Ideas on moving 900 pound horizontal air compressor

[md21722]

I am looking at buying a large 10HP 120 gallon horizontal air compressor. I am wondering how I can move it, both to get it into place in the garage, and then later when I move to a new place. Ideally I would take it off its shipping pallet when its in the garage. I may need to dispose of the shipping pallet because I currently do not have a lot of room to store it. Trailers usually have sides on them so I'm wondering how a forklift, if rented, or similar would be able to get it into a trailer. This concerns me enough that I'm tempted to get two smaller portable 5HP compressors that are more manageable to move... they may weigh close to 500 pounds each but they are on wheels. Thanks.

 

[2oolhound]

Fill it with helium and float it into place

Sorry, I couldn't resist

 

[jallyn]

maybe move it on a flat-bed so you can lift it from the side with a forklift? Then rent some heavy duty moving dollies to position it in the garage.

If the compressor is well-strapped to a strong shipping pallet you could lift it from the end with a forklift... as long as the tips of the forks don't hit something breakable. Just insert forks into pallet, lift, tilt back, and drive slow.

 

[jonjon1]

balance it on a floor jack, should be easy after that, to get it off the pallet, light the pallet on fire, its made of wood it will turn to ashes..

but seriously, I am going to say man power, just walk it into place, walk it off of the pallet... This is where a skid steer comes in very handy...

 

[mikegt4]

A 900 lb compressor can be put on wheels too. I made up some mobile bases for my lathe and mill, both top 1500 lbs. A horizontal tank should be a piece of cake especially if you have facilities to weld up a steel base. Use real industrial casters, not HF.

If it comes on a skid you can roll it into your garage on some pipes.

 

[johnoutdoors]

I moved mine, albeit smaller, with an engine hoist that I borrowed from a neighbor. I drive a UPS truck, 2 of my co workers and I had the worst time of trying to move it out of the basement. Once it was out, we hooked it up, lifted it over the side of a trailer, folded the engine hoist, put that on the trailer, reversed the whole process and I haven't/won't touch it again without one.

 

[ibedayank]

engine crane... gantry hoist ... hoist rigged in rafters... pipes under palet and a big bar.. many ways just do it slowly as it's top heavy

 

[md21722]

Thanks for the quick responses!

I had figured an engine hoist with a tow strap around the belly of the tank would get it off the pallet. I don't have one of those either but could make a case for getting one.

A skid steer would be nice, when I lived in the country I had nice 20HP Kubota tractor with an unusually large front end loader we used for all sorts of things. A previous owner had welded fork pockets onto the sides and bottom of the bucket. But I live in the city now and don't even have a place to park a skid steer and burning the pallet is also out of the question. Maybe I just need to move back to the country.

 

[rsanter]

Look on Amazon for lifting slings, they are cheap and useful

Then you can use a cherry picker or a fork lift for moving or loading.

Same deal for using a pully system or chain fall from the rafters or A frame

Of course you can use chain instead of the sling but they are more apt or scratch the paint

Bob

 

[Jazz1]

set it on car skates, furniture dollies etc..900 not much for those as it is horizontal Easier to deal with than vertical compressor.

 

[Richard Cranium]

have a tow truck move it and set it in place

 

[zmaxmotorsports]

Skidloader and a set of forks.

 

[md21722]

Sounds like renting a skid steer and truck to move the skid steer would be in the works. But lets say I wanted to put this in a box truck like U-Haul would rent. I imagine a skid steer would want to lift it from the side. How would I get it in to the truck and back out? Make sure the truck had a lift gate? Most U-Haul type trucks do not?

 

[highcarbon]

if you look at the unit from the end there should be enough space between the plate that the motor and pump are mounted on and the top of the tank to where you can push the forks of a forklift together and get them in the space far enough to where you can tilt the forks back and pick the unit up.get some black iron pipe ( schedule 40 1 inch should work) cut it the width of the pallet it is on - get 3 or 4 pieces- set the unit on it in the trailer and roll it off when you get it home.

 

[619DioFan]

I will give you this advise- if you don't already have the equipment to move something this size and weight I recommend hiring a company do it for you. I work in the moving industry and have moved all types of equipment. I of course have access to specialized equipment such as lift gate trucks , safe jacks , kick back dollies , Johnson bars and the list goes on. for the money you would spend to buy the equipment to handle this safely you can hire someone to handle it for you. an item this size and weight can get away from you quickly and I have seen too many people over the years ( 30 years in the industry ) get f ' d up by getting in over their heads. just my .02 cents.

