Advice moving large Alemite cabinets

[lynnbilodeau]

I am picking up a large Alemite work bench set up tomorrow.

6 foot tall, 12 foot long.
We will have a 17 foot trailer.

I am assuming they come apart for transport.
Am I correct?

Plan to take an assortment of hand tools.

Also taking my two grown sons and my angel of a wife, so there will be plenty of muscle.

Anyone who has moved these cabinets have any advice?

 

[laser3kw]

furniture dollies or car dolly - harbor freight.
but you have to have a smooth surface

car dolly link

or

furniture dolly

 

[Kaizen]

I've seen granite countertop installers have one they put half way down a slab that has one or two whellbarrow tires under it so it just supports the slab and they can roll it. no idea where to get one on short notice.

 

[nickleone]

If you can't take them apart and can't roll them onto the trailer you can tilt the cabinet till it is higher than the trailer and push it on.
Lift the end by the trailer with a lever. Block it up. Lift again and again till above trailer deck. Move trailer under cabinet. If you have furniture dolly put it under the cabinet.
Lift and block back of cabinet and put another dolly under the back.
Push it on trailer. If it fouls the deck raise back up some more.
I loaded a 600# crate into the back of my pickup that way.

Nick

 

[bazzateer]

The place you're getting it from got it in there somehow, hopefully they'll have the know-how and/or tools to help you?

 

[CNGsaves]

I'd bring along 5 or 6 long 2x6's . . . maybe 14 ft long . . . . plus some 2x4's so you could fab up a skid plate/cage if necessary to move the thing. Bring circular saw, drill motor, etc along with screws as you may need to be creative in how you get it on trailer. Dolly, pry bar, come-a-long, etc can be improvised to help get it on trailer intact, if necessary.

Lots of ratchet straps to secure it to trailer once it's up there.

Drive slow and careful once you're headed back.
Wind could do some real damage at highway speeds !!

 

[Dr Klaun]

Go rent a piano dolly. They are the best for moving large heavy objects!

 

[plow]

Dude! You HAVE to post up some pics of this.

 

[lynnbilodeau]

Didn't think about it until I had posted this morning, but I sent Don Long a pm asking his advice. He said the come apart quite easily. I am taking tools.

I went out to the shed to get some 14 foot 2x6's but have cut all of mine down a bit for another project. I will take some pics before and after loading.

Wish me luck.

 

[Lippyp]

Pump up pallet truck and some pallets, if you can get it apart lift each part onto a pallet, ratchet strap it down and move with pallet truck, simple,

 

[lynnbilodeau]

Don't have a pump up pallet truck. Don't have pallets (scrapped about 10 of them 2 mos. ago). Didn't have time to go rent a piano dolly, as we had to be on the road by 8 this morning. I did take some wood, but it turned out we didn't need it.

Thanks for all the suggestions.

I took Don's advice. We disassembled it. Has about 40 little machine screws and nuts. Took about an hour. Once in pieces (and with the vintage Reed vise removed from the bench) it was really easy to load on the pick up and flat bed trailer.

Ratchet straps aplenty made sure nothing moved on the 4 hour drive home.

All safe and in the garage. Will post some pics tomorrow.

The sellers were very gracious. It was a pleasure to meet them. In fact, I ended up buying a few other little items from the same 1940's gas station.

They also had 5 or 6 very nice neighbors and friends there to help if we needed to lift the whole thing out. Turned out we did not need the extra muscle once it was disassembled. Hey, I am going to have to have this thing in pieces to restore it anyway.

Thanks again.



Lynn

 

[rburke65]

Was this the on posted here on TGJ from Missouri ?

 

[lynnbilodeau]

Yes.

 

[930dreamer]

Where are the pics?

 

[bazzateer]

 

[lynnbilodeau]

I am a failure. It really was a goal to get pics up tonight.
Hopefully tomorrow nite.

 

[lynnbilodeau]

Someone asked if this was the set in Missouri. Yes it is.

Here is a thread by Jackie, the daughter of the owner:

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=276388

That is what everything looked like.

I was able to disassemble most of it to bring it home. Here it is in pieces (the part with the pegboard is upside down resting on the work bench):

 

[lynnbilodeau]

I also bought three old Alemite grease guns. Two I recognize. The third is labeled as a "water pump" and I have never seen another one. It is Model 6290. Any info would be appreciated.

Finally, I also picked up two of the old light fixtures from the service station, the old Reed vise that was attached to the work bench, and a smaller cabinet from the 40's with rounded corners. Pics included of everything but the Reed vise.

There is some rust, but not much. I have a little metal work to do, but mostly stripping, prepping and painting. I am very happy with this set up.

 

[don long]

You did very well.
The alemite bench looks to be in good condition. I'll be looking for the resto thread
You scored with your other purchases too. I love the cabinet and the old light

They look much more intimidating to move than they really are as I'm sure you found out.

Congrats

Don

 

[rburke65]

Jackie and I emailed a few times about the Alemite cabinet, and she sounded like she was a real nice person. Good for you.

 

[930dreamer]

Those are great looking cabinets and accessories.

 

[lynnbilodeau]

Jackie and I emailed a few times about the Alemite cabinet, and she sounded like she was a real nice person. Good for you.

Jackie and her mother are wonderful "salt of the earth" folks. They received higher offers after we made our deal, but kept their word. I told her mother how much I appreciated her integrity. I also assured her these were going to a good home where they would be refurbished and enjoyed.

I was really hoping they could find some old photos of the actual station these came from. I would have love to copy one or two details of that station when we rehab our cinder block building to look like an old Sinclair station. We will take our inspiration from whatever photos we find of old stations. There is an old station here in Guthrie that is now a cleaners. We could copy it. Here is one we really like:

 

[bazzateer]

Maybe that 'water pump' gun was specifically for grease the bearings on water pumps?

Love all your purchases, especially the cabinets.

 

[lynnbilodeau]

Just posted in the classifieds. Hoping to find a couple of emblems.
BTW, found a picture of a white station that is what mine used to look like: