How to lift safe to upright & install same?

GPintheMitten · Dec 17, 2015

I like the ingenuity shown by forum members.

CurlyDave · Dec 17, 2015

You really only need 250 lb of force to lift one end of a 500 lb safe.

One floor joist, especially near a supported end, is easily capable of taking that force without any problem. I am not sure about screwing a lag bolt into the bottom of the joist and having the lag bolt hold, but if the ceiling is not finished and the joists are accessible drilling a 1/2" hole through the joist near the top side would allow a machine bolt with a loop of chain as an attachment point.

Taking the door off first is a good plan. That will reduce weight considerably.

Coyote machine · Dec 17, 2015

It's done!:cool2:

Thanks to all who had good ideas, and GP in the mitten too, I guess, ( just kiddin').
I took plenty of time, and LOTS of tools to get her upright. I used a propane supply pipe, 1" or larger that ran through a couple of exposed joists in the area where I needed to lift, to get things moving. I wrapped various looped nylon straps around the top 1/3 of the safe, in it's cardboard shipping box, still strapped with the nylon thin strapping used to hold cardboard onto things like safes, etc.

I wrapped a forearm lifting strap several times over the iron pipe then lifted my 3 TON come along until I could slip the huge hook into the forearm strap's loop. Then, using the comealong I ratcheted the chain until I could lift no further due to clearances.
Then I took a big looped nylon strap, crossed it's looped ends in front of the safe and reattached the two feet back on the front of the safe so I could put the loops on them.
Then I ran the strap alongside the safe and attached the one big loop to a smaller come along. I hooked the come along to a steel angle iron piece that spanned the garage man door. By ratcheting this small come along the bottom end of the safe began to stand upright, while the top was held in place by the bigger 3 ton unit. The last raise was done by using two 2 x 4's and a fair amount of muscle power provided by me alone. once I got it where I wanted it I removed the lower come along assy. and left the upper one there until I figure out what to use to move the unit to where I want it, without scratching the floor.
It took a long time, but it was done safely and by myself, with the exception of my wife helping get the big come along onto the strap loop. The space was too tight for me to lift the 3 ton unit and hook it to the strap without assistance.

Wish I had a bunch of goof balls, I mean golf balls, to roll her into place, but I'm not a golfer :thumbsup:

GPintheMitten · Dec 17, 2015

Hey! I resemble that remark! Ha ha, you got me.

Man, by yourself. Great.

Coyote machine · Dec 17, 2015

Thanks! It was a bear, but it was a worthwhile learning experience. I mean if the pyramids can be built the way they were, one man with numerous tools in the 21st century ought to be able to lift 500#s or most of the weight, for certain. I had to think about levers, angles, lifting safely and how to get it to go where I wanted it to. Simple concepts, but they have to be be applied properly or the results can be dangerous to deadly. Every time I use the 3 ton come along, I'm glad I bought it, (used).

k0ua · Dec 17, 2015

CurlyDave said:
You really only need 250 lb of force to lift one end of a 500 lb safe.

One floor joist, especially near a supported end, is easily capable of taking that force without any problem. I am not sure about screwing a lag bolt into the bottom of the joist and having the lag bolt hold, but if the ceiling is not finished and the joists are accessible drilling a 1/2" hole through the joist near the top side would allow a machine bolt with a loop of chain as an attachment point.

Taking the door off first is a good plan. That will reduce weight considerably.

I lift my JD 135se lawn tractor from a floor joist with a eye-bolt screwed into the joist.. I would not hesitate to put 500 lbs on it. Call me crazy...

Coyote machine · Dec 17, 2015

k0ua said:
I lift my JD 135se lawn tractor from a floor joist with a eye-bolt screwed into the joist.. I would not hesitate to put 500 lbs on it. Call me crazy...

OK, you're crazy! A screw eye, or eye bolt is not made from metal designed for overhead lifting, and is not rated for this type of work, especially 500# or more. I wouldn't want anyone reading this thread to think that using the wrong type of fasteners is safe practice. Everything I used to lift my safe is rated for overhead lifting, and in some cases because I was working alone I used double or triple redundancy just in case anything let go unexpectedly.

Also, I doubt you're putting yourself in the path of 500#s of weight from your lawn tractor over your head, but I could be mistaken if you lie on the floor under the mower while it's suspended by the screweye?

Whatever you are doing - take into consideration what's safest for your survival, and don't forget to always be packing, just in case you need to shoot your way out!

Egon · Dec 18, 2015

Good show:thumbsup::thumbsup::cool2:

Ford850 · Dec 18, 2015

I've moved a few safes effortlessly with 3/4" pvc conduit cut into 2' lengths. The last was my huge gun safe. I use the shorter lengths so I can extend them out each side, and get them moved and repositioned easily. The short rollers also make it easy to steer since you can leave several heading one direction and add some aiming the way you want the safe to go, gradually.
The first one I moved was an upright safe that was in my office at work. I asked the maintenance dept to move it, and they said it couldn't be done without special equipment. So my 100lb wife, 4 year old son, and I cut some conduit and headed in to work after hours. The hardest part is rocking it slightly to get the first conduit underneath. Once that's in, lay a few more several inches apart and shove the safe forward. It will start to roll with ease. This move was on a carpet floor (industrial, no padding). We had to spin it to get it out the office door, then down a couple narrow hallways and walkways, to it's final resting spot across the building. It only took minutes. The head of maintenance saw it the next day, smiled , and shook his head.