So any tips on moving gun safes?

[TAB]

they are going from th egarage, to the garage.  so no carpet.  I am renting a truck with a lift gate

[1911 Junkie]

Get a few pieces of black iron pipe. Tilt the safe enough to get a few pieces under it. Roll it along, putting pieces of pipe in front as they come out the back, you know, like the Egyptians did with stones.

[ellis4538]

Moved a Treadlock bench type safe upstairs when I got married (again)...took 5-6 people and an appliance cart w/strap.  Moved mostly on smooth flooring so that wasn't a problem.  The cart had tracks on the back (similar to a tank) to help pull it up steps which was good.  Planned ahead so that we could flop it over on the bottom when we got close to the top of the stairs...smart thinking on my part!  Don't know for sure but might account for the hernia I just had to have repaired recently!!!!!!!

Lots of luck,

Richard

[blackwolfe]

Some gun shops and safe sellers will move safes or know of people who will.

A number of years ago when we had an addition put on the house.  The company that did the flooring used an air lift of some kind to move the refrigerator around.  They tipped the fridge back, put this underneath and turned it on.  The device floated on a cushion of air and a child could move and steer the fridge wherever they wanted it to go.  It wouldn't work on stairs and I don't know what the lift capacity was, but it worked well.  Maybe you can rent one.

A few years ago I passed on a very big and very nice safe at a very good price.  It was from a divorce and the husband left it in the garage.  I figured it would be relativly easy to get it to my house.  It would of had to go in the basement.  I wasn't sure that the steps would hold up without reinforcement, but I was more concerned about how to get it out if I ever had to.  The divorcee also got the house and Harley.  She also got to keep her original one owner 67 Camero that she bought new when she got her license.  She also packed  a .357.  Went out with her a few times and should have kept that going.  Sigh 

[Ping]

LOL

[Sponsor]

[Bill Stryker]

+1 to hire a moving company. They have the right equipment and big strong guys. It is cheaper than a hernia.

There are just somethings you do not do yourself. This is one.

[alfsauve]

Slow and careful.

Plywood sheets, I prefer 1/2" especially over dirt/grass.
Rollers as opposed to dolly's.  Steel pipe and even large wooden doweling.  The bigger pipe/dowels you can find the easier it all goes.

[brosometal]

Lift with you legs and not your back...

[DeltaM]

One thing I forgot to mention.  Up until very recently, floors in residential homes were designed with a load factor of 40 lbs per sq ft for the 1st floor and 30 lbs per sq ft upper floors.  This is based on a deflection factor of L360 (meaning the floor can sag 1" in 360" and not be overloaded.  If you were to put something overweight in the center of the span, expect a deflection of more than that.  It probably won't fail but sometimes a sag isn't desireable.

Usually, the refrigerator is the heaviest thing for it size in a house.  If the safe is no heavier than a frig, you should be OK but expect a little sag if it is in the middle 1/3 of the span.  This is with board lumber.  TJI's, trusses or engineered lumber is different.

[TAB]

actually, the 40 lbs / sq if the dead load of the building, not the carring capcity.