Machines | Easy CNC Equipment Moving with DIY Machine Skates
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Home shop machinists often run into the problem of trying to move heavy equipment around in their garage. Professionals do this with forklifts and machinery skates. In this video, I demonstrate some shop-made machine skates being used to maneuver a 5500lb lathe around. The skates are easily made and can transform a heavy machine from being an immovable object to something that one person can push around! I've learned the hard way - pushing things around on round bars, prying with 6' levers, soaping the concrete, and renting forklifts. When it comes to arranging equipment _inside_ a shop, this is now my favorite way to do it. It should go without saying, but moving big equipment can kill you if you don't use your head and think things through. Be safe and enjoy!
Comments
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Well that was an accident waiting to happen when it came of the skate twice and the person filming was not watching, you should always have people just watching each corner nothing else, great idea though just be safe when you use it.
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i would use either the ward wood or leave it as is but drill holes straight threw the wood and metal plate and countersink the holes so that you can bolt them on and wont have the issue of the wood sliding off.
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Great thump up!
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You can use Watermelon skin, the best way to do that. Here in Mexico, we move Hyperbaric chambers with watermelon skin. Hyperbaric chambers can weight a lot.
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That's great, can you provide the name and size of those bearings? couldn't catch the name thanks
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nice socks..
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get yourself some balls out of a bearing and drill a hole slightly smaller than the ball in the center of your plates for when you want the skates to rotate under the load.
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Nice and useful, I've borrowed a set to move my lathe. (980lbs). For final placing in tight corners I use 2 small sheets of hardboard, shiny-sides together with a dusting of real talcum powder between the sheets, placed beneath the machine feet. This reduces the risk of a roller catching on a small bump and the machine slipping off sideways. The thing will slide freely, then the sheets can easily be slipped out.
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Great tips! Being a welder/ fabricator, this won't be difficult to build!
Razor! -
Nice work
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Nice work!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Where to get the removable toe cap (#2:25)?
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cool
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I caution anyone using this method as you can see he is about to loose the front corner skate because the bearings on one of the other skates got stuck on loose concrete causing the front to almost slide off and cause a serious accident. Don't get me wrong this is a good method I would just have at least 3 people 4 would be better 1 to monitor each corner and move much slower. Watch the video again and you will see what I'm talking about. Besides that, great idea, great use of materials and great video. Thank you for sharing. You can bet I will be making some of these.
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That worked well.
But what when you have to move a machine into your garage, and the pavement and garage is not the same level?
I used round pieces of wood, just like the Egyptians did.
Many hobbyists do not have access to a welder... :( -
Thanks for sharing, your bottle jack mod is great!
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what size bearings did you use and where did you buy them... approximate price each? Thank you - great video!
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or just use stele pipes.I moved a 12Ton machine with 4, 12 inch long stele pipes
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Thanks a lot for showing me the way to handle heavy loads.
Regards