Moving heavy Test and Measurement equipment

[cncjerry]

I think this is the right place for this topic.

How do people move heavy T&M between say three floors with lots of steps?  My boys lugged some of the heavier pieces but got away before about 5 or 6 large HP power supplies, an 8568b and some others were moved.  I have a handcart but I think I would need to either suspend them or put some soft and then heavy foam under them for banging down the steps.  Also, is there a lift for raising T&M into racks like a small engine hoist?  I used a chain hoist in my workshop as the ceiling is open over there but not in this office.  My friends are not the moving type. I was thinking about day labor but worried about all the stereo gear, etc all in one secluded space.  I had some theft in the past, not from the day labor. 

thanks

Jerry

[edpalmer42]

You probably want a stair climbing hand truck.  Google for more details.  You can even get powered ones that do most of the work for you.  For one-time use, check with your local rental / moving companies.

[HalFET]

Yeah, that'd be a good choice. What I once did for a large rack was put two thick pipes along the staircase, screw them in place, put a wood board on top, put the rack on its side on the board, and pull the entire thing up the staircase with a pulley with a braking system.

[DaJMasta]

Are these individual pieces or a full rack?  While it's a lot of reconfiguring, it could be worth just taking the heaviest pieces out of a rack and then moving the remainder.  Something similar could be a wood/cardboard sled pulled up the stairs with a pulley system.  A more complicated way to rig things up, but it wouldn't take much expense and could be done with a minimum of people.

[cncjerry]

Yeah, that'd be a good choice. What I once did for a large rack was put two thick pipes along the staircase, screw them in place, put a wood board on top, put the rack on its side on the board, and pull the entire thing up the staircase with a pulley with a braking system.

Creative.

These are all separate pieces.  Prior to my smashed arm and blown discs in my neck and spine, this would have been a non-issue. There are about 25 stairs in the longest run and I think you gave me an idea about just running some 2x4's down on top the stairs.  The stairs are outside so a few screws won't be noticed.  I'll also look into the stair climbing hand truck.  I saw something like that once.

Right now I'm leaning towards grabbing some day labor for three or four hours = $60 to $80 or so.  Maybe I can combine this with putting my OCFD antenna back up.

It would be nice if there was a lift that had something like forks in the front that you could crank-up, lifting equipment even with the units and then pushed right into the rack.  Balance would be an issue.  But of course, I dreaming and it would have to work in a crowded 14' x 16' room with a thickly padded rug. 

There's something to be said for new, modern equipment opposed to these boatanchors, some of which have moved into the antique phase. 

Anyway, I knew it was a long shot and thanks for the ideas.

~Jerry

[beanflying]

Stair Climbing trolley with a ratchet strap fitted to it so your gear doesn't slide off. Used these for heavy furniture removing when I was a lot younger. Now I am wiser I pay younger humans with strong backs and weak minds to do this for me 

My other favourite bit of gear for level use for lifting is this toy. Runs to 1.2m vertical at full extension and copes with 100kg easily. The 250kg figures claimed online are 

The thing on it is really my favourite toy 

[HalFET]

Another option is one of these: