Preparing J- Head Bridgeport for Movers

[Leaky88]

Hi,
I’m transferring, and a Moving company is coming to move my Bridgeport and it
will probably go into temp storage, meaning more loading/handling.
I’m told they will make a crate, but who knows.
As a precaution I want to do everything I can to protect breakable things.
Saw some YouTube videos showing one time, same day moves. If anyone knows of one along what I’m doing, Id appreciate the link.

Thoughts were to Block the head, remove all handles, and cushion areas where handles were.
Any advice or experience would be appreciated.
Thanks
Leaky

 

[tool_scrounge]

Check out this link on practicalmachinist
https://www.practicalmachinist.com/vb/material-handling-and-rigging/shipping-bridgeport-mill-freight-337660/

 

[matt_i]

This is fraught with peril. Non machinery movers attempting to be riggers. I have a dim view of household movers over the ease at which they escape claims on normal stuff. Machine tools are 20x that in cost and repairs, so take my bias with a grain of salt.

Best would be if they brought their own forklift...which they won't.

Next best would be if they would agree to deliver it to their moving + storage warehouse on a flatbed/rollback and then they could use their forklift. 2x4 wood blocks under the ram, one fork per side.

If you invert the head it helps lower the center of gravity. The drawbar will fall out then. I worried about the spindle taper collecting rain.

Removing handles is OK but then you face the loss of them or the woodruff key or the graduated dial, hex nut, etc. There's the knee crank to be corralled.

I'm fairly far into it but I much prefer to move my own machinery. In your situation I'd build the skid that could be handled by a forklift and get it thru-bolted to the base. Possibly even put the osb sides on it as well. Mark center of mass and "heavy end" for the forklift operator.

It would be worthwhile in my opinion to use something like LPS-3 on all of the bare metal surfaces. It probably is headed for "conditioned storage" but a couple cans of protectant are pretty cheap insurance.

 

[MushCreek]

I take them apart at the ram turntable when I move them. Makes it lighter and much lower center of gravity. Of course, then you'd have two crates, and you're screwed if they lose one of them. Also lower the table, and move it all the way in. Alternately, check on their insurance and make sure they're covered to replace it if they drop it.

 

[Leaky88]

So glad, no GRATEFUL I asked. I didn’t sleep at all last night, but it’s GREAT information.
The link was also great. So much, my intake of antacid tables had ramped up.

The company contacted me yesterday for a pre-move survey. I forwarded a picture of my Bridgeport and asked if it would be crated. Man said he didn’t know, said picture was sent to different department... . I’ve been thru the claims process for damage and though tools and equipment last for generations they somehow fall into a separate/accelerated depreciation formula.

The Bridgeports final destination is 1070 miles. I live in a farm region and my neighbor has a Back Hoe and years of experience to get it on my 10K double axle Car Hauler. It’s getting it off at destination that has a lot of blanks to fill in.

 

[Leaky88]

Thanks.

 

[Leaky88]

I’m inclined to move it myself.
My company gave me a form to list High Value items such as gun, jewelry, etc. I need to investigate this more.

Does anybody know what amount a Seller would insure a J-head Bridgeport for?

 

[matt_i]

Man, I would not try to stuff that in an enclosed trailer. That sounds like two entire days of no-fun to get inch from the end to ahead of the axles and then back out.

I don't think you need to block the head - its not like a CNC machine which might have a counterweight and both the head and the weight would be slamming the connecting roller chain down the road. The J or 2J head is self-supporting.

A possibility is to move it on a separate trip. I see a pickup truck. Find out if Uhaul will let an RO double axle open trailer go one-way. It has the capacity. Use the hoe to load it in the trailer. You can purchase a 5/8-11 eyebolt and screw it into the ram and move the entire machine from that one pick point. Also is helpful when tying it down. I would tarp the machine to avoid issues like road salt or bugs. Potentially at your new location you could unload it with an old school tow truck with a boom or purchase a gantry setup and a chainfall or lever chain hoist...use that eyebolt. Just raise it up, drive the trailer out, and lower it onto pipes or steel rods. 1/2" diameter rods will work but don't roll over obstructions very easily. WIth the right setup you might even be able to perform this pick inside the garage.

 

[Leaky88]

Thanks

My mistake. The 18’ Dovetail Car Hauler I have is OPEN. That said, would a U-Haul be better suited for the job? I’m open to safety and success over injury and damage.
I was thinking of a sling to load it but if a 5/8-11 eye will work, I’ll eat a couple extra anti acids and use it.
Neighbor at destination has an Engine Cherry picker and his own bone yard, so some pipe and a spud bar should be laying around.

 

[slowtwitch73]

I went through same a few years back with a vertical, horizontal, lathe and 3'x5'x5" surface plate. Movers moved it all to temp storage, then picked up again and delivered. Then repeated a year later. None of the guys had moved machinery.. but they had some gun safe moving experience. It worked out... prepare for the worst, hope for the best. Be ready to be there and watch/help. Take photos once everything is in the truck. A bunch of young backs with the right rigging can get a lot done. I do think luck was on my side.

I would say palletizing is the best bet. The guys who helped us got extra money for every crate they built.. which led to extra time and screwing around for marginal results. Get the weight down low, take off handles, and make it so it can roll easy.

 

[sberry]

My brother and the owner moving some stuff he scored at an auction.

 

[American Locomotive]

Get the center of gravity as low as possible, support the head and lock the axes bolts down so they can't move. Whenever we had equipment moved, we would lock down any and everything that could move or pivot.

Take the handles and associated hardware off, wrap them in plastic and attach them to the machine somewhere with a lot of tape and zip ties.

 

[tool_scrounge]

Next best would be if they would agree to deliver it to their moving + storage warehouse on a flatbed/rollback and then they could use their forklift. 2x4 wood blocks under the ram, one fork per side.

Last time we had industrial movers move a Bridgeport sized vertical mill, we showed up with some wood assembled as shown in the photo to put between the forklift forks and the ram. Since the center of gravity of the mill is more towards the front, the fork on the front of the mill of the forklift sees a lot more load. That fork tends to droop and the mill tilts towards one side. So the the front wood spacer is about 1" thicker than the back to compensate for this. The vertical pieces allow the forks to choke up on the mill base and not damage the mill paint. We made them from hardwood from an old pallet and it worked quite well. At the end of the move, the first comment from the industrial movers was "can we have those wood things?".

 

[Leaky88]

Man, I would not try to stuff that in an enclosed trailer. That sounds like two entire days of no-fun to get inch from the end to ahead of the axles and then back out.

I don't think you need to block the head - its not like a CNC machine which might have a counterweight and both the head and the weight would be slamming the connecting roller chain down the road. The J or 2J head is self-supporting.

A possibility is to move it on a separate trip. I see a pickup truck. Find out if Uhaul will let an RO double axle open trailer go one-way. It has the capacity. Use the hoe to load it in the trailer. You can purchase a 5/8-11 eyebolt and screw it into the ram and move the entire machine from that one pick point. Also is helpful when tying it down. I would tarp the machine to avoid issues like road salt or bugs. Potentially at your new location you could unload it with an old school tow truck with a boom or purchase a gantry setup and a chainfall or lever chain hoist...use that eyebolt. Just raise it up, drive the trailer out, and lower it onto pipes or steel rods. 1/2" diameter rods will work but don't roll over obstructions very easily. WIth the right setup you might even be able to perform this pick inside the garage.

Does Lift Eye Bolt go here? The threads on mine are 1/2-13.
.

 

[Leaky88]

Last time we had industrial movers move a Bridgeport sized vertical mill, we showed up with some wood assembled as shown in the photo to put between the forklift forks and the ram. Since the center of gravity of the mill is more towards the front, the fork on the front of the mill of the forklift sees a lot more load. That fork tends to droop and the mill tilts towards one side. So the the front wood spacer is about 1" thicker than the back to compensate for this. The vertical pieces allow the forks to choke up on the mill base and not damage the mill paint. We made them from hardwood from an old pallet and it worked quite well. At the end of the move, the first comment from the industrial movers was "can we have those wood things?".

Thanks!
Are these 2x4’s or 2x6’s

 

[tool_scrounge]

Thanks!
Are these 2x4’s or 2x6’s

Top slats from a donor pallet, probably 1x6. The vertical piece was probably cut down to 1x4 or so.

 

[Joebass]

I didn't read the whole thread, but I've moved a few... no need to block the head. Turn it upside down, and lower the knee all the way. Bring the ram out and put a 4 ft 4x4 under it, lift with forks. This is the way I do it, and all the riggers I've seen at auctions.

 

[hop up]

We had the local movers do it and I put 3x4 .312 wall steel tubing bolted to the bottom of the mill and use a pallet jack to move it around. The movers used the pallet jack and had a 3000 # lift gate and loaded it right up jack and all. The riggers wanted 1500 bucks to move the one mill and more then I paid for it..

 

[matt_i]

Thanks

My mistake. The 18’ Dovetail Car Hauler I have is OPEN. That said, would a U-Haul be better suited for the job? I’m open to safety and success over injury and damage.
I was thinking of a sling to load it but if a 5/8-11 eye will work, I’ll eat a couple extra anti acids and use it.
Neighbor at destination has an Engine Cherry picker and his own bone yard, so some pipe and a spud bar should be laying around.

No, I wrongly assumed that your car hauler was an enclosed box.

As long as there's a flat structure there to land the mill on (have seen a car hauler which was just two channels for the tires and the center was just open space other than a couple of crossmembers it should be good. Usual advice to give yourself a little tongue load but not a lot. Very specific I know

If the ram has a 1/2-13 I'd use it. Bridgeport put it there to move the machines around their plant with a bridge crane. I met a retired guy who worked there back in the day and I'm passing on what he told me.

If you are going to use 2" wide straps I would invest in some cordura sleeves...used to be a seller on ebay. But it keeps the straps from chafing thru on sharp metal edges. If you can make the straps independent, meaning going from the trailer and ending at the machine, or going trailer to machine and right back to almost the same point, its a superior than looping it over from one side of the trailer to the other and relying on friction.

If you have a wood deck I like to torx-screw some wooden blocking to the base of the machine. It doesn't take the place of the straps but is directionally helpful.

 

[Shadowdog500]

The best trailer you could use is one where the deck lowers like this one.

See if anyone rents one near you. Bolt the mill on a heavy pallet and rent a pallet jack to roll it on and off the trailer into storage. Strap the mill really well while transporting it because it is top heavy.

I agree with everyone else to invert the head and lower the table all the way down to get the CG as low as possible.

My Rockwell mill isn’t ever 1,000lb and I was able to use my cherry picker and small trailer.

 

[tool_scrounge]

We had the local movers do it and I put 3x4 .312 wall steel tubing bolted to the bottom of the mill and use a pallet jack to move it around. The movers used the pallet jack and had a 3000 # lift gate and loaded it right up jack and all. The riggers wanted 1500 bucks to move the one mill and more then I paid for it..

This works pretty well. We would use two 5' pieces placed left to right under the mill. They stuck out on the left and right side for extra stability. May be good if you are in earthquake country. But usually you need a narrow 20.5 inch wide pallet jack to move around. The standard 27" ones are often too wide.

Edit - I should note we would use this for mills being moved around the shop, not for cross country moves with movers.

 

[rsanter]

Please look at the factory manual as it shows how to setup when new which is also haw it should be setup for several moves like you are doing.

When factory delivered, the head in inverted with a block of wood between the head and the table using the table to help stabilize the head.

The eyelet that you thread into the ram will pick the machine up,safely, otherwise you need to sling under the dovetails of the ram.

If it was me I think I would bolt it to a pallet for them.

I would also use shrink wrap to,protect the machine

 

[nickelmore]

This is fraught with peril. Non machinery movers attempting to be riggers. I have a dim view of household movers over the ease at which they escape claims on normal stuff. Machine tools are 20x that in cost and repairs, so take my bias with a grain of salt.

Best would be if they brought their own forklift...which they won't.

Next best would be if they would agree to deliver it to their moving + storage warehouse on a flatbed/rollback and then they could use their forklift. 2x4 wood blocks under the ram, one fork per side.

If you invert the head it helps lower the center of gravity. The drawbar will fall out then. I worried about the spindle taper collecting rain.

Removing handles is OK but then you face the loss of them or the woodruff key or the graduated dial, hex nut, etc. There's the knee crank to be corralled.

I'm fairly far into it but I much prefer to move my own machinery. In your situation I'd build the skid that could be handled by a forklift and get it thru-bolted to the base. Possibly even put the osb sides on it as well. Mark center of mass and "heavy end" for the forklift operator.

It would be worthwhile in my opinion to use something like LPS-3 on all of the bare metal surfaces. It probably is headed for "conditioned storage" but a couple cans of protectant are pretty cheap insurance.

Great advice. I would leave handels on. Bolt it to a sturdy pallet. I would go through the effort of finding a plactic bag to put over it and build a crate for the whole thing. 1 x 6 pine boards utility grade are cheap You can leave everything intact and safe from bumps.

