Well this arrived today:
Now the multiple choice question of the day:
Am I kicking myself for
A. Not running the electrical ahead of time.
B. Not building the pallet-jack-compatible skid to mount it on ahead of time.
C. Not getting the concrete, nor the mixer which is 2.5 hours away (each way).
D. All of the above.
I’m certain you all got that answer correct! lol. Now no excuses to get things done!
Will post pics as this goes 
Any rental store closer or ( hey ol buddy’s)
I dont get the whole build a skid to move it around thing people are doing are you really going to wire multiple places for it to hook up. And have to be releveled every time??? Just build it in place makes the most sense to me.
D all the wayy I’m getting painfully Jealous of all the upcoming builds! Congrats on getting yours.
I got my electrical already but I have to wait to see when my comes and I have an area sorta ready not completely sure yet lol.
The skid is so you can move if you had too. The machine is not designed to be moved ever, without risking damage. But I get it. If you aren’t ever going to move it. Than all’s well.
Exactly. I want the option if I rearrange the shop to be able to move the machine easily - and then take on the pain of levelling and possibly skimming the bed again. I suppose it can be lifted by slings or some other attachment methods, but given all that weight a base provides a safe place to lift it. The machine will likely spend a few years in its designated spot for now.
Wiring is not a problem, I tend to use receptacles and heavy flex cables to power tools that I am using at the time, whether is a plasma cutter, welder or larger woodworking equipment (which run 3HP 220V). I will probably change the MR-1 220V plug to my “standard” type (30A) so I can interconnect if needed.
Cheers,
Mike
Unfortunately my garage is tiny (built in 1938) so I need to be able to move equipment from time to time, if only to store something for a short time. I don’t plan on moving it a lot, but do have some plans for some remodeling in there in the future and want to be sure I can move the mill without too much difficulty. I had actually considered using my HF Hydraulic Table Cart as it can lift 1000lb and I think it might fit under the the base between any drains. Before I build the skid or pour concrete, I will likely test that out.
Quoting Langmuir guys: the machine can move like any other machine tool. They move theirs all over their shop floor. The prebuilt units are built like ours then shipped. No worries. Just level again once moved.
Yep, it’s also imporant to wait 30 days post concrete pour before moving it. We will have instructions for best practices when moving your machine on the website soon.
Hi. I am waiting for my MR-1 to arrive. But I did not get prepared also. I need to get ready and make room and run electric and get the concrete.
Look forward to seeing your build pics. You can do it !
Hi. Glad to hear you received your MR1. Look forward to seeing the build photos . Also I did not know about not moving the MR1. I am clearing a place to locate it and will build it there and leave it.
Can’t wait for my machine to be delivered. I have a lot to do to get ready.
good luck with your build.
If its not to be moved, then couldn’t you use an engine hoist to move it when you are moving from that shop.
Just an idea.
Bob
Langmuir has come foward and said that it can be moved after 30 days. Thats why I build the forklift skid. It can’t be good for it to be picked up without proper support. Supposedly they will have a video on moving it in the future.
I have a couple surface plates in my shop that I move with a Harbor Freight hydraulic lift cart (the heavier duty one). I just put a half-size wood pallet on the cart and wheel it under the surface plates and pump up the plate, including the heavy stands they sit on. 700+ lbs for the surface plates and I think the lift cart I have is rated for 1500 lbs. Very easy to roll around the shop. This is how I am envisioning moving my MR-1 around, if needed.
Got the Electrical Wired. I placed the plugs below the base height (between the legs) so the unit can be as close to the wall as possible.
Some things I’ve noted so far:
I performed the step attaching the leveling feet first, prior to any other steps, as I felt it would be easier than getting down on my knees to mount those after the base legs had been attached.
If you care about scratches showing on your brand new equipment, examine the legs before you attach to ensure you hide any scratches that might be visible. The legs are at the bottom of the box so arrived with a few slight scratches. A minor thing, but I like to be the one that makes all my scratches :). Since the legs are all the same, you can choose to mount them to minimize any scratch visibility.
Before pouring the concrete, it would be nice to know all the clearances I will need when the box is complete (with enclosure, electronics, etc). Since my space is constrained, knowing how much room I need on each side, would be helpful. @langmuir-mike if you could provide suggested clearances for the base, that would be helpful to ensure we don’t place this thing where it can’t be completed without moving.
RE Moving and Moving Skids
I decided not to build a skid as I tested out my Harbor Freight Hydraulic Table (1k lb capacity) and it fits perfectly between the legs and between the drain holes to support lifting the mill from the base. I’ve attached some photos.
I’ll be taking my time on the next few steps as my sister-in-law is bringing my cement mixer from our ranch next week for Thanksgiving Can’t do much before that gets here.
Nice lifting it that way, good solution! … how much lift is left when the feet leave the ground? I don’t have mine yet, I assume the bed is all flat where the hydraulic table contacts the MR-1 table.
The photo shown is with the table fully lifted. You could of course add some 4x4s to get more height if needed.
The base is completely flat on the bottom so the table contacts it completely.
First off… please assume I have no idea what I’m talking about because I don’t have my machine in hand yet… but … assuming the sheet metal pan is flat as produced, will it still be flat after it is filled with 300+ lbs of concrete. Don’t get me wrong, I really like the idea of using the HF lift table to move the mill. But I wonder if the center of the pan bulges down after the concrete is added resulting in an undesirable pressure point for moving. Just a caution. I suspect using 4x4 blocks in the four corners of the lift table would alleviate my concern? Any thoughts?
You are supposed to use the support rod during the concrete pour to help support it temporarily, so I’m guessing that helps a bit to keep the middle from sagging. Lift tables usually have a bit of a pad on them too that will likely take up and small variations.
I personally like the lift table idea a lot, I use one all the time at work, it’s probably how I’ll move mine when the time comes (unless Langmuir’s instructions for moving are vastly different)
