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How would you lift a 350 pound surface plate?

TorontoBuilder

TorontoBuilder

Ultra Member
Scenario, you need to lift a 24" x 36" or larger surface plate (~350 pounds) off its stand, and move it up a couple of steps and thru a doorway.

The stand has spacers that keeps the plate elevated on four corners, but there is not a lot of room to feed a sling under the slab.

I was thinking of using thin prybar under long edge to slightly lift the plate enough to get a couple of wedges under then plate to elevate the edge 1". Then I can slide webbing under the slab at each end of the slab.

Then I'll insert a spreader bar cut from a stud to keep the slings separated as I lift the slab gently a couple of inches. Once I have the plate off the stand I think that it may be possible to roll the slab into vertical position where is is most stable before rolling the hoist out of garage.

The only time I'm concerned with is the raising and lowering of the slab since this is when it is vulnerable to sliding out of the slings

Both my brother and I are old and slow, and can easily be killed by a granite slab. I'm more concerned with this move than moving the lathe.

Suggestions?
 
I would get a rigging crew, but that’s me.

Also: supported on the corners, not the three designated support positions?
 
another thought I had was to make clamps of eye bolts and 2x4s.

Use prybar and wedges to lift slab enough to get two 2x4s under the slab crosswise.

Then put another two 2x4s on top of the slab and then drill a 3/8" hole thru the 2x4s which are then thru bolted pinching the slab between them. Then just hoist from 4 eye bolts
 
ChazzC said:
I would get a rigging crew, but that’s me.

Also: supported on the corners, not the three designated support positions?
Click to expand...
Ok yah got me. I haven't looked closely enough to see if they have it on three points or all four corners. It looks like 4

I checked the yellow pages under "dial a brute", it was blank
 
Grabo vacuum panel lifter. You may be able to rent one. But all it really does is put a handle on your heavy thing.
You still have to lift the thing.

 
Do you have any jacks? Like bottle or screw that you can use to lift the slab up and then sling? Even a car jack or scissor jack could lift things
 
TorontoBuilder said:
another thought I had was to make clamps of eye bolts and 2x4s.

Use prybar and wedges to lift slab enough to get two 2x4s under the slab crosswise.

Then put another two 2x4s on top of the slab and then drill a 3/8" hole thru the 2x4s which are then thru bolted pinching the slab between them. Then just hoist from 4 eye bolts
Click to expand...
I like this idea but I think I'd use ready rod to bolt the 2x's together and put the lifting strap under the ready rods. Wrap a ratchet strap or two around the whole thing perpendicular to the 2x's so the slab can't slip out the end.
 
TorontoBuilder said:
I lchecked the yellow pages under "dial a brute", it was blank
Click to expand...

You need to look further West.

TorontoBuilder said:
Use prybar and wedges to lift slab enough to get two 2x4s under the slab crosswise.

Then put another two 2x4s on top of the slab and then drill a 3/8" hole thru the 2x4s which are then thru bolted pinching the slab between them. Then just hoist from 4 eye bolts
Click to expand...

Why do you need to sandwich it?

I would think the granite would make a better spreader bar than a 2x4. Just use the straps in the other direction so they don't want to pull together. Or use ratchet straps to hold them wherever you want them.

An engine leveller might help make child's play of balancing the block and an engine hoist would easily lift it and put it on a dolly for the move, then lift it again into place.

I like your wooden cradle, but I'd go for straps around the ends of the 2x4s instead of eye-bolts that could pull out.

They sell air inflatable lifts that would work well to lift the block in steps however much you need. I have 5 that were super cheap and amazingly versatile. The 5th allows you to lift in rotation on steps with low risk of damage.

These are not mine but similar.

 
Susquatch said:
You need to look further West.



Why do you need to sandwich it?

I would think the granite would make a better spreader bar than a 2x4. Just use the straps in the other direction so they don't want to pull together. Or use ratchet straps to hold them wherever you want them.

An engine leveller might help make child's play of balancing the block and an engine hoist would easily lift it and put it on a dolly for the move, then lift it again into place.

I like your wooden cradle, but I'd go for straps around the ends of the 2x4s instead of eye-bolts that could pull out.

