Working on your own - DICEY but FUN!

[WVBrady]

Coral Castle

If you are in the Florida area, you might want to visit the Coral Castle, built single-handedly by Edward Leedskalnin. They still don't know how he accomplished a lot of the things he did.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Leedskalnin

 

[chad pickens]

It seems there is never anyone around when something that should be done by 2 or more needs to be done .I'm not exactly patient.. so I just do it. The most nervous Ive been was setting up my rotary two post lift my self with a small engine hoist..Needless to say it doesn't sit square on the floor anymore and I was quite sore. But I got the lift up and it helps me with most things now

 

[JB740i]

Moved my 600lb diesel lister engine outta a truck bed onto the weight bench inclined to roughly the level of the bed. Then slid it down the bench to the weight bench tower.

Used all the free weights and a 33" tire on the machine so I could connect the lat pull down cables to the top of the engine to help lift it. Then connected 3 ratchet straps in various fashions (and 1 tow strap in case the others failed) to the weight bench and pull up bar. Then lifted up the bench with a floor jack while tightening the ratchet straps as I went. Finally got it too high for the jack so was able to use the ratchet straps to continue lifting.

Got it high enough to set it down on my 5 drawer rolling craftsman tool chest. And there it is.

The guy I bought it from said it just had some oil blow by but the pistons are frozen. Soaked it for a week in MMO and PB blaster but no luck yet.

 

[PassnThru]

Jeez. I was going to say that I have hung a lot of drywall by myself. Just 4 X 8 sheets at that. Now I'm really too embarrassed to admit that it seemed like an inconvenience at the time.
On the bright side - at least I have a really good list of the people that will not be calling me for help any time soon. Actually, I have a really good list of the people that I can call for help and just sit by and watch them

 

[e-tek]

I've had back problems on and off since I was young, whcih has turned into a chronic pain syndrome. I still overdo it all the time, then spend most nights either hanging upside down, on my heating pad, or both. I did learn one thing though - my BendPak, Cherry Picker and winch have become my best friends - always willing to lend a hand and making tough jobs much easier!

 

[hilld]

I once replaced the clutch in a '65 F250 Ford pickup by myself, without a jack - dropping that big old truck transmission on my chest, crawling out from under the truck with it, and then later on bench pressing it back up into place was a lot of fun.

I have done the same, but with a 80 F250, those bench presses and pushups did some good.

 

[simonac]

as a heavy duty field mechanic i have to lift and move heavy object all the time and think of good idea and trick to move heavy objet in weird place with out breaking my back all alone. after 15 years i still have a good back and all my fingers...your health and well being is the most important thing in life...safety first...but i did do my share of stupid stuff from time to time..loll

 

[caper]

Same for me,I worked as a forestry mechanic for years.Almost always by myself so you learn some creative ways to move things with the least effort.I remember one particularly troublesome hydraulic cylinder I had to swap out on a regular basis.Usually did it myself with a come along without much trouble.One day the boss decided to help me change it out.I decided not to mention my tricks I use on my own and have him help lift the cyl in and out of position.Well after lots of cursing and straining he managed to hold it in position while I put the pins in place.When we were done he was looking at me and shaking his head wondering how the hell I had swapped it out myself several times.Kinda the same one other day when he was trying to move an 18 spd trans I had sitting in the corner of the shop.I was watching him try to move it and could just tell by his body positioning he had no leverage.I walked over and grabbed the input shaft and just picked up one end and swung it out of the way.Again he's looking at me like I'm the hulk.Just a matter of being used to not having help gets you used to figuring out the best way to get things done.

 

[W.I.P.]

As of recently the only thing I can think of is lifting my 9 foot long, 30 inch deep 1.5" thick MDF/laminate workbench top almost 40 inches to it's place on top of my bench. It has to weigh over 200 lbs. and was very awkward because it's so long. The whole bench with the dual cabinets underneath I estimate at probably over 700 pounds. That's just an estimate but I can barely push and slide the thing across the floor.

 

[Dragster Racer]

I haven't found a way to move my Bridgeport mill without help. Last time, I hired a local forklift to come and lift it onto my car trailer. I would love to not have the forklift come again, but it's probably cheaper than any alternative. I hate depending on others for that stuff. One problem is that I am unsure of the weight of it. It isn't an R4, but uses the smaller collets. But the base is almost as large as the big boys.
The lathe wasn't too bad with the cherry picker, but it would be no match for the Bridgeport, safely.

 

[aus55]

standing on a plank 10' up holding a 15' sheet of plasterboard that I had just lifted in place off the lift into place when it slipped off I thought maybe I should have waited for a hand. The weight and momentum nearly knocked me off the plank

 

[Jazz]

Not a horrible project but I just installed drop down stairs in my attic. Should be a two man job but I was able to get the stairs installed by myself. Luckily they weren't too heavy. I also have a Firebird with a T56 transmission which I have installed by bench pressing it under the car and putting it in place. I wouldn't do that now because when you're a bit older and get injured it doesn't seem to heal as quickly and now that I finally have money to do my projects I don't want to be laid up hurt and unable to do them.

 

[Joe69]

I'm a heavy equipment mechanic, and I work in the field. Most of the time, I'm alone. I've amazed myself at some of the things I've done by myself. My truck crane serves as a 3rd hand quite a bit.