 

[jmarkwolf]

Please look at the factory manual as it shows how to setup when new which is also haw it should be setup for several moves like you are doing.

When factory delivered, the head in inverted with a block of wood between the head and the table using the table to help stabilize the head.

The eyelet that you thread into the ram will pick the machine up,safely, otherwise you need to sling under the dovetails of the ram.

If it was me I think I would bolt it to a pallet for them.

I would also use shrink wrap to,protect the machine

This is also what I would do, although I'm not sure I would lift it from the eye bolt in the ram, slings under the ram or forks cushioned with 2x4's would be my choice. In addition to moving it in an enclosed trailer or truck. This time of year, salt spray from roads would be highly undesirable.

 

[matt_i]

I would also use shrink wrap to,protect the machine

The stretch wrap is a double-edged sword.

It applies faster than any tarp could.

If it gets wet and then the sun shines on it, its an instant terrarium which will rust the thing under it faster than you could believe.

I have been there and learned about both the stretch wrap and the salt spray.

Beautiful sunny day and I come thru a ~20 mile snow squall in the mountains of TN and the road crews were spreading salt and the drill press I had untarped still bears the scars.

A good mitigation however would be to thoroughly spray down the bare metal surfaces with something like LPS-3 that leaves a waxy film behind. It will have to be removed with solvent before going back to use, but the ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure if conditions go sideways on you.

After several posts of thinking about this, you could invert the handles, which turns them "inside out" on the shaft ends, and bolt it all back snug. I think this will also limit the table.

 

[Leaky88]

Back to subject of this Lifting Eye.
Mine has place on top Ram for one, however it’s a 1/2-13 threaded hole vice a 5/8-11.
Mine did not have a lifting eye and I want to install one just in case I need it for this venture.
Chicago Hardware has a 1/2-13 Drop Forged Lifting Eye listed with working load limit of 2200#.
Is this reputable company? Safety trumps cost this item.
Is there a better source for purchasing one?

Thanks
Leaky

 

[Leaky88]

Matti,
Thanks. I was just thinking about shrink wrap. Just added that feedback to my growing note pad here. Appreciate it much. A mantra I live by is: “ Experience is the best teacher, you get the test before the lesson.”

 

[matt_i]

Back to subject of this Lifting Eye.
Mine has place on top Ram for one, however it’s a 1/2-13 threaded hole vice a 5/8-11.
Mine did not have a lifting eye and I want to install one just in case I need it for this venture.
Chicago Hardware has a 1/2-13 Drop Forged Lifting Eye listed with working load limit of 2200#.
Is this reputable company? Safety trumps cost this item.
Is there a better source for purchasing one?

Thanks
Leaky

My thought is Chicago is a good brand. I'd buy one with a shoulder. Could purchase at McMaster carr. The eye is also a good place to attach tie-downs. Another possibility is to create a piece of flat bar with a bend in it with some holes in the ends. Attach the bar with a standard hex bolt and then tie-downs to the holes or slots in the ends.

You can use blue or silver tarps pretty effectively, if you wrap them around and then use 1" ratchet straps like "belts" to go circumferentially around. Couple of those to eliminate flapping and then try to put a bungee cord into each grommet that's still exposed. If sharp edges are present have to wrap with towels or old jeans or newspapers. The tarps have the advantage of some airflow thru/under and so will dry out, if it got a little bit wet.

 

[Leaky88]

Matt I,
Again,Thanks.
I was torn between buying a new Van for wife and or a Forklift in summer of 15. Just saying...

 

[gtermini]

I didn't read the whole thread, but I've moved a few... no need to block the head. Turn it upside down, and lower the knee all the way. Bring the ram out and put a 4 ft 4x4 under it, lift with forks. This is the way I do it, and all the riggers I've seen at auctions.

This is how god intended BP's to be moved. The eye in the top of the ram is OK for moving around in the shop, but it'll never be balanced when you so to ****** it there. When the head is upside down and the knee down, they're pretty far from top heavy and very easy to move around.

 

[rsanter]

The stretch wrap is a double-edged sword.

It applies faster than any tarp could.

If it gets wet and then the sun shines on it, its an instant terrarium which will rust the thing under it faster than you could believe.

I have been there and learned about both the stretch wrap and the salt spray.

Beautiful sunny day and I come thru a ~20 mile snow squall in the mountains of TN and the road crews were spreading salt and the drill press I had untarped still bears the scars.

