Kerry Pinkerton
01-27-2006, 10:43 AM
John (JVO) posted a photo if his skateboard based truck a few weeks back and gave me permission to copy his idea. We made a couple changes.
Our big machines are pretty heavy...about 800 lbs with the upper wheel and anvils and at least half the weight is on the front foot. While I can drag it around a smooth concrete floor easily enough. Outside or on nice floors we needed something better.
This is our Imperial Truck. Tools of this nature are called Trucks. We've always drilled a 1/4" hole in the front of the foot so we could screw it to the floor in our trailer. I now drill and tap a 1/2" hole. The truck has a homemade 1/2" wing nut that stores on the handle. I simply position the truck and screw the wing nut through the hole in the truck and into the threaded hole in the foot.
http://www.metalmeet.com/photopost/data/3896/truck1.jpg
Then I just push down on the T handle, the front foot (all 400 lbs of it) effortlessly comes up about 2" and I can easily pull it around on both smooth or rough surfaces.
http://www.metalmeet.com/photopost/data/3896/truck2.jpg
The extra plates welded to the top of the truck are for weight so it will stand up by itself.
I'm going to make some dollies that our standard rear foot will fit into (3x7" plate). With this setup, I can move the machines around on most any fairly firm surface including carpet at indoor events. For moving machines around the shop, only the truck is necessary. I moved the new Model 35 yesterday several times by myself while I was taking photos of it. Would have been a real challenge without it.
Our big machines are pretty heavy...about 800 lbs with the upper wheel and anvils and at least half the weight is on the front foot. While I can drag it around a smooth concrete floor easily enough. Outside or on nice floors we needed something better.
This is our Imperial Truck. Tools of this nature are called Trucks. We've always drilled a 1/4" hole in the front of the foot so we could screw it to the floor in our trailer. I now drill and tap a 1/2" hole. The truck has a homemade 1/2" wing nut that stores on the handle. I simply position the truck and screw the wing nut through the hole in the truck and into the threaded hole in the foot.
http://www.metalmeet.com/photopost/data/3896/truck1.jpg
Then I just push down on the T handle, the front foot (all 400 lbs of it) effortlessly comes up about 2" and I can easily pull it around on both smooth or rough surfaces.
http://www.metalmeet.com/photopost/data/3896/truck2.jpg
The extra plates welded to the top of the truck are for weight so it will stand up by itself.
I'm going to make some dollies that our standard rear foot will fit into (3x7" plate). With this setup, I can move the machines around on most any fairly firm surface including carpet at indoor events. For moving machines around the shop, only the truck is necessary. I moved the new Model 35 yesterday several times by myself while I was taking photos of it. Would have been a real challenge without it.