Metal Moving Heavy Steel in Winnipeg

[Robert Fontaine]

I am tempted to big on a nice piece of 1" steel plate to build a couple of fixture tables out of.
I may be able to get the steel cheap but have to figure out how to get it from point a to point b.

My only problem.

65" x 53" x 1" = 999 pounds or 450Kg for the metrically inclined.

I put out 3 request for quotes to some movers here in winnipeg who claim heavy commercial experience.
Can anyone make any recommendations for who can move the piece?

From a shop to outside on the driveway till I buy or borrow a plasma cutter.





Thanks,
Robert

 

[Shoprat]

We have a local picker truck which does that exact job, pick up-deliver. Usually about 100-150. I would question how big of a plasma you would need. Water jet is my first choice. Get it delivered to a water jet shop and get everything roughed out.

 

[DavidR8]

1" plate is going to require at least 100A plasma cutter. My 50A will do 1/2" plate, barely.

 

[phaxtris]

are they loading it in your pickup truck or a trailer at the shop location and then you have to get it out of your truck/trailer at the house?

this is going to sound redneck.....but you could just drag it, couple pieces of dunnage under it and another vehicle or a tree, this is sometimes how i have to unload steel on a jobsite when there is no equipment avail or the equipment hasn't arrived yet but the truck has, quick and easy, make sure you put dunnage down for the fall

the other option is a picker, or a tow truck with a boom, 1000lbs is nothing for even a pickup mounted knuckle boom so long as you are beside it.

torch or a very expensive 100a plasma is what your going to need to cut 1" plate

 

[Tom Kitta]

It is neither super big nor super heavy. If they can load it up all you need is to throw it off your pickup at home.

If they do not load it, if you have a steel plate clamp, clamp it up and lift it with say an engine hoist onto your pickup.

You can also just weld some U to the plate and lift it by that.

As others said plasma cutter would need to be super expensive unit to deal with 1". Your better bet is just use a torch. Even small one would not have any issues with just 1".

I have some 1 1/4 plate - plan is to cut it onto rough needed pieces and even things up with a band saw.

 

[Bandit]

If you are moving with/in a pickup, 53 inchs will not likely go between the wheel wells unless a flat deck style. If you do put it in box (up on one wheel well), remove tail gate for loading/unloading.

 

[Dan Dubeau]

I vote either drag it, or torch it to the size you need on site, and that should make it easier to move and manage.

A tilt n load truck with a willing operator should be able to drag it up on the deck and drop it off at your drieway on a couple chunks of lumber to get it off the ground so you can cut it up. That might be the cheapest option.

 

[phaxtris]

If you cut it up on your drive way with a torch, put a chunk of scrap under the cut, the slag will spall (pop) the concrete, and if it's asphalt it will burn/melt it

 

[Robert Fontaine]

1" plate is going to require at least 100A plasma cutter. My 50A will do 1/2" plate, barely.

We have a local picker truck which does that exact job, pick up-deliver. Usually about 100-150. I would question how big of a plasma you would need. Water jet is my first choice. Get it delivered to a water jet shop and get everything roughed out.

If you cut it up on your drive way with a torch, put a chunk of scrap under the cut, the slag will spall (pop) the concrete, and if it's asphalt it will burn/melt it

I will be putting it down on railway ties so plenty of room to stick some scrap underneath but thanks for the tip. In my youth, I spent about two weeks cutting up an old cast iron boiler into pieces small enough to hand bomb out of a university basement. Cutting metal is something I am pretty comfortable with. Gluing metal back together again, however, is an entirely new hobby for me and I'm looking forward to it.

 

[Dan Dubeau]

If you cut it up on your drive way with a torch, put a chunk of scrap under the cut, the slag will spall (pop) the concrete, and if it's asphalt it will burn/melt it

that's a great call, and not something I probably would have though about until it's too late. I do all my cutting on a gravel driveway, or grass backyard. I haven't had the luxury of a paved driveway for a long time lol.

 

[phaxtris]

that's a great call, and not something I probably would have though about until it's too late. I do all my cutting on a gravel driveway, or grass backyard. I haven't had the luxury of a paved driveway for a long time lol.

Yea it's one of those things no one tells you but expects you to know.....like glass and grinder sparks

A plasma will do it as well, but you need to be much much closer (few inches), the slag from a torch will do it from tail gate height of there is enough (and 1" plate would have enough)

 

[justin1]

I am tempted to big on a nice piece of 1" steel plate to build a couple of fixture tables out of.

My only problem.

65" x 53" x 1" = 999 pounds or 450Kg for the metrically inclined.

I put out 3 request for quotes to some movers here in winnipeg who claim heavy commercial experience.
Can anyone make any recommendations for who can move the piece?

From a shop to outside on the driveway till I buy or borrow a plasma cutter

If you have a small flat deck trailer you can haul that with a geo metro straight to a welding shop with a CNC plasma set up or maybe even a track cutter if nothing else.

It's not that expensive to get it cut up by a shop. Depending were you go and how much chunks you want it cut in to could be anywhere from 1 hr shop time to 3 hrs.

If you don't care about a crappy cut you could probly just sever it with a 60amp plasma cutter but it would be a slow go and you will need large hammer to crack the slag and zip cut to nip any spots you will miss.

1" welding table is nice for working on large equipment but realistically you could make a table from 3/8 or 1/2 and drill bunch of holes in it and depending on what your doing probly be alot happier with lighter table as there much easier to move around a small shop or garage. a guy can drag a 4x8 1/2" welding table across a concrete floor alone depending how smooth the floor is.

I've worked on some pretty big stuff on a 1/2 welding table aslong as it's built right.

Mind you my home welding table is 1¼" piece of T100 42" by 96" I guess it boils down to how cheap you can get it and if you can handle moving it around from time to time.

 

[CWret]

I totally agree with several comments above - take it or get it delivered to a shop than can cut it. The cuts will be soooo much cleaner and straighter than you can do yourself.

I acquired, for very few dollars, a 4x8 sheet of 16 gauge steel. I took it to a shop and for real cheap they sheared it into (3”, 6”, 12”, 16”, and 24”) x 48” strips (and some of the strips were also cut in half). That was 20 years ago and i still have some left. I smile whenever i use some.

 

[CWret]

Depending on where you take it and their capabilities (water jet) consider getting some 4x4”pieces with a 1” or 1 1/2” square &/or round hole in the middle. Likely not cost much extra once they are working on it.