Safely Moving A Surface Plate

Personally I would leave it alone. If you try to separate them more then likely you would not be happy with the results. I have a 36x24x6 pink stone that and was able to move it myself. First Mine came with a rolling stand that was just a little bit lower than my tailgate but high enough to be rested against the tailgate lip. I just slid the stone off the truck on to the cart. A few blue words and prying helped.

In your case, if you are moving I would leave it in the back of the truck. It helps with traction. You may want to consider getting/renting a engine lift to get it out of the truck. Then as others have said slide it down stairs on a 2x10.

What does it weigh? I am late but would have suggested the piano wire (or fishing line) for silicone; solvent or heat for epoxy.

That plate is one plate we have the same plate anyway looks exactly the same in our tool room it is a tool room grade plate and the bottom fits into the stand.

I also think that it is a ledged plate....not 2 pieces. I wouldn't spend any time trying to separate it since it's one piece. Nice plate, btw.

As others have said, that is a one piece, four ledge surface plate. A nice one. Get it down into your basement and get it set up. If they could build pyramids in Egypt by hand, you can get a 500 pound plate down your basement stairs and onto a stand. Then get on with your scraping projects... 8^)

Thanks for the additional input everyone....

Yes, we have come to the conclusion that it is indeed a single plate. I was simply thrown off by the individual badges by different companies. That combined with a room full of plates that were half this thick added to my assumption.

At any rate, the plan to get the plate into the basement is in the development stage. It's going threw a window as the stairs just don't lend well to navigating such a cumbersome object down them. If it were a straight shot down it would be a different story but the tight 90 degree bend isn't something I want to deal with.

I'll be sure to set up the camera when the move happens and post the aftermath.

Thanks again,

Jarrett

If you have a 2 wheeler, treat it like a refrigerator and you can get it down the steps. Perhaps a trusting friend downhill from it to assist. Wish I could trade ya.

What a thread!! Of course after finding out that your 500#er is one piece, be one heckova time to find that your stairs have been visited by termites.... In the South that's a recurring problem but thankfully most folks don't have cellars.

Move it Navy style: plank the steps and use either a Navy block-and-tackle or go to a lubber comealong. Humans holding ropes... omg. At the bottom that last step could get crushed even with planking.

Going down stairs or down a planked incline, the SP is going to weigh more than the 500#. That's from momentum. When it lurches forward a bit, it picks up mo. The effect is worse rolling a wagon down a hill because the wheels contribute even more mo.

Then there's the cellar floor. But you knew that. Good luck !! (I just "won" some goggles off eBay. Big whoop.)

Nice plate.

Moving it should not be a big deal.

Run out to your local equivalent of Harbor Freight and pick up their cheapest chain fall (I have used one to lift landscaping boulders about twice the rated weight), and a dirt cheap moving dolly (it only has to work once before it collapses).

Back your truck up to the basement window, put a 4x4 across the window opening to hook the chain fall to it and drag the plate out of the truck onto a stage outside the window. You can drop the plate onto a couple of stacked tires (this is how you unload 55 gallon drums), or onto a ramp wedged up against the bottom of the window (best choice). Once the plate is up near the window on the ramp, support the ramp at the truck end and move the truck a few feet. If the ramp is ~6 feet long, you should be able to lift the light end pretty easily once the plate is at the other end.

Use pry bars to raise the ramp onto the window sill (tip the ramp over 2x4 fulcrum). Place a second ramp in the basement (nailed very securely to the floor or wedged so it won't slide), and drag the plate onto the top of the basement ramp and tie it off to your tow hitch. Move the chain fall to the tow hitch and let gravity slide it down the ramp as you lower it with the chain fall. Wedge/lever it up onto the dolly at the bottom of the ramp and use a hoist to get it onto your bench.

Total cost is ~$50.00 plus hoist rental from your local NAPA.

I used this exact strategy to move my new lathe into a first floor bedroom a few weeks ago, only I had to go up the stairs rather than down. Took less than an hour and was pretty painless. You just go slow, put tension on with the chain fall, lever a bit, more tension, lever some more, etc. Just make sure you can always get a 2x4 under it, you don't want to invest in an expensive spud bar if you can avoid it.

Interesting suggestion Joshua.... Several aspects won't work in my particular situation but you have me hoping you made a video of your lathe move.

I plan on getting to plate down into the basement this weekend. Still haven't completely decided on the plan of attack, but either way its going to be fun.