FILENAMES: bpt_lifting_1.jpg bpt_rig_1.jpg bpt_rig_2.jpg DESCRIPTION: These are pictures of moving a Bridgeport mill. Posted by Matt Isserstedt . The following description was provided: ================================================================= These are a couple of photos of moving and rigging a Bridgeport 2J Series 1. bpt_lift_1.jpg I have a Harbor Freight 3ton shop crane, got this for free shipping on sale $299. It is a poor man’s forklift! The Bridgeport *can* be lifted from the tapped hole in the ram as I am doing, without any damage. A former Bpt employee advised me that the factory moved machines around in this exact manner. I have used a standard 5/8-11 eyebolt as the lift is essentially straight up. I have swiveled the head upside down and lowered the table in efforts to lower the center of gravity. bpt_rig_1.jpg One procedure which worked well for me is the use of a floor jack and a come-along to position the load. The center of the load needs to ride slightly ahead of the centerline of the trailer axle so the trailer doesn’t sway. By the same token you don’t want the hitch ball sitting on the ground with the load fully forward. A balance must be struck in determining the proper tongue load. Back to positioning. The floor jack just supports the back edge of the trailer in order to keep it level when the load is applied near the back end. Then the shop crane loads the machine as far forward as it can go. I spray the floor of the trailer with Mobil 1 spraylube in appropriate spots (but any oil or grease would work just fine). I use the come-along, this one is a 3/4ton attached to appropriate soft straps and the machine is dragged back in short order. Bpt_rig_2.jpg Now everything is fully loaded. The crane has been disassembled and is along for the ride. I put a #3 Atlas press on the back end as an afterthought (really it weighs in at over 600#). I have 3/8" chains and ratcheting load binders from a former foray into Farmall tractors. These are available from Harbor Freight also and are more than what is needed. I used the soft straps to avoid scratching the machine with the chains. Ideally the front eye would be chained with two independent chains but my trip here was 3 miles and so I hooked it up quickly. You’ll notice that I left the come-along in the previous photo hooked up to the base of the machine. My driveway is like a ski-slope so I put it on the uphill side. For a longer trip I’d always put it on the back side for a little extra insurance in case I had to stop and the other tie-downs failed. I’d hate to have the machine hit me from behind. Disclaimer. Don’t try this yourself. This is not a foolproof method and I have no idea what equipment you have or if it is safe or if you can use it correctly. Certified load-rated products must be used. Machine tools are extreeeemely heavy and inherently dangerous to transport and move. Matt Isserstedt 07 Dec 2002 matt.isserstedt@gm.com