Local Move Rigging near Denver, Co, or advice on moving a <4400 lb, small Tapping/Drilling Center (can go on pallet jack)

[madko]

I purchased a small tapping and drilling center from a friend that used it as part of his research & development and some varied product runs for their business.

It's ~61" x 78" x 76", ~4400 lbs, and they have previously moved it around via a pallet jack. It has ~2" recesses in the base casting on the side for a pallet jack to slide in, which is helpful as the destination only has ~3" of clearance left over on the top of the machine. He can't recall if they moved it last from the back, or from the side.

Does anyone have suggestions on local-ish to the denver-boulder, CO corridor riggers? I've sent an email or two out, but not sure if I didn't get a reply last week to one inquiry since it doesn't seem like a very large job (larger than I know to deal with).

Any general advice on how to go about finding a rigger or learning enough to take it on myself? The destination has a very gentle slopes at the interface of the garage -- which I imagine could be not an issue with a rented electric pallet jack, but I'm ignorant. The other big issue is, not having experience, I am unsure of the feasibility of winching it on the pallet onto a hydraulic drop-deck trailer, since there would be the smallest of ramps (much bigger incline still than the destination concrete). I had previously been thinking of a rented trailer, electric pallet jack, electric winch, but I realized I would probably also need a toe jack handy, as the pallet jack does not slide directly underneath (2" tall recesses along the entire side of the casting) when on the floor. Even though it's currently on blocks for a pallet to slide in, I imagine there's the potential to get myself into a pickle where I would need the ability to re-lift, or move it to skates.

Any advice appreciated!

 

[johnc]

There is a guy that always lists his rigging service on Denver Craigslist. I have no experience with the service so do your own diligence.

 

[Rob F.]

If you rent a drop deck trailer and can borrow or rent a manual pallet jack you will be fine. One of my pallet jacks is only 2 1/2" high when lowered all the way down so if you can get similar the machine only needs to go up 3/4" or so to get the pallet jack under it. That can easily be done with a pry bar and some wood blocks.
Depending on how nice and gentle the slope is on the end of the trailer will make rolling it on easy or not. One thing you can do is back the trailer up against the little curb that is usually at a roll up door (if the building has one). Otherwise pulling it on with a winch or come a long will be fine. Use one of your tie downs to go around the machine base and the pallet jack to keep them together when pulling it onto trailer etc. That way if the machine high centers on the lip of the trailer you dont yank the jack out from under it...
Also if your friends shop has moved it before they should be able to help you load it?

 

[madko]

There is a guy that always lists his rigging service on Denver Craigslist. I have no experience with the service so do your own diligence.

Thanks. I contacted him, it's just slightly outside his size or may be just about fine given the shroud starts 14" off the machine base, with the low sides to the trailer. He is willing to help even if I rent a drop deck trailer, though, so I may be able to do it with some expertise and not having to worry about load securing knowledge.

 

[madko]

If you rent a drop deck trailer and can borrow or rent a manual pallet jack you will be fine. One of my pallet jacks is only 2 1/2" high when lowered all the way down so if you can get similar the machine only needs to go up 3/4" or so to get the pallet jack under it. That can easily be done with a pry bar and some wood blocks.
Depending on how nice and gentle the slope is on the end of the trailer will make rolling it on easy or not. One thing you can do is back the trailer up against the little curb that is usually at a roll up door (if the building has one). Otherwise pulling it on with a winch or come a long will be fine. Use one of your tie downs to go around the machine base and the pallet jack to keep them together when pulling it onto trailer etc. That way if the machine high centers on the lip of the trailer you dont yank the jack out from under it...
Also if your friends shop has moved it before they should be able to help you load it?

Thanks! I was thinking along the same lines, but some tidbits were clarifying. Yeah, I thought that I could see an easy strapping point for that, but wasn't sure if there would be enough friction to keep things actually tightly coupled or if it could shift enough (tiny bit?) To be problematic. Seems fine.

The part I am unsure about is winching off and lowering in a controlled manner. The place that would rent the truck and trailer does not have an electric winch rental (and manual is one direction safely only, no, at this size?). I would consider buying an electric to get it done, but also then securing that to the trailer (just some straps/webbing maybe?) And using it was the consideration. If it's pretty easy to rig up webbing to support that, I could find a second place to rent possibly.

