Gun Safe Move 1300 lbs, 36x30x66 inches

[aigel]

Guys, what's the wisdom moving a mid-size gun safe, 1300 lbs? I am planning on buying something like this used and it is a bit like hot tubs. Used gun safes are fairly cheap because they are really tough to move and hiring it out can add a lot of cost.

I am thinking a drop deck trailer and a pallet jack, a large crow bar and a bunch of wood shims of varying thickness would be all that's needed to move it from a garage to a garage? I would lift it up with the crow bar and raise it on the wood, then drive the pallet jack under, drop it on the trailer on some wood, and off in reverse order.

I do think it is a bit too large for a regular furniture dolly and putting into the bed of a pickup? I also don't have 5 big friends with a Saturday afternoon to spare (likely will be some driving involved).

Thanks!

George

[Ayles]

Hire safe movers and don't get yourself or someone else hurt. Friends of mine are not the type to hire out projects and they left relocation of their large safe to the pros easy and over quick.

[VincentVega]

Winch or at least a come along sure help, I've moved a few heavy bits that way. Also, I prefer dollies to a pallet jack for moving, move flexible to go sideways. But, you still need to lift the thing and keep the dollies lined up, depends on your surface.

[KFC911]

That's a HEAVY sucker for it's size....

I'd hire da BIG man

[Crowbob]

I vote to hire it out.

One time expense, no injuries and done right.

[Tobra]

If you do move it yourself, you may be able to remove the door(s) which will help immensely. Moved safe in my building that had wheels and was sitting on industrial carpet. Would not budge with 4 guys trying to move it. Lifted the door off using a hand truck and it was fairly easy. Rent a truck with a Tommy Lift if you don't hire it out.

[cabmandone]

I think you can rent an electric cart. I used one a LONG time ago to install an off peak electric water heater in a basement for a customer. It was something like the one in the video but heavier I think. Now if it was me, I'd bring one of my skid loaders with a set of forks, pick it up, drive on the trailer, go home, back off the trailer and set it in my garage... But I like doing things the easy way.

[aigel]

A drop deck trailer is superior to a lift gate truck rental in that it is cheaper and you can roll on it easily. I do have a friend of a friend who used to work for a safe company and that's what they use.

I have a call out to a local safe moving company but haven't heard back. People in this area are ridiculously busy. Almost anything I do now is DIY because nobody is interested in small jobs.

G

[Crowbob]

My good friend Joe, may he Rest In Peace, got a job as a mover right out of college and was impressed by an amazingly robust coworker who came down with cancer and had to amputate a leg. The company immediately put him in the office so he could still work. Joe talked about it all the time. The guy and the company that helped him out made an impression on him.

Well one day I needed a safe delivered and I drive over to Denoyer Brothers as I had promised Joe were I ever to need movers. So standing at the counter I go into the long story about Joe and Joe’s passing, about the guy with the leg and that I needed a new safe delivered.

Maybe late next week the guy said.

OK. Fine. Here’s where the safe is and here’s where it needs to go. Let me know when to expect it.

So the guy limps over and takes down the info and I go home.

About four that afternoon Denoyers calls up and says my safe is on its way!

They put that safe right where I wanted it in under 11 minutes.

[vash]

my safe..no. this safe i know was dropped off at a house i know.

on a pallet. it was crazy. my safe company has a video showing you how to unload it off the pallet. the reverse it true. it was crazy easy. i worked it up in my head to be a much bigger deal.

and pallet jack moved it..and it showed up on a truck with a tail gate lift.

i need to pick up a bad ass one from my mom. in texas. might be easier for me to get a new one.

let me try to find the video. i did it with just me and my BIL..and he has little girl hands.

[tabs]

The guy who owned Pomona Safe co had a safe fall on his leg..had to amputate. He is dead now.

You don't have the experience to move that much dead weight.

To move a heavy safe a pro rigger took 2 hours to build a ramp to lift it 4 inches.

If you do it yourself you are truly a dummy.

[vash]

G. emailed it to you bud.

if you need an extra hand..let me know in advance. i got some leather gloves around her somewhere

[cabmandone]

FWIW, the "off peak" water heater I mentioned earlier isn't what you might think. It has storage brick inside it. They are called an electric thermal storage water heater. The thing is stupid heavy.

[908/930]

If it was laying down on a pallet no prob, rent a low deck trailer with ramp and put pallet jack under and use come along or lever chain hoist to drag it up the ramp, reverse to unload. I moved my 1100lb lathe by myself this way.

Standing it upright you will need some help, possibly strap some 2x10x96 plank to it for some leverage.

[gduke2010]

Had one installed on the home I've been working on. It was 2200lb. Not sure the hight and width dimensions but, make no mistake it was a big one. The crew that delivered and installed used a motorized Toyota pallet jack which made moving the safe easier. What really, helped with the installation is they set the safe on 2 hard plastic strips about 1/2" thick and 2" wide which made sliding easier. They then slid the safe onto anther thin sheet of plastic and pushed it into the compartment. The safe sits on this plastic sheet.

So, I think the key to moving and positioning is finding something flat and smooth.

[aigel]

I did hear back from the moving company. It'd be less than $400. I will hire them if the sale goes through.

Renting a drop deck trailer and a pallet jack would already be $100 for the day. Then those aren't available at the local rental place, meaning more driving.

Now the sale just needs to go through. I haven't heard from the seller in a while ... but I'll keep hunting. Something big and heavy is relatively cheap and now I know it isn't a fortune to professionally move.

G

[Mike80911]

Get some pieces of 2 inch steel pipe lay them on the ground lay the sate on top of them as you roll the safe to where you need it keep moving a piece of pipe to the front of the line.

[Tobra]

Mike, that is how they moved an old building where I went to school. Broke all the pipes under the street, but they rolled it just like that

[Jim Bremner]

I earned 3 plates and 19 screws moving a 900# safe my wrist is far from 100%

[BlueWing]

I used to sell and service safes back in the eighties. I had a customized landscape type trailer with a lower axle and could tilt. Than the old Egyptian method of rollers to move, a Johnson Bar and floor jack to wiggle into place.

I do not miss that time of my life ever. More damage to me, helper and property than I care to remember.

Just help moved 2 of my last three safes this past May. That third and last one is going with me. I'm not counting my gun safe as it does't fall in the weight range to be a concern.

If I needed to move one large one today I would probably find a flatbed truck operator willing to drag it up. Just need to strap it correctly to keep it upright and an electric pallet jack to move it around.

Terry