 

[PoorOwner]

If you pay for liftgate delivery they will move it with a pallet jack into the garage.
It's really worth the money for me. This cost extra $25-$75
Some people love to drive their own thing home but really I bet the gas cost you $25. Hoisting the thing, using your tractor implement etc.

I would leave it on the pallet and later move it by renting the pallet jack from Home Depot or other ways to move it.

 

[UpNorther]

Use a pallet jack, rent it if you have to.
I'd keep it on the pallet until its moved to second garage.
I've moved about 50 pop machines (750-1100#) this way and also a dozen 100 gal hot water heaters (750#).
Have 3 guys on it, 1 pulling and two stabilizing it. Also takes the 3 guys to 'walk' it off pallet jack if its not on a pallet. You might want 4 guys for 900# compressor..
All the things I loaded/unloaded this way, I used my enclosed trailer that has a 8' rear door ramp.
A buddy of mine is a professional mover for 30+ years, he was jaw-dropping impressed when I showed him this way when he helped me move my pop machines (2 guys).

 

[1badbird]

Pallet jack to move it around the garage and to transport it rent a trailer that drops to the ground and roll it on with the pallet jack. A few of the local rental shops have them for rent around here.

 

[jonjon1]

Pallet jack to move it around the garage and to transport it rent a trailer that drops to the ground and roll it on with the pallet jack. A few of the local rental shops have them for rent around here.

I didn't even think of that, maybe even just go to a local market or homme depot and see if you can borrow one... I have a few of them at my shop and havent touched them in a while.. Also check craigslist, maybe you can buy one cheap..

 

[jabberwoki]

Fill it with helium and float it into place

Sorry, I couldn't resist

HAHAHA cheeky *******

 

[mike93lx]

I moved my 1500lb safe by mounting 4 heavy duty stem casters and rolling it in place with the help of just one buddy. I was amazed at how easy it was.

 

[maxpower_hd]

I would put casters on it myself. Lifting slings also as others have mentioned. If needed a come along can drag it along even on the skid.

I lifted a smaller but very heavy one off of my pick up with an engine crane and some ramps. I slid it down a little at a time with the crane to take some of the weight off. We loaded it with a fork lift and slings. It was slow going but I had no choice since I was alone. Well my wife was there but....you know.

 

[fatfillup]

Look on Amazon for lifting slings, they are cheap and useful

Then you can use a cherry picker or a fork lift for moving or loading.

Same deal for using a pully system or chain fall from the rafters or A frame

Of course you can use chain instead of the sling but they are more apt or scratch the paint

Bob

This!!! I have used slings to lift many different objects and they are the way to go. Get a pair long enough to go around the compressor and extend up over the compressor, run the fork lift forks through the hoops and lift.



Now I have a question. 10 hp, do you have 3 phase? I know they make 10 hp single phase motors but they pull like 80 amps

 

[md21722]

Single phase. FLC is 50A @ 230V.

I've seen that Baldor actually lists 15HP motors that are single phase. I have never seen one in use.

 

[redmondjp]

Is this compressor mounted on 4x4 skids already, by any chance? Mine was, and to move it, I bought some 3" diameter (may have been closer to 4" but same difference) round wooden fence posts, and cut them in half. I then had eight three-foot-long rollers. I put these underneath the compressor skids, on top of plywood on my grass, and it was easy to move the compressor to where it now sits along the side of my house.

Think of how the ancient Egyptians moved stone blocks around in the same manner. Yes, you have to keep taking the rollers from the back and placing them in the front. Not the fastest, but it gets the job done and one person can do it.

 

[4 FN 27]

Back when I purchased this one new I took it off the Pallet and made a Metal Pallet for it knowing it would be moved a few more times in it's/my lifetime.

You could make one out of metal and leave it forever or take a couple of 4 x 4's and make a pallet. Assuming you have a fork truck???

 

[DBendr]

It's 900 lbs. That's about the weight of three women browsing the lingerie section at Wallmart.Sling it up grab 5 other guys, a steel digging bar and pick it up and go with it.
Pull the head and motor and 4 of you can do it and put the parts back on-on location.