Could use some advice on moving heavy woodworking equipment

[Jason White]

Rent a Bobcat with a forklift attachment? Will probably run you $300 delivered for the day.

Jason

Thanks to everyone's input on my wide belt sander question, I am now planning to purchase the G0527 model from Grizzly. Now I really could use some advice concerning getting it into my garage shop....

This item weighs about 890 lbs and is about 1000 lbs in its wood slat crate. The delivery service will lift gate it onto the ground at the end of my driveway and I have to get it into the garage. I have a slightly sloped driveway (maybe 10 degrees) to negotiate, with a slight lip at the garage entrance.

A few options I have considered:

(1) Hire 8 lowland gorillas to carry the thing in brute force style (simplest but I've only been able to find 4 gorillas willing to do the job).

(2) buy a shop crane and use to lift vertically off the base of the crate and lower onto some type of heavy duty mobile base. Then just roll the thing into place. As I understand it, trying to role such an item up an incline while suspended on a shop crane is essentially an expensive form of suicide.

(3) Rent (or I guess buy) a pallet jack to lift the item. This seems like a good idea except for the fact that the thing has to go uphill slightly and is very tall. Not sure how safe or practical that would be.

Any more practical ideas that I've missed? I don't (obviously) own a forklift or a Chinook helicopter....maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all....

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Rick

[Mike Cruz]

First thing I would do is print out the parts manual from the internet. Then, uncrate the unit at the end of your driveway. Next, carefully and meticulously, take the entire sander apart, piece by piece. Make sure you label each piece with a strip of masking tape...numbering each one in correspondence with the parts manual. No need to disassemble the ENTIRE sander. Just enough to separate it into chunks just large enough to pick up and carry to the garage...and throw your back out. So that the sander stays in that condition for about 4-6 months before you get a chance to put it back together. At this point, with the sander back together, and a few spare parts left on your bench, knowing that it will never run properly (not to mention remind you of how it hurt your back...) sell it on CL for 95% of what you paid for it, calling it NEW, never used! That's just my opinion...

[Steven DeMars]

The best method is the $20.00 to the driver(s). . .

These guys make an extra $50.00 to a $100.00 a day like this . . . .

The next best method is several 3/4" dowel rods . . . it worked for the Egyptians . . .

Steve's 2 cents . . .

[John Harden]

First thing I would do is print out the parts manual from the internet. Then, uncrate the unit at the end of your driveway. Next, carefully and meticulously, take the entire sander apart, piece by piece. Make sure you label each piece with a strip of masking tape...numbering each one in correspondence with the parts manual. No need to disassemble the ENTIRE sander. Just enough to separate it into chunks just large enough to pick up and carry to the garage...and throw your back out. So that the sander stays in that condition for about 4-6 months before you get a chance to put it back together. At this point, with the sander back together, and a few spare parts left on your bench, knowing that it will never run properly (not to mention remind you of how it hurt your back...) sell it on CL for 95% of what you paid for it, calling it NEW, never used! That's just my opinion...

Ding Ding!!!!! We have a winner!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[george wilson]

I am too tired to read all the replies. I used to worry about moving puny things like 1000 # machines,but have gotten machines weighing many times more by now.

I'd get a cheap ratchet action comealong. Don't ever use it for vertical lifting,though. Get several pipes longer than the crate. Better yet,1/2" steel rods. You can get them at a hardware store 3' long,maybe 6' long at some places. Pinch up one edge of the crate and insert 1 pipe. pinch it up a bit more,and let the pipe run farther under the crate,and put in another pipe. 3 or 4 guys should be able to push the crate. I let my 5'2" wife push a 2000# milling machine I had up on steel bars on a flat,smooth floor,just so she could see how easy it would move. I don't know how steep your drive is. Could you carefully push it with a truck,getting someone who knows how to keep his fingers safe to keep replacing the steel rods? That might sound dangerous,but it can be done by competent men. They could use pliers,but no gloves. The safest thing to do would be to have a helper look at the steel rods. Drive slowly a few inches. When he signals that the rear rod has popped out the back,stop. Have him move the rod to the front. Doesn't have to be under the crate,just against the front edge so the crate goes over it. When he has moved the rod,he signals you to drive a few more inches. If you do this very slowly,being sure you aren't tipping the crate over,it will work fine. Of course,the point you are pushing against must be strong enough to not cave in. You could nail on reinforcements if needed.

Failing that,hopefully,you have something to secure the comealong to so you can begin to ratchet its 1/4" steel cable and slowly pull the crate into the shop via a rope around the crate.

Ideally,I'd recommend 1/2" steel rods so as to not tip the crate much,because if it tips over,you must not try to catch it.

My moving stuff includes 2 furniture pry bar dollies.We call them "Johnson Bars". northern sells them fairly cheap,though I have Fairbanks ones that have 5000# capacity.With 2 johnson bars and a helper,and rollers,I have easily moved 3500# machines on a smooth,flat concrete floor.

The cheap comealong will do fine,I have 1 also.

Jon and I moved an 8000# lathe,and turned it end for end with a comealong and steel bars. Sweep the floor very clean of rocks and debris before you move a heavy object. You can steer the object just like a car by putting the front bar in at an angle.

Keep replacing the front bar as the rear ones pop out of the backside,and use 4 of them.

If you have no post to secure the comealong to,hopefully you have some heavy object you can hook its cable to. Since the 1000# crate is on rollers,the anchor shouldn't have to weigh as much,even if the crate is on a gentle slope. But be sure to attach the comealong's hook right at the bottom of the anchor object. You probably would attach the cable about 1' from the base of the tall crate you are pulling.

