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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Nov 2018
    Location
    Newcastle
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    1,014

    Question Transporting Big Stuff: Suggestions?

    Just wondering if anyone has any innovative suggestions:

    I've needed to move some biggish 'domestic' machinery lately, and will need to do it again - things like table saws, jointers and so on. Next on the list is a Hammer A3-31 if I can find a decent one. Around 250kg.

    My usual solution is to hire a trailer from Bunnings (cheap) for 24 hours, and zoot off to collect myself. I usually only look within a 200km radius of Newcastle. $40-60 depending on size.

    The issue with that is getting the beasts onto and off of the trailer. I have a short but very steep drive too. The missus and I managed to push the Hammer N4400 up it (just) on it's own little wheels - that's listed as 170kg. It was relatively easy to get onto the trailer because it's tall and thin - move it up, and tip it on. Not going to work for something short and squat...

    Anything beyond the trailer seems to be a big jump in price. Given it's around a 300km round trip to Sydney, a removal van with tail lift seems to be about $190 before fuel. Minivans are a bit cheaper, but I'm faced with similar issues getting the machine into the van.

    Any suggestions? Though of a pallet trolley to lift onto the trailer, but I don't think they go high enough.

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  3. #2
    Join Date
    Nov 2005
    Location
    Darkest NSW
    Posts
    3,197

    Default

    I've always used an engine hoist for loading/unloading heavy stuff, e.g. 3-phase jointer/thicknesser. Can be hired.

  4. #3
    Join Date
    May 2007
    Location
    Sth Gippsland Vic
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    4,355

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    The longer your trailer the better. That means you can make a longer ramp to fit in and take any where. With a long enough ramp and a hand winch I moved 20 ton On and off at the end of a 2.5 hour drive when we moved from City to Farm . I didn't have short steep driveway issues though .
    They slid up the ramp and with a come along hand winch slid down . The ramp hooked on just like the two car ramps that came with my trailer.
    It also was made to hook to a welded up table to take things out of the workshop that had a high landing and slide down onto trailer.
    I also made a couple of flat plates that I could chain things like lathes to . Where the base is two sets of legs spread apart.
    The trailer and ramp still comes in handy for one off pick ups . I went out and grabbed a nice old heavy Camel back drill a while ago from a country property . The set up allows one man pick ups and its safe . I tried another method using shear legs and block and tackle before the ramp . That was an accident waiting to happen . There's a guy in the UK who has mastered it. Sion Dovey , he's a member here too . One man machine handling with long legs and rope . Amazing pictures were put online . I didn't like it so much after a few attempts so I went to the ramp method.

    Did a bit of a thread on it here.

    Moving Machinery and the incline plane


    Shifting Machinery




    Rob

  5. #4
    Join Date
    Jun 2005
    Location
    Helensburgh
    Posts
    7,696

    Default

    Find someone with a brick truck that has an all terrain fork on the back or even a tilt tray tow truck would work depending on the distance/cost ratio. There are pallet trolleys that have a high lift capability and these may be available from hire companies as well. I used to tip the trailer on its rear and let the machine slide backwards off the trailer, that is how I got the A3, Bandsaw and slider home. There was not a lot of finesse about it but the machines didn't suffer and worked ok. As mentioned an engine hoist will work depending on the extension the jib needs as the weight limits go south quickly using a longer jib. Another way is a chain hoist on an overhead beam between two trestle style supports, the whole lot being capable of being pulled apart and stored for future use. It wouldn't need to be hugely high as all you want is to lift clear of the floor and drive the trailer out of the way.
    CHRIS

  6. #5
    Join Date
    Nov 2018
    Location
    Newcastle
    Posts
    1,014

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    I think a couple of trailer ramps might be the quick and easy solution, plus the Bunnings trailer - tilted if necessary. I have a couple of five ton ratchet straps which I think could be used to assist with pulling.

    Will pop into repco and supercheap to look at options - I don't have a welder (yet!)

  7. #6
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
    Location
    Macksville
    Age
    62
    Posts
    390

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    Quote Originally Posted by Mr Brush View Post
    I've always used an engine hoist for loading/unloading heavy stuff, e.g. 3-phase jointer/thicknesser. Can be hired.

    I recently needed one to replace the cylinder head on my Patrol & found it was cheaper to buy one when they're on special at Supercheap than to hire one for a couple of days.

  8. #7
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Location
    Sydney
    Posts
    2,205

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    I’m very well eguipped for this sort of gig nowadaze.
    I beam and travellers and chain blocks in the ‘shop.
    Picked up an old Abbey crane which makes these Ching engine cranes look sad.
    It doesn’t dismantle unfortunately but I used it yesterday to lift an empty 1000 litre H2O tank onto a trailer rack to place on top of a 1700 high stand as an overflow out in the yard. It didn’t fit out the door so I used an extension made from a pallet rack beam and a piece of I beam, the tank only weighed 65k.
    As a bit of sheer bloody mindedness I did it on my own at 70+.
    Ive also used a cum along and trailer to pick up a 1ton machine then unloaded it in the Shed annex from the light weight steel C section beams using a chain block.
    I used a bit of Oz hardwood and a couple of acro props to reinforce the beams.
    Using acro props, g clamps and strong beams you can lift from very lightweight building structures with a bit of ingenuity.
    Major fun moving machines, just wear steel toecaps and never get under anything up in air, work at your pace and don’t let “experts” stampede the process.
    H.
    Jimcracks for the rich and/or wealthy. (aka GKB '88)

  9. #8
    Join Date
    May 2018
    Location
    South Australia
    Age
    54
    Posts
    271

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    I bought a Hammer a3-31 and a K3 panel saw from a member a few months ago. We loaded both into my trailer by raising them one side a couple of inches at time and placing timber underneath. Once at trailer height we slid them in. I wouldn’t say it was easy but it worked. Unloading was much easier as I have an engine hoist, and a pallet jack, and a block and tackle running on girder trolley across my shed, so deciding which one to use was the hardest part of unloading.

    Cheers Andrew

  10. #9
    Join Date
    Feb 2016
    Location
    Canberra
    Posts
    5,124

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    Quote Originally Posted by AJ. View Post
    We loaded both into my trailer by raising them one side a couple of inches at time and placing timber underneath. Once at trailer height we slid them in. I wouldn’t say it was easy but it worked.
    Yes. The rocking method.

    Ive lifted massive stones like this by myself. My father was allowed to take some of the gigantic blocks of sandstone during St Andrews restoration (he's a sculptor and architect).

    Method below (ignore the crazy and stupid commentary).

    Use a technique like this using ordinary pine battens. Then wheel it forward onto the trailer.

    Easy peasy.

    www.youtube.com/watch?v=-K7q20VzwVs

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