Help! Moving a big lathe...

[BillTodd]

This sounds like a disaster waiting to happen :(

Lathes are very top-heavy and often the weight is biased to the front of the machine so be very careful if using rollers; if one twists under it can topple the machine.

Remove as much of the weigh from the machine as possible (e.g. tail-stock top-slide , chuck cross-slide [these usually come off quite easily] carriage handle etc. etc.)

If you're going to use a trolley, take Phil's advice make it as wide as possible (be aware that castors can swivel inwards making the actual footprint narrower and less stable) and as low as possible then strap the lathe to the trolley. Make sure no one is ever pulling on the lathe or standing on the wrong side when someone is pushing.

Last time I helped to move a heavy lathe (Churchill Cub) over a lawn , we dismantled it first into parts , the heaviest bit, the bed still weighed in at ~100kg, but we were able to move it with a sack barrow.

Above all - think before you try to move it - do things one step at a time.

[edit] Only just spotted this!

Hopefully the hoist, if I can find/borrow one, will be able to lift it high enough to place on top of the steps - about 2' high.

There is no way an engine hoist will safely lift a lathe 2 feet in the air:surprised:

What make of lathe is it? because dismantling it sounds like your best option .