Unloading Safe in East TN

[Lumber_Jack]

So Im considering buying a safe from the SafeHouse in Nashville.  I figured they could load it in my truck and I could drive it home to East Tennessee. I make the trip across the state about twice a month. However when I get there I will need someone Professional to unload and position the safe in my garage.  I have zero ability to move this or help buddies, after a back surgery last year the risk just isn't worth it.  Does anyone know any companies in the Tri-cities areas that specialize in moving safes?  Also is my plan flawed in any way?  My truck should haul it fine if the Safe House can load it.  Thanks for ideas

[TGO David]

Chances are a traditional moving company can do it for you once you get it there, and you might be able to schedule them to come by and do this for you on their way to or from another job, saving some money in the process.

[Lumber_Jack]

Chances are a traditional moving company can do it for you once you get it there, and you might be able to schedule them to come by and do this for you on their way to or from another job, saving some money in the process.

 

I wondered if they might.  Especially since its just a unload and mover across the garage... no stairs involved.  

[mmirob]

I would ask this question to the safehouse.  Most moving co's do not have the equipment to safely move a safe.  Any of these monsters that are 800 lbs and up can be a nightmare to relocate.  Moving up even 2-3 stairs can be dangerous without the right gear and know how.  Ask the experts and remember when you pay peanuts you get monkeys.

[R_Bert]

Use a ATV trailer to transport.  It's lower to the ground. Easier to scoot off the end then tilt up and "walk" off the trailer.   Then roll it across the garage floor on sections of 1/2" water pipe. 

[R1100R]

Use a ATV trailer to transport.  It's lower to the ground. Easier to scoot off the end then tilt up and "walk" off the trailer.   Then roll it across the garage floor on sections of 1/2" water pipe. 

 

 

 This is what I did. My wife and I wrangled it inside.

[Blitzen]

Some safes have a lift point in the top that you screw an eye bolt into. Eye bolts need to be the ones made for lifting. Then a tractor 3pt boom pole works well. After that use the steel pipe to roll it into place, or wood broom handles etc. Mind over matter. If you don't mind, it don't matter.

[VERO1]

I hired a moving company to put mine on the truck when I moved from Fl. 3 guys and a moving dolly took them about 10 minutes and cost me 50 bucks and a six pack of Bud light! Well worth it I thought.

[leroy]

If ya use a low trailer like bert recommends; ya can go down to the nearest rental store and rent 4 caterpillar rollers.  Ya can ease the safe down on the rollers and your kids can move it into place in the garage assuming everything is flat. It takes almost no force to move the load alone with the rollers. Ya can also do the old timey thing and use the scrap waterpipes.  What ever ya do; if its on a hill, dont let it get away if its on the rollers.  They work real well.  They look like roller skates and are about 4 inches or so high.  One under each corner works like a charm.

 

leroy

[RED333]

http://ezlocal.com/tn/knoxville/safe-and-vault-movers

http://ezlocal.com/tn/piney-flats/safe-and-vault-movers

Places to start looking.

[Romad7]

I recently had a local moving company move my safe in and they did a great job. It was $350 which is comparable to what Mahoneys was telling me. These guys were much easier to schedule. It is a Liberty Franklin 50 gun safe at almost 1200 lbs and they handled it well. They just needed some of my lumber to support the trailer/ramp as well to protect the tile.

Funny story too. I had the ramp of my 16' trailer straight onto my front porch and when they got the safe onto the end of the trailer it lifted the entire front of the trailer into the air and they dropped to the ground. I thought for sure they were done for but they handled it well and got the safe up the ramp.

Gary Mercer @ Crating and Moving Solutions 423-360-4847 Edited January 28, 2013 by Romad7

[Romad7]

I second the trailer recommendation, I got my safe in Ohio and it made the drive worse but it was worth it for ease of loading/unloading.

What safe are you getting? If its lighter it might not be as much of a problem.

[Lumber_Jack]

I second the trailer recommendation, I got my safe in Ohio and it made the drive worse but it was worth it for ease of loading/unloading.

What safe are you getting? If its lighter it might not be as much of a problem.

Thanks for the recommendation. I'll check them out.

