pry bars and Johnson bars

[Warren Lake]

Years back a customer gave me a pry bar, he wasnt sure where he got it but it was excellent and made moving heavy stuff or getting under it easier than any past bars Id tried. I used it many times and at one point it was lost for years and I needed therapy. Doing a roof repair years later there was a bang and it was found the next day in a bush near the home. Nice. This bar was comfortable to use, I moved machines up to 2,500 lbs with it, it would flex but it always kept the same shape. It had a lip on one or two of the paddle ends that I ground off but done so long ago and dont think I took photos but should have., there is also wear on the back and I think that it came from auto industry and a tire machine. Thats my best guess.

Ive looked at some machines in a new level of weight at 4,000 lbs I figured it was above this bar and my body weight. Have a guy with a float and a Telehandler to do a pick ups but reality would still have to get under the machine to block it up to get forks under. At times putting a machine on pipe and rolling to a better location as well.

There are Johnson bars that have wheels and certain capacities and one other name for bars similiar that dont have wheels. I saved some info last night and will take a look for the other name. Capacity of the johnson bars were different weights but no matter what you still have to get under the thing to lift it.

What are you using for heavier weight machines. Im looking for those ones to lift one side and move a machine around though there are wheels on the heavier Johnson bars at least the one style.

[Andrew Seemann]

Ah the Johnson bar. Brings me back to the days of my time at the University machine shops I worked at in college. With a bunch of big, strong, not overly bright 20 somethings and some Johnson bars you could move absolutely anything. I was once moving a piece of machinery with someone else with each of us having a Johnson bar, I think it was huge pump of some sort, and his bar slipped, putting the whole weight on my bar. I ended up doing a Benny Hill and was flipped up a few feet in the air, somehow landing on my feet. I was rather proud of that at the time. Thanks for bringing back the memory:)

When I need to move a heavy machine I use my 17, 20, and 26 year olds. Big, strong, and still at the age when they try to out-do each other. I used to be like that. Actually, I probably am still like that more than I would admit.

The pry bar you first describe almost sounds like a huge tire mounting bar for breaking and setting the beads on a tire machine.

[Bill Dufour]

Toe Jack, machine skates.
Bill D

[Warren Lake]

yeah ill dig up some photos. I prefer to stay away from the acrobatics if possible.

Ive done stupid stuff like once lifting one side of the combination machine. I vowed to never do it again but after two months working on my parents property before selling it I walked up and lifted it three times in a row. now I probably couldnt and it wasnt ideal anyway as I was lifting from the outfeed but those machines are made so strong it wasnt phased at all. Last machine I moved was a BAJ planer at maybe 2,500 lbs not looking it up and its a bit serious weight wise and add in all the dynamics like horrible rough concrete and and. Need a system again to do this. Farmers sold right close by and they were the best with three or four machines at this end to take machines off a trailer.

I bought a wadkin radial a while back and made a wood skid, put it on the skid strapped it down put pipe under the skid and used a block and tackle to pull it up beams onto a trailer, did that with the SCM saw as well on maple beams only no skid. Bases are different and approaches have to be at times as well.

Its time I need to purchase or make something that can get under and lift and more serious weight

[andy bessette]

Toe Jack, machine skates.
Bill D

Plus a large toe bar.

[Warren Lake]

ive seen the special jacks that look like bottle jacks and at times be good but this is not what im thinking now. Skates wont work on rough concrete and the planer I bought went out from smooth onto a parking lot that was insane. Pipe works better for that even if one hangs up you juist put others in front of it. This is about lifting to get under in different fashions me knowing im past this pry bar. Knowing it does up to 2,500 and does not bend or it bends but then its perfect it never holds the bend. Its really good quality whatever an where ever it came from.

Im sure I read past up to 10,000 lbs for the large Johnson bars. I know some roll around and there is another type that dont only for leverage to lift. At this point still thinking I cant lift a 4,000 lb machine with what I have and need to work on a better system.

[Richard Coers]

I haven't moved anything that a railroad pry bar won't lift. 6' long, single tapered bevel end and with a block of wood as a fulcrum , the physics are there for a lot of lifting force. I recently bought a pallet jack rated at 5,000 pounds. Like new condition for $250. I bought it from a company that remodels Walgreens Drug Stores. Small traveling group that sells a lot of equipment after every job is done, then has new drop shipped to the next job in the country. Said doing that is cheaper than owning a semi and driving across the country. A good set of used skates can cost $600+

[Andrew Seemann]

Im sure I read past up to 10,000 lbs for the large Johnson bars. I know some roll around and there is another type that dont only for leverage to lift. At this point still thinking I cant lift a 4,000 lb machine with what I have and need to work on a better system.

