Lifting heavy amps etc

[N_Cook]

I'm aware of lifting with the legs, not the back and trolley for horizontal
movement, rather than carrying. Any other advice assuming no human assistant
available ?
Travelling ceiling mounted block and tackle, swivable mounting frame on the
bench ? All little problem if the same amp enclosure each time but what
about universality of clamp arrangement or occassionally working on a heavy
and long 7 octave Yamaha piano and other odd shaped objects.

 

[David Nebenzahl]

I'm aware of lifting with the legs, not the back and trolley for horizontal
movement, rather than carrying. Any other advice assuming no human assistant
available ?

Not sure what you mean by "trolley" (your terms are so quaint-sounding
and in any case different from ours over here in the US), but I'm
guessing you're talking about what we call a "dolly", a rolling
platform, maybe?

I recommend what we call a "hand truck", those metal vertical thingies
with two big wheels (non-pneumatic on smaller ones, pneumatic on larger
ones), often incorrrectly called "dollies". Very easy to cart around all
sorts of big, heavy things. (Well, maybe not pianos; that's a
head-scratcher for sure.) Just get the metal bottom under what you want
to move and pull back on the truck while holding the thing onto the
truck. One person can easily move things like large refrigerators this way.

 

[N_Cook]

Not sure what you mean by "trolley" (your terms are so quaint-sounding
and in any case different from ours over here in the US), but I'm
guessing you're talking about what we call a "dolly", a rolling
platform, maybe?

I recommend what we call a "hand truck", those metal vertical thingies
with two big wheels (non-pneumatic on smaller ones, pneumatic on larger
ones), often incorrrectly called "dollies". Very easy to cart around all
sorts of big, heavy things. (Well, maybe not pianos; that's a
head-scratcher for sure.) Just get the metal bottom under what you want
to move and pull back on the truck while holding the thing onto the
truck. One person can easily move things like large refrigerators this way.

I made up a dolly/trolley from a piece of blockboard and 2
wheeled sledge things that go permanently under a cooker/fridge etc
to move for cleaning. So very low centre of gravity.

 

[N_Cook]

Do what a lot of tv repair places do (did!) get some small workbenches
on wheels onto which you load the big item for repair when it arrives
and it stays there until it`s fixed. Place I subbed for had several
which 'docked' to the main bench where the test gear was. They were made
of Dexion with a wooden top and there was a couple of 13 amp sockets
which just plugged into the main benches isolated supply.

Seemples

Ron

I know what you mean "Hamiltons" in London Rd, Southampton , when they were
around, used them.

But yesterday I was dealing with a large mixer amp, requiring working with
amp propped up slightly one way and the mixer propped another way (if
regular appearance I would make up extender ribbons). Then a 5 foot long
Yamaha piano full of key weights etc, the two main sections are very
difficult to separate and reassemble safely both for keyboard and repairer.

I'm thinking of ceiling mounted sliding pulleys-block with a bungee section
to take most of the dead weight , say 75 percent, so the slack makes its
possible to fairly easily move the orientation of the amp on the bench
without having to use the pulleys.
I find back strain is not a broblem lifting from floor to bench or reverse,
but moving the lump on the bench. A universal clamp/hook is the next poser.

 

[GregS]

Do what a lot of tv repair places do (did!) get some small workbenches
on wheels onto which you load the big item for repair when it arrives
and it stays there until it`s fixed. Place I subbed for had several
which 'docked' to the main bench where the test gear was. They were made
of Dexion with a wooden top and there was a couple of 13 amp sockets
which just plugged into the main benches isolated supply.

I use the Rubbermaid cart whenever possible. Thats assuming you
have the unit that high. Thats the 17 inch wide one. I have a larger
Harbor Freight model, and its too big. The little one holds 300 pounds.

Workbench on wheels, and all the parts stay with the unit, and
it moves out of the way, etc.

I had to lift a 60 pound Peavey amp not long after I
had my shoulder rebuilt. Its currently sitting on the floor.
I hope I don't have to move it soon.


greg

 

[David Nebenzahl]

I made up a dolly/trolley from a piece of blockboard and 2 wheeled
sledge things that go permanently under a cooker/fridge etc to move
for cleaning. So very low centre of gravity.

Get ahold of a real hand truck (dunno what they're called in the
UK--anyone know?)--a good sturdy one. You'll be pleasantly surprised how
easy it is to move things. You'll feel like Archimedes himself.

 

[David Nebenzahl]

Screwfix do some very nice dollies.

So you call them "dollies"? Over here that's a misnomer; a dolly is what
N_Cook called a "trolley", a platform with wheels. (I.e., what piano
movers use.)

 

[JB]

I'm aware of lifting with the legs, not the back and trolley for horizontal
movement, rather than carrying. Any other advice assuming no human assistant
available ?
Travelling ceiling mounted block and tackle, swivable mounting frame on the
bench ? All little problem if the same amp enclosure each time but what
about universality of clamp arrangement or occassionally working on a heavy
and long 7 octave Yamaha piano and other odd shaped objects.

Even a fixed block and tackle at the work area with waist level carts for
the equipment that can be wheeled to a corner. Used to do engine blocks
that way. All parts would stay on that cart until the customer had his
wallet out.

Now doing repeater cabinets on small flat boards on wheels for extended
projects. Hand truck for quick jobs (contract customers).

 

[David Nebenzahl]

Well actually, in my trade we call them wheelboards. thick plywood with
four heavy duty castors, for moving large loudspeakers etc. about. In
some theatres they call them trucks when they have scenery on board.

http://www.slingsby.com/c-994-economy-wooden-dollies-slingsby.aspx

No, no, no: I'm asking what you call what we call a hand truck. Like this:

http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml01/01203a.jpg

 

[N_Cook]

If only the thread could go to where I find most problem. Not the lifting to
bench height but turning stuff around and orienting at awkward angles while
on the bench. Instewad of item being close in to your body , you end up
lifting most but not all its weight perhaps 15 inches away from your body.
So far I've seen nothing to beat pulley block/ ceiling roller track / heavy
duty bungee/ softened-faces G-cramp as hook and a strop of some sort for
other situations.
How many peole work at a bench with all round 360 degree access ? eg like
photocopier repair where you have to have 360 degree access.

 

[N_Cook]

That`s why having the stuff on a separate trolley/bench is useful, you
can spin the whole bench in necessary. Have a collection of various
blocks of wood for supporting the item at funny angles, and some bits of
dowel (cut down drumsticks are useful) for holding top panels of mixer
amps open whist still connected.

Gawd, I`m quite glad I don`t do that sort of repair anymore.

Ron

With an island work position , especially if on wheels , you then have the
trailling leads problem and also an inherently unstable bench. Perhaps
engineer a floor-fixed lock-down point, for the table/trolley , so it cannot
tip over so halves that problem (you can still pull stuff off the nebch),
plus associated island power sockets, but it still leaves trailling power
and probe leads to scopes etc.