Moving a Sieg SX3 Mill

I have just purchased a second-hand Sieg SX3 mill. I have a Honda Civic hatchback that I will be using to move it on Saturday. The seller has an engine crane that we will be using to move it.

Does anyone know how easy it would be to load it into a hatchback? Would it be best if I broke it down, for example if I removed the table and head and loaded these separately? Or perhaps the head and column should stay as one unit due to the electrics?

Any information gratefully received.

Many thanks,

Mike

Separate the column complete with head from the base to give you two pieces.

I moved my sx3 from one shed to another by breaking it down, as Jason suggests. It is fairly easy to remove the table, and the column comes away from the base cleanly (need to remove 4 bolts, from memory). The head is easy to remove from the column but there are two cable conduits between the two. If you're comfortable around electrics it isn't hard to disconnect everything inside the column and detach the conduits, but it will take a little time.

Don't drop the column on the concrete floor like I did...

I moved the equivalent chester mill in a station wagon (estate) lying on its back/column! Also a C6b lathe and a small surface grinder of equivalent hobby capacity at different times and single handed. The trick was to go slowly, have lots of time, and be prepared to drop it to the ground (gently and re-rig if it's not quite right.

I hope it doesn't constitute thread hjiacking to butt in here.

I might be having to move this or a similar mill in the near future, at least from the ground on to a bench. I have access to an engine hoist. Assuming I choose not to part-disassemble the mill, which part or parts of the mill should the strapping be placed around for the lift? Presumably fairly high up so as not to risk the mill upending* as it is lifted, but is there a risk of damage to the mill if one weighing, say, 150-250 kg is lifted with strapping placed under the head? I mean of course damage caused by the full weight of the mill being borne temporarily by the head, not damage caused by dropping the machine.

* I have seen a video of someone inserting steel bars right through the base of a mini-mill and advising you place the strapping round the protruding ends, but that looks to me like an invitation for the mill to tip 180 degrees unless two helpers stand either side to stabilize the mill during its ascent whilst a third works the hydraulics. Crucially, no actual lift was shown in the video.

Wrapped under the head has worked OK for me a couple of times, table can be moved in/out to help with balance and if the head is kept fairly low you don't need much additional height above the machine for the crane.

Jason: Once the column and head are separated from the base and table, can each of these lumps be man-handled by two chaps do you think?

Should be OK to do that, I did similar with my X3 and the other chap was my Dad who was in his 70's at the time, though I don't think I'd ask him to help now should it need moving again.

I recently moved an SX3 on my own. I used the strop around the head method to lift it onto the base with no obvious ill effects. The table is a substantial percentage of the total weight but can be easily wound off after removing a circlip that acts as a stop, on the end of the x axis lead screw. The circlip doesn't seem substantial enough to me and I replaced it by drilling and tapping a hole in the end of the leadscrew and bolting on an over sized washer. I also found that the mill is front heavy on the base (the front feet are too far back, not on the corners where the should be) and whilst it is not unstable per se, it wouldn't take much to tip the whole thing forward, particularly if the table is wound all the way forward. As such, if you have the same base as mine and are as clumsy as me, bolt it down.

Edited By Gavin Freeman 1 on 23/01/2020 21:27:03

Thanks, Jason! That's the kind of reassurance I was hoping for.

I meant 'Y' axis leadscrew in my earlier post. I'm new to this and I get easily confused, sorry!.

I tried to transport a Warco WM16 milling machine some time ago. I have a hatchback, but found it impossible to safely move it in one piece with an engine hoist and then load it.

I stripped it down removing the head, column and table and even then had to use a few helping hands to put it into the car. It is still very heavy even stripped down.

If I were to do it again I would hire a trailer or find someone with a flatbed truck.

What makes things worse is the fact you have to get it all out when you get home.

Good luck and be careful of your back.

My son and I moved his Sieg X2.7l upstairs in 3 main pieces, the head was probably the lightest after we removed the belt cover and motor to get to the securing bolts. He ended up doing most of the lifting on his own as my paralysis kicked in half way through but the base with the (long) table was definitely a two man job. Photographs of the connections and adding numbered labels to each wire as it was disconnected helped. Unless you have access to the rear it is useful to have a smooth surface on the bench so it can be spun around during assembly.

Brian G

The table that the mill is on looks a bit unsafe to me.

Alfe

I agree with you Alfie but Jason has previously confirmed it is up to the task.

Emgee

Yes and almost a year later it has not landed on my toes.

If you can find a friend with a van and a garage crane, [like me !] it will make things a lot easier.

I had no problem handling my no 5 flypress with van and crane.

One other thing I found very useful was a chain hoist from Machine Mart. Don't know how I got along without it before.