The Home Machinist!

I just bought a HF (Central Machinery) 3 in 1 just so I can start to learn a little about machining. For those of you out there that bought one, how is it crated . Is it in parts or one big piece. If in parts, I have a two ton chain hoist and can get it on the bench I built for it with a rolling heavy machine stand that I have my DeWalt Planner on. If it is one large piece, I'm not sure the bean in my metal building that I have the hoist attached to will be stout enough. The joist is called a "J" beam I think. I use the hoist for lighter things I can't lift alone. I have lifted the back of my Dixie Chopper for a belt change and that thing is heavy. I asked the tech people at HF, but they are in India or somewhere and they have no idea. Thanks everyone. Larry

It will come essentially in one piece with a separate box inside the
main crate will accessory tools, bits, chucks whatever.
Machine will be bolted to the reinforced base of the crate, with sides
of 3/8 or 1/2" ply and 1x2 framing all nailed together with reinforcing
sheet metal angles crudely formed. Base likely forkliftable, ie
with more substantial bracing. Pop the top and sides off to reveal
machine.

Hope your bolts fastening the base of the pipe to the overhead
beam are grade 12, they look pretty small.

To say nothing of the length of the pipe. That's not exactly what I'd consider to be a safe setup. Don't get under the load at any time.

Harold

Agree to that!

How many pounds are you able to lift "safely"?

If you where to brace it to the same beam as close to the eye bolt as possible and on to the lower bean lip forming a triangle you will increase the capacity and safety exponentially.

The issue here is that you know how much you can push it.
The hoist is rated at 2 tons, someone else may come to use it an try to lift something within the range of the hoist.

_________________
There are no problems, only solutions.
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Retired journeyman machinist and 3D CAD mechanical designer - hobbyist - grandpa

It looks as if that base is cast aluminum? If its what I think it is, that is the weak link of the system.

_________________
Bill

The flange is cast steel pipe flange and the bolts are grade 8. It is only meant to help me when I'm by myself. I have never lifted over 100 lbs with it probably. I lifted the rear of my Dixie Chopper and put jack stands under it.

I will have my nephew here when it comes in, do you think two strong men can lift it off a trailer onto the bench (once it's out of the crate)?

I appreciate your concerns and thinking about my safety. I would not do anything unsafe, that is why I'm bouncing this off you guys. I don't want to get hurt and don't want to damage the new machine. I do appreciate all the help you guys are giving me. Larry

Get a piece of 3/16 or 1/4 by 1” banding and bend it so that it will fit on top of the pipe extension and extend at about a 45 degree angle up to the beam. Drill a hole in the bottom to allow the eye bolt to pass through and a couple of 3/8 holes at the top to bolt it to the beam. Make it tight so the top bolts draw it in a bit. As Jose says it will strengthen everything. Right now you are placing the top of the pipe threads into tension while the bottom of the thread is in compression. That mostly is not effective. The small screws holding the flange onto the beam are also in tension at the top So all you have is the shearing strength of the heads and if they are flat heads like I suspect that is not good. Once you add the brace the pipe thread loading changes to compression and the bolts become loaded in cross shear. For a 1 ton load that is likely to be fine. I’d have to do some calculating before I tried to use it with a 2 ton load. I would not get under the load. I’d look up the strength of the coupling. I’d insist that the eye bolt be a forged type or be welded closed. It makes a lot of noise when an S hook or eyebolt gets straighten out by the load.

Tom

Thanks Tom, if the two of us cannot lift the machine to the bench, I will make the changes to the pipe and flange as you have suggested. I will weld the eye bolt and put in some grade 12 bolts. I will post a picture before I do anything just to make sure. I may just weld some flat stock to the pipe and the beam. It is clear to me now that the top bolts are under stress and the bottom under compression. I will do what is necessary to make sure that is not the case. The machine is supposed to be about 367 lbs. net weight.

Maybe my nephew and I can lift it to the bench. We are both over 6 foot and both weigh in over 230 lbs. We'll see, I hope it's where we can just lift it the 3 or 4 feet and not have to use the chain hoist. Thanks, Larry

Better plan would be to remove the pipe flange, enlarge the holes to
take 3/8" bolts and use hex head grade 8 or better 3/8" bolts to hold
the flange to the beam. Get some 4x4 long enough to jamb under the
beam on either side of the machine a couple of feet out to provide
support. Finally I would be a little concerned over the torque causing
the beam to rotate and would study the mounts and top side of the
beam to see what is holding it. Might be better to just get a nylon sling
over the top of the beam so there is no torque and not use the pipe at
all. Machine wgt? If it is typical it is going to be at least 300#, or as much
as 600#. Not sure which HF you have. Even 300# is a lot for 2 men
to lift, You really don't want to have one of them drop it on his leg,
compound fx would lay him up for 6 months or more. Cautionary tale
on another forum of 12x36 lathe falling over while being moved and
breaking a leg earlier in '09. These machines are pretty easy to take
apart: motors are #30-40, milling head #100-175# so removing those
would drop the weight by 1/3. 17yrs ago I moved a 17-20xt by driving
a 3/8" hook into the overhead beam of a 9' garage door and used a com-
along to lift the crate out of the truck bed and lower it to the ground after
driving truck away. Wgt was ~450#. Later drilled a 1" hole about 2' out
from the wall in the 2x12 joist near the top of the joist and forced a 1"
nylon sling through that and used the comealong to lift the machine to
its resting place on a metal table. Years later used the same technique
to reassemble a VanNorman #12 mill with sub units weighing upto 200#.

Finally there is a reason why lifting eyes are forged and cost $15-50,
versus Chinese open eye bolts costing $2. You are not dealing with
a substantial weight here, but if you in the future were to look at a
1200 to 2000# machine, you would need to look at chains, shackles
and lifts with proven provenance.

If that's corrugated roof decking above the insulation how about a chain up and over coupled with your anchor eye.

Thanks guys, sch just gave me a great idea. The "J" beam is right next to the outer wall channel beam. I have cut a 4" x 4" and wedged it between the "J" bottom and the bottom of the channel beam (between the two beams). When I go to HF, I will get two load slings and use a short one over the 4" x 4" and hang the clevis hook of the chain hoist to it and use the other sling on the lifting hook of the chain hoist. The beams can't torque and I have a block nailed to the top of the 4" x 4" so the top sling can't move. No stress on an eye bolt that was probably made in China. No stress on a pipe flange and bolts. I'll have to wait until I can go to HF for the slings and I'll post pictures. This is going to solve all the problems, I think (I hope). Anyway, I'll let everyone take a look and make sure. Thanks again everyone. Larry

I'm relieved to see you get away from that threaded pipe. They're not very strong at the minor diameter of the thread and would likely fail.

Well done.

Harold