Cellar Workshops - machine size compromise due to stairs

[anaminal]

I've been building up a workshop in my cellar over the last two years and enjoy the space, however whenever I come to look at installing a new machine I come up against the issue of weight and getting it down the stairs in one piece (and without risking it coming down on top of me).

First there was the bandsaw (went for a Kity 613, about 65 kg), now I'm looking into planer/thicknessers and again the consensus seems to be 'heavier is better'. Has anyone come up with any innovative solutions to getting things up or down a staircase if you opt for something beyond your capability to lift?

I think I'll end up going for a the Axminster Hobby Series AWEPT106 just because everything else seems too big!


Chris

 

[marcros]

Chris,

I am probably not far from you if you need a hand lifting (once in a while)- I live in kirkstall and work in Stourton.

The alternative to British "heavy and cast iron" may be the European machines- things like the kity seem to be lighter yet well regarded. The metabo, EB and other similar machines look manageable but I have never tried to move one, only seen them in passing. Again, people can get good results with them so they can't be too bad!

 

[Spindle]

Hi

I singlehandedly manhandled a 90kg planer thicknesser to my first floor workshop by dis-assembling it into it's major components - would have been a doddle with two people.

http://www.dbkeighley.co.uk/masters/rd30.htm

Regards Mick

 

[Spindle]

Hi

These are good but you need another person in front to stop them running away if you slip.

http://www.screwfix.com/p/stair-climbing-truck/30249

Probably available from a tool hire shop too

Regards Mick

 

[anaminal]

Interesting ideas - and thanks for the offer of a lift marcros, might take you up on that - though I think I've still got a few favours to call in with the next door neighbour after all the tools I've lent over the fence!

Hmm, just had a look at DBKeighley website; might just be worth going over to look at their machines since they're on the doorstep

 

[MrYorke]

Whatever you do, make sure someone else it at the bottom end and your at the top ;-)

And I hope you have amazing dust extraction being in a basement

 

[anaminal]

And I hope you have amazing dust extraction being in a basement

Funnily enough, I was just about to make a post on this subject! lets see if I can link the photos...

my set up:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/lrx7pv4ac3v2t ... .31.16.jpg

Vax Power 7 (2200 watts / 380 air watts w/Hepa filter)
< < <
Dust mite (recent addition, as recommended by someone on this forum) and big plastic bin
< < <
Dust!

and I normally wear a 3M dust mask whenever I'm in there for more than a few mins.

However, THIS just happened! need to get a stronger bin I think!

https://www.dropbox.com/s/275z6b79uctzu ... .31.44.jpg

 

[flh801978]

I have a celler/basement workshop and have a 750 kg lathe 400 kg planer thicknesser 300 kg bandsaw and loads of lesser weight tools
All I stripped down to make lighter and went down a straight flight of stairs on a sack barrow easily the large startrite bandsaw was the most difficult because of physical size
Ian

 

[pebbles]

In the top step down to my cellar are two iron rings set into the stone. I wondered what they were for and was told it was to thread ropes through to 'pulley' things up or down. Would that be an option in your situation?

 

[nanscombe]

I don't know whether it would be suitable, or particularly safe, but ...

If you had:
a) A straight flight of stairs
b) A suitably stout ladder
c) An appropriate pulley hoist, and somewhere suitable to anchor it

It may be possible to set the ladder up as an inclined plane and use the hoist to lower it slowly, and gently, down.

 

[heimlaga]

If you have a straight flight of stairs then 500-1000 kilos per part would be some kind of maximum for practical handling but I am sure some people have moved much bigger pieces of machinery up and down stairs.
The normal way to do this is to lay a bunch of 2x6 on the stairs and place the machine on a sturdily bolted pallet from heavy timbers. Then use a chain hoist anchored to a lorry or a big farm tractor with it's wheels locked in one way or another. The safety rule is that nobody should be in the cellar when the load is carefully lowered down the stairs. Once down the machine can be moved about using pieces of iron water pipe as rollers.
When going up stairs one has to put rollers under the skids but otherwise the method is the same. This is uncomfortably exciting but fully possibe. We once got my grandfather's old baking owens out of his bakery that way. The owens were full of asbestos so we wanted to get them out without breaking them. I think the two owens were some 500 kilos apiece. The job took five men half a day of which half the time was spent thinking and preparing.

I have heard about a man who built a 25 foot half decked motor boat in an upstairs shop in the 1950-ies. They got it out a window and down to the ground with no damage.

 

[Terry - Somerset]

I'm not sure whether this is fatuous, or a fantastic longer term solution - stairlift (ebay second hand??), replace the chair with an appropriate sized platform with tie down points. Safe working load of probably around 100kg, motorised, and if the platform is demountable then should take up little space.

Rgds

Terry

 

[anaminal]

Brilliant suggestions (I especially like the stair lift ) think I'll go with the boards and a winch system. Thanks all!

Chris

 

[dkaardal]

Back home in my old shop I'd use a small electric winch to move heavy machines up and down my basement stairs. For small (200kg-ish) machines I'd just lay some thick plywood on the stairs to protect them and spread out the weight a little before lowering the machine down. For larger machines I'd bolt them to 2x4 runners, lay 2x4's on the stairs, cover those with the plywood (screwed down of course), then move the machine.

I'd mounted the little electric winch on to a couple of 2x4's which could be placed on the floor across the doorway at the top of the stairs. That would brace the winch perfectly, and i could raise or lower the machine without effort or risk.

I think the one I used to use was an old 12v winch that used to live on an ATV.

 

[anaminal]

Your use of the term "small" for 200kg machines reassures me... I'm gonna go ahead and order myself the aw106pt2 planer thicknesser (£850 and 150kg both significantly bigger numbers than I'm used to dealing with; hence the apprehension).

Thanks again all!
Chris

 

[anaminal]

Hi all, thanks for advice on this, it worked a treat!

1 ramp
https://www.dropbox.com/s/bfuws1uhfgjlsm2/DSC_0460.JPG

2 prep
https://www.dropbox.com/s/738ccy2b5ovnl49/DSC_0462.JPG

3 moving
https://www.dropbox.com/s/cn1uglsoo23tfzl/DSC_0463.JPG

4 down
https://www.dropbox.com/s/bkurwx75h83do11/DSC_0466.JPG

Chris