Moving large machines...sanity check

[bleedinblue]

5 hours ago, bglenden said:

My A3-41 came on a pallet placed on top of another pallet, so it was higher off the floor than I was expecting. (Certainly too high to "walk" it off). There are probably lots of potential solutions, but since I ordered the mobility kit I just put that on while on the pallet and then just rolled it down a ramp I built. Easy peasy, and reduced the temptation to lift it by the tables.

I agree with Mick that the packaging was very thorough with lots of Torx screws needing to be removed.

I was going to buy an engine hoist to lift the machine up and onto the floor, but I'm not sure I need to do that.  I already bought a mobile base, a Porta Mate 3500 instead of Hammer's mobility kit.  I think I can do the same as you did with the mobility kit;  install the Porta Mate and roll it down a 2x4 constructed ramp.  Getting it off the pallet has become the least of my worries, and realistically, I'm going to have to get an electrician to the house to run electric for the machine so there's probably not a big rush.

I just signed the offer and sent credit card info, no going back now.  I still haven't decided how to get the machine through the yard, not much time to figure it out I guess. 

[Mark J]

Congratulations!

[wdwerker]

I used a rope puller come-along to stand up the big dust collector I bought .

https://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200682083_200682083

Well worth the $30 ! Rope behaves much better than cable.

 

[bleedinblue]

1 hour ago, wdwerker said:

I used a rope puller come-along to stand up the big dust collector I bought .

https://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/

I would have difficulty finding somewhere to attach the rope puller.  I've thought about that approach, but I don't want to attach it to my rafters...it seems to me like that kind of load placed on a single point on a rafter wouldn't be a good thing.

I do have a squat rack with a pull up bar.  It may not handle the whole load either, but could provide a bit of insurance while I roll the Hammer down the ramp. 

 

 

 

 

 

[bleedinblue]

Would something like this be ridiculous?  It looks to be big enough.  It has large pneumatic wheels and a 3,000 pound capacity.  I could use it for what I need then flip it for close to what I pay for it.  Googling it, it looks like the real deal and not a piece of junk. 

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/1307165472758290/

[Mark J]

Well it looks like it would be easy to move a load around with this, but two questions come to mind. 

First, what's the plan to get the Hammer up onto and down off of the cart?  

It looks easy to get rolling and I believe you said your ground was sloped, so how will you control speed?

[bleedinblue]

2 hours ago, Mark J said:

Well it looks like it would be easy to move a load around with this, but two questions come to mind. 

First, what's the plan to get the Hammer up onto and down off of the cart?  

It looks easy to get rolling and I believe you said your ground was sloped, so how will you control speed?

I was a bit tired when I posted this last night, lol.

Ideally, the delivery driver could drop the machine into the cart with the pallet jack...but I admittedly don't know if the pallet jack could lift that high, I've never used one.  My plan is to install the mobility kit onto the machine and build a ramp to get it off the pallet.  That could also work to get the machine off this cart, but again the cart may be so high the ramp would have to be bigger and longer than I'd like.  I walked the route from my driveway to back yard the other day.  I can stay on mostly level ground. 

I'm still debating between hiring a moving company and renting the mini skid loader I talked about previously.  They're my most likely choices.  The moving company would probably be the safest, but the skid loader would keep me in 100% control.

[SawDustB]

6 minutes ago, bleedinblue said:

I was a bit tired when I posted this last night, lol.

Ideally, the delivery driver could drop the machine into the cart with the pallet jack...but I admittedly don't know if the pallet jack could lift that high, I've never used one.  My plan is to install the mobility kit onto the machine and build a ramp to get it off the pallet.  That could also work to get the machine off this cart, but again the cart may be so high the ramp would have to be bigger and longer than I'd like.  I walked the route from my driveway to back yard the other day.  I can stay on mostly level ground. 

I'm still debating between hiring a moving company and renting the mini skid loader I talked about previously.  They're my most likely choices.  The moving company would probably be the safest, but the skid loader would keep me in 100% control.

