Power Assist for Moving a Pinball Machine
I recently
purchased a Escalera stair-climbing handtruck and forklift unit.
With my games down a flight of stairs in my basement, I wanted a way to
move games without calling up a buddy to help. I also wanted a way to raise and
lower the games, when the legs needed to be installed or removed.
Here
are some pictures of my first game move, using this handtruck.
My No Good Gofers was in my garage and it was time to bring it downstairs for a full shop job.
First, I did the standard prep for the move, by removing the balls and any loose items, then folding the head down onto a piece of cardboard. I tied a rope around the game, to hold the head in place (I didn't have any plastic wrap, which is the preferred way to do it).
Now comes the fun part! My handtruck is the RLA-EW model, which means: Removable Lift Attachment-Electric Winch.
By
pressing a button, the forklift raises the game up, so it's easy to remove the
rear legs.
Another
press of the button and the game lowers to the ground.
I slid the
game off the lift, raised it vertically and removed the front legs.
I decided
not to use the forklift attachment for the actual trip to the basement. By
turning 2 turn-buckles, the lift unit detaches, leaving the handtruck portion.
The built-in strap secures the game to the handtruck.
I also
purchased the "Big Wheels" option for the handtruck. It really helps
with stability and for travelling any distance.
Here's
where the big "plus" is -- lifting the game up some steps. The little
feet engage the step and do the lifting for you. In the close-up, the handtruck
wheels are actually off the ground, supported by the stair-climbing mechanism.
Here, I'm
ready for the big descent -- down a flight of narrow steps. (There was no
clearance to take pictures on the steps -- sorry!)
Success!
A 2nd trip
brings down the re-attached forklift unit and a pinball dolly from the garage.
(Note: If you have an old-style dolly like I do, get a paper towel and use some
masking tape to hold it over the top of the air cylinder. This prevents the oil
from leaking on your floor or steps.)
Next, I
installed the front legs, then tipped the game onto them.
Again, I
used the forklift to raise the rear of the game.
With the
legs installed, the pinball dolly is the best gadget for moving the game around.
All set
up! (Now to find someplace to squeeze it in!)
Meanwhile,
the handtruck gets a well-deserved recharge, using the supplied charging unit.
Some
comments/observations:
This is a
great unit! It made moving and
setting up a one-person operation. Also,
by gently lowering the game down each step, a lot less rattling of the game took
place.
Before
moving anything heavy -- practice! I
found that going down steps took a bit more practice than going up. I release
the button when the truck touches down on a step and avoid the impulse to go
non-stop down the next step. Even so, a full flight of stairs only takes a
minute or so.
Raising
and lower the game with the forklift is cool! Would you need this feature? Maybe
not, especially if you've got a strong back and can lift and support the game
for a few seconds. The forklift adds a few hundred dollars to the unit's price,
so you'll need to decide for yourself. Escalera offers a cheaper alternative -- a
forklift unit with a hand crank. If
you do get the forklift, make sure you get the "RLA" (removable)
version, not the "MLA", which is permanently fixed to the handtruck.
When the
forklift is not present, the Big Wheels really help to stabilize the unit.
The
factory has a good web-site (www.escalera.com) which really helps in choosing
the best unit to buy. I did some
looking around and found a dealer that saved me hundreds of $$$ and arranged
factory-direct shipping.
Steve
Trischetta