Less than full size mill suggestions

Discussion on all milling machines vertical & horizontal, including but not limited to Bridgeports, Hardinge, South Bend, Clausing, Van Norman, including imports.

Moderators: GlennW, Harold_V

User avatar
Bill Shields
Posts: 10459
Joined: Fri Dec 21, 2007 4:57 am
Location: 39.367, -75.765
Contact:

Re: Less than full size mill suggestions

Post by Bill Shields »

at that price...call a rigger...
Too many things going on to bother listing them.
TimTheGrim
Posts: 115
Joined: Sat Sep 13, 2003 2:47 pm
Location: El Paso, TX

Re: Less than full size mill suggestions

Post by TimTheGrim »

YES and YES.

Yes…Call a rigger, if you can afford it.

Yes…You can use an engine hoist with appropriate lifting straps, chains and eye bolts to remove the mill head, the turret and then horse around the base/table with tubing and a Johnny Bar.

My favorite rollers are old motorcycle fork tubes. Extended chopper ones even better.

I moved my BP clone from where I bought it into my garage using a lift gate box truck. The guy I bought it from helped me load it and I did the rest myself. Head inverted and knee up to the motor and locked. Fork tubes and J-Bar.
When my wife and I moved to our new home and I got my back yard shop, my BiL brought his lift gate truck and two helpers.
Easy peasy.

Later on, I added my riser block. I broke down the machine to a point you would want to using my folding HF 1 ton cherry picker hoist in the confines of my little shop. I added the riser and got it all back together with no help whatsoever. I think I was 60 back then.

$1600 for a real BP with that pedigree is something to jump at and worry about logistics later.

I had a Burke Millrite for 10 years. Loved it and sold it for more than I paid for it.
My muscle memory always yearned for a BP and I’m glad I jumped at my clone when I did.
Best of luck.
Illigitimi non Carborundum
'96 Birmingham mill, Enco 13x40 GH and Craftsman 6x18 lathes, Reid 2C surface grinder. Duro Bandsaw and lots of tooling from 30+ years in the machining trades and 15+ years in refinery units. Now retired
User avatar
Bill Shields
Posts: 10459
Joined: Fri Dec 21, 2007 4:57 am
Location: 39.367, -75.765
Contact:

Re: Less than full size mill suggestions

Post by Bill Shields »

nah...don't take the head off...just lower the table and rotate the head DOWN to as low as it will go. no matter what, it is too heavy to deal with should you get it unbalanced and tip it over.

then rent a set of skates if you cannot afford a rigger.

I have moved many machines on rollers (pieces of pipe or CRS bar), and the skates are much easier to change direction unless you really know what you are doing.
Too many things going on to bother listing them.
pat1027
Posts: 444
Joined: Sat Oct 09, 2004 3:45 pm
Location: Michigan

Re: Less than full size mill suggestions

Post by pat1027 »

If there is a rigging point above the machine one person can disassemble it though it is a lot easier with two. I moved my Index Model 40 out of one basement shop and into another by myself. It's slower, harder and easier to break something.

If it's staying at ground level when it gets home and you could get a trailer to the door I wouldn't disassemble it. Rent one of these.
https://www.unitedrentals.com/marketpla ... ouble-axle. Get the center of gravity as low as you can like Bill describes and skates or pipe rollers and some pinch bars will get where you want to go.
User avatar
Bill Shields
Posts: 10459
Joined: Fri Dec 21, 2007 4:57 am
Location: 39.367, -75.765
Contact:

Re: Less than full size mill suggestions

Post by Bill Shields »

i used a BobCAT with forks to lift my Wells Index 845 (bigger than bridgport)...and rolled it insode on pipes, then used skates to get it in place.
Too many things going on to bother listing them.
User avatar
ctwo
Posts: 2996
Joined: Tue Mar 27, 2012 12:37 pm
Location: Silly Cone Valley

Re: Less than full size mill suggestions

Post by ctwo »

If you're not already raining money on that BP seller, it might be too late.

I hired a tow company, as a side job, to use a regular tow truck to lift it onto a tilting flatbed, and home it came. I used a cheap engine hoist to fully disassemble once home.
Standards are so important that everyone must have their own...
To measure is to know - Lord Kelvin
Disclaimer: I'm just a guy with a few machines...
Lazz
Posts: 167
Joined: Sun Jul 29, 2012 11:06 pm
Location: The Warm Arizona Deserts... Phoenix to be precise...

Re: Less than full size mill suggestions

Post by Lazz »

If you didnt get the Bridgeport Ill suggest a Rockwell
viewtopic.php?t=105830

I have one that is setup as a horizontal.. The vertical stuff all fits in the base. If the next owner of mine buys it from the wife or kids he will be surprised when he opens door on the base cabinet.
SteveM
Posts: 7763
Joined: Mon Jun 27, 2005 6:18 pm
Location: Wisconsin

Re: Less than full size mill suggestions

Post by SteveM »

Our own Jim Rozen has a great rule when moving machinery:

"Hire a professional; it will cost less than the emergency room visit".

Steve
User avatar
Bill Shields
Posts: 10459
Joined: Fri Dec 21, 2007 4:57 am
Location: 39.367, -75.765
Contact:

Re: Less than full size mill suggestions

Post by Bill Shields »

Unless you have REALLY GOOD INSURANCE and/or are made of rubber...or are young and stupid
Too many things going on to bother listing them.
10 Wheeler Rob
Posts: 1546
Joined: Tue Mar 21, 2006 2:44 pm
Location: East Hartford, CT

Re: Less than full size mill suggestions

Post by 10 Wheeler Rob »

Grizzly sells many smaller mills ranging from bench top to small knee mills.

Rob
VelocityDuck
Posts: 118
Joined: Mon Dec 07, 2020 6:14 am
Location: Panama City, FL

Re: Less than full size mill suggestions

Post by VelocityDuck »

286156953_7797817356910074_3645430901808840987_n.jpg
Just ran across this one that is surprisingly close. Appears to me a J head (I'm guessing J1?) from the 60's.

Asking $2,500 but I haven't seen it yet. Hopefully I'll get there this weekend.
User avatar
Bill Shields
Posts: 10459
Joined: Fri Dec 21, 2007 4:57 am
Location: 39.367, -75.765
Contact:

Re: Less than full size mill suggestions

Post by Bill Shields »

Do not be surprised or concerned if the varispeed head rattles.

Common worn out bushing problem with them.
Too many things going on to bother listing them.
Post Reply