It's reasonable to expect a pallet jack to give you around 6" of lift. Usually if you want to go higher you'll need to lift it, then block underneath, and alternate to bring it up. It would be quite the process to get it into that cart.

[Mark J]

29 minutes ago, bleedinblue said:

I was a bit tired when I posted this last night, lol.

Ideally, the delivery driver could drop the machine into the cart with the pallet jack...but I admittedly don't know if the pallet jack could lift that high, I've never used one.  My plan is to install the mobility kit onto the machine and build a ramp to get it off the pallet.  That could also work to get the machine off this cart, but again the cart may be so high the ramp would have to be bigger and longer than I'd like.  I walked the route from my driveway to back yard the other day.  I can stay on mostly level ground. 

I'm still debating between hiring a moving company and renting the mini skid loader I talked about previously.  They're my most likely choices.  The moving company would probably be the safest, but the skid loader would keep me in 100% control.

Nope, a pallet jack will not lift it that high.  And lifting and blocking, in stages as pointed out, would be difficult.  And just getting the Hammer that high off the ground is only part of the problem you would still have to get it over on to the cart.  Also you are presuming that the delivery truck will be equipped with a pallet jack.  It might be, then again maybe not, or the driver may not be authorized to use it outside of the truck.  

You gotta have a plan to get the Hammer from the street at least to your garage.  Maybe the driver will help you out so the first tool you want in your tool box is some twenty dollar bills you can part with for a tip.    

If the driver won't do more than deliver it curb side the best thing for moving on pavement is a pallet jack.  Easily rented, in fact I went to my rental store to actually see what one was weeks before the expected delivery.  The guy showed me how the pallet jack works, the two sizes, etc. and it was very helpful information for planning the move.  

It's good that the pathway to the shop is mostly level.  But is it truly smooth.  Do you have a curb at the end of your driveway or is it a smooth transition.  Or is it a smooth transition but with crumbling asphalt and micro pot holes at the junction with the street.  Any cracks in the pavement of your drive?  A half inch lip is something that will require a push to negotiate with this kind of load on a pallet jack.  I don't think a one inch lip will be something you can just roll over (how much does the Hammer weigh, anyway?), but there are other techniques.  

[bleedinblue]

Yeah, that cart is a no go.  

I don't know what freight service Felder uses, but with all freight deliveries I've taken in the past the driver has rolled right into my garage no problem.  If he doesn't this time, I should be able to get a pallet jack to get the machine out of the driveway no problem. 

That skid loader is looking better and better though.  If it works, the loader will make the move a five minute operation. 

[Woodenskye]

You may want to have an extra pallet if you go with the skid steer.  The hammer comes on a narrow pallet if I remember correctly, so you may want to plan accordingly. If you go rent a pallet Jack, make sure it is the narrow version or if they only have the wider version, the extra pallet will still be useful. 

[Mark J]

26 minutes ago, bleedinblue said:

That skid loader is looking better and better though.  If it works, the loader will make the move a five minute operation. 

Well it would certainly be more fun.

[pkinneb]

Blue how far and what type of terrain are you going over? Do you live where the ground freezes? I think if it were me I would go from the pallet to the mobile base then get two pieces of cheap ply and roll it across the yard on them putting one in front of the other as you go.

[Minnesota Steve]

I just thought of another way... I had a big swingset... The tower part of it was about 6'x8' and around 10' tall.  It was here when we bought the house.   Anyway I wanted to move it out of the way so I could rearrange the dirt in the area as I wanted to fill the swingset area with woodchips, and build gardens to the side.   So I took off the beam which held the swings and built a skid out of some 4x4 timbers under the tower part... beveled off the fronts so they wouldn't dig in when I pulled it.   Screwed the swing set down to it using timber bolts.   And then my buddy and I pulled it with the car and a rope around the trailer hitch.   That swingset probably weighed a few hundred pounds less, it was just really bulky.

You could screw the pallet to some 2x4's and toss some plywood down on the ground to make it easier.    Can't get the car around, but maybe a lawn tractor and a chain?   Or maybe just some 2" pvc pipe under and you could push it?

Well as long as you don't have any hills... then it's gonna suck.

