moving - UP stairs

[julie Graf]

I've seen a lot of posts about moving DOWN stairs, but what about moving heavy machinery UP stairs.

I'll soon be moving my shop (20 inch planer, 14 inch bandsaw, cabinet saw, jointer, lathe) UP TWO FLIGHTS OF STAIRS.

Any suggestions?

(if anyone is curious, the shop is on a hill, the stairs are outside, and lead to a porch, which leads to the first floor of the building. the stairs are outside, so there are no overhead joists or anything.)

thanks!

[Jeff Raymond]

My original plan was to do as you are suggesting.

I wound up not doing it for a variety of reasons, mostly because the heavy stuff would be better off on a concrete (ground) floor.

What I learned was that moving heavy equipment UP is best done with blocking and leveraging and NOT with shackles and rigging unless you are absolutely sure of weight carrying beams, rigging, etc.

My stuff weighs an average of 1700 lbs and gravity defines that as a heavy load without proper support and control.

Suggest blocking a bit at a time, leverage up, block again.

Good luck and be careful.

[julie Graf]

blocking is a good idea.

(FYI, the floor is concrete, it is the ground floor. The stairs are outside, leading up to the building.)

[Matt Meiser]

Any access to the shop from the top side? Could you rent a forklift or a Bobcat with forks and drive around? How are the steps constructed? How steep is the slope or are we talking cliff here?

[julie Graf]

here's a picture of the steps...

[Jon Shively]

I think upon seeing the pictures is load the equipment onto a truck or trailer and then bridge across instead of using the stairs. You can utilize the stairs in that the blocking can build from them to the bridge so you don't overload the boards used. I myself think that would be the easiest and safest. If you could rent a U-Haul with a hydraulic tailgate and back it up to the stairs you would have very little space to bridge.

[Randy Denby]

I would hire a small crane to lift it to the porch. Around here we pay about 125.00/hr . It shouldnt take more than an hour to lift everything up there if your prepared and have everthing ready to lift. Of course they charge travel time, but shoot....for 250.00 it would be worth it to me. ...and my back:o

[Don Bullock]

Wow, that's a tough one. Can the railing on the upper walkway be removed? If it can another option would be truck liftgate to the lower walkway and fork lift up to the upper walkway. If not Raddy's suggestion of using a small crane would definately be the way to go. It sure would be worthwhile checking on the cost. However you do it remember to take pictures and let us know. Good luck.

[Bill White]

And when you're through you will have the answer as to how the pyramids were built......
Just what you needed--some smarta$$ trying to help.
Bill

[Matt Meiser]

If there's no mechanized way to get them up there (and I'd check into Randy's suggestion) then what about embedding some kind of anchor in the concrete on the top of the porch and using a winch to pull some kind of sled up the steps? Can you get ground level access to that sidewalk further down the street? If you can, use a pallet jack to bring it down the sidewalk to avoid the first set of steps.

[John Lucas]

That equipment matters to you as does time out of service. I would find some heavy equipment movers. They have done it all. It is amazing what 4 big brutes, straps, and dollies can do,

[Richard M. Wolfe]

I'm with John. If it were just one machine I might try to finagle something but for several things professionals could probably do a half dozen items in not much more time than one once they're set up. A few phone calls could probably tell you on that score. And if you go that way someone bonded would be best so you wouldn't have to worry about getting blood out of turnips.

[julie Graf]

Thanks guys - I'll let you know what we do. The move is late september... not looking forward to the moving! Looking forward to the new space!

[Ben Grunow]

Crane rental. Estimates are free and they wont let you drop it. Plus you could put them right on mobile dollies and wheel them into place.

[glenn bradley]

That equipment matters to you as does time out of service. I would find some heavy equipment movers. They have done it all. It is amazing what 4 big brutes, straps, and dollies can do,

I'm with John. For the cost of a short hospital stay you can have the pros do it. If there are no heavy equipment movers in your area, look under piano movers in the yellow pages.

[Timothy Aiken]

I have a shop on the second floor of a carriage house and have on several occasions needed to move large equipment upstairs. I have had good success ordering plywood lumber from the local yard and requesting delivery include one of their boom trucks. The operator has always been more than happy to give my new equipment a lift to the second floor on top of the load of plywood sheets. Something you might consider.
Good Luck!