A good mitigation however would be to thoroughly spray down the bare metal surfaces with something like LPS-3 that leaves a waxy film behind. It will have to be removed with solvent before going back to use, but the ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure if conditions go sideways on you.

After several posts of thinking about this, you could invert the handles, which turns them "inside out" on the shaft ends, and bolt it all back snug. I think this will also limit the table.

Grease or other protectant on bare surfaces first

 

[rsanter]

This is also what I would do, although I'm not sure I would lift it from the eye bolt in the ram, slings under the ram or forks cushioned with 2x4's would be my choice. In addition to moving it in an enclosed trailer or truck. This time of year, salt spray from roads would be highly undesirable.

Factory manual specifies lifting at that point as well as sling under ram

 

[Leaky88]

Another question.
Besides the 1/2-13 threaded blind hole on top of Ram at front, there is a 7/8 non-threaded hole at opposite end. Is there any reason a Lifting Eye bolt with a nut could not be used there also?

 

[matt_i]

Another question.
Besides the 1/2-13 threaded blind hole on top of Ram at front, there is a 7/8 non-threaded hole at opposite end. Is there any reason a Lifting Eye bolt with a nut could not be used there also?

That's for the E-head (vertical shaper head, or another J-head, accessory head)

Its legit for a trailer tie-down, but I wouldn't lift it from there.

I think the length of the bolt is fairly long, on the order of 5" or so....along those lines it might be difficult to find an eyebolt like that. A potentially better solution would be to get a heavy piece of angle iron and drill a hole in each leg, one for a std hex bolt to attach it to the end of the ram and one for the tie down(s).

 

[MushCreek]

Finally found a couple pics of moving my old B'Port. As I said, I take it apart at the ram turntable. My engine hoist will pick up the whole machine (barely) but it's pretty spooky. Taking it apart also makes it less top-heavy for transport. Just 4 bolts. Notice I move the ram all of the way back, and tilted the head back for balance. For the base, I move the knee all of the way down and back for balance and center of gravity.

 

[matt_i]

Similar....2002...larger than standard engine hoist.

Moved it about 5 miles on the single axle AO trailer.

 

[Leaky88]

Of course I have more questions now.

1)Do I leave head like I have it or move table out and turn it upside down?

2)Since I’m not sure where the Mill will live at its new location, I want to build a custom pallet for it so I can move it around with pallet jack. One guy on the Practical Machinist link above did a 5’x5’ with 2x6’s on 4x4 stringers. Anyone done one differently and if so, how?

I’m just looking ahead. I figure it might rightfully take a year for the neighbor at destination get over helping me unload it before he’d be willing to come help move the Mill again.

Thanks

 

[Cruzan80]

So I just got a Comet Mill off CL, and will reference how we moved it. I dont see any reason a longer move would be more difficult. This mostly relates to getting it on the trailer.

We turned the head 90 deg, and took out the drawbar, and lowered the knee onto a double stack of 2x4s (3" thick) this was enough so the knee was not bottomed out. The seller had already had the table removed, so there was almost no side-to-side load. Moved the head all the way back towards the column. The only other handle that was removed was for the knee (obviously). The Y handle we left in place. The manual quill feed handle and long-arm quill feed handle had previously been removed, and were in boxes.

A buddy of mine has "machine skates" which are essentially plate steel with foam on top, and the wheels are simply bearings. Link (foam would go inside top ridges) https://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200673818_200673818 He also had a small toe jack. We used the front/back cutout on the base to lift it just high enough for the skates to fit under. After that, it was a 1.5 man job to wheel it around (could do it with one carefully, two is easy). Any time we needed to pivot, it was just another step of jacking it up, reposition wheels, drop, repeat.

I had rented a hydraulic tilt trailer for the day from SunBelt Rentals for $80. Tip, if you rent it on Friday, it isnt due back until Monday, still paying 24hr fee. We used a chain hoist attached to the front of the trailer and wrapped a ratchet strap around the bottom of the column to drag it up. At the other end, hooked up the chain hoist, got it on skates, THEN tilted the trailer. Used it to lower it to the back safely and then helped push it off onto concrete. Unhooked chain, and pushed into position.

Best part of this is the mill was only 6" max off the ground at any time. There was concrete/asphalt the entire way we needed to move it to the trailer and off again. Here is a not great photo of it on the trailer. One strap over the ram, one over the inside of the knee pulling forward, and one around base pulling back. No real opportunity for it to tilt or get off balance any time.

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