I also have sometimes hired a towtruck with a crane on it to help get machines half way into the garage door. We moved another 9000# lathe with a tilt bed tow truck. The truck's 1/4" steel cable was able to pull the lathe across a concrete (smooth) floor,and right up its SMOOTH steel bed. Never try that with an aluminum bed with diamond patterns. Of course,this is not for a tall crate like yours. I'm just giving it to help whoever might need to know it in the future.

[Dave Lehnert]

I work in retail and we hire a local delivery service to take things to customers house.
Our standard answer is "Curbside delivery only" BUT... they will roll it in the garage for you. The cub side only answer is because if we say. "we will place it where you want" The customer will have a ladder up against the house and say "Just put it up there in the 3rd floor window."

You never know for sure but think you will not have a problem.

[Richard Link]

You guys are great. Thanks for all the advice. Seems like a lot of ways to skin this cat, both high and low tech. At least my challenge seems pretty small compared to some of the stuff you guys have moved with a Johnson bar, a couple of 2x4s and some metal rods. Wow.

Given that this is Houston in the summer, I'm thinking I leave the sander on the curb for a couple hours until it melts into a puddle and then bring it into the garage by the bucket....

Seriously though, thanks for all the good ideas.

Rick

[george wilson]

I was sure I'd catch flak for some of my suggestions as they might sound dangerous.In a pinch,though,with few options,they have worked for me several times. Of course,you do have to know how to be careful when doing them,and we are experienced.

[Tim Anderson]

I used to have the 3-4 gorillas come over to move new equipment. I always found they would show up, drink a few beers to decide how they were going to do the job, and admire the new paint. After a while they weren't much good to me anymore and I would end up moving the thing myself. Now I use a 2 wheel dolly and the black pipe from my pipe clamps to move anything heavy and keep the beer for myself.

[James Baker SD]

Hi Richard:

I think your trucking company is unreasonable. I've had many heavy machines delivered to my house/shop with lift gate service and only 1 driver refused to back his 18 wheeler up my 25 degree, 200' driveway. For a good driver, my inclined driveway is no obstacle. Once they get to the level area in front of the house, they move it the last 10 feet into the garage for me with a pallet jack. Maybe I've just been lucky, but I think you should ask for their best driver.

James

[Richard McComas]

I too have had several pieces of large heavy machine delivered to my shop. My method depends largely on the access to your shop and if you have a roll up garage door or not.

When I order heavy equipment I always arrange to pick it up myself at the terminal instead of home delivery. When I get notice to come pick up my tool I hire a slide back auto carrier and meet them at the terminal. The guys at the terminal load the tool onto the auto carrier with a fork lift. The auto carrier guy ties it down and drives to my shop and backs up to my garage door. I open the door and they raise and slide back the bed of the auto carrier until it touches the floor effectively making a ramp. From there is easy to slide the tool down the ramp and onto the shop floor. This also give me a chance to inspect the crate before I bring it home. Last time I did this it cost me 125.00, well worth it if you ask me.

[Brian Backner]

When hiring a driver and roll off auto carrier to move your machinery, you should be aware of the potential liability involved. I don't know how it works in Alaska, but here in Massachusetts the driver and his company would only be insured to move cars, not machinery. Should a machine not be rigged correctly and, say, fall off on the ride to your home/shop, any resulting accidents/injuries/etc. would be their un-insured responsibility. I'd be surprised if you wouldn't be implicated and/or sued as well. I've had several friends that have used a car carrier, but for the additional $50 I go with a professional machinery rigger - the one I use brings a forklift with him and has been able to place very heavy machinery (8,000#) to within several inches of where I tell him without any difficulty.

Just my $0.02

Brian

[Tom Godley]

If your driveway is paved I do not think you will have any problems. Everything I have ever had delivered that was on a pallet the driver moved it for me with a jack when I paid for lift-gate service.

I always make sure to have some painters plastic around in case it is raining.


For moving things I bought four (4) of the $9.99 dollies from HF. (They go on sale all the time). The dollies are small and they each have four (4) casters. I have moved all kinds very heavy things with them. They are listed for 1k pounds each - but that I would not do!

I use a pry-bar to lift each corner onto a block of wood until I am high enough to get one under each corner. This is surprisingly easy and quick. Then you can move it all around with ease. I use the blocks and prybar to get over the lip to my driveway in the same manner

[Richard McComas]

When hiring a driver and roll off auto carrier to move your machinery, you should be aware of the potential liability involved. I don't know how it works in Alaska, but here in Massachusetts the driver and his company would only be insured to move cars, not machinery. Should a machine not be rigged correctly and, say, fall off on the ride to your home/shop, any resulting accidents/injuries/etc. would be their un-insured responsibility. I'd be surprised if you wouldn't be implicated and/or sued as well. I've had several friends that have used a car carrier, but for the additional $50 I go with a professional machinery rigger - the one I use brings a forklift with him and has been able to place very heavy machinery (8,000#) to within several inches of where I tell him without any difficulty.

Just my $0.02

Brian

You bring up some points I had not even thought of. I guess I don't know how it works in Alaska I just assumed they would be insured. I'll certainly look into this next time I need move a machine. It sure works slick.

[Mike Cruz]

Or, you could just do this...

Haha, I thought I was going to be "so smart", just use the bucket to "drop" it into the shop... the bucket is 6' 3" across, the doorway (without the doors is 6' 0". I had to lift it on the far left side of the bucket and go in at an angle. I got 3 feet inside...enough to slide it!