How to transport bridgeport ?

[Danny318]

My father has a Bridgeport milling machine in his home garage. He is moving and is not sure what kind of company would be familiar with moving such type of equipment to a different home in another state.

Have you used a company to transport machines of this type? Please share any relevant experience or advice.

 

[bczygan]

Dropdeck trailer from Suncoast rentals.

Bill

 

[BillK]

How far ? Depending on how far it might not be economically feasable. Last time I moved my shop I had a friend with a rollback help me and we did fine but it was only local. He needs to look at "rigging" companies.

 

[srracer]

I've moved mine several times all by myself with nothing more than my Suburban, an engine hoist and utility trailer.

By unbolting the top from the spider (4 bolts) you can use the engine hoist to place the entire head and ram in the back of the suburban or pickup. Brace it and strap it down. Then, use the hoist to lift the base with the knee and table into the trailer. I lowered the knee all the way and strapped it down securely. My trailer is 8'x5', which leaves me enough room to roll the hoist onto the trailer behind the mill base.

I've moved my 2 Bridgeports at least as half dozen times all by myself using that method.

You could also see what kind of offers you get posting the move onto Uship.



Sent from my Pixel 4 XL using Tapatalk

 

[matt_i]

I've moved mine several times all by myself with nothing more than my Suburban, an engine hoist and utility trailer.

By unbolting the top from the spider (4 bolts) you can use the engine hoist to place the entire head and ram in the back of the suburban or pickup. Brace it and strap it down. Then, use the hoist to lift the base with the knee and table into the trailer. I lowered the knee all the way and strapped it down securely. My trailer is 8'x5', which leaves me enough room to roll the hoist onto the trailer behind the mill base.

I've moved my 2 Bridgeports at least as half dozen times all by myself using that method.

You could also see what kind of offers you get posting the move onto Uship.

I like the idea of stripping down to the column + table. At that point it should be able to move in a Uhaul AO single axle open trailer if you can tie it down thoroughly and keep speeds reasonable. The entire machine could move in a RO double axle open trailer but getting it to the center to build tongue weight is more of a challenge. It will slide on the metal deck with a come-along but you have to block it in place once it gets there or it will slide during the trip = not good.

Potentially you could also set it on a heavy skid, thru-bolt it, and build plywood sides around it.

U ship would probably want you to handle loading and unloading it from either a gooseneck or semi trailer...if you had the right kind of friends they might be able to do that from one shop or business to another with forklifts at both ends.

My advice is to take something like LPS3 or Boeshield and spray all of the bare metal surfaces first. Make sure its well-tarped for transport, not some blue shredded thing flogging it as it goes down the road...

 

[fourbyford]

I built a packing crate for mine, loaded it on my trailer and hauled it over 900 miles... along with a trailer load of other machinery. No worries.

Check the inter web for instructions on inverting the head. No need to disassemble anything. Lift with a screw eye. They're not THAT heavy.

...D

 

[bczygan]

Turn head upside down.

Lower table.

Use chain binders on base.

Bill

 

[23ford]

Call a equipment moving company.

 

[Grant Gunderson]

I just moved one last fall. Turn the head upside down and the raise table to it with a block of wood in between. This gets the center of gravity as low as possible. I then lifted it on to a custom made pallet made out of 2x6 and 4x4 lumber and used a pallet jack to load it on to a drop deck trailer.

I couldn’t recommend the drop deck trailer rental enough.

 

[1MtnGoat]

Turned the head upside down, moved ram for better center of gravity, built a pallet out of 2x6 and 4x4. lifted with lifting eye, bolted on pallet, used pallet jack to move, rolled on lift gate Ryder truck. Moved 14x40 lathe and rest of the shop in truck.

 

[rsanter]

Those are easy to move.
How far are you going?
Do you have a trailer or are you going to rent one?

I have used tow trucks to pick them up and then I back the trailer under it and let it down.
I have used cherry pickers and done the same thing.
I now have a roller base under my Bport so I can roll it on and off a trailer.

Do you have access to a forklift?
Do you have a bunch of other heavy stuff to move?
If so rent a forklift and load all the heavy stuff with it

 

[930dreamer]

Those drop to the ground hydraulic lift trailers work great.

 

[Hank11]

I've moved mine three times now. I built a pallet from 6x6s, 2x4s, 3/4 plywood and big eye bolts.

Turn the head sideways and lower the table as far as it goes. Raise the mill up with cribbing blocks an inch or two at a time then slide onto the pallet. Bolt and strap it to the pallet.

Winch the whole thing up ramps onto the trailer and strap down again. Place chocks around the pallet so it can't slide.

Knee mills are real tippy and are heavy enough to hurt you badly or kill you if they fall on you. If you doubt your ability to move it safely hire it done. You may want to hire a rigging company or equipment mover.

 

[MushCreek]

I've moved mine several times all by myself with nothing more than my Suburban, an engine hoist and utility trailer.

By unbolting the top from the spider (4 bolts) you can use the engine hoist to place the entire head and ram in the back of the suburban or pickup. Brace it and strap it down. Then, use the hoist to lift the base with the knee and table into the trailer. I lowered the knee all the way and strapped it down securely. My trailer is 8'x5', which leaves me enough room to roll the hoist onto the trailer behind the mill base.

I've moved my 2 Bridgeports at least as half dozen times all by myself using that method.

You could also see what kind of offers you get posting the move onto Uship.



Sent from my Pixel 4 XL using Tapatalk

This is how I move them, single-handed. Otherwise, hire a rigger that has experience moving them, and offers insurance.

