Gun Safe moving, how too?

[MaryB]

Best thing a friend did was put steel casters under his safe, if he needs to move it he lays down plywood to protect the floor, muscles it up onto it(he cuts an edge at a slope to help), then rolls it to a different room. Any stairs he rents an appliance hand truck that is battery operated and has "feet" that walk it down stairs. Make sure the feet are solid and not sloppy, and any rubber tread is in good shape, if it is smooth they can slip!

https://youtu.be/ifWSXhCJFkE?feature=shared&t=77

[Winger Ed.]

500 pounds isn't really that heavy.
A regular dolly will work. An appliance dolly is better.

A pry bar or even a big screw driver will go in under the safe to get the dolly's shoe in under it.

Strap it to the dolly with the door against the dolly, and pad it with old blankets or towels.
Then put a couple 2x4s between the dolly and the door to protect the handle and lock from hitting the dolly frame.

One piece of 3/4" plywood cut in half to cross the dirt.
As you roll across each piece, put the next piece's edge under the last one.
It's easier to drop down onto the next piece than to climb up onto it.

[Slugster]

Getting old and wimpy, so I just paid 200.00 to have it delivered and moved into the house by a couple of pro safe movers. That is what they do and are danged good at it. The two smaller safes I can still move if needed with dolly, straps, and a cherry picker if needed.

[1I-Jack]

When I bought my safe the delivery guys laid down a "railroad track" of slide sticks (2x4's that had teflon strips attached to the tops) across my wood floors to protect them. One guy could push the safe across those teflon strips.

Ask at the stores selling/delivering safes to see if they have something like that.

[45DUDE]

I agree with Froogal 3/4 plywood and a tow strap and comealong. Use you pickup to pull-not your back. I hired a 1 ton winch truck to move mine. <dangled in the air with nylon tow strap.>

[lancem]

Thanks guys/gals for the ideas they are all helping. To help you all understand my plight better I live in a place where my nearest neighbor is a mile or more away. I really don't have that many friends, more like acquaintances, most that have never been invited to my home. The nearest town is over an hour away, safe seller that delivers probably 4-8 hours away, probably the same for moving companies. I knew this when I moved here and I don't have a problem with it, just sometimes I have to think about things a while when it comes to getting things done. I'm forming a plan with your help and it is seeming to get a little easier with each suggestion!

[country gent]

Walk the area where the safe is to be moved make a skeleton form of the safe length width and hold it in front of you. This will highlight any tight areas that may be an issue. Dont just jump in sit and think on it each step of the way. A couple 2x4s under the safe on the dolly or moving platform may help as you can use pry bars and blocking to raise and lower it down easier. Most safes are a narrow foot print so be careful not to tip it to much they are top heavy. While 500lbs dosnt sound like a lot if it gets away from you its going you wont stop it. On slopes or grades saftey ropes to limit it are needed.

[Winger Ed.]

If it gets to be overwhelming, open the door 90 degrees, then you can lift it off.
That will reduce the weight by approx. 1/3.
Put a pencil to it--- 1/4" steel plate weighs right around 11-12 or so pounds per square foot.
With all the guts of the door, figure 13-14 pounds per sq. ft.
An engine crane will make it pretty easy, especially for getting the door back on.

Also, pull the dolly while walking backwards. Don't push it unless ya have to.

[DougGuy]

I moved a Nissan 4.0L V6 engine with my engine crane, set plywood down across the legs set the engine down on the plywood and move the whole thing like a dolly. Since I learned that trick I moved an 800lb milling machine the same way.

I have one of those nice welded aluminum ramps from a vintage U-Haul truck, I used that to go into my basement which is about 8" lower than the driveway. It's so long it's cumbersome at times but I figured out how to put half of it outside on the driveway, i set the weight down on this while it is sitting flat, then once it crosses the threshold it tilts down like a see-saw and makes contact with the basement floor, you BETTER be holding on tight cause it will want to take off once it is tilted down.

[deltaenterprizes]

When I bought my safe the delivery guys laid down a "railroad track" of slide sticks (2x4's that had teflon strips attached to the tops) across my wood floors to protect them. One guy could push the safe across those teflon strips.

Ask at the stores selling/delivering safes to see if they have something like that.

