Moving a Machine - Photographs


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	The handy engine crane

This lathe may appear well strapped down - but could be improved: note that only two strops have been used instead of the minimum four with one pulling down each corner of the lathe. Should the rear break that end of the machine is free and could slide about and even tip over. The strap at the back of the trailer is passed in front of the headstock and pulling the machine backwards - but that at the front is just stretched over the bed, clamping it down. Happily, the new owner has passed a separate strap around the base of the stand at the front of the trailer pulling it firmly forwards

A better arrangement - the strops pass around both ends of the bed as well as the headstock so pulling it both
forwards and backwards. An improvement would be two strops instead of one at the tailstock end of the bed

Danger on the roads - a top-heavy milling machine, a Bridgeport - held down with just two strops with both just clamping the machine down instead of being wrapped around the castings and pulling left to right.
It's perfectly possible to lay most milling machine like this down on their back, so making them very much safer in transit. To strap a machine like this down properly requires a minimum of four strops arranged so that they pull towards the corner of the trailer. The consequences having an accident with the load shown above do not bear thinking about

A balanced lift - but the leadscrew on the far side of the bed would need protecting against being bent

Strops passing underneath the ends of the chip tray. If well-constructed, the stand
should be able to cope. The writer has moved many machines in this way


	A delicate balancing act. Notice how blocks of wood beneath the bed are used to spread the strops - and the used of a second piece (probably with cut-outs) to protect the easily-bent leadscrew and other front-mounted shafts.


	Chains for lifting are not recommended - they can mark and even damage components. They are also harsh, transmitting all the moments involved in lifting direct to their contact points on the machine


	The eye-bolt and plate supplied with many Colchester lathes for lifting at the point of balance.


	Professional machinery skate.