Joe

 

[4StarCstms]

I'm a heavy equipment mechanic, and I work in the field. Most of the time, I'm alone. I've amazed myself at some of the things I've done by myself. My truck crane serves as a 3rd hand quite a bit.

Joe

Joe, we have a mechanic at the shop now who used to be a Heavy Equipment mech.. Some of the stories he's told about welding in new steel in the scrapers or replacing various other parts are amazing that he didnt get crushed and is still able to walk!

I think we've all done stuff that looking back on it, is a WTF was I thinking moment...I've mounted a SBF short block onto a engine stand w/o the hoist...R&I'd more than my share of transmissions alone...

 

[Gasket]

Back in my college days, me and a friend decided to pull the 400ci long block out of his late 60's charger. Since we were into weight lifting, we bolted a chain to the block, looped it around a bench pressing bar, put the bar on our shoulders, and squatted the engine out of the engine bay. We loaded it up into a van and drove it into the machine shop. The machine shop guy's eyes nearly popped out when he saw the chain wrapped around the weight lifting bar in the back of the van. I have no idea what that engine weighed, but we both had marks on our shoulders for weeks after that ingenious idea.

 

[e-tek]

Back in my college days, me and a friend decided to pull the 400ci long block out of his late 60's charger. Since we were into weight lifting, we bolted a chain to the block, looped it around a bench pressing bar, put the bar on our shoulders, and squatted the engine out of the engine bay. We loaded it up into a van and drove it into the machine shop. The machine shop guy's eyes nearly popped out when he saw the chain wrapped around the weight lifting bar in the back of the van. I have no idea what that engine weighed, but we both had marks on our shoulders for weeks after that ingenious idea.

Arnie would be proud!!!

 

[dlc]

I once pulled the engine and transmission (sans cylinder head) from a 79 Honda Civic without a lift using my bare hands and a lot of muscle. Granted, I was a lot younger and a lot stronger.

 

[W.I.P.]

I also pulled or pushed (can't remember how I ended up doing it) a rented core plug aerator up two ramps into the back of my truck last summer. I was easily a couple hundred pounds. Probably a bit unsafe for me, my truck, and the aerator but I got it done without incident.

 

[aus55]

I was moving my lathe using machinery skates when I decided to just give it one more push to square it up to the wall when I tipped it it pinning me to the wall by one finger with my foot against the skate to stop it going on its back. called out for a while then decided I would just have to lose a little skin. Got it up without damage. Time to move house again.

 

[floyd]

Not that dicey, but I moved a long block down to the shop by myself. I had to move the planks a few times.

 

[e-tek]

Gonna give this thread a bump cause there's some INCREDIBLE STUFF HERE!!! From Dawg's beam heroics (smart too!) to kids lifting blocks.....

Let's hear (or preferably SEE) more one-man heroics!! You guys are C-r-A-z-EEeeee!!

 

[lilredex]

That's freaking awesome!

I bought some tractor weights last week and 4 of them came in. The post office was treating them like they weighed 500lbs. They wanted to forklift them into my truck!

I grabbed them two at a time and tossed them in the bed. The post office worker about ****. They were only 42lb weights.

Need to seriously rethink who they hire if they can't handle even ONE 42lb package!

It's not about doing it ONCE it's about doing it continuously and ending up injured after 25-30 years and maybe having the union to tell you to F....off for "being so stupid" They are just protecting themselves. Nobody wants to retire to a wheelie. Don't downgrade the employees of the postal service, they hire (and provide a job for) people others will not consider. My wife is living proof............hearing impaired. At other places, the job interview was over the minute they heard she had trouble comprehending on the 'phone. I'm sure your P.O. has a similar view on that too.

 

[keflaman]

It's not about doing it ONCE it's about doing it continuously and ending up injured after 25-30 years and maybe having the union to tell you to F....off for "being so stupid" They are just protecting themselves. Nobody wants to retire to a wheelie. Don't downgrade the employees of the postal service, they hire (and provide a job for) people others will not consider. My wife is living proof............hearing impaired. At other places, the job interview was over the minute they heard she had trouble comprehending on the 'phone. I'm sure your P.O. has a similar view on that too.

Kind of like nurses. Seems like every one of them I know who has been doing it for years has, or ends up having a bad back.

 

[TheGrooveking]

I haven't found a way to move my Bridgeport mill without help. Last time, I hired a local forklift to come and lift it onto my car trailer. I would love to not have the forklift come again, but it's probably cheaper than any alternative. I hate depending on others for that stuff. One problem is that I am unsure of the weight of it. It isn't an R4, but uses the smaller collets. But the base is almost as large as the big boys.
The lathe wasn't too bad with the cherry picker, but it would be no match for the Bridgeport, safely.

Depending on what size table and which drive you have, belted or variable speed a Bridgeport typically weighs between 1,750 and 2,100 pounds. I've moved mine a few times, I bought 12 half inch diameter 36" long steel shafts and just did the egyptian rolelr method to get it to the hydraulic lift gate of the rental truck.

The first time I brought it home I borrowed a machinery rebuilder's trailer. It was a 14 foot flatbed with four vertical 8" beams, one in each corner and a 10" beam accoss the front and back and a 12" beam that went from the front of the trailer to 6' past the ned of it. I just picked up with a chain hoist and then lowered it onto my shafts.

TheGrooveking