How would you move a VMC around the shop?

[yaddatrance]

We had the riggers move the VMC into place, but I'm pondering how to move it out of the way so we can re-lay the bed of concrete it's sitting on...

The 9000 lbs weight makes it seem my forklift couldn't touch it... (5500 lbs max)
nor any similar conventional method... I have a 1 ton gantry (2k lbs?) and a few
even less suitable products... There isn't enough space to drive in a full size
forklift, not without moving a bunch of other similarily sized objects out of the way first.

At this point I'm actually thinking a few dozen guys and bunch of turned steel bars under the unit...

Any suggestions?

[JROM]

Call the riggers back and bite the bullet for the couple hundred bucks.
They have insurance if they drop it, you don't!

[DareBee]

You can rent hydraulic jacks and machinery movers skates at a local industrial rental store.

[Geof]

See the picture.

We have used these skids to move several machines around the shop. Our 4500lb forklift can push or pull with ease. Also we put in anchor points at different places around the shop; just grout 5/8" threaded inserts into holes in the concrete and then you can screw eyebolts in and use a Come-Along.

EDIT: The picture shows the machine being lifted with a forklift; most times we use an Enerpac with a stubby hydraulic cylinder that has a 1/2" lift. It doesn't take long to work the machine up high enough with a few bits of 3/8" flat bar as shims. Whole sight cheaper than renting equipment or calling in riggers.

I also like these skids because they can be slid any direction. Dollies are directional and have to be steered with a lever.

[John3]

Originally Posted by yaddatrance ....At this point I'm actually thinking a few dozen guys and bunch of turned steel bars under the unit...

After they're done at your shop, send them to ours... we've got some furniture moving to do as well.

Actually I don't think a shop should be without a set of machine moving dollies (roller dollies). They ain't cheap, but ours have paid for themselves many times over.

www.mcmaster.com has a good selection.

john

[NC Cams]

We did something like what you want to do as follows:

Lift up one side of the machine with your fork lift. Block it off center so that when you let the lifted side down, the resting side rises which you block up HIGHER than the off center pivot.

You do this back and forth and can jack it up as high as you want need. That doesn't get it high enough to chip out the concrete but it can be high enough to get dollies of some sore under it to roll it along.

For the cost of a VMC, however, I'd call the riggers for reasons cited in post #2. I did this when I had to unload a V2XT and it was over before I knew it.

[yaddatrance]

Thanks guys! The suggestions were far more convenient than I expected...

We'll try the moving skates and try taking it slow, I didn't know they made them for big compressive loads, the skids also looks like a good idea for the future, but the flooring currently is less than pristine... The rigger idea is kept in mind for future moves if this turns out to be more of a pain than expected...

Heh, I'm chuckling at the idea of being the poor sap asked to chip away concrete underneath a VMC...

[DareBee]

My heaviest skates are rated at 15 ton each.
Considering my biggest jack is 10 ton and my biggest forklift is 9 ton, they are more than heavy enough.
Out of the 4 different sets of "skate" that we have our favourite ones are McMaster# 2496T78
I find that the VMCs (unless really big) move best with 3 skates. The bases are small enough that they balance very well and you never get a loose or twisted skate like you will with 4 under.