Good afternoon, SF.

We're moving some equipment around at work this week, and my techs asked me for a "big ol' dead blow hammer." (Evidently it's easier to knock an oven into place than to nudge it with a fork lift.)

I asked how heavy they wanted, and the answer was "25 lb."

I've done some surfing, but the heaviest I can find is 19-3/4 lb at McMaster -- for $475.
(Edit: Just found a 20 at Grainger, but that's still not the 25 the fellas are after.)

Cost aside, I can't find anything heavier than that. Anyone got experience or good sources?

Thanks, all.

Those are about as heavy a dead blow as you will find. Darned expensive too. What about skates for moving machinery? I've seen them used and they cost a lot less. Vevor skates and their are other brands. A johnny bar wil lift and pivot a lot if weight.

It's only half the weight you require, but look at the Trusty Cook model 14

^^^
Get two and some Grilla tape.

I second the trusty cook. I use them every day. Plus they are made in the USA.

quote:

Originally posted by David Lee:
Those are about as heavy a dead blow as you will find. Darned expensive too. What about skates for moving machinery? I've seen them used and they cost a lot less. Vevor skates and their are other brands. A johnny bar will lift and pivot a lot if weight.

Skates are a good plan. I think we've got some, but I couldn't locate them today. We did today's job with a fork lift, a pair of 3' pry bars, four short sections of 2x4, three good techs, and some old-fashioned manual labor. My guys know how to get things done, but I'd like to make it easier on them when I can.

quote:

Trusty Cook model 14

I like it... I like that it's US-made, too. I'd have to get two, and make sure my techs don't whack one another!

Curious what is the oven for? Sounds like a big piece of equipment.

Skates are available to rent. That's the way I'd done it in a machine shop.

I am betting it is less than an inch or so "final resting place", in a cavity that does not permit anything other than "pushing" with a fork lift, and a deadblow and blocking makes the "fine work" necessary and preferred.

quote:

Originally posted by David Lee:
Curious what is the oven for? Sounds like a big piece of equipment.

Trying not to be too vague, this oven will be used for curing an epoxy that's used inside our assemblies to help with heat transfer from the inside to the outside. Preheat the assembly, pour in the goo, then bake it to cure.

By our facility's standards, this one is "big". Its sits in roughly a 4' by 5' footprint, and is a little over 8' tall. The cavity is roughly 60 cubic feet, I'd say -- I didn't get to measure today. There's one bigger oven in the building (almost a walk-in), and we used to have one big enough to put a car in. Come to think of it, that big boy sat where my office is now.

quote:

Originally posted by sigmonkey:
I am betting it is less than an inch or so "final resting place", in a cavity that does not permit anything other than "pushing" with a fork lift, and a deadblow and blocking makes the "fine work" necessary and preferred.

Were you looking over my shoulder today? Goodness, our facility is SO short on "extra" space these days. We're (sort of) fortunate this week to be out of materials for that product, so we could scatter the team elsewhere in the building, empty the work cell, place this oven, and still have room to park the man-lift inside the cell so as to do the electrical and duct work without disrupting other work areas. With a fork lift and pry bars, we got this oven to within a quarter-inch of the plan. "Close enough!"

A better way is a porta power pushing off of something (like a forklift, or a bracket bolted into the floor).

This gives you very controllable movement without the risk of damage or injury.

quote:

Originally posted by a1abdj:
A better way is a porta power pushing off of something (like a forklift, or a bracket bolted into the floor).

This gives you very controllable movement without the risk of damage or injury.

In a pinch, wouldn't a bottle jack used in the same way also work for this task?

We use "Johnny bar" to lift, then skates I made to move the equipment. I added removable handles to the skates so that they can be steered. The guys like using them.

quote:

In a pinch, wouldn't a bottle jack used in the same way also work for this task?

Yes, if the bottle jack will work on its side. Not all do. We use some 30 and 50 ton bottle jacks to push vault doors in/out of openings.

Another thing that may work really well depending on what the bottom of these ovens look like is ice. Monument guys (headstones, statues, etc) still use this technique, and it's ideal for a flat smooth concrete floor.

Make some "ice cubes", set the oven on them, easily push it into position, and as the ice melts it will sit down on the floor.

quote:

Originally posted by a1abdj:
Make some "ice cubes", set the oven on them, easily push it into position, and as the ice melts it will sit down on the floor.

I dig it. Very creative.

Shades of "Hold my beer, I saw this is a cartoon once..."

Thanks for the info on the bottle jack. I didn't know that some won't work on their sides.

The ice is clever, I never knew of that method.

quote:

Originally posted by TRIO:
Thanks for the info on the bottle jack. I didn't know that some won't work on their sides.

That's very good to know! I was thinking of the bottle jack method this afternoon while watching the electricians do their magic. I hadn't thought of one not working sideways.

I like the ice plan, too.

Our new oven is in place, wired, makes heat, and turns its vent fan in the right direction. Now it's time to build some new shelves inside and get production under way again.

Then I'll go buy a big ol' hammer for the next time we need some a little "nudging" going on. (And probably a bottle jack, too.)

I've got a 20# er. Biggest I've seen.

One of my bottle jacks has mark on it indicating which side needs to be facing up to work sideways. If trying to use one sideways and it isn't working maybe rotating it might help.