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Well, here goes nothing... or something... or, it's expensive...

Bully

Silver $$ Contributor
Well, I did it.

I plunked down a good faith deposit on a Harrison M300. It is a 13x40, big 'ol gearhead. 3 and 4 jaw chuck. Collet closer. Aloris post with 6 or 7 inserts. All for what I consider a darn good deal. I'll get him the rest of the money next week and am currently trying to figure out how to move the darn thing from him to me. Then it's on to a phase converter, but one step at a time.

I'm hoping to start turning barrels and actions into rifles. I realize I have a LONNNNNGG way to go. But, this is my start. I'm excited and scared as hell.

Class starts in September at my local CC. "The journey of a thousand miles begins with but a single step." Or a pissed off wife that can't believe that you purchased another tool and you're running for your life. Whatever.

Here's to nothing...
 
Be CAREFUL rigging and moving that tool. Give it plenty of respect as a mistake can be very harmful to your wallet but more importantly, your health. If it has a threaded hole for a lifting eye in the bed, buy an appropriate eye and use it to lift from. It will be located at a good basic position and the carriage can be fed fore or aft to get the final balance. Then a 2.5-3 ton engine hoist can be used to lift it a foot or so. If you have access to a forklift with that capacity, all the better. Once on the floor, machinery rollers can be placed at the four corner pads to slowly guide it into position. Professional riggers can be pricey but cheap if you do not know what you are doing;).
 
"Well, I did it."

The adventure (really an addiction) is just beginning.

Equipment skates can be rented at most industrial equipment rental places.

Plan your moves and remember lathes and mills tend to be top heavy.
 
FWIW, I cut up a lot of cheap Remington take-off barrels to get started. Hacked off the breech at some random location that left enough metal for a tenon, fit it up and test fired them with Trail Boss loads until there wasn't enough diameter to do it again. Did lots of listening, reading and researching in the meantime (and still am!) The information is out there, experience will come with time.
 
FWIW, I cut up a lot of cheap Remington take-off barrels to get started. Hacked off the breech at some random location that left enough metal for a tenon, fit it up and test fired them with Trail Boss loads until there wasn't enough diameter to do it again. Did lots of listening, reading and researching in the meantime (and still am!) The information is out there, experience will come with time.

I kinda love this. Thank you.
 
Don't Use skates, they are a good way to tip over a machine if you are not carefull. Go to a hardware store and buy about 10 pieces of 1" gas pipe and use it as rollers. Pry up one end with a crow bar or toe jack, jam some pipes under it, then do the other end. Its slow to have to keep putting the pipes back in front but you will not tip it over and one person can push it around while the other runs pipes back and front. I move machinery around with my 10yo, he just moves pipes while I push. you can even steer and turn by angling the pipes.
Then rent a drop deck trailer and a come along. Don't try jacking stuff up unless you have a gantry crane. An engine hoist wont get it done.

Be carefull and enjoy your machine.
 
Don't Use skates, they are a good way to tip over a machine if you are not carefull. Go to a hardware store and buy about 10 pieces of 1" gas pipe and use it as rollers. Pry up one end with a crow bar or toe jack, jam some pipes under it, then do the other end. Its slow to have to keep putting the pipes back in front but you will not tip it over and one person can push it around while the other runs pipes back and front. I move machinery around with my 10yo, he just moves pipes while I push. you can even steer and turn by angling the pipes.
Then rent a drop deck trailer and a come along. Don't try jacking stuff up unless you have a gantry crane. An engine hoist wont get it done.

Be carefull and enjoy your machine.

Au contraire mon frère cajun....I have done it as I have described moving different smaller lathes, the largest being a Clausing Colchester 15/50 that weighed in at about 3600lbs with chuck/taper attachment on board. That Harrison 300 will weigh in at a bit less; a decent engine hoist will lift it. I have also moved equipment on black pipes as you described and that does work well and is less 'tippy' than machinery casters of an inappropriate size (and much cheaper if you buy OR rent). If the casters are sized appropriately they are quite effective and safe. I happen to have family that could borrow casters of a broad range of sizes from a plant in which he worked. I did move a couple of Bridgeport J head mills and a surface grinder around my shop on the pipes and it is crude but effective. Any method described above is as safe as you make it; it is real easy to screw things up fast if caution is not taken regardless of method.
 
I did exactly the same thing about 7 years ago except I inherited my lathe from my dad. I moved it with a engine hoist and trailer. then pipes to it current spot. it's a jet 1340 and the electric motor had never been hooked up to power. after two years of struggling with it, I bought a new 3 phase motor and vfd and I couldn't be happier. now if I have to I can slow the speed way down. I have watched at least 100 videos on machining, cutting threads and chambering. I'm by no means a well trained gunsmith. but I know enough to get by for what I need. good luck and I know for me it has been a very rewarding experience
 
I made a similar investment about a year ago. It has been a fun ride so far. I have made quite a bit of my tooling. Helps to get use the the machine and hones your skills. You may as well start looking for a good mill now;).
 
Ditto on pipe rollers. I've moved a lot of heavy stuff with pipe rollers, including a Haas TL-1 CNC lathe at 4500 lbs. I used 2" ridgid conduit for that critter into my garage off of a lowboy trailer.
 
Just get yourself a 35G it makes moving things easy!!!
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Lathes can be extremely top heavy.One way to prevent tip overs is to lag some 4x4 skids on.Extended,fr to back,about 18" on each side.

We've had two lathes come through here for resale that needed MAJOR repairs.How did it happen?Both involved tip overs and fork lifts.They get to a point of lean,that once exceeding.....nothing is gonna stop it.You have been warned.Good luck with your move.
 

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