How to lift safe to upright & install same?

Coyote machine · Dec 16, 2015

Managed to get my Winchester 22 gun safe into my basement. It's on it's back, on the laminate floor, still strapped into the cardboard box it came in. Now I need to figure out how to get it upright without busting my back or worse.
I'm thinking of putting one of my 3" nylon ratchet straps around it and then attaching to that with a come along and ratcheting it until it is standing again.
I've removed the metal feet from the bottom because I have to fit it where it would be too high with the feet on.
The possible problem is as I would try to ratchet it into vertical position it will want to slide along the floor and not stand up.
And what do I use for the anchor point for the come along. I was thinking of drilling a hole in a joist above and attaching the come along there, and possibly using a 2 x 6 on the floor wedged between a wall and some other stationery object that would force it to stay in place while being lifted to upright.

Any ideas appreciated.

It weighs around 500#s!

TIA,

CM

charlz · Dec 16, 2015

Another problem would be when it reaches the tipping it point it may get enough speed to keep right on going over onto its face..... so not only being able to lift it but control/stop it is something to consider.

charlz · Dec 16, 2015

I would not trust a single eyebolt or whatever into a single joist... especially if you are trying to get it from flat to upright.

One option would be to roll it onto its side, crib it up into the air a bit at four points. Using heavy duty ratchet straps, strap a heavy duty fridge type dolly on the back. Start removing the cribbing on the dolly side until you can safely roll it off the cribbing and onto its back/the dolly (most dangerous part, someone to help control it would be needed). If the dolly doesn't give you enough leverage to pick it up from flat you can use a rolling floor jack or similar to get that end into the air a ways to help with the leverage.

Assuming you slid it down a set of stairs to get it into the basement the best way to have done this would have been to stand it up as it came off the stairs and then use a dolly to move it around.

4570Man · Dec 16, 2015

Is there no support beam like this in your basement? I would probably get a couple buddies over. 3 of you should be able to lift it up and move it into place.

George2615 · Dec 16, 2015

I went through the same problem last year. Friend of mine bought a new gun safe at Dick's. They loaded it into my truck laying on its back with a forklift. Fortunately it had snowed so I backed up to his deck and we slid it off the truck onto the deck then slid it on the snow and through his 4' sliding glass door into the house. Then it was in the house on its back and the 2 of us could not lift it up. He called a few friends who came over to help. Using a johnson bar to lift one end off the floor 4 of us (2 each side) were able to start uprighting the safe and 2 more kept it from uprighting too quickly. 6 guys total were required to stand it up safely. His safe was 651 lbs.
Keep your hands and feet clear to avoid getting crushed. This is not a job I'd want to do on a daily basis.

Coyote machine · Dec 16, 2015

Store put it in back of my Forerunner with the screw on feet removed, seats folded down. It just fit.
Box truck delivery guy who brought my 3 drawer lateral file cab was offered some $$ to use his liftgate to slide it from my vehicle onto his liftgate. Then he backed it up to my attached garage, dropped the gate, put his pallet jack and three pallets under the safe. We then bulled it into the basement through the 3'0 door. It sits on it's back awaiting further attention.

The beam is at a wall where I want to move it to, and I really only have joists exposed in the area in which it currently lies.
I have a three ton come along that I may rig to be connected across an interior doorway opening at floor level, then with a 3" ratchet strap around the safe near it's top 1/3 of it's height attach the come along chain and try pulling it upright. Not sure how well it will work, but it's worth a shot. Wish I could muster a bunch of guys, but they're scarce around where I live, unfortunately.

I guess I could hire out again like I did with the truck delivery guy- but I'd prefer not to....

GPintheMitten · Dec 16, 2015

Can't you just store your guns horizontally?

Seriously, I would get some help. I would start by lever it up enough to get a heavy strap under it. I would then lever it up about 2 inches and put a short 2x4 in each corner and let back down on them. Now you have room to to get a more substantial longer lever in
Raise it up and turn the 2x4s in the corner on edge. Now your up 3.5 inches. Tighten the heavy strap around the safe with short 2x4 inside the strap against the safe. This will give you a place to hold on to steady it later when you raise it to the point where it wants to tip forward under its own weight.

Then 3 guys should be able to each take a long 2x4 and lever it up to a point where they can drop the 2x4 levers and start pushing by their arms. As it comes up higher, it will start to seem lighter as the center of gravity moves. Get you team to work together and at a signal from the leader, put your shoulders to it and then be prepared to grab the strap at the top to hang on to to set it down with your counter-weight pulling back so it sets down lighter.

As to how get it into position after it is up right, how about laying down a few lengths of 1/2" steel pipe to roll it on.

I've done a lot with levers in the past. You just have to think things through, work smart and safe.

zzvyb6 · Dec 16, 2015

You have 'FEL', right ? Is that a flakey electric light or a foolish elastic lantern ? I used my FEL (Foolish Entertainment Logistics) to stand my 6 footer up, then cut some 2" plastic drain pipe into rollers to push it into place just like they used for making the pramids. Simple as that.

GPintheMitten · Dec 16, 2015

Yah, maybe you could attach a come-along to your FEL ... flakey electric light. Ha Ha.

Fossil Farm · Dec 17, 2015

Rent a heavy duty appliance dolly. Not a lightweight one. A couple 2x10's or so on the bottom of the safe to reduce the sliding of the metal safe. Strap the dolly on the opposite side so the wheels can help to balance the load when upright, or if you think you need more footprint, put a couple 2x's between the safe and the dolly. Of course a blanket goes on the safe first so it does not get scratched. Strap the bottom 2x's so they do not move. Three guys should be able to set it upright at 500 pounds. In my younger days we moved a printing press up steep stairs in town. If it had let go, there would have been some major damage and carnage. Don't think I would ever try that again. Good luck.