heavy it is I am really glad I didn't need to wheel it down the ramp!!

[Clive FosterParticipant @clivefoster55965]

colin

Well done.

I'm sure everyone who has participated in this thread is glad to hear the happy outcome.

Clive

[Colin HeseltineParticipant @colinheseltine48622]

Colin,

Pleased you have managed to get it offloaded safely.

Have fun.

Colin

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