[sjeff70]

Whatever plan you use please take some video of the operation and post them here.  There aren't many videos on youtube that show someone transporting woodworking machines around 

[Coop]

We recently had to move this 13,000 lb. storage tank across a yard to get it to where a crane could pick it up, using pipe as rollers. The square tubing shown on the ground, could be replaced in your case, with OSB or ply. 

[bleedinblue]

4 hours ago, pkinneb said:

Blue how far and what type of terrain are you going over? Do you live where the ground freezes? I think if it were me I would go from the pallet to the mobile base then get two pieces of cheap ply and roll it across the yard on them putting one in front of the other as you go.

I'd actually thought about that.  It's not THAT far.  It's all grass until I get to my patio.  I think it's gonna be pretty warm this week, any freezing will be short lived.  The mobile base I got has a 1500 pound capacity, so it should roll easily. 

[Mark J]

So I understand you (and I don't think I did completely before), you plan to install the Portamate 3500 mobile base under the Hammer while it's crated on the pallet then roll this accross drive, grass and patio to your walk in shop?  Possibly with a temporary plywood pathway over the lawn.

I have a Portamate 3550 mobile base which I just put under a drill press (chose this model because all the wheels retract).  Couple of concerns/questions.

The Portamate is very robust, certainly for my application, but closer to its rated capacity I would expect a little sagging, particularly when the frame is at the upper limit of its size range.  I assume you've checked that the mobile base can expand to fit the pallet/crate for the Hammer, but the pallet and crate you were led to expect may not be the one it arrives with.  That's happened to me twice.  

The wheels on these bases are still small diameter, only 3 inches.  Under load I wouldn't expect mine to roll over grass, a threshold or anything but smooth pavement.  I expect even an expansion joint would be a challenge.  

A plywood path seems a must, but I am wondering how a single sheet of even 3/4 inch on soft ground might bend under the load.  

Also if two adjacent sheets move creating a gap between the sheets I think that will be very difficult to negotiate with these wheels.

Consider overlapping the plywood like shingles so it is always a step down as you move to the shop.  That will take more than two sheets.

Much of the above would apply to a pallet jack, but to a lesser degree.  The front wheels are wide steel rollers and the back wheel is larger diameter.  The fact that you can lift the load a few inches is also going to be helpful (e.g. at the threshold).  Still a pallet jack is going to have its challenges.

Just some things to consider.

[bleedinblue]

Rolling it around and through the yard on the Porta Mate isnt/wasn't my top idea, just one option I had thought of. 

If the rental rate of the skid is reasonable, that's probably my top choice right now.  After that, perhaps a pallet jack and a few sheets of cheap sheet goods. 

One quote I got by movers was $400, that's bananas. 

[Tom King]

When using plywood, you need to use three sheets.  We do this fairly often, as we move a trailer load of tools every year, or two.  We use 5/8" plywood.   If you just butt the plywood end to end, the first sheet will get pushed down, and there will be a lip to have to lift over.  The first sheet needs to lap over the next sheet a little, so there is a 5/8" drop, but at least it's going in the right direction.  Since the weight is now on the second sheet, if it's not already sitting on the next sheet, there will be extra effort required to get the next sheet under the one the weight is sitting on.   If this is not clear why three sheets are needed, I can explain further.

We would just slide it.  That keeps the center of gravity lower, and while wheels make it easier to move, it also makes it easy to get out of control, even simply by one wheel rolling off the edge of a sheet of plywood.  700 pounds sounds like a lot, but it's really not That bad.

[Ronn W]

How about 6 friends (you get to take the video) and 3 sets of lifting straps.  Lift, move a few feet, set down, bitch and moan, rinse and repeat.

[bleedinblue]

Makes perfect sense Tom. 

[bleedinblue]

Tomorrow is the day.  It might work in my favor that it's not supposed to be back above freezing for a couple of days, so the ground is nice and frozen. 

[Chestnut]

That might make things easier and prevent some damage to your yard. We use frozen ground to our benefit in construction all the time, especially in places that are super soft like swamps.

[Mark J]

@bleedinblue, good luck with the delivery today!