Centec milling machine

[newington]

I have to move one of these machines it is on a pedestal. The motor is in the cupboard within the pedestal. Has any one got any hints that might make the task easier? It would help if I had some idea which bits I could take off to make the machine lighter. Is there anything that I should whatch out for? Thanks

[ilvaporista]

Apr 27, 2017 21:45:33 GMT newington said:

I have to move one of these machines it is on a pedestal. The motor is in the cupboard within the pedestal. Has any one got any hints that might make the task easier? It would help if I had some idea which bits I could take off to make the machine lighter. Is there anything that I should whatch out for? Thanks

How far to you have to move it, what obstacles are there and what equipment do you have?

I find it is best to move things as complete as possible as it avoid losing bits and pieces and spending time with an inactive machine. For getting machines around the shop I use steel water pipes cut to about 2' lengths. If you can get a bar under one side you can tilt the machine and then put the tubes underneath. Once on the tubes you can move the machine easily to a place where there is more room to dismantle or better still under a place where you can attach a winch or pulley to take the weight of the heavier bits.

To put a mill in the back of a large hatch back car I used a old solid door strapped firmly to the back of the mill and then will the help of a few friends pushed the mill on to it's back pivoting on the rear bumper and with a good heave it went in, unloading was the reverse. But don't forget to empty any coolant or oil tanks before you try this. you can guess what happened and it took quite a while to clean the mess....

If you can get it on a pallet (a strong one) then it is easier to find someone to transport it.

[newington]

I have to move it about 12 miles. It is in ano outbuilding with a normal size door and a high step down.I will have to dismantle the machine to be able to move it out of the room down the step and into my car and trailer. I would have to do it at my end anyway to get into the workshop.

[Jo]

Things to look out for = fingers & Toes. And do not do this on your own !!!!!


I have a few heaver machines than yours, which I move around. Rollers - yes steel water pipe is ok, but really the rollers should be long enough that your fingers do not have to go under the machine at any time. Lifting on to the roller is easily achieved by using a crowbar and a wooden block to aid lifting. Have someone else steadying the machine as it is lifted. You need three rollers - two under the machine and the third being swapped from back to front.

Getting it on and off your trailer: Do you have an engine crane? Lift it up then push the trailer under is the easy way. Rolling it up a ramp with a winch is not.... Wooden blocks and very slowly lifting up and down each end onto the blocks is the way to over come steps, do not lift one end more than 2" higher than the other in any single lift.

In the trailer it will need good blocks and very good strapping down, you don't want that coming forward in an accident.


Moving machines is relatively easy: just respect them and spend more time thinking about what you are about to do than doing it.

Jo

P.S. Did I mention fingers? And not just under the machine.....

[newington]

Jo, the trailer does not have a drop down tailboard and I do not have any engine crane. What I am trying to establish is where I can split the machine to make it into manageable bits. Maybe a two man lift. I can see that I could split the machine at tray level by removing the drive belts and undoing the 4 bolts. I still think this maybe a little heavy to lift onto a trolley. What I need to establish is if I can reduce the weight of the top half still further.
I hope the tray will then come off the pedestal leaving me with just the base with the motor in. If the base is to heavy then I can remove the motor. If the tray does not come off then I could have a problem getting into my workshop as it will have to pass through 3 doors. Maybe I should just keep the mill I have!

[92220]

If you do need to use a pallet delivery service, I've used these people to send a Senior vertical mill, which I sold on Ebay, on a pallet for £56.00....http://www.sendapallet.co.uk/

As long as the move is only over tarmac, with no steps, they will pick it up with a pallet truck and load it on the lorry. The only thing you have to remember is to strap it down well. A couple of cheap, 1 tonne, ratchet load straps are ideal. I had my mill on a 15mm plywood base so that the straps didn't pull up the planks of the pallet.

Bob.

[miketaylor]

This will depend rather on which Centec you have.

Lathes.com says "For bench mounting the 2A weighed approximately 360 lbs - the 2B 500 lbs." The 2C is a much heavier brute and, I think, more complicated to split.

The quoted weights will be the machine ready to run without the plinth. You can reduce that considerably by removing the overarm or vertical head. Any significant reduction beyond this is likely to mean removing the knee which will be more complicated.

At these sort of weights you are not necessarily limited to rollers for moving without picking up. Laying down two long lengths of smooth rebar and skidding along them can be a more convenient alternative, especially if you have a rough concrete floor.

Mike

[jon38r80]

I don't know if it's nay help but a very quick look via google found this www.pilotltd.net/Centec_2x_Setup_Guide.pdf document which has a few diagrams which might help you take some of the bits off , that is if it's similar to your purchase.

[eightpot]

Don't know if this is a guide in your case, but I have a bench-mounted Centec 2A and having removed the vertical head, and possibly the motor, two of us managed to shift it both up and down stairs a flight of stairs and put it back on its bench.