Moving a headstone... any tricks?

[texasjohn]

We're moving my mother's resting place from a public cemetery to a private family cemetery about a mile away. All is going well except moving the headstone.

It is a granite double headstone for both mom and dad (still going strong at 96), 6 feet long, 14 inches wide at the base, no more than 2 feet high. The engraved part is separate from the base and seems to be "glued" to the base. It is in perfect shape, sitting on flat ground and needs to be moved to flat ground. I'd estimate it weighs 1000 lbs, probably a little less. There is easy access at both locations, obstacles are not a significant problem

Initial arrangements were for the people moving the casket to also move the headstone. There was some misunderstanding... they never got the request and don't do this. They indicate they are worried abut liability and getting it level. The people we purchased the headstone from say they haven't moved a headstone in 17 years and are closed for a week's vacation and can't do it until next week and can't give me a price yet.

The funeral director has no further ideas about who might do it.

We're having a memorial service on Saturday and I'd like the headstone to be in place also. I'm thinking I can do this myself if I have to, even tho it is HOT.

Why is this hard.... or is it?? What am I missing??

Looks to me like all one needs to do is to:

1. dig under the headstone sufficiently to get a heavy strap under it in several places with equal tension,
2. lever it between the base and ground sufficiently to break it loose from the ground,
3. attach straps to FEL hooks, lift gently and place into bed of pickup on some 4X4's,
4. drive carefully to new location
5. prepare ground at new location to receive the headstone and have it level
6. place on ground, reversing the straps/FEL process.

If I can't find somebody to do this for me, why can't I do it myself? What risks are hidden other than the obvious ones of dropping it, cracking it with uneven lifting, jarring the stone loose from the base where it is glued (this appears to be a substantial bond). In other words, normal risks/precautions for tractor work.

I regularly lift over 2000 lbs with my FEL, have pickup, trailer, straps, etc. and everything I can see that might be needed to mechanically get the job done. Location is only about 10 miles from my place, transportation not a problem.

 

[newbury]

<snip>

1. dig under the headstone sufficiently to get a heavy strap under it in several places with equal tension,
2. lever it between the base and ground sufficiently to break it loose from the ground,
3. attach straps to FEL hooks, lift gently and place into bed of pickup on some 4X4's,
4. drive carefully to new location
5. prepare ground at new location to receive the headstone and have it level
6. place on ground, reversing the straps/FEL process.

<snip>

Make sure your Dad agrees with you doing it.
Do #5 first
Be VERY careful with #2
Maybe make a mockup out of a refrigerator carton or something about the same size and practice the lift into the truck
use a LOT of padding, not just 2x4's in the truck

Good luck.

 

[texasjohn]

Dad is totally in agreement.... the movement is symbolic of a healing of a schism between two families that is now resolved....a very good thing is happening.

I hear you re attaching things down during transit... will use straps, have them with ratchets... not these wimpy ones... I have the wide ones like real truckers use.

 

[Redbug]

Another possibility is to use a set of forks...

 

[texasjohn]

agreed.... got forks.... afraid would split the thing.... or chip the base if lifting it with them.....could strap to the forks.

 

[2manyrocks]

I think you need to get in contact with somebody that installs headstones, explain your dilmena, and ask for some pointers. I'm guessing there are some steel rods in holes that connect the top to the base and some mortar holding them together (along with gravity). Once you start moving it and putting pressure anywhere, I don't know what would happen. I'm curious if they transport them in a wooden crate or anything to protect them. I'm sure they are strong right up to the point that they crack, but I don't know what that point is.

 

[RobS]

I've never done this John, but admire what you are working on. Two things came to mind as I read it all. First thing, pour a concrete foundation at ground level several inches larger all around. This will give it a good base plus be much easier on the trimming (your mower can overlap the concrete leaving no trimming at all!).

As for lifting, I'd use straps with a cinch arrangement of some sort. Rather than going under, go around the base with the cinches (clevises?) translating the lifting load to the more horizontal, squeezing load.

Again, I've never done this so I'd want to test on something representative. Sounds like a rather heavy piece of stone!

 

[wv1720]

My 2 cents. Instead of lifting the whole thing. I would try to slide it onto a trailer. I would think the most risk is in lifting high enough to place in a truck, then reversing this operation.

 

[charlz]

I think I'd let the pros do it. They have all the right equipment and knowledge. Not only big $$$ if you break it but it gives a non-family person to blame for any damage. That might be worth it's weight in gold: "Hey John, remember that time you broke Mom's headstone and everybody cried for a week?"

If it's a double and already in place... what do they do when the second person passes? They don't engrave it right there in the cemetery do they? I would think that pull, engrave and re-install is not unheard of.

 

[Reg]

From the "mechanics" view of it; Yes I would think a straight lift with a "choker" strap would do it.
The stones are either bonded or they aren't, I doubt that they would separate, but if they do they would almost certainly mate back up again just fine at the new site.
I am thinking that they may not be "bonded", but there might be a line of nothing much more than a grout that looks like a bonding cement.
{Ask a PRACTICING stone Mason, one that DOES headstones in your area.}
I can't imagine either part breaking under it's own weight.

From the "legalities" view of it; I don't know, but you should check and it might come under some very local (and perhaps obscure) bylaws.
It is possible that a church has jurisdiction.

From the "family" view of it; If anything does go wrong or even ever so slightly weird, you will be the bad guy in family legends for generations.

 

[texasjohn]

Well, all done yesterday....

I schmoosed the grave digger/fellow doing the transfer... he wouldn't do the headstone transfer for the funeral home, but, for me, when I said I would assume all risk if something broke, he said he'd do it... charged $75 after it was all done...I gave him $100 because of the quality work he did all along the way.

