So I know this is not Vandercook related, but I thought with such a knowledgeable community y’all could help. I am about to move a 10 × 15 Craftsman Chandler and Price Automatic Platen Press. Has anyone moved this type of press? How much does this press weigh? 1500 lbs vs 3500 lbs? If anyone has any successful moving stories of this type of press without hiring someone I’m all ears?
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The C&P Craftsman 10×15 is a much heavier animal than the Newstyle C&P. I think the weight is around 2600-2700 lbs. Make certain the trailer or truck or lift you are using is rated for that sort of weight. Other wise, any of the standard suggestions for moving platen presses will work for you (knowing that any ramps, etc. are sized for that weight).
There are quite a few stories and much guidance listed on the BriarPress website: http://www.briarpress.org/ You can do a search there.
I once moved a 12×18 Craftsman by hiring an automobile tow truck on both ends of the journey and lifting it fully onto a heavy-duty trailer. Take a good look at the frame structure, and you will find some secure lift points with enough beef (that press is beefy). I did this, however, before tilt-bed trucks and trailers were readily available. One of the trailers which allows the bed to drop straight down might be a good option, but may only be readily available in large cities for rental.
John Henry
I have moved my C&P 10×15 new style twice. I bolted it to a palette, and secured it well to prevent the wheels from budging. Once on the palette we used a palette jack to get it into the back of a rented truck with a lift gate. Once on the lift gate however, we made sure to secure it via a long tow strap to the back of the truck to prevent it from tipping over while lifting the gate.
Thanks a million! All this helps!
Well done, Lad. Multiple perspectives are required for the right choices to be made in this instance. Hopefully, more anecdotes will follow and Justin will find the right course.
Once I helped my daughter move a C&P 10 x 15 by getting an auto tow truck (not a roll-back bed type, but one that picks up one end of a car) to pick it up the press with straps and then set it down onto a dolly that I built to hold the press – once on the dolly, it could be rolled onto a trailer, etc and then into a studio. The dolly was made of two layers of 3/4″ plywood, on heavy duty rollers designed to take the weight – once on the dolly, the press needs to be very securely anchored to the dolly – the dolly should be a fair about bigger than the press footprint so as to give it added stability.
If you will log onto Briarpress.org, you can search for stories about moving C&P – there are a number including one within the last month. Or post specific questions – lots of nice folks there who will help – but not as nice as the ones on this blog!
lad
I have moved 8×12 C&Ps and similar by lifting wooden runners (bolted onto the press feet), with a Johnson bar onto one inch galvanize pipe, then adding a come-along to ratchet it onto a flatbed trailer. Your press weighs 2675 lbs. If you don’t have a operator’s manual you can find one on letterpresscommons at: http://letterpresscommons.com/files/2012/11/cp-automatic-manual.pdf.