Keep in mind the better system could be paying someone with the right equipment & insurance and other people's backs. I've done more than my share of stupid manly stuff to save a buck, but at some point it make sense to write a check and make it someone else's problem to solve.

[Edward Weber]

J-bars are great for nudging things into place or a temperary lift to slide a shim or low dolly under. If you want to lift and move something any disatance, These are what I used to use.
https://www.globalindustrial.com/p/heavy-duty-equipment-dolly-mover-8000-lb-capacity?infoParam.campaignId=T9F&gad_source=1&adlclid=ADL-14e1ebc1-ffdc-4325-8da5-e6b24ef7f7f8

They bo have lighter weight versions of these, this is just an example.

[Warren Lake]

yep I did put the time in this time, but you still have lift it up.

float and telehandler was 100.00 per hour farmer south of me. Best to be self sufficient and reserve hiring for specific things. Ive been able to handle up to 2,500 lbs on my own with what I have and have a huge folder of details. easy enough to study and improve. Even see wheels attached to metal one on each corner and being able to roll a shipping container around.

When I made the skid for the lighter machine it was great as the machine was strapped the skid then the skid strapped to the trailer. Past ive one same on maple beams 12 feet long and it ads stability to the machine being strapped and it also distributed the weight in that case it has four feet and 2,500 lbs so I wanted to spread the weight over the trailer and not on four feet. I had a good set up before 16 foot car trailer and wallyi wagon to pull it. I load and come home on my own time and throw a tarp over and unload when its convenient.

[andy bessette]

...A good set of used skates can cost $600+

An excellent set of (4) new, low profile skates can be bought for under $200.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/113891333430?itmmeta=01HS4FTVVMYZN37KQJ5W6R2ENY&hash=item1a8473d536:g:z4oAAOSw2PVf8Ryh

[Kevin Jenness]

I mainly get by with a 30" renovator's bar like this one https://www.leevalley.com/en-us/shop/tools/hand-tools/pry-bars/32015-gransfors-renovators-bars, a 1" x 6' big bar with a chisel tip and some rollers. Sometimes a hi-lift jack, 1 ton chain hoist and furniture dollies come into play. As long as you can get the thin end of a wedge started there's not a lot you can't do with wedges, levers and rollers.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

J-bars are great for nudging things into place or a temperary lift to slide a shim or low dolly under. If you want to lift and move something any disatance, These are what I used to use.
https://www.globalindustrial.com/p/heavy-duty-equipment-dolly-mover-8000-lb-capacity?infoParam.campaignId=T9F&gad_source=1&adlclid=ADL-14e1ebc1-ffdc-4325-8da5-e6b24ef7f7f8

They bo have lighter weight versions of these, this is just an example.

I used those roller lifts a lot to move a CT gantry through the halls of hospitals and clinics when intalling a new one and removing old ones.

A gantry can weighed 3,000-4,000 pounds.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

These or similar devices are what we used to move MRI magnets through the halls of hospitals or clinics when we couldn't lift them directly into the scan room via a removeable roof for wall section. We hired riggers who brought the devices and the muscle necessary. MRI magnets often weigh over 25,000 lbs. The riggers put one under each of the 4 corners of a magnet and using handles to steer, they pushed the magnet down the halls.

https://www.toolots.com/ng-frontend/productDetail?id=51777&title=Dolly+Skate+Machinery+Mover+with+360+Degree+ Rotation+Cap+6Ton,+13200Lb

[Edward Weber]

I used those roller lifts a lot to move a CT gantry through the halls of hospitals and clinics when intalling a new one and removing old ones.

A gantry can weighed 3,000-4,000 pounds.

I couldn't tell you how many things I've moved with those from safes to mass spectrometers.
Great for doing light millwright work/moving.
The only drawback to those skates is the wheel size. You really need a flat. clean. preferably level floor to move them on.

[Bill Dufour]

Growing up we had a pry bar about one inch diameter 5 feet long. point on one end bent flat on the other. Story is it was an axle shaft from a cement truck. Very similar to the Horrible Fright one but stiffer, much less flex.
BilLD

[andrew whicker]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x2y4Fgl-oVw

These look cool.

