Almost everyone had done or will do this- but not everyone will admit it.
Some guys use one of those brightly colored coiled plastic wrist-band keyrings to hold the chuck key; the far end is tied to something where you have to stretch it to use it. Helps remind you to remove it, is more visible, and for me at least solves the perpetual problem of āWhere did I put that $%^& thing?ā which in total takes more shop hours than the work does.
Also remember to tighten all chuck holes then go round once more. 3 single jaw tightens does mischief with a 4 jaw chuck, and the habit of going round twice ensures you can never miss a jaw. I learned these things a little too late.
Good observation Scott, by having the bench in place (with shelves and stuff at the end and boxes for tools attached) it will make it very difficult to lift several hundred pounds of lathe into position. Limitās it to 2 people, and the boxes on the end of the bench will compromise that persons position. (similarly, any hooks or nails on the other end may well gouge someone)
Not trying to be critical, just making an observation based on years and years of carrying heavy items.
Donāt know yet. Havenāt figured it out. Progably will have to rent an engine puller and have a guy drop it off. Donāt want to use people. People can drop things and Murphy is usually on the heavy end.
Unfortunately, there is only one place the bench can be and itās a bad place, because the area is narrow and it is higher than the āfloorā, because the area for cars is slanted at an angle and the only areas that are flat, are on the edges. The only other way would be to have the bench out, load the lathe and then pick it all up and that would be over 500# and still no more than 2 people, because it still has to go against the wall. No good solution has come up yet.
I have a chain hoist bolted on my ceiling to lift stuff between 150-800lbs. It was cheap and has been useful on multiple occasions. If you have it mounted on a bar you can get some side to side shift out of it.
Was thinking of something like This to lift the pallet or lift the lathe from the pallet to bench height. Iāve used other types to lift garage door and deck beams weighing 60lbs a running foot into place. They make midget ones for lifting wall cabinets as well. Iāll be using both large and small hoists in the next month and swear by them. Rental companies let them by the 1/2day, 3 day, week. Have some 4ā 4x4ās on hand to set the pallet on at deliver so the jack wheels can slip under the pallet.
Possibly a bit, but itās not actually mounted at that spot anymore, so a bit of a moot point. What may be hard to see is just how close to the end of the boards itās mounted. In the spot in the picture it has lifted my lathe, manual mill, and 60 gallon compressor without issue.
Last weekend a friend of mine moved his Grizzly mill/lathe (600+lbs) using a engine hoist. They almost dropped it when one of the chain hooks came loose. No fun at all moving these beasties.