How to Move the Rocking Drilling Machine
A radial drill is top-heavy, and the column, rocker and spindle box move on their own ways. Move it wrong and the arm binds or the spindle no longer square to the table. This guide is for maintenance engineers and shop leads who have to relocate one. You will get the rigging order, the shim targets and the checks that decide whether the machine is safe to cut again.
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Key takeaways
What makes a rocking drilling machine different to move
A rocking drilling machine, also called a radial or rocker drill, is not a box on a base. The column carries a rocker arm that travels up and down, the spindle head slides along the arm, and the whole arm can swing around the column. All three motions ride on machined ways that are set at the factory.
That is why the move itself is the risk. Straps around the rocker can bend it. A lift from the arm puts the load through the arm-to-column joint. Rough handling over a dock bump can shift the column in the base casting. Any of these shows up later as a drill that walks off centre or a spindle that will not hold squareness.
The good news is that a planned move takes a day and costs little. The bad news is that an unplanned move can cost a week of scraping and re-alignment, or a new rocker. Treat the machine as a precision assembly, not as a heavy lump of iron.
Before touching a bolt, gather the manual, the lifting diagram and the foundation drawing. If the manual is missing, measure the base bolt pattern and the arm swing radius yourself. You need to know the total weight, the centre of gravity height and the footprint before the crane arrives.
- 1Top-heavy by designThe column and rocker sit above a small base, so the centre of gravity is high.
- 2Three sliding waysColumn, rocker and spindle head ways all need to stay clean and unloaded.
- 3Foundation mattersRadial drills transfer cutting force into the floor, not just into the base bolts.
Site survey and rigging plan for how to move the rocking drilling machine
Walk the whole route with a tape measure before you book a crane or a forklift. Measure every doorway, ramp and turn. A radial drill with the arm swung out can need 3,000 mm or more of clear width, and the machine cannot be tipped to squeeze through a low door.
Check the floor along the route. A 2,000 kg radial drill on steel skates needs a floor that will take the point load. Thin mezzanine decking or old tile will crack. Lay 12 mm steel plate over soft spots or over expansion joints so the skates do not drop in.
Confirm the crane capacity against the machine weight plus rigging. The lifting slings, shackles and spreader bar all add load. Use a spreader bar wide enough that the slings stay clear of the column and the electrical cabinet.
Book the move for a quiet shift. You want the aisle clear, the power isolated and a forklift on standby for the base. Tag and photograph every cable, hose and pipe before you disconnect anything. A photo on your phone beats a memory of which wire went where.
- 1Measure the widest configurationArm swung out, table at full height, spindle head at the end of the arm.
- 2Check floor loadingSteel skates concentrate load. Plate over joints and soft spots.
- 3Spreader bar, not a single slingKeeps slings off the column and the control panel.
Locking the rocker, the spindle box and the table
The arm and spindle head must be locked before the machine leaves the floor. Move the spindle head to the centre of the rocker and clamp it. Lower the rocker to the lowest practical position so the centre of gravity drops. Lock the column clamp and the arm clamp.
On most radial drills there is a locking pin or a clamp bolt for transport. Fit it. If the machine has no transport lock, use wooden blocking between the rocker and the column base, and between the spindle head and the end stop. Cut the blocks to fit and nail or screw them so they cannot fall out on the truck.
Remove the drill chuck, the taper shank and any tooling. A chuck left in the spindle is a hammer on the spindle bearings during every bump. Pull the drawbar or drift out the taper, wrap the spindle nose in foam and tape it.
Drain the coolant tank and the lubrication reservoir if the machine will be tilted or stored cold. Coolant left in the sump will slosh into the ways. Cap the hydraulic and pneumatic ports. Label every line you open.
- 1Spindle head to mid-armKeeps the load balanced and the way surfaces evenly supported.
- 2Use the factory lockFit the transport pin or clamp bolt if the machine has one.
- 3Pull the toolingNo chuck, no taper shank, no drill in the spindle during the move.
Where to sling and how to lift a radial drill safely
Sling under the base casting, using the lifting eyes or the lifting holes the builder put there. Most radial drills have two or four lifting points on the base. Use all of them. A spreader bar above the machine keeps the slings vertical and off the column.
Never sling around the rocker arm or the column. The rocker is a machined casting with ways on it. A sling pinch or a point load can bend it, and a bent rocker will not slide true. If you have to steady the machine, use a tag line, not a second sling.
Lift slowly and stop 100 mm off the floor. Check the sling angles, the machine level and the blocking. Then continue. Keep the machine level within about 2° during the lift. Tilting a top-heavy drill is how machines fall over.
Set the machine down on timber or steel skids, not directly on the floor. Skids let you steer with a pallet jack or skates and protect the base machined face. Bolt the machine to the skids if the trip is longer than a few metres.
- 1Base lifting points onlyUse the eyes or holes cast into the base. Four points beat two.
- 2Tag line, not a second slingSteady the machine without loading the rocker.
- 3Stop at 100 mmRe-check slings, level and blocking before the full lift.
Setting the machine on the new foundation
The new foundation has to be flat, clean and strong. A radial drill pushes cutting force into the floor. A 25 mm grout pad or a machined sole plate under each base foot spreads that load. Do not shim a radial drill on washers or thin sheet.
Lower the machine onto the anchor bolts or the prepared pads. Leave the anchor bolts finger tight at first. You need the machine free to shim and level before you torque anything.
Set the level on the table, not on the base. Check along the table length and across it. Adjust the shims under the base feet until the table is level within 0.02 mm/m in both directions. Re-check after each shim change, because the base will rock as you adjust one corner.
