[mlundy57]

As I get older I am increasing less able to physically maneuver and move large heavy cabinets around the shop by myself. I have three situations to deal with: moving them from place to place, lifting them onto and off of different pieces of equipment, and turning/flipping them over while veneering or finishing without damaging anything.

Two of these situations have solutions I am aware of but one does not. A hand truck easily moves cabinets around and a lift table can aid in getting the cabinets on and off equipment of different heights and with transporting. Where I am at a loss is with what to use to maneuver (turn/flip) cabinets without damaging delicate veneer or finishes.

What do you all use and/or have heard of. I'm open to suggestions for any of the three situations, not just the turning/flipping. Even though a lift table will work, I don't currently own one and the only one I have found that will raise up to the 40" height of my router table costs about $700.

Mike

[jcotner]

Build smaller speakers...no just joking and Happy New Year.

A drywall lift (some anyway) can lift and rotate and many are
rated to 150-200lbs. You could fashion something like a couple
of K body clamps to it to grip the box. Or maybe a couple on
each side to improve stability.
That would be my first attempt if I were approaching this problem.

[Wayne1]

Not at all inexpensive, but a vacuum lift sounds like it would be able to handle what you want.
 Vacuum Lifters
A variation of these is used in packaging breweries to allow one person to safely lift and move full beer kegs.

[mlundy57]

Build smaller speakers...no just joking and Happy New Year.

A drywall lift (some anyway) can lift and rotate and many are
rated to 150-200lbs. You could fashion something like a couple
of K body clamps to it to grip the box. Or maybe a couple on
each side to improve stability.
That would be my first attempt if I were approaching this problem.

Smaller speakers huh? Guess I won't be needing that table saw after all 

Hadn't thought about a drywall lift. They look like they could work with lifting but will need some modification for the rotating part. Thinking cap time.

Not at all inexpensive, but a vacuum lift sounds like it would be able to handle what you want.
 Vacuum Lifters
A variation of these is used in packaging breweries to allow one person to safely lift and move full beer kegs.

Wayne,

The side grip version with rotation looks like it would work once I come up with a frame to allow me to move it around the shop and position it over the speaker.

Mike

[Danny Richie]

I use one of these: http://www.harborfreight.com/automotive-motorcycle/lifts-stands.html

[Peter J]

Mike, I'm no spring chicken either and have come up with some helpful things.

1. Wheeled dollies. Have some HF cheapos, but the casters are pretty shitty and that's exacerbated when  loaded heavity. Better luck with some mo' betta castors on chunks of plywood.

2. I really lucked out and got my adjustable height table for $20, but it only goes down to about 28 or 30" or so. I haunt Craigslist and have looked at the old air over hydraulic bumper style jacks that go for cheap sometimes. Won't work on most newer cars 'cuz they don't have bumpers per se. Remodeled some it could be a inexpensive platform lift. Here's a pic of one just so you know what I'm talking about but I've seen them for much less.
https://boise.craigslist.org/tls/5937797504.html


3. Interesting  idea on the sheetrock jack. I've got one, but really can't see how it would improve things without some reconfiguring and as much as I don't like drywall work, I may still use it someday.

4. Board foam. It's got some cushion, but not so much as to be mushy. On floor, on bench, wherever. I see it as sacrificial, and I generate scraps through various projects.

5. I've been know to build jigs that I'll cut up or throw away. Sliders, ramps off bench

6. Levers, pipes, wedges.If men can move rocks like Stonehenge into place with similar, one can probably figure a way to move a speaker

7. Furniture pads. Again something I already have, but have used them to slide things without damage.

8. Although I've never used one on speaker building, I have moved full refrigerators with this which is almost fun:   http://airsled.com/

9. Another thing I've done is to use lighter material...sometimes as a sandwich. One of the reasons I'm not MDF's biggest fan is it's just so damn heavy.

I think about it some more, perhaps come up with more

[Doublej]

Is a part time assistant feasible? Perhaps someone that lives nearby so you could get help in short duration as needed?

[mlundy57]

Danny,

Looks like a lift table is in my future for sure. I like the prices on the HF ones, especially since I don't need one that can lift a ton or more.


Peter,

The lift table I'm looking at goes down to 14-1/4". There is another model that goes down to 13-1/2".

