# Moved the #21 Buffalo Forge Drill press into the basement



## Bernd (Oct 6, 2008)

Sunday was moving day for the #21 Buffalo Forge drill press. I wanted it in the basement because it's warmer (a lot warmer) in the winter than the garage. Also need to make some room for the Bridgeport that is coming weeks end. So following is 18 pics of how I moved it into the basement. I started Sunday night and finished up Monday afternoon.

WARNING: Do not try this at home kids. You may get hurt. Also the methods I used may not work for you. This is not a "How To Move Machinery". Your on your own. I simply show how I did it.






This is the drill press ready to be moved. It's 6' 10" tall to the top of the pulley. The garage door is 6' 9". DARN.





Here's how I moved it across the floor. It's just a 1/2" dia. Rod to help roll it across the floor.





This how I got the rod under the base. Then I just used the crow bar in the back and worked it across the floor. I pick up the base and put the piece of wood under it to roll the rod forward and start all over again.





Tied to the bucket of the tractor ready to tip it over to get it through the door.





Starting to tip it.





Got her tipped and dragging it out side to take the top part of the drill off.





The top came off pretty easy. But first I had to figure out why it won't budge, even after I loosened the screws. Finally discover that a dowel was holding it together yet. You can just make out a small hole above the bevel gears that crank the table up and down. Drilled that out and the top separated from the base.





Both top and base loaded on pallets ready for the descend to the basement. That's the boss on the right, Miss Boots. She supervises everything I do.





Monday morning. First causality of the move, the door frame. Oh well a few nails will take care of that. Top half ready to slide down the stairs.





1/4 of the way down. Ya, I know. I shouldn't rub the strap across the edge of the concrete. 





Here's what it looks like down at the basement door.





Finally down the rest of the way and through the door.





The pallet is sitting on two 8 foot long 2 X 4's and the pipe to roll the top on are laying there.





Ready to roll the whole works down the hallway in one swoop.





The base ready for the same trip.





At the bottom ready to be loaded on to the cart.





Loaded on the cart and ready to roll next to the top.





Move complete. Both base and top part now waiting for assembly. That'll be part two of moving the drill press, so stay tuned. I'll post as I get it assembled. That will be a monumental task. I'm still trying to figure out how I'll be able to hoist the top part high enough to get it on it's base column. Time will tell. Only other causality was a lever. That can be welded back up. All in all a save move.

Regards,
Bernd


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## CrewCab (Oct 6, 2008)

Way to go Bernd, all moved and no (significant) casualties, heck what's a door frame leg between friends 

I must own up to wanting to make a smart ass comment about ....... "and for those of us without a tractor" .......... only because I don't have a tractor  ............ but I see It's not going to help in the basement putting it all back together, so ........ what's the plan.

Anyway, good luck with getting the drill back together and getting the mill in place 8) .......... looking forward to episode 2.

CC


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## wareagle (Oct 6, 2008)

The next post may be on how to disassemble a tractor! :big: Sorry Bernd, I couldn't help myself! ;D

Looks like the move went smoothly. Nice job, and glad there wasn't any catostrophic casualties to the structure, machine, yourself, or the "boss" Miss Boots!


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## Bernd (Oct 6, 2008)

CrewCab  said:
			
		

> I must own up to wanting to make a smart ass comment about ....... "and for those of us without a tractor" .......... only because I don't have a tractor  ............ but I see It's not going to help in the basement putting it all back together, so ........ what's the plan.



Well let's see. Going to have to invent a shrinking machine. Hey Honey, I shrunk the tractor. Problem will be the weight. Can't shrink mass. It would still weigh 3 tons. Probaly break the stair case. :big:

I'll tell ya, that's the most handiest thing I've got is that tractor with bucket. It's my motorized wheel barrow. 8)

The plan is to take a look at an engine hoist from Habor Freight. The floor to bottom of the joists is 7' 10". I was thinking of using a chain fall to get it as high as I can. Then from there I would have to see what I can figure out. So basically no final plan yet, just some ideas.