They sell air inflatable lifts that would work well to lift the block in steps however much you need. I have 5 that were super cheap and amazingly versatile. The 5th allows you to lift in rotation on steps with low risk of damage.

These are not mine but similar.

Click to expand...
I have those inflatable lifts they are somewhere, but where is an unknown. This is why I am so pissed off with the state of affairs of all our storage.

Okay, so I think I've settled on getting straps under using a prybar, then using engine hoist to lift just enough to get 2x4s under. Then use ready rod to clamp 2x4s together and lift with straps under 2x4 ends.
 
TorontoBuilder said:
I have those inflatable lifts they are somewhere, but where is an unknown. This is why I am so pissed off with the state of affairs of all our storage.
Click to expand...

Too bad. I think mine are good for 300 pounds each, will lift about 2 inches, and are only 1/4 inch thick or so when deflated.

TorontoBuilder said:
Okay, so I think I've settled on getting straps under using a prybar, then using engine hoist to lift just enough to get 2x4s under. Then use ready rod to clamp 2x4s together and lift with straps under 2x4 ends.
Click to expand...

Still don't see why you need to clamp the slab. But it will work.
 
@TorontoBuilder I agree about safety being paramount. No need to endanger the surface plate, either.

(1) isn't the suspension adjustable, so you can lift the plate with the suspension bolts to clear straps?
(2) there are a bunch of ways of attaching the straps to be safe. one way is to use 2 cinching straps that tighten in opposite directions across the 24" width, and to use a single strap - even a 1" ratchet strap in the long dimension to form a basket. the ratchet strap doesn't take any of the load, it just completes the containment for safety.

to wit:

surface plate rigging.jpg


Please don't rag me too much for leaving out the "h" in tightening - i really do know how to spell it!
 
This is wildly over complicated, you need a pry bar, a few spacers and two straps which you can choke around the block

Pry up the block a few mill at a time if need be, put your spaces in, choke it, and lift with your engine crane, a big square block of granite is probably the easiest thing you could rig

the weight is consistent and uniform, just measure and put the straps at equal distances, so long as you don't have a wildly steep angle between the two straps there is no reason 2 straps choked would slip
 
Dabbler said:
@TorontoBuilder I agree about safety being paramount. No need to endanger the surface plate, either.

(1) isn't the suspension adjustable, so you can lift the plate with the suspension bolts to clear straps?
(2) there are a bunch of ways of attaching the straps to be safe. one way is to use 2 cinching straps that tighten in opposite directions across the 24" width, and to use a single strap - even a 1" ratchet strap in the long dimension to form a basket. the ratchet strap doesn't take any of the load, it just completes the containment for safety.

to wit:

View attachment 53687

Please don't rag me too much for leaving out the "h" in tightening - i really do know how to spell it!
Click to expand...


wow that is going the extra mile.

I thought of this but worried about shifting as I raise and lower because of the design of cherry picker geometry. But the reason I was thinking a wood frame is because once inside I need to move this all over the place including up and down. That is why I will be drilling 4 holes and installing anchors so I can then start using eyelets to lift from.

I'd originally planned to drill those 4 holes before even moving it the first time, but the timeline got advanced on me
 
.....get the biggest wire rope reel you can find, knock out the center and sandwich the plate between and roll it wherever you need it...... Disassemble, and make two rustic coffee tables, sell them at a premium and buy that shaper you have been lusting after. :p

Just kidding, kinda, it would work, but are you hillbilly enough to try it?:rolleyes:
 
140mower said:
.....get the biggest wire rope reel you can find, knock out the center and sandwich the plate between and roll it wherever you need it...... Disassemble, and make two rustic coffee tables, sell them at a premium and buy that shaper you have been lusting after. :p

Just kidding, kinda, it would work, but are you hillbilly enough to try it?:rolleyes:
Click to expand...

huh. I could cut two 38" diameter discs out of sheet of plywood and do the same thing.

but the idea of the wheel tipping over scares the bejebus out of me. Then I'd have to rig outrigger discs for stability and it would become unwieldy
 
140mower said:
Those big reels are made of 2x stock, all said and done your probably 8"wide on the floor, one brother on each side and go slow...... The one I have is probably 4' in diameter ......
Click to expand...
IF I had more time, I'd probably try this, because I could see using this technique a lot in the country
 
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