[cyclestart]

The picture should explain the problem. One solution might be cutting away the crate with a recriprocating saw but I don't have one. Is there another way?
The mill weighs ~1000lbs.

[hoss2006]

extend your boom to lift the head off the machine, then you should be able to lift the rest enough
to get some blocks under the skid.
then you could move the boom back and get a good safe lift.
Hoss

[metalworkz]

The picture should explain the problem. One solution might be cutting away the crate with a recriprocating saw but I don't have one. Is there another way?
The mill weighs ~1000lbs.

Hello,
It looks like you can extend the reach on the engine hoist and then perhaps you will be able to lift the mill slightly and drag it towards the front corner. Then set it down and move the hoist in as close as you can and try slowly raising it until it will rock forward and stabilize for moving. Otherwise you should be able to use a long pry bar or 2x4/4x4 as a lever to slide the machine closer to the corner or even onto another narrower piece of wood etc. so you can position the hoist around it for better and more balanced lifting. Hope this helps.

[pete from TN]

I would just grab onto the top of the column with your hands and tilt the machine back and forth walking it around on the crate til' you get it where you can grab hold of it. Then temporarily strap onto it securely with the boom extended as little as possible and lift it just enough to remove the crate. Then put it on the floor, reposition your straps and then carefully lift it. Two guys can easily leverage the machine around on that crate.... Good luck and be careful... peace

Pete

[turboglenn]

if you have another guy help you, this is how i did it with my X3 (both off the crate and onto it's new bench) GEt a little more chain to where you can get out and get a grip on the mill safely... and even if not directly anove it you can still lift it slowly and let it begin to slide off the crate (guided by one person muscling it around) and get it cup high enough that you can set either the crate or something else right back under it but ontop of the legs of the hoist.

From there let it back down, re-strap it if you feel the need and lift it back up and proceed to bench. then with the extra slack you left in the straps/chain while re-hooking it, have said helper rock/swing the mill back outwards ontop of the new bench...(but just with one pushing motion, not repetitive swings)...then slowly release more slack until it can be wrestled onto the table safely enough to un-hook and wobble/walk/shimmy it into position.

The only problem i really see is that you can't' get directlyt on top of it for a straight lift,(let me know if i'm missing something) but if that's all there is you'll be perfectly fine with the way i explained. I was kinda spooked letting it back down onto the bench this way but it's all i had to work with and surpisingly the mass of the mill made it very stable even when there seemed to be more hanging off than on the table

EDIT: Hell, you've got a full extra pallet there; just have one or two guys walk that pallet right up on the legs of the hoist!

[diecutter]

When I did a heavy lift like this by myself luckily there was also a chain hoist available. I looped a heavy chain around a ceiling beam and attached the chain hoist and made a straight pull upwards. Then you can remove the crate, drop the mill, and hook up the engine hoist. Hope that helps.

[mattmark]

hey cyclestart,

where are you located?

matt

[SCzEngrgGroup]

I had a similar problem with my 2400# knee mill. It arrived on a pallet, and all I had to get it in place was a crowbar. I cut away most of the pallet, used the crowbar to lift one side at a time enough to get stacks of 3/4" plywood squares under the four corners, so I could pull the remaining section of pallet out. Then I just lifted on one side, removed the top pieces of plywood, went to the other side and did the same, and back and forth like that until it was sitting on the floor. Then used the crowbar to move it, and inch at a time, the 6 feet to its final home. All told, only took about an hour start to finish.

Regards,
Ray L.

[cyclestart]

Wow that's a lot of suggestions !! Thank you everyone. I'm rethinking attempting this single-handed so it will be moved on the weekend with a couple of buddies. I'll post a picture of the move, hopefully it's not a don't-do-what-I-did kind of thing.

hey cyclestart,
where are you located?

Manitoba near the American border. It's not nowhere but you can see nowhere from here

[mattmark]

haha, if you were closer, i'd lend you a rec. saw if you needed.

best of luck and be safe. i dropped a 2x3" piece of lumber on my toe.. it killed, but will be fine.. i'm glad my wife reminded me that slippers wouldn't do while moving the mill downstairs.. quickly put on the steel plated boots

[UUU]

Move the crane onto the pallet. It will be at an odd angle, and the wheels may puncture the pallet but just lift a couple of inches then slide some greased plates under it. Amazing how much weight you can slide on greased plates.

[Maglin]

Move the crane onto the pallet. It will be at an odd angle, and the wheels may puncture the pallet but just lift a couple of inches then slide some greased plates under it. Amazing how much weight you can slide on greased plates.

Yes it is. We used these like 3/4 or 5/8" think 5x5 steel plates with a generous amount of grease between them to move our steering gear on the B-52. Just the fuel load on the ramp is 120,000-160,000 lbs and of course the aircraft weighted in at 144,000 lbs. The plates made it easy enough to move the gear by hand with the hydro's disconnected. We used them more to not flat spot the tires on the concrete but man was I surprised. And it took 5 guys to get the plates on and off the trailer.

HimyKabibble
Wow man. A crowbar. Did it leave a nice gouge in the concrete? I've been debating this very issue if I buy a knee mill. I might just use the crowbar idea, or just put pipe under it and roll it on pipes if it's possible.

[cyclestart]

I used a combination of the advice offered. The boom at full extension with the legs jammed up against the skid with another person acting as a counterweight. The cherry picker was used as a winch until a straight lift was possible. Now to get it on the stand. Wish I had bought chain, those fancy nylon straps don't offer much adjustment.