Excerpt Pages From, How To Lift and Move Almost Anything

Not In Order

What Is Heavy Moving?

          By definition, 'heavy moving' can mean anything that cannot be conveniently and safely lifted, and moved, by the average human adult. With a broad definition like that, besides materials of the crafts, it could also include trash cans, appliances, furniture, luggage, garden materials (fertilizer bags, sand, stones, bricks, cement bags, etc.), not to mention really heavy objects.

          Often, we go out and buy something, see it loaded into the car (by someone in condition for this sort of thing) and come home. Then what? Did he glue it down? Well, the 'Armstrong' method is an invitation to start sampling all those cures for pulled muscles. Read on and acquire some finesse.

          All of us can remember earlier days (or just other days) when we could heft that bag or box without a second thought. But, as activities and habits change, that bag or box's apparent weight will change relative to our capability. Fortunately, patience, wisdom, and common sense also improve with passing time.

          We don't just bound up to a heavy object, pick it up and start to move off, do we? No. First, we test its weight, see were we must go, make certain that the way is clear, see that the object will pass through doors, gates, and around corners, and that it has a resting place when it reaches its destination. We also might walk the path once, inspect the footing, count steps, take note of obstacles, and perhaps find a couple of resting places along the way. Yes, we really are clever in our older wisdom, aren't we?

Definition Refined

          We may refine our definition for heavy moving:

* Anything up to half your weight should be possible to move, unless you are a big (heavy) person, in which case the next definition applies.

* From a mass better than half your weight to several times your weight must be considered heavy moving.

* Anything that must be moved which is over ten times your weight must be considered a very heavy move and warrants the utmost caution and consideration.

          Realize that it can be moved. After all, someone put it where it is now.

Preparation

Understandings Prior To A Job

* There shall be no unplanned actions.

* Each action will be preceded by:

  "Are you clear?" and "I am ready.", and finally, "Go".

  "Look out!" is the warning that something has gone wrong.

  "Stop!" means halt, but don't release your hold.

* It is vitally important that small talk does not continue during a heavy move.

* Verbal commands should be sharp, even cross, and loud enough to be fully understood. Order off anyone who, by noise or action is interfering with necessary commands or distracting from the required concentration. I would recommend doing heavy moving early in the morning or whenever casual observers are most likely not to be present.

* The warm, friendly manner that I choose to maintain cannot exist during a heavy move. There is only time for fully concentrating on the immediate problem, being alert to only this situation, and being ready to act on the next command. Fun and frolic could mean ruination, either of the workers, or worse, of the sculpture.

          Heavy moving is a serious business. If you can't maintain a no-nonsense attitude by all involved, don't even begin.

Using Ropes

          They stretch, they fray, they rot, they become untied, they tangle, and they break. If these words are used for caution, they have real value. Ropes are handy and economical. They will tie, grip, or lift irregular shapes, and generally they do not mar a surface the way any other lifting line could. But be careful!

          As to knots, consult a seamanship handbook or a Boy Scout handbook for discourses on knots. The important thing to remember is that with the newer rope materials, knotting will have to be done with non-slip and non-jamming knots.

          For lifting, the stretch characteristic of a rope is a disadvantage. Stretching would also tighten the knot as the rope is tightened. Stretching also becomes a hazard if the rope is being used to cradle a load. Stretchable ropes, such as nylon shouldn't be considered for these purposes. See the chart.

Which Size Rope?

        The rope charts will provide some information on size with regard to load, etc., but consider these factors :

          * A larger rope is easier to grip and hold.

          * The larger rope, in effect, pads itself and is not as likely to damage an object or to be damaged itself.

          * The larger size of the rope keeps it from mishandling or abuse that often befalls a small size rope..

          * Sharp edges can fray or cut a rope. It may be necessary to pad the edges to protect the rope.

Jacks

          After the lever, a jack lends incredible mechanical advantage to mankind. The only thing about most jacks is that it must be placed under the object being lifted. Well, if it was this high, we probably wouldn't need the jack! There are things that we should know about a jack.

