Mobile press

[thinfourth]

Many moons ago our works elf and safety goon decided that the 30 ton workshop press was too dangerous as it didn't have a piece of paper

I was given the job of disposing of this and it will get to the scrap yard eventually i was going to get round to it but the lockdown is stopping me quite what my excuse was for the past ten years i'm not to sure of

But in the meantime

I am going to be moving it into my newish workshop and i am tempted to make it mobile so it can be stuck in a corner when not in use

So what would guys be tempted to use as i already have a pallet truck in there

 

[cheb]

Use the pallet truck, you already got it. Give it a go and if you decide you don't like it do something else later.

 

[Screwdriver]

...but if you do, strap it to an actual pallet. Those things are notoriously top heavy and wobbly.

The main issue with moving it at all is that it might fall over, therefore your primary consideration will be how to stop it from tipping over.

 

[northwest]

Friends of mine have a workshop that can flood under certain circumstances, but only at one end. Everything they have at the "floody" end is made or adapted in such a way they can get a pallet truck under everything and move it all up out of the way. This works really well as it cost nothing to do, all the frames were made from the scrap bin, and when everything is where it should be it is really solid.

 

[8ob]

In a factory environment the movement alone would pose an HSE nightmare if you were to modify the frame by adding wheels. If it were to topple questions would be asked.

I would go with retractable castors on each corner

Bob

 

[waddycall]

Shorten it and put and some wheels on it or bolt it down to a heavy moveable base. You could make A base out of steel and fill it with concrete. You could use upside down channel to make slots for your pallet truck.

 

[CompoSimmonite]

I'd make a base, that it can be bolted to that would give the stability, but can be picked up with pallet truck to be moved. So basically a metal pallet !

 

[Agroshield]

A few practical issues:

Assess the stability of the machine as others have said. Make sure that it cannot fall over when being moved, especially if the 200lb gorilla is reefing on it 4 foot from the ground and the wheel of the transport device hits a stone at ground level.

You need clear space the length of the pallet truck in front of it so the truck can enter and exit. The space is needed both at its resting place and at its place-of-use. Casters are not much bigger than the footprint of the machine and it can be spun on within its own size (zero turn).

What condition is your floor in? Casters like a smooth, clean floor. Even a standard tamped concrete finish can cause you annoyance. And when the caster hits the M6 nut on the floor, the machine will stop. Buy the biggest casters you can afford. Smaller wheels roll much less easily than large. Size the casters so three of them can support the full weight of the machine and then fit four to it.

 

[thinfourth]

I'd make a base, that it can be bolted to that would give the stability, but can be picked up with pallet truck to be moved. So basically a metal pallet !

That is my basic thought is to make a metal pallet/frame

Shorten it and put and some wheels on it or bolt it down to a heavy moveable base. You could make A base out of steel and fill it with concrete. You could use upside down channel to make slots for your pallet truck.

I'm not going to shorten it but the heavy base is a good call

My pillar drill which was designed to be floor standing by a midget grew a wheely base which has 6 concrete blocks built into it and it works nicely (unless you are a midget)

 

[Matchless]

Use the pallet truck, you already got it. Give it a go and if you decide you don't like it do something else later.

I set my 60ton press on two wood beams to be able to get a pallet truck under it, I also drop the table all the way down if I want to move it, I only lift it a few mm so it is quite safe, I think it will now stay where it is, moved it a few times, worst job was uprighting it after I brought it home from work, used the single sided car lift but did have to clench a bit and used the safety squint just to be sure!

 

[optima21]

where I worked many years ago they had a problem moving a 30 tonne power press

https://www.bruderer.co.uk/product/bruderer-bsta-30/

when the company only had a one tonne forklift you have an issue with moving it......

.....that is unless the companies production manager and health and safety manager are the same person.

his solution to the problem was getting half a dozen people hanging off the back of the fork truck to counterbalance it.