Harbor Freight has a set of 4 “Sliders “ that allow stuff to slide across a smooth surface that I used on a cement floor. They worked but the cement made them wear a bit.

[HARLOWPARKENFARKER]

I've moved two. The first one by backing a pickup across the sidewalk, jacking up at the front to tilt the bed and two of us lowered the safe on its back into the bed of the truck. Unloading was the reverse, with a plank to, "catch," the wheels of the safe as it slid out of the bed of the pickup. The second one (Much heavier) required a wrecker to pick it up haul it.

[Plate plinker]

Second using a couple sheets of plywood to get across rough terrain. Would probably mod a refrigerator cart so you don’t accidentally lay it down.

[Froogal]

Thanks guys/gals for the ideas they are all helping. To help you all understand my plight better I live in a place where my nearest neighbor is a mile or more away. I really don't have that many friends, more like acquaintances, most that have never been invited to my home. The nearest town is over an hour away, safe seller that delivers probably 4-8 hours away, probably the same for moving companies. I knew this when I moved here and I don't have a problem with it, just sometimes I have to think about things a while when it comes to getting things done. I'm forming a plan with your help and it is seeming to get a little easier with each suggestion!

You and I are pretty much in the same boat. Wife and I alone moved our new safe into the house using my antique tractor and loader. We got it done. What did not occur to me at the time was the job might have been easier if we had simply removed the door from the safe.

[Scrounge]

As a former bomb tech, I agree with country gent. Barring zoning issues, my alternative is to do it like the Egyptians. Several round bars (ie: 1/2 PVC or similar) and just roll the safe from place to place. Works great if you go from flat to flat. Stairs - not so much.

May not work too well on soft dirt, either. I've got a 900lb cast iron drill press, and a couple of pieces of 5/8" hardware store steel round bar I use to move it around on the concrete floor, which is not too level. They will work over plywood, too. More would be better, and if you can lay the safe on it's back it won't fall as easily. If you're also using the plywood, PVC pipe would probably be fine if you have several pieces to share the weight. DO NOT try to roll it up stairs. Pulling it up stairs with a winch or come-along can work, but you need a good spot to anchor the winch or come-along. A couple of A-frames could come in handy, too.

You do need a better grade of friends, too. The comment on removing the door is also a good idea, especially if you're doing all this alone. Got an engine hoist? They're quite useful in projects like this too. I mostly do this stuff alone, as well. Bad back, getting worse. I manage with a 1-ton HF engine hoist, some medium crowbars, a couple of sizes of furniture dollies, and some of the airbag lifters.

[contender1]

Some of the better appliance hand trucks actually have a set of extra wheels & arms to stabilize the dolly once it's tilted. Makes moving stuff safer. Get the safe/appliance on the dolly, strap it on, fold out the extra legs with wheels, and tilt it until it's a 4-wheeled dolly.

[MaryB]

Some of the better appliance hand trucks actually have a set of extra wheels & arms to stabilize the dolly once it's tilted. Makes moving stuff safer. Get the safe/appliance on the dolly, strap it on, fold out the extra legs with wheels, and tilt it until it's a 4-wheeled dolly.

We used these to move top heavy slot machines on bases at the casino. 300+++ pounds. 1 person could do it easily once it was tilted back, that required someone to push from the other side. Heaviest machine I walked across the casino was 900 pounds...

[M-Tecs]

Check out Rhinocart at Amazon.

That might come in handy. Thanks.

[Sasquatch-1]

You have neglected to say how many steps, if any you have to deal with. That will be the killer for one person.

[lancem]

You have neglected to say how many steps, if any you have to deal with. That will be the killer for one person.

Luckily no steps, a couple of 3/4" thresholds otherwise all flat surfaces.

[gunther]

3 or 4 friends; indoors: 2 inch schedule 40 pvc pipe 3 feet long, 4 or 5 of them. Outdoors, a dolly with big tires for dirt, or a refrigerator dolly if you get 1/2 or 3/4 plywood to cover the dirt. Stair step: refrigerator dolly. Flip the plywood (dirt side up) to cover the floor inside. Carpet or rugs, the pipe rollers won't hurt. This will do a 500# safe, but an 1800# safe, you gonna need something like two 3/4 inch sheets of plywood for every 8 feet of dirt outside. Steps are best approached with a custom made ramp.