          First, we want a jack that must be powered down as well as up. Next, for our kind of lifting, we wish to keep the object level. This means that the jacks should work in step increments. A jack with notches is best, but a screw jack will work satisfactorily if we can keep track of the turns.

          Alas, everybody's favorite, the hydraulic jack fits none of these criteria. If blocks are used along with a hydraulic jack, it can serve the purpose. But only as a last resort. The one place where hydraulic jacks excel is in pushing an object into place or across the floor.

          What am I talking about? It's Murphy's Law all over again. When you need the hydraulic jack most, there is always the chance that a gasket will rupture, or the check valve spring will break and the thing will begin to lower the load.

          Hey! Not Now! Not with me under it! It's risky without some means of a positive lock.

          Another problem with a hydraulic jack, or any jack: If you have a ten ton jack and it is placed on a footing that will only support 1 ton, you only have 1 ton capability.

          Further, if you are lifting a 500 lb. Load and use a stand or blocks that will only support 250 lbs. , the load will fall! Check the Strength of Materials Chart in the appendix or look on the stand for its load rating. Don’t gamble on unknowns!

Chain hoist, Winch, or Block and Tackle

          Pulleys with ropes can provide a mechanical advantage in the same manner as any of the lifting or moving tools already mentioned. The illustration shows how this comes about. The important thing about ropes and pulleys (or block and tackle) is that there must be some place to secure the pulled end of the line. While it is possible to tie-off the loose end around the tackle that is holding the load, this is not convenient in terms of restarting the lift. The next thing to consider is that the loose end should be notted in some way so that it cannot run and unstring the blocks. The weight of the rope alone can accomplish this. So then, there must be a post or an eye or a rail or a bumper nearby to allow for securing the loose end rapidly and conveniently.

          By the addition of gears, hoists also provide that same mechanical advantage, a lifting or pulling action can be achieved with a mechanism that will not reverse unless the handle or drive cable is actually driven (pulled or turned by the operator). The heavier loads are handled by steel cables or by chains. The appearance changes, but the mechanical action is the same.

(The drawing loses quality as a web illustration)

          The important thing to remember with any lifting device is, no matter what the rating of the device is, it will only lift as much as the support will hold: If the beam to which the hoist is fastened will only hold 300 pounds safely, then no matter what the rating of the hoist or tackle, the lifting system that you have connected is limited to 300 pounds. That goes for jacks and blocks, too. In fact, it goes for anything, "the chain is only as strong as its weakest link.".

Moving Applications

          Now that you know all about moving, let’s consider some practical applications.

Lifting and Moving Around The Home

          "If I could only get it out to where I could work on it." How often have you heard those words?

Stove, Refrigerator.

          If you have a pry bar, and a length of pipe, perhaps two, you can use the bar to raise the box enough to rest it on the pipe. Now, the box can be pulled away from the wall easily. Not too far! It is still connected. At least you can work around it more easily. Our best advice is to move it as little as possible.

Washing Machine.

          Washing Machines usually fail when they are full of water. The first task is to empty the machine, either by bailing or with a syphon hose.

          But wait! When it's empty, we can pull it away from the wall without heavy moving aids. That's it! A few inches, one side at a time. Be careful! Be sure and turn off the water at the valve; the hoses may not take kindly to being stretched. Better to turn off the water and remove the hoses. Be sure to mark the hot and cold hoses.

           Refrigerators will often slide out this way, too. Note: When you are shopping for a new appliance, consider the ones with built in rollers at the top of your list.

          If the move is more than just a pull--out, rent an appliance hand truck. They are properly padded, have a tie- down strap, and are heavy enough to do the job right. Remember, the right tools for the job.

          Built in rollers? Hey, that could pose a problem in an earthquake. Either block the wheels, but always secure the ‘frige to the wall.

End of excerpts.

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April 6, 2006