Moving My G0766

[John Nordyke]

Not precisely a turning question, but...

Getting ready for a 200 mile move to new house and shop. I could completely disassemble my G0766 for the move (pia) or, I could slide the tailstock and headstock off to reduce weight while the movers get it onto the moving van and then replace headstock and tailstock, locking them down directly over the legs. We can wedge enough stuff around it to not worry about tipping during the trip. Would you be concerned with moving it still assembled?

[Roger Chandler]

I would leave assembled, locking the headstock, tailstock and banjo locked down securely, and use at least 4 ratchet straps to cinch it down securely. I moved a large lathe up the interstate to our club about 40 miles on my utility trailer with 6 ratchet straps, and it did not budge an inch.

[Brice Rogers]

John, I would talk to the moving company. I that the best solution depends on your access (from where it sits currently to the truck and from the truck to its new location), what equipment the moving company will emply, and whether they have a lift gate on their truck. If stairs are involved that can complicate things.

As a teenager, I worked for a moving company and I moved some heavy stuff occasionally (e.g., piano, filled deepfreeze, organ, etc.) typically with only two guys and a set of heavy moving straps, but very little was in the neighborhood of 550 pounds. The trouble with moving the lathe intact is that it is quite top-heavy and the total weight is probably high for two average movers. If you had a straight shot and the movers could put moving dollies under each leg and they had a lift gate, maybe it would work. But if there were stairs and/or sharp turns involved and a truck ramp used rather than a lift gate, the risk of damage increases.

I would also ask the moving company what their insurance covers.

[John Nordyke]

Good points. Sons-in-law and hired help will do the moving, some I am largely indifferent to any muscle strains

[John K Jordan]

... typically with only two guys and a set of heavy moving straps, but very little was in the neighborhood of 550 pounds.

I was surprised when piano movers moved my 7' baldwin grand which, I think, is close to 1000 lbs. Two guys showed up, took off the legs, put the piano in a padded case, then lifted and carried outside and down two steps to the dollys. These were, in fact, big guys. They said if there had been more than two steps they would have brought a third guy!

That said, when I moved my PM3520b (I think over 700 lbs with bed extension) we removed the sliding pieces and the legs and wheeled the parts to a trailer with a hand truck and a couple of furniture dollys. This was not even a huge effort for myself, an aging guy, and my 120 lb son. When I got it to the shop I unloaded the pieces myself, again using furniture dollys, and set it up myself. Assembling the legs to the bed is the hardest part but nothing the average careful, clever person can't manage.

JKJ

[Jack Lilley]

I just sold my G0766 and two of us loaded it into a pickup easily by hand. We slid everything to the headstock end of the lathe, lifted the opposite end onto the truck bed, slid everything to the tailstock end, then lifted the other end and slid it into the bed. Once it was in the truck bed we positioned everything in the center and strapped it down. He was going 100 miles and as far as I know he made out fine. It was easier to load that way than you might think.

[John Nordyke]

thanks for the tips

[Randy Red Bemont]

When I moved my G0766, I used two furniture dollies. Rolled it outside and onto a liftgate and into the truck by myself. I think you will no problems getting it moved. Good luck with the new shop. I'm living in an apartment waiting for my new house and workshop to get built.

Red