Lifting a Gun Safe up stairs

[rivergames]

Anyone have any idea on how to lift a 650 lb gun safe up a flight of stairs without killing my friends?

Also, my apartment was build sometime in the 40's. I am on the second level. Will the floor joists be able to support 650 lbs + another few hundred lbs of guns n ammo?

 

[Vmjtc3]

I laid mine on its back and wrapped tie down ratchet straps around it for hand holds and four of us slid it up the stairs. As far as the floor goes I don't think you will have a problem. Mine is lag bolted to the wall and to the floor so its not going anywhere and the load is kind of distributed down the wall and on the floor. :thumbsup The straps work good for the people on the top to pull with and the people on the bottom just push up. I would lay it on some plywood if its exterior stairs and slide it up on that to protect the safe:thumbsup Thats the only way I could think of and it worked fine for mine.....

 

[Mandelon]

Furniture dolly? The kind with the ratchet strap....?

 

[rivergames]

I laid mine on its back and wrapped tie down ratchet straps around it for hand holds and four of us slid it up the stairs. As far as the floor goes I don't think you will have a problem. Mine is lag bolted to the wall and to the floor so its not going anywhere and the load is kind of distributed down the wall and on the floor. :thumbsup The straps work good for the people on the top to pull with and the people on the bottom just push up. I would lay it on some plywood if its exterior stairs and slide it up on that to protect the safe:thumbsup Thats the only way I could think of and it worked fine for mine.....

They are exterior stairs and I was thinking of the same idea, but there is a 90* turn in the stairs.....I am wondering if I could strap it to a dolly and wheel it up?

 

[rivergames]

I have been looking online....anyone have one of these they can lend out in return for a 30 pack of beer

[video=youtube;RO6FJQoi0H8]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RO6FJQoi0H8[/video]

 

[SBjet]

There was an episode of the 3 Stooges where they had a prob with this. They eventually hoisted it up outside and put it thru a window.

 

[Buoy]

I have been looking online....anyone have one of these they can lend out in return for a 30 pack of beer

Moving a Huge 800lb. Gun Safe upstairs in Los Angeles - YouTube

I've got a refrigerator dolly with two ratchet straps that would do the trick. I'm not sure where you are located, but if it'll help, you're welcome to it.
I'm in Apache Jct. AZ.

 

[rivergames]

I've got a refrigerator dolly with two ratchet straps that would do the trick. I'm not sure where you are located, but if it'll help, you're welcome to it.
I'm in Apache Jct. AZ.

I am near venice beach. I appreciate the offer though. My uncle has a heavy duty dolly.

I think I have a game plan. Strap the safe to the dolly. Have 3 buddys on the top of and 3 buddys on the bottom. We should be able to get it up the stairs. I might throw a chick in the mix to video tape

 

[454Rocket]

Empty it... take the door off if you can... only took me 5 guys :thumbsup

 

[Chipster27]

Find a guy with a "Will work for food" sign, buy an apple. Task complete.

 

[Wicky]

Great vid!! P.S. Harbor Freight has several different HD dollys with straps if you want to buy one.

 

[BadPoor313]

I did mine with a appliance dolly and 3 guys. Just make sure the dolly you get is rated to hold that much weight. I rented a dolly from Storequest for like 10 bucks and i think it was rated to 700lbs so something like that should work for you. Its wasn't easy but can be done.

 

[500bbc]

Apartment floor was designed for a live load of 40#'s SF, you're going to dead load it with a minimum of 100#'s SF.

Don't accelerate it.

 

[PVHCA]

My safe weighs about 750lbs., I wouldn't wanna move that S.O.B. upstairs and I don't think the Fire Dept. likes the idea either. I have no clue other than a refrigerator dolly with a strap IMO would work, but make sure in the event you ever have a fire and I hope you never do let the FD know that that MOFO is up there.

 

[rivergames]

Apartment floor was designed for a live load of 40#'s SF, you're going to dead load it with a minimum of 100#'s SF.

Don't accelerate it.

Thanks for the comfort

 

[rivergames]

My safe weighs about 750lbs., I wouldn't wanna move that S.O.B. upstairs and I don't think the Fire Dept. likes the idea either. I have no clue other than a refrigerator dolly with a strap IMO would work, but make sure in the event you ever have a fire and I hope you never do let the FD know that that MOFO is up there.

Good point bud. I guess I will not be putting it over the downstair tenants bed

 

[Yellowboat]

in the video they had a stair climbing dolly, you can often find them at rental yards. they are very diffrent from a standard dolly. think of how a extention ladder works.

 

[Vmjtc3]

I am near venice beach. I appreciate the offer though. My uncle has a heavy duty dolly.

I think I have a game plan. Strap the safe to the dolly. Have 3 buddys on the top of and 3 buddys on the bottom. We should be able to get it up the stairs. I might throw a chick in the mix to video tape

The problem I had with the dolly is the friction of the back of the dolly on the stairs was very hard to overcome. They wont just wheel up the stairs like you would think. The angle you have to pull them up at makes the steel on the back of the dolly slide up the stair above the wheels, it didn't work for me. Not saying it wont work for you but it just made it almost impossible in my situation. The friction was way less spread out over the whole size of the safe vs two small areas of steel on the back of the dolly.

 

[Vmjtc3]

Good point bud. I guess I will not be putting it over the downstair tenants bed

Lag it to the wall and the floor, the only way its coming down is if the building comes down and no one will be left in the building by that point, at least no one alive.....

