Tools mill

Just had a new mill delivered Thursday from Toolco. Same or very similar to the Warco WM18. I have been away all weekend so it's still sitting in the drive till Monday morning. It seems due to the weight I will have to dismantle it to get it in the workshop. Any advice or tips on dismantling the head and table would be welcome. The whole mill weighs 240 kg I am told but I think this is a slight exaggeration. Any idea's as to what the three component parts might weigh?

It gives me something to think about till I get home

Hi Brian,

Congratulations with the new milling machine. I have a similar smaller machine, when it was delivered I removed the head from the column. Lower the head towards the table and protect the table with some plywood. Underneath the head on my machine there are two nuts that I removed. On the side of the slide carrying the head there is a hole with a setscrew. I used an Allen key to loosen the screw so the head could be pulled away from the column, you should be able to carry it. I didn't dismantle the machine any further since I could use a sack trolley to move the remaining part of the machine into my workshop. I used a chain hoist to get it onto the bench. My advice is to get some help when handling heavy objects.

Thor

If it's identical to a WM18, then it will weigh the full 240kg of them...it's heavy. Can't help you with the weight of individual parts tho. It came in on a pallet and it was delivered inside my workshop, to move it around I used these: **LINK**, one at each corner, moved it under the chainblocks and lifted it onto the table.

I have a wm 18 size mill

I needed to get it downstairs into my cellar workshop...the head removes easily after the 2 nuts removed that swivel the head if you place packing on the base board then it takes the weight The head is perhaps 70 kg.The column is easily unbolted though there's a gas strut which helps the heads weight.Then the table removes and its all in manageable lumps

I moved my mill & my lathe with an engine hoist which i hired for the day. Saved any dismantling.

(After I did it the next door neighbour told me had one & I could have borrowed it for free !!!!!)

you've just spent over 1K on a mill ... spend another 100 on a 2 ton engine hoist ... delivered in a few days from either amazon or ebay. 20 sellers, 20 coats of paint, 1 identical hoist from 1 factory in China.

Don't think the engine hoist will work as not enough headroom above in the workshop. So it seems inevitable i will have to dismantle . Had the driver been a little more helpful and lowered it on to my trolley i could have wheeled it up to the workshop door. Thanks for all the advice

Brian

The hook does not have to be above the mill. You can put the strap under the head & then another to the side to stop it tilting over such that the top of the hoist is level with the top of the mill, which is what i did on the final lift. In fact i did not use the hook, I strapped it to the jib

Edited By Sam Longley 1 on 24/09/2017 08:22:29

You should manage...if there's enough space for full travel of the head then you'll have enough space to lift it. I have just a couple of inches to spare between the head and the ceiling when the head is at it's topmost position, and managed, so it can be done.

Can you raise it onto some beams then raise them a few inches at a time until you can wheel the trolley underneath?

Those heavy duty trolleys are great for moving heavy stuff about

I've had a 200+ KG safe on mine, be careful though

I have a Lux mill and I managed to lift it onto my home made stand using an engine garage crane,without taking it apart. I think my machine is about the same size as yours. Either that or a chain hoist.

Hi all,

Unlikely there will be enough head room. The mill will sit between 2 roof rafters

In an outside workshop when it's in place. The workshop has a flat roof so I could cut a hole in roof for the hook and chain with a beam fabricated over the roof sat on two axle stands. Just think it might be simpler to dismantle and two people to do the lifting.

At the moment I'm relaxing in the caravan with the other half and brother and sister in law somewhere in Rutland So apologies for the delays in replying. She knows my mind is elsewhere .

So it's almost identical to my situation, mine is under a rafter storage. I slid a heavy duty strap under the beam (it's 100x50mm steel section) and attached a chain block to it. To clear the bench I lowered the head fully down, took the motor cover off as it gets in the way, and slinged it around the head. Had to keep the sling absolutely short otherwise it would not clear the bench...

The two rafters between where it will sit, can you set a beam across them, hoist the mill up high and slide the stand in underneath?

Unbolt the column assembly from the base to make more manageable lumps?

I would lie the mill down so that the column was horizontal, and then the lifting could be done with good clearance. Only at the last stage would you need to move it back upright.

I had a similar mill (perhaps even identical) from Chester, and it was easy to detach the column, complete with head. Four bolts only. Then the bits could be lifted more easily.

The head can come off the column with two nuts, lighter still.

Tim

Yes, of course, the mill would need to be set up accurately again, if you loosen the column or the head. But you weren't going to trust the makers, the transporters half way round the globe, or the local suppliers, were you?

Tim

It's not going on a stand (which would have been easier ) but on the bench.

Unfortunately forecast is for rain the next couple of days so I can't do much. The packing case is wrapped in shrink wrap to keep the rain out so it's best to leave it wrapped. I'm like a kid waiting for Christmas. Probably order a chain hoist off the bay tomorrow while I'm waiting

Hi Tim

I have a good friend with decades of experience who will guide me in setting it back up and checking if it is true.

Congrats on the new mill. I found that picking up my mill just below the head I could was balance it at about 45deg and was a doddle to get on the bench with the engine hoist I borrowed. I only have about 100mm above the mill. Check around your neighbours and friends first as one of them may have a hoist you can borrow.