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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jul 2013
    Location
    Dallas,TX
    Posts
    4
    Country: United States

    Default Moving Antique Bankers Safes

    I am looking to purchase a set of​ "hydraulic lift and moving dollies" from Northern Tool, and the toe plate depth is only 2 1/3", I have attached a few pictures of the safes i am moving and would like to see if anyone has had experience using the dollies, and is the toe plate deep enough to go underneath the wheels.

    Thanks
    Vic
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails IMG_2948.jpg   IMG_2949.jpg   IMG_2950.jpg   IMG_2951.jpg  

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Mar 2010
    Location
    Wisconsin
    Posts
    147
    Country: United States

    Default

    NOW THAT IS ONE NICE GROUP OF SAFES!

    While I have not used those dollies, I did look at Northern and think I looked at the ones you referenced. The problem I foresee is that the safe wheels are usually positioned so the safe rolls side to side. Often they are recessed a bit from the edge of the base and on the front the hardware and door design can protrude even more. I doubt the dollies toe plate will be long enough on it's own unless you use some other way to support the safe. Metal supports between the wheels may work. You don't mention the logistics involved which may complicate things.

    Use caution especially with the cannonball. The body of the cannonball safe is much heavier than the base and they are top heavy. Here is an excerpt from a post I made about my Victor cannonball on another site. http://keypicking.com/viewtopic.php?f=100&t=10228

    A quick story about loading it. I took my equipment trailer to pick up the safe. The seller had a small endloader with large pallet forks to load it. I intended to use chains to lift it as there were no worries about damaging paint. That plan changed when the guys helper suggested rolling it onto a steel plate on the forks of the endloader. It was a large sheet of heavy plate steel so it sounded like a good idea. Rolling the safe onto the steel was easy as he lined it up with the edge of the concrete apron in front of the building.

    As the safe was lifted the steel bowed a little as the forks were about 4' apart. All seemed sturdy and I gave the seller the thumbs up to move and lift it to the trailer. I have to give the old guy credit, the endloader was old and worn out but he backed up, turned and lifted the safe with care. Careful to keep the forks level I used hand signals to guide him to the edge of the trailer. Gently the heavy load was lowered until the steel plate rested on the trailer's edge. The steel just touched, the forks were tiled a bit to assist me and the guys helper to roll the safe onto the trailer. With a gentle push it started roll... then all hell broke loose!

    I hadn't noticed, but when the steel was rested on the trailer it was just the bowed portion of the steel. The forks were still a little higher. When the safe rolled quickly forward the wheels hit the wooden bed of the trailer as the steel sprung upward with the weight being removed. In a split second the safe flipped forward landing on it's backside! Thank goodness I and the helper were not in front of it. It happened so fast no one would have been able to get out of the way.

    Fortunately, the safe was being rolled backwards. If it had landed on the door there would have been serious damage. It was determined that it was in the perfect hauling position and was chained down and I headed for home 150 miles away.


    avisf8 1

    Moving these beasts takes care and respect for what can happen... learned that the hard way. I prefer to keep them on their wheels and use auto floor jacks to turn them and a come-along or winch to move them. I will also haul the Bobcat along to make loading easy. My double door Mosler screw door bank safe exceeded my capabilities so I had to invest in something more suitable. However you do it, think and be careful.

    33yozdf 1

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jul 2013
    Location
    Dallas,TX
    Posts
    4
    Country: United States

    Default

    Thanks, I was worried about the wheels being a bit recessed and the toe plate not being deep enough. I am moving the safes around the house and garage, trying to find an easier way then rolling them and using a floor jack to turn them. They do make me nervous when I am moving them around, I try to stick with safes that weigh 3000lbs or less.

    What a scary/crazy story about the cannonball, I always hold my breath when I have loaded and unloaded. The cannonball I have also came within inches of tilting over when we were unloading it!

    Your double door Mosler is an awesome safe!!
    I am currently having a double door bankers safe painted and all the bolt work, pressure bars etc re-chromed. I will post a picture.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Posts
    1,485
    Country: United States

    Default

    The story told by 00247 reminded me of my favorite name for a moving company. They also move safes, or at least they used to. "Death Wish Piano Movers" http://www.deathwishpiano.com.

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