 

[rivergames]

The problem I had with the dolly is the friction of the back of the dolly on the stairs was very hard to overcome. They wont just wheel up the stairs like you would think. The angle you have to pull them up at makes the steel on the back of the dolly slide up the stair above the wheels, it didn't work for me. Not saying it wont work for you but it just made it almost impossible in my situation. The friction was way less spread out over the whole size of the safe vs two small areas of steel on the back of the dolly.

Could be an issue as well. The steps are jacked up. Small treads....I doubt these stairs would meet code these days. I will not be able to get a good angle on the safe without the wheels falling off the edge of the steps

If I have 6 guy though, we can probably just muscle that summa bitch up the stairs

 

[Vmjtc3]

Could be an issue as well. The steps are jacked up. Small treads....I doubt these stairs would meet code these days. I will not be able to get a good angle on the safe without the wheels falling off the edge of the steps

If I have 6 guy though, we can probably just muscle that summa bitch up the stairs

You wont have an issue with 6 guys, it may take a time or two to figure out the best game plan but you'll get it:thumbsup

 

[Cole Trickle]

Sell the guns and 650lb safe and buy a single story house...lol

 

[rivergames]

Lag it to the wall and the floor, the only way its coming down is if the building comes down and no one will be left in the building by that point, at least no one alive.....

I have a good spot in the corner of the apartment against 2 load bearing walls. I am only worried about rolling it over the span of my living room

 

[rivergames]

Sell the guns and 650lb safe and buy a single story house...lol

I would have to sell 300 guns and safes to buy a house Playa Del Rey :grumble:

And Im 299 safes short

 

[BACK2BIGRIVER]

Anyone have any idea on how to lift a 650 lb gun safe up a flight of stairs without killing my friends?

Also, my apartment was build sometime in the 40's. I am on the second level. Will the floor joists be able to support 650 lbs + another few hundred lbs of guns n ammo?

I sure as hell don't want to live below you. What is the size of the foot print for the safe?

 

[rivergames]

I sure as hell don't want to live below you. What is the size of the foot print for the safe?

36"x26"

 

[Phebus]

I can see it now. Next post, "Who does drywall repair?"

 

[500bbc]

36"x26"

That'll leave ya at about 160#'s SF dead load.

Little 4.5 shaker and watch the fuck out!

 

[NicPaus]

Add a post to the room below Close to the wall might be alright. I remember when I bought my 240 gallon glass fish tank. Had to add 8 piers under the house to support it.

 

[Yellowboat]

I can see it now. Next post, "Who does drywall repair?"

or stair treads.

 

[Vmjtc3]

or stair treads.

Or wrongful death defense

 

[Yellowboat]

Add a post to the room below Close to the wall might be alright. I remember when I bought my 240 gallon glass fish tank. Had to add 8 piers under the house to support it.

Then some one did a crapy job of building your house.

 

[460]

Oc guys are sissys. Get 6 dudes and carry that sucker. Just supervise andrew, your skinny ass might break something.


OH YA

 

[NicPaus]

Then some one did a crapy job of building your house.

That house was 50 plus years old who knows who the fuck built it. I just added onto it and flipped it. The tank came with a warning pamphlet and showed how to support it so it would not crack once full.

 

[BajaMike]

Anyone have any idea on how to lift a 650 lb gun safe up a flight of stairs without killing my friends?

Also, my apartment was build sometime in the 40's. I am on the second level. Will the floor joists be able to support 650 lbs + another few hundred lbs of guns n ammo?

If you have a real sharp turn up the stairs, forget it!

 

[rivergames]

Oc guys are sissys. Get 6 dudes and carry that sucker. Just supervise andrew, your skinny ass might break something.


OH YA

I agree Oc guys are sissys...luckily I'm straight out of inglewood (LA). Lol

 

[460]

I agree Oc guys are sissys...luckily I'm straight out of inglewood (LA). Lol

You weren't suppose to catch that.




OH YA

 

[Flyinbowtie]

It might be worth checking with a couple of professional safe guys to see what they would stick you to get it upstairs and in the apt.
You don't bust any people parts, and don't tear up the stairs...and if they do get tore up you have the company to point to when the landlord launches.

 

[jarrettolson]

what city?
manufacture and model safe?
how many flights of stairs? any landings? height restrictions less than 7'?
how wide is the safe and how wide are the stairs? What makes you question the stairs load rating?

I can get you a quote if you answer those questions. I do not know of anyone that rents stair climbing dollies, ours cost about 2 grand. All the other specialized tools/experience is much more expensive than that one tool.

If you move this on your own here are some tips. Completely empty the safe; guns/ammo moving around changes the center of gravity and can lead to bad stuff. 6 guys like you mentioned at 180 lbs each is an extra 1,000 lbs on those stairs. Two men that know what they are doing can do this job with the proper tools. Removing the door can save 100 + lbs depending upon the safe. Lay rubber matting on the flooring/stairs to protect them from the hard dolly wheels. A 650 lbs safe can seriously hurt or even worse kill you, be careful.

 

[Rvrluvr]

you can rent these at most major rental places. I used to move large copy machines with them, they work great:thumbsup:thumbsup
http://www.powermate.info/

 

[Luvnlife]

When my brother worked in a gun shop I would help them deliver safes for extra cash. Everyone always wanted them upstairs, in the master closet. Noone ever wanted them in the garage

 

[Luvnlife]

BTW everyone has given you the right suggestions. Pure muscle seems to work well. Sorry I'm retired from that gig.