I like the board foam and furniture pad ideas. I will use one or both on this build. Due to the height of the cabinets and the fact the top side edges will be rounded over veneering these is going to be a bugger. For the veneer to go up one side, roll over the top and down the other side it is going to have to be 9' long. The real tricky part about that is going to be flipping the cabinets over after the first side is applied without damaging the part that is overhanging the bottom.

Yep, MDF is definitely heavy and these cabinets use a little more than a full sheet each.


Doublej,

Unfortunately I don't build enough speakers to hire help, even part time. Also, since I have a day job, my speaker building is done nights and on weekends. I pretty much have to do things myself. That's why I'm looking for equipment and/or techniques that will let me do that without hurting myself.

On the lighter side, my next builds are going to be X-LS Encores and LGK 1.0s. I can handle those with no problem.

Mike

[Captainhemo]

Hey Mike
At time when I'm having to  manipulate awkward/heavy pieces for veneering, I'll  lay them on either  a couple of  "fender sirts"  or  take a piece of our 3/16 foam wrap and  lay it out.  Realy makes  rolling/ stainding up   etc of  the cabinets  much easier. 

I'm lucky as i don't mind working off the floor if need be so  veneering a cabinet like your current build..I don' tthink  I'd find troublesome.... after starting at a botom corner of  one side  I'd just keep working  u "up" the cabinet, when I got t othe round over, I'd simply tilt the cabinet   to uporight where the venerr would  follow the   shape of the cabinet.  Once the top is ironed down,  roll it over  and do the last side.   If  one is working up on a bench, it's much more difficult due to the height of the cabinet when it's standing up 9especailly for shor tguys like me  )  Using the fender skirts or  foram wrap really  protects the edges of the cabinet

Often if I'm doing a painted cabinet,I'll finish the bottom side of the bases in bed liner.  If I do this, I often do it early on and then install the inserts... once I do that, i have a  set of  casters I can install  which really makes moving the cabinet around   easy

jay

[mlundy57]

Jay,

Having had back surgery in the past, working off the floor is not the wisest move for me.

I like to use DuraTex (low texture) on the bottoms. 

My normal method of application is to have the speaker laying on it's side then drape the veneer over the cabinet and iron down the top side, over the edge and most of the top stopping short of the other roundover. Then I stand the cabinet up (with a tall enough block under the bottom to keep the overhanging veneer of the ironed down side from breaking, then finish flipping it over onto the veneered side (again without breaking the overhanging edge). At this point I finish ironing the veneer over the second rounded over edge and down the second side.

By this time the bottom piece has cooled enough that I can trim it up. Then I flip the cabinet back over and trim the veneer from the second side. Finally I stand the cabinet on the top and finish trimming the veneer. Once all the veneer is trimmed I'm ready to apply the front and back pieces. To do this I lay the cabinet on it's front and apply the back piece of veneer. Then I have to flip the cabinet over on it's back, again without breaking the overhanging veneer, and apply the front piece. Then trim the back piece, flip the cabinet one last time and trim the front piece. This process isn't a problem on cabinets up to 3' long and/or under 50 pounds.

What type of fender skirt are you talking about and how do you use it?

Mike

[Captainhemo]

Pretty much same  method, you just went into more detail 
I can relate to the back issues although, strangely enough,  it is much easier for me to kneel as opposed to stand.

Just  reg autiomotive fender skirts, they droop over a fender to  protect them while the  car is being worked on.  I use them to cover my  bencch, or wrk space, they  typiclally   have a thin layer of foam and a viynl  covering, they can  be used either way  for this prupose (vinyl up or down).  I find them handy

jay

[Peter J]

Mike, I ran across this and thought it might interest you.

http://www.toolsofthetrade.net/trucks-equipment/jobsite-equipment/a-hydraulic-lift-table-on-wheels_o?utm_source=newsletter&utm_content=Instruction&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=TOTT_011017 (1)&he=4bd69f29fd9af359e8d5423df2993e78218263a6

Sadly, I had a chance to buy a nice air over hydraulic bike lift like this years ago and couldn't think of a use...so I passed. The dealership I worked for bought it and equipped it for snowmobiles, then got out of he biz.

Dummy me...