I'm not sure which safe I'm gonna get yet, but it won't be 1200 lbs I'm sure if that. It'll maybe be 600-800 depending on brand and size. Edited January 28, 2013 by Lumber_Jack

[runco]

Lumber_Jack, I read that you were going to place the safe in your garage. Is your garaged cooled/heated? If not, you will run a high risk of corrision on your guns if you do not take precautions.

[Wingshooter]

Some safes have a lift point in the top that you screw an eye bolt into. Eye bolts need to be the ones made for lifting. Then a tractor 3pt boom pole works well. After that use the steel pipe to roll it into place, or wood broom handles etc. Mind over matter. If you don't mind, it don't matter.

 

A 3pt boom pole... I wrestled moving my safe not too long ago while my tractor did nothing. What was I thinking?

[R_Bert]

do *not* unhook the trailer from the truck. Unload first.

[Lumber_Jack]

Lumber_Jack, I read that you were going to place the safe in your garage. Is your garaged cooled/heated? If not, you will run a high risk of corrision on your guns if you do not take precautions.

It's well insulated, but not temperature controlled. It's a 3 story condo with a drive in basement. It does fluctuate in temperature but not as much as a normal garage.

What precautions should be taken?

[R_Bert]

It's well insulated, but not temperature controlled. It's a 3 story condo with a drive in basement. It does fluctuate in temperature but not as much as a normal garage.

What precautions should be taken?

 

GoldenRod dehumidifier. http://www.midwayusa.com/product/1138614184/goldenrod-gunsaver-dehumidifier-rod-110v at the doorway, bottom of safe.

 

It will be fine.

Edited January 28, 2013 by R_Bert

[Erik88]

I've always been told you should never keep your safe in the garage for a variety of reasons. Just FYI Neil.

 

For one, it's the easiest place to steal from in your house.

[R_Bert]

BTW, when you put your concrete anchors in, put a vapor barrier (ex. Tyvek) between the safe & the floor.

[TripleDigitRide]

As someone who worked for about 10-years in the household moving business, 2 or 3 men with an appliance dolly (especially if it has a kick-out) can easily unload a 600-800 pound safe from a truck and set it in the garage.

[runco]

Keep the humidty in the safe at 40-50% optimum at all times.  Regarding easiest to steal, likely so, I would recommend if this is the only location that makes  sense to you to where to place your safe, you might want to at least camoflage it, i.e. build a wall around it then blends with the interior of your garage so to lesson the neon light pointing I have a gun safe each time your garage door is open. 

[Lumber_Jack]

Keep the humidty in the safe at 40-50% optimum at all times. Regarding easiest to steal, likely so, I would recommend if this is the only location that makes sense to you to where to place your safe, you might want to at least camoflage it, i.e. build a wall around it then blends with the interior of your garage so to lesson the neon light pointing I have a gun safe each time your garage door is open.

I've thought about this before. Building a wall isn't feasible but I might be able to do something. We do also have an alarm system that is on at ALL TIMES. So I plan to bolt it to the floor and trust the alarm. If it still gets stolen then I'd say there wasn't much else that would save them.

[Oh Shoot]

As someone who worked for about 10-years in the household moving business, 2 or 3 men with an appliance dolly (especially if it has a kick-out) can easily unload a 600-800 pound safe from a truck and set it in the garage.

 

Yep, I was over the road bedbugger for about a year and half in a far ago incarnation. Safe wouldn't be a prob. A lot easier than grand piano, or even full size upright, commercial size freezer, etc. I hauled several heavy safes, too, though none were gun safes.

 

If dropping at a home, I'd pick up labor to help, from local moving agent if possible, from Manpower and similar if not. Never had a significant claim, except for one disaster with a sizable chandelier :)

 

- OS

[Spiffy]

Use a ATV trailer to transport.  It's lower to the ground. Easier to scoot off the end then tilt up and "walk" off the trailer.   Then roll it across the garage floor on sections of 1/2" water pipe. 

 

We used a tilt bed trailer and a plate jack from work on my big safe with 3 1/2 people (the 1/2 supervised LOL) down stairs thru a garage door which is now a wall.  The small safe we used a cheap $35 hand truck and just muscled it off the pickup and through the house without messing up any of mom's walls.