Bernd


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## Bernd (Oct 6, 2008)

wareagle  said:
			
		

> The next post may be on how to disassemble a tractor! :big: Sorry Bernd, I couldn't help myself! ;D



I figure if I could..............naw, ain't gonna' work. Darn   :big:

Hey I would have felt slighted if you didn't. ;D

Bernd


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## CrewCab (Oct 6, 2008)

The first thought that springs to mind is ............. block and tackle, hole in (lounge  ) floor ............ etc ............ however ............. I can see getting that idea past the financial committee / controller has little chance of success  :wall: ............ OK ......... bring on Plan "C"

 CC


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## zeusrekning (Oct 6, 2008)

Sure looks big for only 21# :big:


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## mklotz (Oct 6, 2008)

Just brainstorming here, but would it be possible to assemble it horizontally on the floor and then use the chain fall, attached to a joist, to hoist it to vertical?


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## Bernd (Oct 6, 2008)

mklotz  said:
			
		

> Just brainstorming here, but would it be possible to assemble it horizontally on the floor and then use the chain fall, attached to a joist, to hoist it to vertical?



I was thinking about that Marv. I would be tough to get the base column and the top of the drill press lined up so they would slide together. May be the last resort though. May also be the first attempt. Sure would be cheaper than buying an engine hoist. I also have to make sure that once it gets past that center point of tipping that it wouldn't go over the other way. That's how I originally set it up when I got it into the garage. 
We'll see. Right now my bones are acing. I need to rest a bit. 

Bernd


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## wareagle (Oct 6, 2008)

Bernd, Marv has a point in the assembly in the horizontal and hoist it vertical plan. I have had to do the same thing with pieces of equipment in the past, and what I did to combat the tip-over problem during the hoisting was to place the base on a piece of material that would allow it to slide across the floor easily, and then hoist the top of the unit and let the base move laterally across the floor until the unit is vertical. Then it is a simple matter of setting it down, and nothing has a tendency of getting out of hand. Take it slow and everything should be fine. The key to this is the hoisting point on the structure and the pick point on the machine. You will have to have the head room for the machine as well and the rigging. Ideally you would want to hoist it over the intended location of the DP, but get as close as possible. 

I am excited about your new arrival! Thanks for keeping us informed!!


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## Cedge (Oct 6, 2008)

One of my many duties in the past was uprighting heavy machines (6000 plus lbs and up to 13 ft tall). I'd put a non slip pad under the edge of the base and use 2 chain falls. One to lift it, the other snugged enough to keep it from running away when it hits the tipping point. Then ease it on down with the second chain fall. Come alongs will work, but they tend to run out of cable before you get where you want to go.... usually at the worst possible moment.

Probably used the technique 50 or 60 times..... when the forkilift wouldn't fit in the same room as the machine during the install.

Steve


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## ksouers (Oct 6, 2008)

Bernd,
Glad the move went without too much of a hitch. I like to see how people managed to move their equipment. It gives lots of ideas when the time comes move things here.

I pick up my mill tomorrow, so this was a timely post. I only have to move it into the garage, not downstairs. But it still weights about 1700 lbs. I bought the HF 2-ton hoist with the folding legs. My garage door is only 7 feet high, so we'll see how it works out in tight spaces. I can tell you right now the legs are very long, about 6 feet, so you'll need lots of horizontal room to swing it around, not just headroom.

Congratulations on a safe move.


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## Bernd (Oct 7, 2008)

I was looking at the drill press last night and contemplating it's assembly and getting it upright. I think I'm going with the tipping up as Marv suggested. Seems to be the best solution. I don't think I can use a chain fall since I have a 7' 10" floor to bottom of joist dimension and a 7' floor to bottom of "I" beam dimension. Here's a pic of the basement before all the machinery invaded the basement. :big:






I'll be a few days before this project will continue, but will post as major work gets done.

