How do you move a Bridgeport Mill?

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nat

nat

Joined
Sep 20, 2005
Threads
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1,990
Location
Los Gatos, California
I may get a free Bridgeport mill and will need to move it. It is in a backyard with brick walkways.

How do you roll it around? How do you get it in a truck?

I am thinking I may remove the head and crossslides. I suppose the old "Egyptian Roll" could be used.

I am not sure if its mine yet, if this other guy does not want it, then I score :D It comes with a 3phase to single phase converter too.
 
Keep in mind that a lot of machinery is very top heavy and can easily come tumbling down and can be quite dangerous to move without the proper equipment. You will most likely need a forlift, front end loader etc.
 
pony up the couple hundred bucks for a crane

get one that can pick up 2k the distance from the alley.
Lift out of yard and into the back of your truck:)

We move em at work with a fork truck. we pick it up at the neck
slide the forks in from the side put 2x4's on the forks and lift where the head slides on the upper boxways

Crane it from the same spot. 400.00 to pick up free working bridgeport is a DEAL.

Grats if you get it!!
 
How would somebody move one with no crane and just a s10 pickup?
 
If you want to put your nuts in Darwin's hands You could try a pair of bottle jacks and a lot of cribbing to get it up high the transfer from solid cribbing to sprung truck would be "interesting" may need to put the truck frame on cribbing also.


I think an hour of heavy equip time would be cheap, around here probably $100 or less. much safer and probably less than the lumber for the other method.
 
If you get it in the pickup you will have a broken-ass pickup.

Rent a forklift from your local rental place. Rent a serious trailer to go with it. Borrow someone's real truck to tow the forklift/mill. By 'real truck' I'm not including my 80, so no disrespect intended to your S-10, it just isn't enough truck.
 
I need to e-mail a guy I know, I think he claimed to move one by himself with a mini-van :lol:
 
Well actually, I have moved much stone in a half ton pickup.

I learned masonry from my Dad by building many rock walls. We used to quarry the stone ourselves and would haul it down to the house.
 
Well, the mill is mine if I want it :D

Right now I am leaning towards a truck with a liftgate. We can use pipes and "egyptian roll" the mill onto the gate, then up into the truck.

At my folks house where this is ending up, it will be easy, it is a wide flat driveway.
 
vtcruiser60 said:
Ever moved stone with a pick up....suddenly paying 25-50 for the delivery charge makes more sense when you get the bill for busted leaf springs. Ask me how I know.
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I've been spending alot of time at the local sand & gravel lot the past few weekends. Tthe way some people overload their stuff there, I'm surprised there isn't a trail of broken parts & vehicles on the way out of there!
 
The foot of the knee for most J head Bridgeports is not flat. I has little raised parts at each corner- so if you're going to move it with some pipes- take some sturdy 3/4" or 1" plywood.


And take your time- it's gonna be REALLY top heavy.
 
nat said:
Well, the mill is mine if I want it :D

Right now I am leaning towards a truck with a liftgate. We can use pipes and "egyptian roll" the mill onto the gate, then up into the truck.

At my folks house where this is ending up, it will be easy, it is a wide flat driveway.
Click to expand...

Remember..this a piece of equipment that is "dangerously" heavy...if it falls on someone it will kill them.

There are pros called "riggers" that do this for a living..it's sort of an art, and a dying art at that. I would rent a low trailer from Uhaul and lay it down until you get home.

I would call the local lumber yard that has one of those "spiders' that fits on the back of the delivery truck. Things are slow at most lumber yards and I would be surprised if the guy would charge you a $100 for a few minutes move.

Good Luck
 
Quick google search picked up the following post with pictures of a guy moving the 2400lb mill.

Moving and Hoisting a 2000-Pound Bridgeport Milling Machine
movebpt2.webp
 
LukeZero said:
The foot of the knee for most J head Bridgeports is not flat. I has little raised parts at each corner- so if you're going to move it with some pipes- take some sturdy 3/4" or 1" plywood.


And take your time- it's gonna be REALLY top heavy.
Click to expand...

Yep, and maybe lay down 2X8's side by side using four of them. Use a bunch of cut pieces of heavy pipe like gas pipe to roll it on the 2X8 path. As you cross one set of boards pick them up and put them in front of the others.

My buddy got a free Bridgeport a few years ago. He is always doing something cool on it like making goose calls.
His is 3 phase. He had an electrician friend put together some kind of electrical motor deal that boosted it up to 3 phase. If your's is like that let me know and I will get you the exact set up details.
 
Joe_E said:
Yep, and maybe lay down 2X8's side by side using four of them. Use a bunch of cut pieces of heavy pipe like gas pipe to roll it on the 2X8 path. As you cross one set of boards pick them up and put them in front of the others.

My buddy got a free Bridgeport a few years ago. He is always doing something cool on it like making goose calls.
His is 3 phase. He had an electrician friend put together some kind of electrical motor deal that boosted it up to 3 phase. If your's is like that let me know and I will get you the exact set up details.
Click to expand...

The cool thing is I am getting a single phase to 3 phase converter for free too :cool:
 
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