Once level, torque the anchor bolts in a cross pattern, in two or three passes. Then re-check level. Torquing one bolt can pull the base down and put the table out by 0.05 mm/m or more.
- 1Level on the tableThe table is the reference surface, not the base casting.
- 2Grout or sole platesSpread the load. Do not shim on washers.
- 3Torque in a cross patternTwo or three passes, re-check level after each.
Re-commissioning checks before the first cut
Reconnect the power and check the rotation direction of the spindle motor before you run a tool. A phase swap on a three-phase supply will spin the spindle backwards. On a drill that means the taper can release or the tool can grab.
Check the column, rocker and spindle head ways. Clean them, then oil them. Move each axis by hand through its full travel. Any tight spot or scraping noise means the machine has shifted on its base or the ways are dry.
Re-tram the spindle to the table. Put a dial indicator in the spindle and sweep the table surface. The spindle should be square to the table within the builder's tolerance, typically 0.02 mm over 300 mm. If it is out, check the level first before you touch the head.
Run the machine for a few hours on a scrap plate, then re-check level and squareness. New foundations settle. A drill that was true on day one can be 0.03 mm/m out after a week of cutting.
- 1Check spindle rotationWrong phase direction can release a taper shank.
- 2Sweep the tableDial indicator in the spindle, squareness within 0.02 mm over 300 mm.
- 3Re-check after settlingRun a few hours, then re-level and re-tram.
How to move the rocking drilling machine in 8 steps
Follow the order. Skipping a lock or a level check is how machines get damaged.
- 1Isolate and tag the powerLock off the supply, tag the isolator and pull the plug or disconnect the feed. Photograph the terminal box before you remove any wire.
- 2Drain coolant and lubricantEmpty the coolant sump and the lube reservoir. Cap hydraulic and pneumatic ports. A full sump will slosh into the ways on a ramp.
- 3Remove tooling and the chuckDrift out the taper shank, remove the chuck and any arbor. Wrap the spindle nose in foam and tape it.
- 4Lock the rocker, head and columnCentre the spindle head on the arm, clamp it, lower the arm, and fit the transport pin or wood blocking. Lock the column clamp.
- 5Sling at the base lifting pointsUse the cast-in eyes or holes with a spreader bar. Keep slings off the rocker and column. Add a tag line for control.
- 6Lift, stop at 100 mm, then moveCheck sling angles and machine level, then lift clear. Keep the machine within 2° of level. Lower onto timber or steel skids, not bare floor.
- 7Set down, shim and levelPlace on grout pads or sole plates. Level the table to 0.02 mm/m in both axes. Torque the anchor bolts in a cross pattern in two or three passes.
- 8Reconnect, re-tram and run inCheck spindle rotation direction, oil the ways, sweep the table with a dial indicator, then run a few hours on scrap and re-check level.
Move method and check targets by machine size
Pick the method that matches the machine weight and the route.
| Machine size | Move method | Level target | Main risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bench radial, under 500 kg | Pallet jack on skids | 0.02 mm/m | Tipping on a ramp |
| Floor radial, 500–1,500 kg | Forklift or skates | 0.02 mm/m | Rocker bent by sling |
| Floor radial, 1,500–3,000 kg | Crane with spreader bar | 0.02 mm/m | Base rocking on shims |
| Heavy radial, over 3,000 kg | Crane plus rigging plan | 0.02 mm/m | Foundation settlement |
| Any size, long trip | Bolt to skids or pallet | Re-check on arrival | Ways rust or dry out |
| Any size, tight doorway | Disassemble arm if allowed | Re-tram after assembly | Lost shim stack |
Move it like a precision assembly, not a lump of iron
Lock the rocker, lift at the base, level the table to 0.02 mm/m and re-tram before the first cut. If the machine is too large or the foundation is unknown, get an engineer to review the plan first.
Questions engineers ask before moving a radial drill
Can I move a rocking drilling machine with a forklift?
Yes, if the machine is under about 1,500 kg and you lift under the base with the forks spread as wide as the base allows. Use timber between the forks and the base casting.
Never lift from the rocker arm or the column. Keep the load level and travel slowly. A forklift with a short wheelbase can pitch on a ramp, so use a spotter.
Do I have to disconnect the power before the move?
Yes. Lock off and tag the isolator, then disconnect the feed at the machine terminal box. Photograph the terminals before you pull any wire.
Check the spindle rotation direction when you reconnect. A swapped phase will run the spindle backwards, which can release a taper shank.
How level does the table need to be after the move?
Set the table level within 0.02 mm/m in both axes. Use a machinist level on the table surface, not on the base casting.
Torque the anchor bolts in a cross pattern in two or three passes, then re-check. Pulling one bolt can move the table by 0.05 mm/m.
How do I know if the rocker arm got bent during the move?
Move the spindle head along the full length of the arm by hand. It should slide smoothly with even drag. A tight spot, a scrape or a jump means the arm or the ways have shifted.
Check the arm for straightness with a straight edge and feeler gauge. If the arm is out, the machine needs re-alignment before it can hold tolerance.
Can I leave the coolant in the machine for a short move?
No. Drain the sump even for a move across the shop. Coolant will slosh into the column ways and the gearbox breather, and it will corrode the machined surfaces.
Drain, flush if the coolant is old, and leave the tank open to dry. Refill with fresh coolant at the new location.
What torque should the anchor bolts be?
Use the bolt manufacturer's torque for the bolt size, not a rule of thumb. A typical M16 grade 8.8 anchor in good concrete takes roughly 190–210 N·m.
Torque in a cross pattern in two or three passes. Re-check the table level after each pass, because the base will move as the bolts load up.
Need a second opinion on the move or the foundation?
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