Thanks for all the help and suggestions on this guys. Really appreciate it.

Regards,
Bernd


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## Bernd (Oct 7, 2008)

zeusrekning  said:
			
		

> Sure looks big for only 21# :big:



It may look big and heavy but it is a #21. At least that what is on the gear quard. Here's a pic of it.






I found out that the number stands for half the distance from center to column. So that's 10.5" from center of spindle to the edge of the column. I found model #20's and #22's on the net but didn't find any #21's. 

Regards,
Bernd


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## wareagle (Oct 8, 2008)

Bernd, your going to have a nice working space when everything is done! It looks nice!


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## Bernd (Oct 8, 2008)

The story continues with the drill press.
As Marv mentioned earlier and I also thought that I might have to do it this way, was to tip it back up after I assembled the top to the bottom. So the following pictures show the drill press being put back together and stood upright.






This is the general area of where the drill press will wind up.





First I had to get the base off of the cart.





I used the crank mechanism and a 2" wide strap to pick up the base. Might as well use the machines cranks when possible.





Setting the base on the floor.





I found I could easily tip the base over with any tools or levers.





The top half was brought close to the base and the column was lined up.





A hydraulic car jack works nice for small moves of heavy equipment. Here I'm getting the up/down alignment.





The column has been slid home after some fine tuning of alignment.





The tip-up begins. After several false starts I finally was satisfied with the hook up and proceeded to tip the drill press up. 





Almost half way. The chain started to slip so I readjusted the chain for a better hook up.





Almost to the end. I found I could easily push the machine by hand the rest of the way. I need to readjust the hook up before doing that.





I re-rapped the chain and use the strap with the ratchet to finish the job.





The drill press standing fully up right without any casualties.





This is how I move the drill press once upright. I use a crow bar and just lift one end high enough to get the rod under and then I use the crow bar to move the whole machine. Works much easier if a roller is under the machine.





All put back together and ready to drill... almost. I need to clean up the junk behind the drill press so I can move it next to the wall.
A bit of interest for the wood workers among you. That lathe behind the drill press is a wood lathe made by the Seneca Company in Seneca, New York. I believe that is was a treadle operated lathe. If anybody is interested I'll take some closer pics of it.

Well that's it for now. I need to finalize the DC drive and make some tooling for the drill press.

Hope you guys enjoyed the pics of moving about a 1,000lb. machine into the basement. Next will be the Bridgeport. That won't happen till some time next week. So stay tuned for that move. It needs to go in the basement also. Moving this drill press has given me some insight as to the difficulties of moving some thing heavy.

Regards,
Bernd


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## CrewCab (Oct 8, 2008)

Nicely done Bernd :bow:

CC


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## mklotz (Oct 8, 2008)

I'm pleased that it worked for you, Bernd.


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## wareagle (Oct 8, 2008)

One piece of the puzzle in place!  

Here's one for a job well done!


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## Bernd (Oct 8, 2008)

Thanks guys.

Now for the Bridgeport when it get's here. It'll be home on Friday. I won't be able to work on it till next week though. Need to close up camp this weekend. But I might start the thread with a pic of the newly aquired machine. 

Bernd


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## rake60 (Oct 8, 2008)

Very well executed Bernd!

50 years from now someone will buy that house and think that machine was 
was placed in there and house was built over it! 

Rick


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## Bernd (Oct 8, 2008)

rake60  said:
			
		

> Very well executed Bernd!
> 
> 50 years from now someone will buy that house and think that machine was
> was placed in there and house was built over it!
> ...



Wonder what they will think when they see the Bridgeport in the basement? :big: :big: :big:
Or they'll be thinking "What is that contraption.  " :big:

Thanks for the compliment Rick.

Bernd

BTW, if any body is interested in how to move heavy things. Check this guys web site out. It may not be about moving machines but will give you some idea of how to move heavy stuff buy yourself. It sort of helped me out.

http://www.theforgottentechnology.com/newpage1


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