[Warren Lake]

spent some time on that folder and need lots more have tons saved. In looking see the last machine moved I drilled and strapped it to the Pump Truck and it stayed on and rolled out into the traierl using a winch to pull it uip. parking lot was terrible. I could get a better Pump truck they make double capacity and drill it and then once under strap the machine to that and also have hooks on it to put straps to the trailer. This was different than the machine before where I put it on a skid and then pulled it onto the trailer with a block and tackle.

Attaching the add on wheel way, ive see this done this was also another idea wheels on metal one on each corner strap it then it rolls out hooks on it then strap to those on the trailer this has a truck attached but on others they mount those wheels on each side and strap them on then just roll out, Skates are no good for rough parking lots. Ive saved A frames and other ideas. All have positives and negatives to them. Be too hard to set up a frame that could lift 4,000 lbs that you could still drive a trailer under and lower it down

thing I need most now is a heavier bar to lift than im using. Saw some Johnson bars go to 10,000 lbs. I lift a different way than they do and been fine but have reached the limit,. At times knees on the bar holding machine up so two hands free to put blocks under it. I see in the bars even have one saved from Essential Carpenter and it looks pretty good to lift then block up.

Last time used the Pump Truck as the dolly, then once in the trailer used the loops to attach and secured it and fasten it down. Then left on the dolly for a bit as spent time cleaning not done in 50 years.

Where do you find many choices of the very heavy straps used to move machinery by pros. Ive lifted a number of machines from the bases using heavy chain. It works great other than have to deal with the weight of chains I use for lifting. In most cases I bolted to the base of machines even if I had to drill holes that way I was lifting from the bottom then chains up above the machine and a forklift put their forks in up there. The good thing about chains is I can always adjust the length and balance points. Wont be able to do the same with straps buy may not need to in most cases just lift.

Each case a bit different had an enclosed trailer for the planer and no way to get the planer in even if there was a forklift at pickup. There wasnt anyway.

Looking and saving heres a simple bar beside the Johnson bar and sure they would work fine for the high capacity. this planer was okay to lift with the bar i have but would not want to do too much more even if worked fine was pushing it and needed more leverage.

I found higher rated Pallet Jacks 6,600 lbs 8,000 lbs and 11,000 lbs. Max length on all is 48". Some machines are over that and would have to add metal on top to support overhang if that was okay. Didnt see any with longer length forks for a higher capacity then most that are 5.500 if long forks would do a 4,000 lb machine.



517246 517247517250

[Warren Lake]

This is the pry bar that has done all. It can inch a 2,500 lb machine across the floor if need but be mostly used to lift stuff up and put something under a machine. I peg its maximum at about 2,500 lbs approx, I can bend it big when under load and it never holds a bend still straight even after tons of bending. It had a lip on at least one end that I ground off. Ive sharpened the ends as well. May have photos of it before changing it, I always document stuff but its past and dont see it in a folder. If anyone has an idea where this would be from id like to get another to have a back up.

Ill have to get a Johnson bar now as saw ones up to 11,000 lbs. I wanted to lift a heavy machine with this and didnt even try as ive done around 2,500 enough times and while okay dont want to push it more. Longer will be more leverage. I have put a pipe over it before for more leverage as well.


37 inches long

517702


one paddle end this the straighter of the two

517703


side view straighter paddle end

517704


other end more curve, alternating between ends when lifting works out great, one side often suits better than the other

517705


The mark in the back that was there when I got it, this is from some trade, it was a concrete guy that gave it to me who worked past repairing foundations, he had no idea where it came from

517706


Stuff gets lifted this way for the most part in this case lifted to put a hockey puck under the shaper

517707

[Mike Wilkins]

Levers and wheels. I have moved each machine in my shop with a combination of pallet jacks, cheap HF furniture dollies, crow bars and framing lumber for leverage. Weights from 400 to half a ton, each moved solo. Unfortunately all my strong backed high school football players have grown up and moved, and I am too cheap to hire a rigging crew.
When my wife expressed dismay at my attempts, I always say I used my brain to move machines and not my back.

[Warren Lake]

id like to hire the guy that built and moved Coral Castle.

Right now studying heavy duty pallet trucks. Mine rated for 5,000 but tired so even 2,500 feels the most that should be on it. I see a whole level of 6,600 lbs, 8,000 and 11,000 lbs pallet trucks. I see they are 48". Be nice if they were a bit longer the odd time. Dont need the long length they go to and not even sure if they come in heavy duty.

The planer fit okay. Ill call and ask some questions on the heavy duty pallet trucks from a few brands. Need one of the large size johnson bars to to weld something up. It still has to be able to get under a heavy machine if its flat on the floor, or some other way to raise it up a bit to get the bar started