The trailer I was looking at is similar to this, though I would go check this is actually the same model as on the site. It seems gentle, but that last bit definitely has a lip and steeper slope, so my concern is definitely controlled loading and unloading. I also heard from someone moving a mill that they have like 7ga steel and not much ribbing, so I should figure out wood blocks for it somehow.

Additionally, even with the drop deck at 72", the length of the machine is ~79" and the width of it is 61." So, depending on the sides, I may need to load it by pallet jacking from the back, but unload it before the garage and pallet jack again from the side to slide it into the garage (it has a recess on the side that, once a jack is in, will allow it to fit under my garage door clearance. If jacked directly from the bottom and not sitting in the recess/cutout of the casting (from the back), it would be about the height of my clearance with the jack underneath it but not raised.

 

[Rob F.]

If you have a block and tackle (rope and pulleys) that would be more than you need to pull it onto the trailer. A come a long will be more overkill. Both will let you ease it downhill slowly. If need be you can use rathet tie downs to pull it onto the trailer but that would be as a last resort. Also no way for those to let out slow. Kind of if you use two to do it but again as a last resort.
To get a connection point for you winch/come a long/block & tackle you can use your ratchet strap over the front of the trailer and connect to something solid. You want 5000 lb 2" wide ratchet straps.
If you can get help from the local guy that will be very good and it will go really easy. You will learn and gain confidence for the next thing to move.

 

[amaranth]

I moved my entire shop the other year with a drop deck trailer, some skates and a 1 ton chainfall. I used the chainfall to pull the machine up on the deck. Easy peasy.

Getting off was even easier. With the deck at a _very_slight incline, I just gave them a shove and they rolled off nicely.

A couple notes: the machine was on 4x4s on the deck, chained in place for transport. The skates were bolted to sections of U channel that were strapped to the machines so there was no possibility that they would slip.

Be sure your trailer is rated for the load, you'll need the double axle version probably. While the single axle version is usually rated for a 4500 pound load, mine came with down graded tires and was limited to 3500 pounds. Minor detail that.

 

[Bill D]

If you can not rent a drop deck trailer some will rent a scissor lift on a drop deck trailer. Take the lift home and drive off the scissor lift,. Then you have the drop deck trailer to use. Check and see how much a rollback car wrecker would charge. Last time I had my truck towed the driver said his insurance was cars and trucks only, no machines not on street legal wheels.
BilL D

 

[Bill D]

Photos please?

 

[TaperPin]

Any general advice on how to go about finding a rigger or learning enough to take it on myself?

My advice is to start watching videos of people moving equipment, often the lesson is how not to do it. The biggest limitation you have is not developing a feel for what works and what doesn’t. Don’t ever lift something without knowing the load rating of everything Involved. Always remember steel on steel contact is very slick and a no no. Steel on wood is much less likely to slip. Learn how to properly secure any heavy load during transport - lots of information on this out there.

You will save so much money over hiring a rigger that it’s definitely worth doing yourself if you have good judgement.

if it’s not too top heavy a roll back tow truck has hauled a great many old pieces of iron and they are pretty cheap - call around and you might find a guy who enjoys moving equipment and has a good feel for it. It’s much more complicated if it’s top heavy.

Knowing that you don’t know much, the least hazardous way, other than a rigger, is to hire someone with a flat decked trailer and rent a forklift and have it delivered. Strap it to the forklift since moving the forks at any kind of downward angle and it will slip off the forks. Once you’re loaded up, arrange with the rental outfit to move the forklift to the destination. Simple and relatively inexpensive and works for any size equipment - the rental yard will size the forklift to what you’re moving. All that depends on rental rates of course.

Personally I’d strap the thing to a heavy pallet with 4x4 skids on the bottom and simply winch it onto a double axle car hauler trailer. The problem you would have is not knowing what kind of strapping is good enough to keep it on the pallet. Perhaps even more important is not knowing what you don’t know. Pinch points will kill you - don’t ever get in the way of something that might shift or slide.

Youre not far from farm country - there is sure to be an antique tractor club nearby. These old timers haul their tractors all over the place - someone will know someone that has the ability and willingness to haul it for you for pretty cheap.

Having written all this I’m now leaning towards the roll back tow truck - simple, safe, inexpensive.

 

[Farmer Phil]

Rent a kneeling trailer.