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SIEG SX3.5DZP - MOVING IN

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I took some pictures as I moved the SIEG SX3.5DZP into the workshop.

I spent a long time thinking about and planning the move.

Please excuse the state of the workshop. It was still under construction at that time.

 

Index :

1. Preliminary work
2. At the front door
3. Unpacking the crate
4. Over the doorstep and into the hall
5. Through the office and into the workshop
6. The lift
7. On the bench

 

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1. PRELIMINARY WORK


When I visited ArcEuroTrade to have a look at, and buy, the machine, I was allowed to see the packing crate in their stores.
I took the opportunity to carefully measure and note down the packing crate dimensions.
I also measured up the machine that was in their showroom.
Knowing the dimensions, I could make stuff to help during the move.

↓ Before the machine arrived, I made a platform/dolly with four heavy duty 100mm nylon casters.
The dolly had a substantial base in the middle, and 4 wheels for stability.
The dolly rides primarily on the two fixed middle wheels.
The two swivel wheels at the front end and back end are stabilisers, and are slightly higher than the fixed wheels.

 

 

I found a second hand 1 Tonne Switzer folding crane for sale on ebay. I paid the 'buy it now' price, and won the item. I could not believe my luck, the seller lived just 10 minutes away.!

I bought a couple of 1 ton cargo straps from toolstation. I think they were 1m and 2m. They were cheap.

I foresaw that I would be able to lift the mill with the crane, but I would not be able to move it and set the mill onto the workbench.

I came up with a plan:-

[1] Lift the mill to just above bench height.
[2] Manoeuvre a mobile bench under the mill.
[3] Lower the mill onto the mobile bench.
[4] Remove the crane.
[5] Move the mobile bench up against the mill bench.
[6] Slide the mill onto the mill bench.

↓ Here is the temporary mobile bench for the mill.
The top has still to go on.
I re-used the 100mm nylon casters from the dolly.
The chipboard reinforces the framework and the unit is extremely rigid and strong. I had no worries about it safely handling the weight of the mill.

 

I prepared some sheets of chipboard to protect the floors in the house. The workshop is in the house. I have converted the lounge into a workshop. I am not mad.

I prepared some thick small steel tubes, to help roll the mill along the chipboard.

 

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2. AT THE FRONT DOOR


The lorry showed up on the advised day.
The driver lowered the mill on the tail lift, and he slid the packing case onto the dolly.
I then fired a few screws through predrilled holes in the dolly, and into the base of the packing case. I did not want the packing case sliding off the dolly as it was being wheeled in from the lorry to the porch.
Me and the driver then pushed the crate to the front door. It went great, and only took about 15 minutes all in.

 

 

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3. UNPACKING THE CRATE

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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4. OVER THE DOORWAY STEP AND INTO THE HALL


I had to build a ramp, so I could get the mill over the raised doorstep and down onto the hallway floor.

 

The dolly was designed to be higher than the doorstep.

 

It took a while to get the mill off the dolly and to the bottom of the ramp.

 

 

The mill finally landed on the hallway floor.

 

 

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5. THROUGH THE OFFICE AND INTO THE WORKSHOP


The mill was rolled into the office room.
I used some 10mm diameter heavy duty tube for the rollers.

 

The rollers made it easier to move on the level floor.

 

There was a small step to negotiate to get into the workshop.

 

In the workshop.

 

Nearly at the lifting point.

 

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6. THE LIFT

 

The pulley cover had to be removed, and some other bits had to be moved out of the way of the straps.

 

I was a bit dubious about lifting the mill by strapping under the head.
I spoke to ArcEuroTrade, and a few other people, and they said it was ok to lift like that.

 

Luckily the legs of the crane went under the mill table.
I covered the floor with boards, to spread the loads.

 

 

 

Nearly at the right height.
The crane was nearly touching the ceiling (but I had it all calculated beforehand).

 

There are packing pieces under the mill to bring it up to the same level as the workbench.

 

Finally made it safely.

 

The mobile bench was narrow enough to fit between the legs of the crane.

 

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7. ON THE BENCH


The crane is removed and the mobile bench is moved into position.

 

The new bench is 500mm deep and is covered in 1.4mm thick mild steel sheet
The walls behind all the benches are covered in 1.4mm thick mild steel sheet, on a backing of 6mm MDF.
The joins in the sheets at the walls are sealed with silicon sealant. I want to make cleaning up an easy task.

 

The mill is slid onto a 6mm sheet of MDF.
The mdf sheet makes it easier to slide the mill around on the bench, while I decided on its final position.

 

 

The mill is roughly in its final position.
There is a small gap behind the mill column, because of the window sill that protrudes by 25mm.

 

The mill overhangs the front of the 500mm deep bench.
The bulk of the weight of the mill is bearing down on the back and middle sections of the bench.
The bench is modified to accomodate the front of the mill.

 

A sheet of steel needs to go under the front end of the mill, and the wood needs to be painted.

 

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