Lifting a X3

[hudmut]

Just out of intrest how would you do it

I have my X3 sat on top of a roll cab but the base of the cab is not that strong and its been sat on wood blocks for the last 2 years but this week iv made a nice trolley for it. When i put the machine on there it was in bits that i could lift so now i have to pick it up with my engine lift.

I'm a bit unsure on what would be the best way do i bolt some thing to the table, lift with a strap round the table, or by the head. I do know on the cnc KX3 there is a eye bolt in the top of the head but i would have to drill and tap the hole for it i don't like the idea of that to much as i would have to remove my DRO scale and that takes a lot of resetting after.

What way would you lift it and why

 

[gunboatbay]

FWIW, I had to perform a similiar stunt with my SX3 recently. I wrapped a 2" wide nylon lifting strap arount the head twice, right next to the column. Worked great and with the head up quite high on the column, gravity kept it dangling at a nice angle.

 

[BillH]

I used straps and the bucket loader of my uncles tractor to lift it up.

 

[BobWarfield]

It really depends on the balance of the machine. For an RF-45 like my IH mill, I have seen it done by dropping the head as low as possible and wrapping the straps around the collar that attaches the head to the column. If you get it right the machine will hang very nicely. If you do these things wrong, I have visions of it shifting, rapidly pivoting, and landing upside down on its head (and my foot) shortly thereafter!

Cheers,

BW

 

[bmuss51]

i have to agree with gunboatba that the mill should be lifted by the head. as i have moved mine several times. like out of the box to a bench for cleaning and then to it's final home of a steel table i made for it.
the way i did it was to use a sling of about 1 1/2" and wrapped around the head back at the point where the head pivots and did a double wrap of about 720 degrees, locked the head in it's most upward position and the with column locked and moved the table to to most rear position and lifted with no problems.
do not try to lift from the table because the y axis gibbs will not support the weight.

 

[Cedge]

Hudmut
I bought a lift table from Harbor Freight to do the job. Not all that expensive and I find that I use it often for all sorts of things, including as a work table/tool collector.

Steve

 

[BobWarfield]

Second the notion of a lift table (some call it a die table) being really handy around the shop!

Best,

BW

PS Plus its another place to stack the almighty "stuff" we accumulate, LOL.