Moving Heavy Darkroom Equipment

[Vaughn]

Well, there is the right way, the wrong way, and any way ya can get it done!

I have been working on a new work surface in the Dimroom (another name for an alternative process darkroom). I had a couple NuArcs on a table and have replaced that lower table with a built-in taller, larger work surface...6 inches (~15cm) taller.

I finished the project today and really wanted to get the NuArcs up on the new surface. I could man-handle the N750 up, but the N1000 is just too big, bulky and heavy for this old man to handle. But I remembered a good friend of mine who would lower and raise his VW engine out of or into his microbus by rocking the engine back and forth and removing (or adding) a 2x4 to slowly move the engine. So -- it worked! All plugged in and ready to go! Now just have to finish the rest of the Dimroom!

[Peter De Smidt]

Looking good!

[Drew Wiley]

Glad you succeeded. Reminds me of my nightmare move three days ago. Durst 8x10 use two flights of stairs, then right thru the open-air part of a busy restaurant, down one of the most crowded sidewalks in downtown, onto the truck - all the time not crushing anyone to death, including we handful of geezers
hauling the thing by hand - then all over again into my space. Now for the fun part - shining and tuning everything. That will take a few months off n' on. Fortunately, the key stuff - the filters and precision carrier - are in very good shape except for a lot of tape residue that has to be slowly solvented off. But I figure you could make some good side money with your gear, Vaughn, if you opened a tanning studio. Not much sun up there on the North Coast. You could charge extra for that deep NuArc tan, and I'll bet you could fit someone inside that rig too!

[tgtaylor]

Back in the old (pre '97) days at Fremont Peak, a popular observing spot for serious amateur astronomers, a handicapped guy would haul up his 16" Meade SCT http://www.optcorp.com/meade-16-acf-...nt-tripod.html and lift it out of the back of his SUV with a small hydraulic (?) jack. An ingenious solution by a dedicated observer!

Thomas

[Ginette]

As my darkroom in the basement I have also to ask some help for the bigger equipment. Me and another person was always fine. I never find that the Durst 184 was a problem as it is easy to grasp.
But the NuArc unit (32-1KS) was not easy in the stairs and it is only the medium size model. I said to myself, it is the last big thing that I move here!

Drew, is it the Durst 184 chassis located in Tehachapi that you pick up. If you need a condenser head housing for it, I have one for you and a Grane Grahal carrier too.

[John Kasaian]

I helped move a large, very heavy gun safe once---heavier than any dolly we had could handle.
A trip to the driving range and a couple of buckets of golf balls later, the safe was where it needed to be.
Ingenious!

[bigdog]

I remembered a good friend of mine who would lower and raise his VW engine out of or into his microbus by rocking the engine back and forth and removing (or adding) a 2x4 to slowly move the engine. So -- it worked!

I've used that method several times. Although not for darkroom equipment. I think the last time was to get a 95 pound 32" tube TV into a cabinet ...

[Vaughn]

Back in my wilderness ranger/trailbuilder days, we did have to get creative when it came to moving large heavy objects...and not only the mules! It is nice when, with some planning and a little luck, one could cut out a 3 foot diameter by 6 foot long section of tree lying over the trail and when the wedges have been knocked out, have it just pop out of the cut, roll down the trail, hit that rock and spin 90 degrees and roll right off the trail. Good reward for a few hours spent preping the site and sawing with a misery whip! Of course not many worked out that sweetly!

[Jim Fitzgerald]

Vaughn, looking good. I've got two 26 1KS units to move into the new space. Looks like the end of January. June and I will have to see if we can manage a trip up to see the new space and have a few beers next door.