Moving Heavy Tools

[David Paule]

The January/February 2026 issue of WoodenBoat, out now, contains a good article on "moving Heavy Tools," on page 58. One of the techniques describes a pneumatic lift that seems fairly simple. In fact, I think that even I could make one. It could lift an RV a few inches, if you had a suitable cart under the plane. And stainless steel carts are available from Amazon and other vendors.

It's worth picking up or downloading if that topic seems of use to you.

The photo shows how to move a drill press, for example.



Dave

 

[CZ79]

All I know is that you should lift heavy objects with sharp, twisting movements.

 

[mstrauss]

All I know is that you should lift heavy objects with sharp, twisting movements.

I’d laugh, but it hurts my back.

 

[JonJay]

I’ll remember this next time I need to move my gear head Arboga. I think it’s pushing 500# or more….

One trick I learned. If you have a smooth floor, like a concrete hangar floor, you can use heavy duty garbage bags or two sheets of plastic. Get them under the legs or base and they’ll slide on each other. Push, move, repeat.

 

[Canadian_JOY]

I have some heavy equipment to move... One piece is a legacy cast iron bandsaw. Without the motor it weighs 800lbs, so it's pushing 900lbs "all up" weight.

I'm fortunate in that, while my hangar was being constructed, provisions were made for an overhead hoisting point using a chain hoist. Once the bandsaw arrived at the hangar by truck/trailer it was hoisted into the air and then gently lowered onto one of the best rigs one can buy for the purposes of supporting heavy equipment. They're not cheap but wow, do they ever work well.

If you have heavy equipment you wish to keep mobile in an area with a hard floor, do yourself a favor and look up "Shop Fox". These roller/caster frames add very little to the operational height of equipment yet still allow me to move my massive bandsaw around the hangar easily, by myself.

Now if only they would provide me with some kind of kickback for every time I recommend their product. As you can tell, I'm a happy customer and like to share the happiness with others.

 

[DanH]

I once moved a 20 ton press brake through a shop door with 6" of head clearance.

One layer of 1/2" steel plate, one layer of 1/2" steel rods, another layer of plate. Dragged it with a forklift and just kept moving the base layers. The really amusing thing was the client, a well known manufacturer of hydraulic cranes. One might think they would know how to move heavy stuff, but the job needed a few rednecks from Alabama

 

[wirejock]

I once moved a 20 ton press brake through a shop door with 6" of head clearance.

One layer of 1/2" steel plate, one layer of 1/2" steel rods, another layer of plate. Dragged it with a forklift and just kept moving the base layers. The really amusing thing was the client, a well known manufacturer of hydraulic cranes. One might think they would know how to move heavy stuff, but the job needed a few rednecks from Alabama

You're the one who built the pyramids!

 

[Chukill]

I just help move a large (10x54) knee mill into a neighbor's barn with no proper tools. We had a small cherry picker, a large crow bar and a come- along. The machine was crated and placed just outside the door. We rotated down the head and turret, but there was only 1/2 inch overhead clearance after we broke down the crate and got the machine off the pallet. No room for any kind of rolling or sliding apparatus under the machine. In desperation, I grabbed a lube oil can and squirted oil on the four corners of the machine, and we were able the pull the machine into the barn with the come along attached to a wall in the barn. The floor of the barn is concrete with epoxy paint with the (rough) chips. The concrete outside the door that the machine was placed on was rough broom finished concrete . Pretty rough surfaces to drag a 3000 pound machine. The epoxy floor paint did allow for easy clean up of the oil.
Pretty darn caveman, but got er done.