Lifting Tormach 1100 with a Low Ceiling

Hello Guys,

Another newbie to the world of CNC but after years of waiting I finally have the capacity to buy a Tormach 1100 for a home based prototype shop. I have a decent sized garage 10X25 but only 7' ceiling. I can open up the ceiling, but that only gives me another 8" or so which I feel should be enough for the power draw bar cable tray.

I have read quite a few threads about lifting and moving the 1100:

http://www.cnczone.com/forums/tormac...-software.html
Tormach PCNC 1100 CNC Mill

I was hoping to assemble the machine in my driveway and using a pallet jack move it into the garage but the opening for the garage is not high enough even with the doors removed. I'm not crazy about rigging it to the ceiling joists because I'm just not sure they will be strong enough, safety is my top concern.

Looking at the 1100 operators guide on page 2-5, it states the 1100 can be lifted by inserting two 7/8" steel bars through the base of the machine to use a forklift. I'm wondering if I could rig something up (besides a forklift).

Has anyone tried this or something similar?

Thanks

Have you priced renting a forklift? I was pleasantly surprised to find that it cost me less than $200 to have the local industrial rental place deliver a forklift, provide an operator for about 30 minutes and then return the forklift.

How high is the garage opening? (both without the door removed and with the door removed)

Seems like information like this should be easier to find... I started looking around, and found this video about a compact enclosure (made by a CNCZone member keen)...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hf6ghS3XwL8

At the 0:44 mark an annotation appears saying this enclosure would work with an 86" ceiling. It also says that is "based off this stand table height of 36" ", but I don't know what to make of that number. I couldn't easily find information about how tall the "normal" Tormach stand is.

And here's a thread keen started which might have some more info...
http://www.cnczone.com/forums/tormac...enclosure.html

OK, found the dimensions. I must be blind because I didn't find them the first time I looked.
http://www.tormach.com/uploads/8/D40...sions-pdf.html

OK, so the machine is 76-1/4" from the bottom of the stand to the top of the Z axis motor. How high does your pallet jack need to be to get through your garage threshold? If your garage opening is 80", I bet you could squeeze it through without having to modify the machine. I bet you could remove the Z-axis motor pretty easily to gain another 3-4". I don't actually own a Tormach though, so hopefully someone who does can comment on the feasibility of that.

Hello Guys, thank you for the responses.

Kstrauss,
I am going to call around to some local tool rentals to find out what the lowest forklift they have.

Hirudin,
Thank you for the link to Keens video, that setup looks real nice. Right now the garage door opening without the door is 76-1/4". With the door it's only 71-1/2". Yes, I found that drawing on Tormach's website and with the casters removed we're right at 76-1/4" so close.... Years ago I helped move a bridgeport or sharp by rolling on a series of 1/2" steel rods. With the Z-axis motor removed that could just make it. I also was thinking about having a stand fabricated for me, but Tormach won't sell the chip tray without the stand. I have all their 3D files so I guess I could fabricated that too, but I see that turning into more of a project. I'll probably send keen a PM about the compact stand.

Eric

Z-axis motor removal is easy. Takes like 2 minutes. 4 bolts and an allen screw in the coupling.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by tmarks11

Z-axis motor removal is easy. Takes like 2 minutes. 4 bolts and an allen screw in the coupling.

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But be sure to block up the spindle first. As soon as the Z-coupler is loosened the spindle will drop and that could be an unhappy moment if the spindle nose drops onto the table.

You might be able to use a couple of 1" steel rods through the lift holes in the base along with some rigging straps to lift the base with an engine hoist so long as are aware that it will be top heavy and prone to tipping. A good rigger could tie it off to keep it stable or a lift Or you might able to use a lifting bar like the one Tormach sells for $100 - 31446 - Lifting Bar

That is cheap insurance if you have the vertical clearance.

When the mill is delivered, the spindle head is sitting on a block of wood, so windmilling down shouldn't be a problem when you pull off the z-axis motor.

Note that the lift point is not on the back of the column, so it is not the highest point on the mill. Remove the z-axis motor saves you only 1 inch (assuming you are using a spreader bar like Tormach pictures, the spreader bar is above the top of the rear of the column). No feet on the pedestal is another 3". By the Tormach drawing, that puts the top of the leveling bar at 76". Add another 2-3" to clear the machine over the base = 79". 5" to spare to your ceiling.... but throw a shackle in their and the height of the engine hoist bar, and you are bumping sheetrock.

But... sheetrock was designed to be cut through with a utility knife. Start cutting... You could put the lift point between the ceiling joists.

I think you can do this without a forklift.

I used 2 1" steel bars run through the base to pick up my 1100 to set on the stand. I had a bobcat with forks to pick it up.

It worked well.

The local tow truck company said they should do it for $40. Just need to use lifting straps. But I used the bobcat instead.

Chris

If the door is easy enough to remove, I think EricJ3D is golden. As long as the Z-axis motor is taller than the required height of the pallet jack, it doesn't sound like it'll even be a challenge, really. Might even be able to leave the feet on the stand.

If the door is a pain to take off, here's hoping that the Z-axis motor is at least 6" tall...

Quote:

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Originally Posted by EricJ3D

I'm not crazy about rigging it to the ceiling joists because I'm just not sure they will be strong enough, safety is my top concern.

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Add some temporary support?

Phil:)

Thanks guys for all the suggestions.

Last night I downloaded all the 3D files on the 1100 and started sketching up the garage. I found a few discrepancies with the CAD files but that may have to do with the 2nd or 3rd series. From what I see here I may be able to get away with just the lifting bar kit and an engine hoist. I have to make sure the legs of the engine hoist will fit around (or under) the stand so I don't have to block it up like I have seen in other threads. I definitely want to keep the casters on the stand since I will need to position it with the pallet jack and to move it when I build the enclosure.

My buddy is a high voltage lineman so he will be helping with the rigging depending on which method we use to keep everything safe. I would still like to use a forklift with the (2) 1" bars passing through the base. He was also suggesting a temporary support as philbur suggested.

Still have a lot of work to do on the garage. New garage door is going in this week. Just ground down the concert floor this past weekend. Not hard work but what a dusty mess! Ready for epoxy coating. Framing is done, ready for electrical, sheetrock and lighting.

If there is one near you, check out hoists from United Rental. They had exactly the right thing. (NB: my ceiling is 10', plus 18" in the joists- not an accident- and the United hoist was a perfect fit. Not a comparable situation. But: United has good equipment, and is worth a look.) In the situation described, 1" bar stock and a lift from below sounds better.

I used an engine hoist to lift a tormach 1100 on the stand. The legs of the hoist would not fit under the stand. I blocked up the mill stand to get the hoist leg under it.
Was no problem with 10' ceiling, might be a big problem with your head room.