Bantam lathe moving plan

• Weight: 445kg
• Length: 1345mm
• Width: 635mm

The manual recommends lifting the lathe from a cross bar which passes through the bed in front of the headstock.

Options:

• 2-ton engine hoist
  • Someone probably has one we can borrow, or we can rent/buy
  • Rating drops to half-ton at full extension, which is why we may want the 2ton one over the cheaper 1ton ones around.
  • How high does it lift? High enough to get in a van or on a dropside transit?
• HIAB hire
  • No idea on cost
  • might help with getting the lathe up steps/inclines into the B-block building
• Forklift
  • Might be possible to use the one in Summerhall.
  • Jack up the lathe and build/place a pallet under it
  • No metal on metal, there must be some ply or cardboard or something to stop it slipping on the forks.
  • Lathe is going to be very top-heavy.
• Luton van + tail lift
  • £85/day @ Condor - http://www.condorselfdrive.co.uk/vehicle-hire-scotland/vans-for-hire/5206-ford-luton-tail-lift
• Dollies
  • For easy moving around on the ground/in buildings
  • Should be wide enough so we can bolt into them through the lathe's bolt holes
  • Ready-made ones all seem expensive
  • Sets of heavy-duty castors are cheap for DIY efforts.

???

Main entrance:

• Fairly steep incline up to the door. Is it possible to push the lathe up the slope on a dolly safely?
• Lots of corners to navigate
• Can we take it through the lift? What weight is the lift rated for? Do we trust that rating?

Fire exit entrance

• Good proximity to the workshop, fewer corners to navigate
• Step-up into the building
• Confined space, difficult to operate any sort of lift in
• May be possible to build out a platform at floor-level outside, put the lathe on it, roll it in?