 

[jmarkwolf]

 

[sberry]

We moved a couple.

 

[Innovate1]

I helped move one. We took the head off with an engine hoist. Then used the hoist for the base. Takes more time but easier to move in pieces. Strapped the top of the base in all directions on a small trailer. Also borrowed some equipment skates and a equipment lifting bar with ball bearings wheels. And a few extra people helps.

 

[IndyGarage]

They weigh about 1500lbs.

you can move one with an engine hoist and some machine skates. Easy to move with a forklift.

 

[Robert Haas]

They weigh about 1500lbs.

you can move one with an engine hoist and some machine skates. Easy to move with a forklift.

My mill is quite a bit bigger and heavier then a Bridgy. at 3,600 lbs I rented a fork lift and hauled it in my own trailer.

 

[matt_i]

Robert, you are one lucky man to have transported that machine way past the center of the axles and with only 1 friction-strap tying it down.

Hopefully it was moved across a parking lot in total distance but a person who tried that on a highway could kill someone following innocently behind, not to even mention total loss of the machine and probable loss of the trailer and that's not a recipe for good machine shop practice.

 

[Robert Haas]

Robert, you are one lucky man to have transported that machine way past the center of the axles and with only 1 friction-strap tying it down.

Hopefully it was moved across a parking lot in total distance but a person who tried that on a highway could kill someone following innocently behind, not to even mention total loss of the machine and probable loss of the trailer and that's not a recipe for good machine shop practice.

We moved it a total of 5 city blocks on surface streets with me following behind driving the forklift. It was never faster then about 5 MPH the whole trip and my **** hole was slammed shut the entire time.

The people like yourself that like to post on threads to let the world know how unsafe everyone else is seems more and more common.

I am 60 years old and never put a single sole but my own in jeopardy. People that stick their nose into my business and suggest otherwise are sure putting their own safety in play if they are within punching distance to me.

 

[dr_clyde]

We moved it a total of 5 city blocks on surface streets with me following behind driving the forklift. It was never faster then about 5 MPH the whole trip and my **** hole was slammed shut the entire time.

The people like yourself that like to post on threads to let the world know how unsafe everyone else is seems more and more common.

I am 60 years old and never put a single sole but my own in jeopardy. People that stick their nose into my business and suggest otherwise are sure putting their own safety in play if they are within punching distance to me.

And yet, without posting the relevant information, someone who doesn't know any better could mimic you thinking that is the proper way to move a mill.

Matt is a knowledgeable and helpful guy on this forum. He's not picking on you, he's just pointing out what is wrong with that rig as a warning to others.

I'm not one to call the safety police when I see something bad, but in this instance, without context, I would not want to post that picture on a "how to" thread. Because, yeah, that is not the right way to move equipment or load a trailer. You know that. No one is calling you incompetent or un-knowledgeable.

 

[Robert Haas]

And yet, without posting the relevant information, someone who doesn't know any better could mimic you thinking that is the proper way to move a mill.

Matt is a knowledgeable and helpful guy on this forum. He's not picking on you, he's just pointing out what is wrong with that rig as a warning to others.

I'm not one to call the safety police when I see something bad, but in this instance, without context, I would not want to post that picture on a "how to" thread. Because, yeah, that is not the right way to move equipment or load a trailer. You know that. No one is calling you incompetent or un-knowledgeable.

Fair enough, Why folks just assume the worse is a plain old lack of courtesy.

I own the fact I did not explain the proximity of the two shops (where it was and mine) Not to mention the fact that I own chain binders and they are actually just taken off before that picture was taken as I was so excited I forgot to take pictures of it chained down.

 

[Bigblockyeti]

Fair enough, Why folks just assume the worse is a plain old lack of courtesy.

I own the fact I did not explain the proximity of the two shops (where it was and mine) Not to mention the fact that I own chain binders and they are actually just taken off before that picture was taken as I was so excited I forgot to take pictures of it chained down.

With chain binders and what appears to be a 2" ratchet strap in good shape, that setup should be just fine, independent of where the CG was located on the trailer. Without binders, I would find that to be dangerous as would any competent LEO if the surface streets you traveled over were not private regardless of speed.

 

[matt_i]

Hey Robert, don't be upset. I think if you met me you wouldn't feel the need to punch me. Sometimes we don't agree and that's fully acceptable. Your explanation makes sense and I wouldn't have provided the feedback that I did, if you had filled in some details surrounding the photo posting.

I could have posted with a different tone with less edge, but I do stand by the concept that as-pictured, its not a good practice for "general movement at posted speed limits."

 

[cj7jeep81]

One thing to keep in mind is if you do tilt the head, be careful when you tilt it, and when you raise it back up. Best is to have someone supporting the head while lowering, and pushing while raising. If you just try to do it 100% with the screw, you have a good chance of breaking it, and causing yourself a big headache.

I've moved several mills (2 series one and 1 series two), and each time left the head up. Two chains around the base (one around the base to the back, one around the knee screw to the front) will lock it in place. Then a few straps can't hurt. Make sure to lock the table/knee/quill. And go over the whole thing to look for loose parts that could fall off during transport (handles, covers, etc).

Here's my series 2 with my dad for scale. Rode about 2 hours home and didn't move an inch. The chains around the base were the main means of securing, the straps were more for my comfort. Had it loaded by a professional rigger who recommended this way of securing it.

And one on the ground, after unloading with my gantry crane. Took that really slow, but it handled it just fine.