Here's the rest of the story...

1. Legally, you need paperwork sent to the state of TX for permission to exhume a body. No paperwork needed to bury one (a death certificate is for a different purpose). That took about 3 months.
2. Digger is the only one doing the work in the entire county. His dad started the service. They do a fabulous job, very reasonable, respectful and careful. He uses a Ford 3 cylinder back hoe(with teeth)/FEL(no teeth), about 50 hp, 1970's model, manual transmission. He uses a load lever with two metal cables attached to a centered chain on the FEL to lift heavy objects.
3. The headstone turned out to be in two pieces... a base and the vertical headstone. A small amount of "caulk" was around the edges of the vertical headstone to keep moisture from getting between the two stones.
4. A 10 lb sledge hitting a wood 4x4 segment applied at the very base of the headstone at the joint at one end of the headstone popped loose the caulk. Clearly, the two pieces needed to be separated before moving, both to make the load lighter AND to prevent separation during move.
5. The headstone was manually rotated (not very hard to do, polished surfaces) and the steel cables attached to a load leveler were placed under the stone at even 1/3 distance intervals, heavy padding placed between stone and cables to prevent chipping, then lifted into a trailer and placed on wood runners.
6. The base was resting on "saccrete" that had been placed under it on the ground and smoothed out, allowing rain to set the concrete. In other words, the base was resting on the concrete, not "concreted in."
7. The base was levered up vertically using a 6 foot pry bar and wood fulcrum and wood block placed to maintain the height. There was no concrete sticking to the granite base.
8. Again, padding between granite and steel cables, then lift into trailer and placed on wood blocks.
9. Reverse the above at the new grave site. I used clear silicone caulk to seal the two stones together and prevent moisture penetration.
10. All above done carefully, slowly, no fingers pinched or chips from the stone. It was only 104 degrees yesterday.... work done starting at 8:30am, completed about 12:30am.

Dad's happy, memorial service tomorrow morning. All is well.

 

[jayste]

John, I'm glad this job went well for you. I'm sure a lot was resting on your shoulders. Seems like your original plan was a good one being that the mover did it about the same. If you had just had the, now gained, knowledge of how the top connected to the base and what it was all resting on I think you could have handled it. It still sounds like a well spent "hunnerd" dollar bill! Only thing that could have made this thread better was pictures but in the situation you were in I'm sure you felt it too awkward. Probably would have looked like "documentation for liability purposes". Thanks for sharing.

Jay

 

[Mickey_Fx]

Nice outcome to an important person matter.

Prices for things like this do seem to be a lot cheaper in the mid-West than out here. I'm also addressing a similar matter. Grandfather never had a marker on his grave. Ninety yrs with nothing to ID the grave. I've contacted a funeral home in small Ok town and was pleasantly surprise at the $60 price quoted to receive marker from the VA, mount it in concrete then take it all out to the grave site and set it in the ground. Was really surprised that this was the same funeral home that took care of grandpa's funeral. Lady I spoke with gave me a lot of info about the service.

A few yrs back I had a marker set for my parents and cost about $180.

Like you TxJohn, I plan on paying the funeral home a little more than what they are asking.

 

[Redbug]

I think that turned out to be a really great deal all the way around. And the family is satisified, too.

Like Jay said...Just file what you learned into memory. One day you will have to move something else and you can draw on the past experience. That's why some older people get to be wise...

 

[wvpolekat]

If it's a double and already in place... what do they do when the second person passes? They don't engrave it right there in the cemetery do they? I would think that pull, engrave and re-install is not unheard of.

They are not actually "engraved", they are actually sandblasted. They use a rubber mask material to layout the pattern and then use a sand blaster to "mark" them.

I used to picture a guy with a hammer and chisel, until I met someone that did it.

 

[texasjohn]

Thanks for the sandblasting info... makes sense... also, in our case, the marker was completed some years ago along with the agreement that the death date would be added when the time came. Mom's date got added to the stone quickly. I saw no evidence of removal/replacement. Now, makes sense.

I, too, assumed chisels, removal, replacement.

Talking to the monument company, they said that it had been 17 years or so since they moved a marker. Funeral home person said they move a body only maybe once a year.

Seems what I did is rare, perhaps understandably.

What I did learn is that I would do well to make my own load leveler for moving heavy items myself in the future on the ranch...sometimes the FEL/forks alone isn't quite the ticket. I have the materials already.

 

[radioman]

wow - very interesting project esp. when it ended well. I sure learned a few things.

 

[2manyrocks]

that was a very, very reasonable price for peace of mind. Glad you got it done.

 

[charlz]

They are not actually "engraved", they are actually sandblasted. They use a rubber mask material to layout the pattern and then use a sand blaster to "mark" them.

I used to picture a guy with a hammer and chisel, until I met someone that did it.

Interesting info for sure, makes a lot of sense. Thanks!

 

[Wis Bang]

If it's a double and already in place... what do they do when the second person passes? They don't engrave it right there in the cemetery do they? I would think that pull, engrave and re-install is not unheard of.

I used to walk thru a pair of adjoining cemetaries to go to the municipal pool.

They do engrave the 2nd person's info at the grave w/ a small media blaster using their air compressor that powered the jackhammer & tamper. I also used to see the other person's info w/ their birth year a dash and 19__ already carved, think of all those 19__ that need to be blasted away and replaced by 20__....

Every new installation I saw included a wet contrete 'footer'...Take a post bar and check under the base slab; the footers were large and may add considerable weight.