Transport/Disassembly of a South Bend 9x42 mill

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Anyone moved one of these bad boys? I'm looking at a smaller j head (i think that's what it is) price seems very good. Looking to play around with doing a CNC conversion. Looks to be around 1700#.If I could just break it down into manageable pieces I might be able to move it.I have access to an engine hoist but that's about it.  I'd invest in a gantry crane if needed.Last edited by BlauSchuh; 06-24-2011 at 01:26 PM.ESAB Heliarc 252
Reply:Where is it , and do you mind spending a few dollars having it moved? I have a buddy out of Plymouth with a 10 wheel ramp truck that has a crane on it, he does machinery moves all the time.Disclaimer; "I am just an a$$hole welder, don't take it personally ."
Reply:Originally Posted by TozziWeldingWhere is it , and do you mind spending a few dollars having it moved? I have a buddy out of Plymouth with a 10 wheel ramp truck that has a crane on it, he does machinery moves all the time.
Reply:Moved several mills. They are all top heavy in their working configuration. Any mill of this style can be broken into components of base, head, knee and table.  At a bare minimum, lower the knee all the way down. Take all the handles/handwheels off knee and table ends. Is this SB a round ram? If you don't want/can't remove the head, then tilt it all the way over to left or right so that the spindle is parallel with the table feed.IIRC, a J head (B-port) will be about roughly the same size.I've only seen one mill tip over. I was in the process of buying a Hardinge TM (1000# horizontal). The soon to be previous owner (I had not handed him the cash yet) was moving it out of his garage. He decided to try pulling it out to the apron with his pick-up and a tow strap hooked down low. I was about to say hold on when he gunned the motor and I watched in horror as the mill seemingly in slow motion tipped over on it's side only to get stopped about half way down by a plastic 55 gal drum full of 3-4 ft pieces of tool steel. I had brought a tilt deck truck with a winch. After about an hour of careful work, I extracted the mill from the garage and onto the truck. The guy was an older retired machinist(but obviously not a machinery mover) with a bad heart. Long story short, He "made" me load all the tool steel in the truck. Had to have been $800-900 worth of O-1, W-1, A-2 rounds, squares, etc. Still haven't used half of it to this day.In a word, get some skilled responsible help and be careful. Good luck trying to find much in the way of OEM parts for SB mills.Take care
Reply:Originally Posted by dunemetalMoved several mills. They are all top heavy in their working configuration. Any mill of this style can be broken into components of base, head, knee and table.  At a bare minimum, lower the knee all the way down. Take all the handles/handwheels off knee and table ends. Is this SB a round ram? If you don't want/can't remove the head, then tilt it all the way over to left or right so that the spindle is parallel with the table feed.IIRC, a J head (B-port) will be about roughly the same size.I've only seen one mill tip over. I was in the process of buying a Hardinge TM (1000# horizontal). The soon to be previous owner (I had not handed him the cash yet) was moving it out of his garage. He decided to try pulling it out to the apron with his pick-up and a tow strap hooked down low. I was about to say hold on when he gunned the motor and I watched in horror as the mill seemingly in slow motion tipped over on it's side only to get stopped about half way down by a plastic 55 gal drum full of 3-4 ft pieces of tool steel. I had brought a tilt deck truck with a winch. After about an hour of careful work, I extracted the mill from the garage and onto the truck. The guy was an older retired machinist(but obviously not a machinery mover) with a bad heart. Long story short, He "made" me load all the tool steel in the truck. Had to have been $800-900 worth of O-1, W-1, A-2 rounds, squares, etc. Still haven't used half of it to this day.In a word, get some skilled responsible help and be careful. Good luck trying to find much in the way of OEM parts for SB mills.Take care
Reply:No problem, whether an SB or B-port, same care applies.  If you do break something (hopefully not), parts are more than readily available.Good luck.
Reply:When moving a Bridgeport it's table as low as it goes and turn the head upside down..We moved a whole machine shop in the early '90s with ramp trucks and such with no mishaps..Strap the lathe down in the middle of the bed with the straps on the top corners wherever you can get them attached and then to the 4 low corners of the bed..It 'aint going anywhere.....zap!I am not completely insane..Some parts are missing Professional Driver on a closed course....Do not attempt.Just because I'm a  dumbass don't mean that you can be too.So DON'T try any of this **** l do at home.
Reply:YES to the above advice^^^^The table is all the way to the operator & 1/2 turn back then the ram is moved out over the table.Take the knee to the bottom & 1/2 turn back up & lock. Then tilt the head and let the top rest on a 2x4 scant on the table if you have one.Matt