The Home Machinist!

How much does that critter weigh?

When I got my knee mill, I moved it into position in my shop with my Horror freight fold-able shop crane....and the help of three friends. I borrowed a forklift from work, which worked well to get it off the trailer, but the forklift was too tall to fit in my door, so I placed it in as far in as I could, and we picked it with the HF shop crane to get it off the pallet, and moved it into position toward the back of the shop.
Capacity of the HF is 2000 lbs, but my knee mill weighs 2500 lbs. It worked, and didn't hurt anything.

Just a thought.....
Maybe you know someone who has one, or, you can pick one up....they are pretty inexpensive.

http://www.harborfreight.com/shop-crane ... 69051.html

Bill

I was a bit curious the other night as to what it weighed as well, with all of the discussion about moving it.

From what I could find it weighs 950 lbs.

wow

Thanks guys.

The PO used the Harbor freight lift. I'll probably rent an engine hoist for $30/day and have a pizza/beer party to get a bunch of guys to help out.

The literature actually lists the weight at 1,300#. The shipping manifest said 1,000#, but was probably an estimate. I've taken several sheet metal pieces off for repaint, but I don't want to remove any pieces that would require me to reconsider the tolerances when reassembled.

Price listed did not included the DRO and CNC options on this machine.

Eldorado Bridgemill was 950#. This is an Eldorado Tri-Power from 2008.

ELDORADO TRI POWER/ PATRIOT GEAR DRIVE 2006-2009

Weight 1300 #
HP 1.5 2 motors
Spindle bore 1.125″
3 jaw chuck 5″
Swing 17″
Distance between centers 32″
Spindle taper R-8
Threading Inch/Metric Right and Left hand
Mill head adjustment 8″
Retail price 3995.00

That's perfect! When will you be in Orange County, CA with it?

warmstrong1955 wrote:

toddalin wrote:A pallet jack would work perfectly, if it could go up to 32".

They make 'em. Here's mine:

Pallet Stacker.jpg

59" lift, and a 2200 lb capacity. My poor-mans environmentally friendly fork lift....

Bill

Last time I went to California, I rented a U-Haul, we loaded up the inlaws, and moved 'em outa there to Arizona.

No plans on goin' back....can't afford the gas there....

Besides...it won't load itself in my pickup.

Sorry 'bout that!

Bill

http://www.cpojettools.com/jet-140531-j ... t-stackers

In case you wanna splurge and get your own.
Price has gone up since I got mine....but the freight is still free.


Bill

toddalin wrote:Thanks guys.
...
The literature actually lists the weight at 1,300#. The shipping manifest said 1,000#, but was probably an estimate. I've taken several sheet metal pieces off for repaint, but I don't want to remove any pieces that would require me to reconsider the tolerances when reassembled.
....

That is the same weight as mine and because I carried it home in a 1/2 ton pickup that solidly bottomed out I suspect it is correct. I have had mine apart several times and there does not seem to be anything that requires measurements during reassembly. Everything that is not deliberately adjustable is put together by a combination of socket head screws and taper pins. I find I can tap them out from the small end or tap the mounted plate away from its mate with the pins in place. To reassemble line up the pins in the holes and tap to fully inset, then clamp it tight with the screws.

Its good quality for a Chinese machine but it has the marks of a factory with more labor than tools. Although there are alignment pins I think they must have guys that drill holes and taper ream after assemble using a pair of hand held drills. Holes are not located to any round number location, there is no symmetry relative to edges or other holes and pins do not seat to the same depth. I doubt one could interchange parts from two machines but that also means you can't put things back together upside down or inside out. I did find two holes that were a bit to big for the pins. I reamed them out a bit then put in bigger pins.

Tom

Yes, I've had an issue or two.

The Chinese paint is poor and comes off with an abrasive dish pad. Luckily, the Rustoleum Marigold in spray cans is a perfect match. But I re-brushed the entire pan, and could not get the same color in a brush-on, so it is a bit yellower. (Their small can of touch-up paint included with the machine is a nice touch, but not enough to do the pan.) Maybe I can find a closer match in another brand and give it a second coat before reassembly. I want to use a brush-on on the pan so I can touch up where things drop. I'll also replace the pan bolts with stainless.

The verticle track for the DRO was mismounted and this broke the top of the track. The mechanism still works, and I've since fixed the problem. I say this was done from the factory, and JT says not. But this machine was clearly unused and I sent him pictures that clearly show that the "L" was never mounted on top of the bar, rather than under the bar (incorrect).

He said no warrentee on used equipment.

TomB wrote:

toddalin wrote:Thanks guys.
...
The literature actually lists the weight at 1,300#. The shipping manifest said 1,000#, but was probably an estimate. I've taken several sheet metal pieces off for repaint, but I don't want to remove any pieces that would require me to reconsider the tolerances when reassembled.
....

That is the same weight as mine and because I carried it home in a 1/2 ton pickup that solidly bottomed out I suspect it is correct. I have had mine apart several times and there does not seem to be anything that requires measurements during reassembly. Everything that is not deliberately adjustable is put together by a combination of socket head screws and taper pins. I find I can tap them out from the small end or tap the mounted plate away from its mate with the pins in place. To reassemble line up the pins in the holes and tap to fully inset, then clamp it tight with the screws.

Its good quality for a Chinese machine but it has the marks of a factory with more labor than tools. Although there are alignment pins I think they must have guys that drill holes and taper ream after assemble using a pair of hand held drills. Holes are not located to any round number location, there is no symmetry relative to edges or other holes and pins do not seat to the same depth. I doubt one could interchange parts from two machines but that also means you can't put things back together upside down or inside out. I did find two holes that were a bit to big for the pins. I reamed them out a bit then put in bigger pins.

Tom

toddalin wrote:The Chinese paint is poor and comes off with an abrasive dish pad. Luckily, the Rustoleum Marigold in spray cans is a perfect match. But I re-brushed the entire pan, and could not get the same color in a brush-on, so it is a bit yellower. (Their small can of touch-up paint included with the machine is a nice touch, but not enough to do the pan.) Maybe I can find a closer match in another brand and give it a second coat before reassembly. I want to use a brush-on on the pan so I can touch up where things drop. I'll also replace the pan bolts with stainless.

Todd,

Try Benjamin Moore..

I recently called Knuth for some touch up paint. They said they don't sell but I could have some... when I went to their warehouse, the guy looked through cans of paint to try to match my machine. He said all the different manufacturers used a different shade and that he took a chip to Benjamin Moore to match. He found a match and gave me half a gallon of Knuth Blue to match my machine. Wondering what the HF Bandsaw would look as blue...

Boostin' Nick from the Corvette forum came by with a forklift and we put this thing together and put it in place today. :rock:

The forklift cleared the 8' garage door by ~1" and had to use extended forks to get it under the loft which is 2" less than the garage door. This weighs 1,300#. The table moves 10" x 22" and quill lifts 11". The lathe takes 33" between the spindles and can accomodate out to 17" diameter. This has full CNC capabilities with a laptop.

Did not look like this when I got it!

What operates the X axis when used as a lathe?

Just trying to figure out how you would operate it!

toddalin wrote:This has full CNC capabilities with a laptop.

And possibly some circuit boards and servos?