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/h...5-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/11389133343...oAAOSw2PVf8Ryh

[Kevin Jenness]

I mainly get by with a 30" renovator's bar like this one https://www.leevalley.com/en-us/shop...enovators-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/h...5-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/...+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.