# Moving a Bridgeport into the Basement



## Bernd (Sep 3, 2008)

I was surfing the net last night and came across this website. After reading it, which I found humorous and, informative and a few good links, I had to think of Bogstandard's thread on setting up his shop. I don't think I'd try the method he used to transport his mill from the place he bought it to his residence, but it gave me a few good ideas as to how one can move a mill like this. So without further ado here's the web site. Bridgeport Moving

Enjoy, you may get a chuckle from reading this.

(NOTE to safety conscious freaks. Don't go here) :big:

Regards,
Bernd


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## Bogstandard (Sep 4, 2008)

Bernd,

It really shows what us idiots will do just to get what we want, where we want it.

John


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## Bernd (Sep 4, 2008)

Bogstandard  said:
			
		

> Bernd,
> 
> It really shows what us idiots will do just to get what we want, where we want it.
> 
> John



Ya I know. Here's my version of standing up a cast iron drill press of about 1000lbs. Hopefuly I have a Bridgeport in the works. It's in pieces because the guy can't assemble it in his basment because of heigth. So when I happened across that site I had to share it.

Bernd


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## rake60 (Sep 4, 2008)

My brother in law just bought a pellet stove to help ease the cost of heating his home 
this winter. The stove weighed 400 pounds. The seller was nice enough to throw in
80 pounds of wood pellets. He was even kind enough to load them into the stove! 

Picture this.

2 X 6 planks down a steep set of concrete stairs leading to the basement.
A 5/16 steel cable connected to the bumper of a GMC Jimmy. 

The stove is fine! Nobody got hurt!
We'll fix that bumper... :big:

Rick


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## ksouers (Sep 4, 2008)

Oops...


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## Bernd (Sep 4, 2008)

I moved a soap stone stove of about the same weight out of the basement and into it's final resting place in the livingroom of our house.

I used a ratchet type cable thingie tied to my tractor. I was going to use the tractor but thought better of it since I couldn't see down the stairs to watch if the stove was coming up the stairs. So I just used the tractor as a place to tie the rope then hooked onto the ratchet. Well I got the stove half way up the staris and ran out of room on the ratchet. I had to wedge a 4 X 4 across the stair well bhind the stove so I could retie the ratchet. Got it up into the garage. Next was getting it up one step into the kitchen. Then about 16" up onto a platform in the livingroom. Took me all day by myself but I got her done.

Wife come comes home and asks what I did today. Said I moved the stove upstairs. She's says so what else did you do?   Sheeeeeeeesh.

Sounds like that bumper may have had a bit of rust starting......... :-\  :big:

Bernd


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## John S (Sep 5, 2008)

I have moved a total of 7 Bridgeports now and with the exception of two where I was helped by the new owners I have done these on my own.
Tools used were just a folding 1 ton crane as can be bought from Machine Mart [ mine was ] and a Transit sized van.

They take to pieces easily and you are left with 5 or 6 lumps in cluding the column.

The column will fit inside the side loading door on a transit with no problems and the rest will fit on an ISO pallet with things like the bed hanging over the sides.

Stripping these to move them is an advantage as you get to check parts you never normally see.

Points that can cause problems on a Bridgy is all the crap that gets under the saddle / knee area, the head bolts stretching, teeth off the tilt worm and the bevel gear coming loos on top of the knee screw.

All these points can be addressed on buildup.

My Bridgy had to be done this way as it was stood in a corner and had been hemmed in by larger machines. It also had to be done over a holiday whist the plant engineer was away [ long story but the machine was a bargaining chip he had ]
I was told it had to be gone before he got back, went in at 10am on a new years day and by 2pm was back home with it all still loaded in the van.

Took two part days between other work to get it out, checked and rebuilt and sited. Normally with an early start I can get one collected, delivered and re-erected in the same day provided no spares are needed.

Even rocket science isn't rocket science.


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## rake60 (Sep 5, 2008)

I know everyone here gets tired of me saying this, but....

Your own best safety device rests between your ears.

If you think it can be done safely it probably can!
If there is any doubt in your mind, rethink it!

About 3000 years ago we were prey animals.
An easy meal for a bigger more powerful animal to have for dinner.

Intelligence and fear made us the most powerful animal on the planet.
Ignore the fear and your just another monkey running across the road
in front of the oncoming truck.
History says you will LOSE.

Rick


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