Moving 4x8' 1/2" Plate

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First, let me say that you guys are like a contagious disease.  I was perfectly happy with my borrowed 5x3' 1/8" welding table until I started hanging around here.   Now I'm going to pick up a 4x8' 1/2" plate tonight that I don't even have room for, and I might even get it stuck in my truck.  Thanks guys      Speaking of transport, here's my plan.  If you see something wrong, feel free to let me know.  Assuming the plate is really 48" or less, it should fit in the bed of my F150.  The seller has a fork lift, so loading it should be no problem.  I plan to have two or three 2x4s laying the bed and out onto the tailgate, to slide the plate onto ( bed is Rhino-lined, which is a little sticky for sliding ).  Once home, I have a 1-ton engine hoist which should lift it fine ( plate should be 650 pounds ).  The problems will be attaching a chain to it securely, and reaching far enough into the truck bed to get near the CoG.  I think I will probably drill a hole in the plate, and mount an eyebolt to hook a chain to, since I plan to have some holes/slots for clamping anyway.  Unfortunately, I don't have the table frame built yet, so I'll probably have to pick it up more than once, too.  My chain might be long enough to wrap around the whole plate, like a ribbon on a present, we'll see.  Suggestions welcomed.__David Hillman
Reply:weld chain links to it for pickup pointsmiller syncrowave 250hobart handler 140home made 400 amp engine driven in progress...
Reply:2nd for welding a hook point.  Just get a piece of 3"x3"X3/8" angle, weld it down on two sides, put a hole in it big enough to stick the chain hook on your engine lift threw. We used this all the time to pick up plate.Lincoln 300 Vantage 2008300 Commander 1999SA250 1999SA200 1968Miller Syncrowave 200XMT350MPA/S-52E/xr-15Xtreme 12vs Millermatic 251 w/30A  Millermatic 251 Dialarc 250 Hypertherm 1250 GEKA & Bantom Ironwokers
Reply:Just pick it ya girl. Seriously thats a big hunk o steel. Good for you.Miller thunderbolt 250Decastar 135ERecovering tool-o-holic ESAB OAI have been interested or involved in Electrical, Fire Alarm, Auto, Marine, Welding, Electronics ETC to name a just a few. So YES you can own too many tools.
Reply:i would weld two bolts on it to attach a chain .millermatic 35      acdc thunderboltesab 2522 oxweld w-17 torchesesab plasma cutterspeedway fluxcoreold bug gas welderROLL TIDE
Reply:Those are good suggestions.  If you decide you don't want to drill the hole or weld on it, can you place the chains in the truck bed first then have the guy set the plate on top so they're ready to hook up to your hoist?Miller Dynasty 200DXMillermatic 210 w/ Spoolmate 3035Hypertherm Powermax 380JD Squared Model 32Multiple fabrication tools & equipmentFull Powder Coating Setup
Reply:good post thats what i want 1/2 plate is 20.42 lb a sq ft so 4x8 is 653.44 lbs
Reply:Chains on steel plate can be a recipe for disaster! If you must lift it without welding a lug to the plate, or drilling holes in the plate, get some nylon chokers to lift with. Do as a previous poster suggests, and lay the chokers in your pick-up bed, then load the plate onto them..........carefully. The weight of this plate is considerable, and if this load gets away from you, it turns into a guillotine! Be careful, and all the best on your project.Bgbkwndo.
Reply:I would just weld lifting lugs on as extreme stated. Could be plate; angle or hell, I've used heavy 1" washers and a shackle.....dad always said a 1/4" of good weld would hold the world.....lolorBuy/make a plate grab.If you use nylons, put softeners around the metal edges.If I had several beers in me...put truck in reverse; ramming speed and lock'er up...tada :PJ/KSemper FiJesus may have been a Carpenter, but his dad was a Millwright" A grinder and a can of paint, will make a welder what he aint' "I've done so much, with so little, for so long, that now I can do anything with nothing!
Reply:You might see if the supplier has a scissor clamp that you could buy/rent/barrow and use that with your hoist to pull it out of the truck bed.Welding Supervisor Department of Corrections.
Reply:Originally Posted by BgbkwndoChains on steel plate can be a recipe for disaster!
Reply:Originally Posted by David Hillman   Thanks for all the advice.  I already have a several foot scrap of heavy angle, so I will probably weld that to it, and loop the chain through.
Reply:a plate magnet would be nice... i would probably drill and tap a 5/8-11 hole for an eye bolt in the center... then i would probably drill and tap several more 5/8-11 holes for a clamping set up after you got the table put together...  then if you have a square and finished end i would make a sheet metal brake on one end... you have any neighbors with a tractor with front end loader?tackleexperts.comwww.necessityjigs.comhttps://www.facebook.com/groups/mach...dingequipment/
Reply:Chains are steel on steel and will slide very easily.  The nylon strap in a choker setup is the alternative that Bgbkwndo mentioned.  If you don't have a strap, you can try putting some c-clamps on either side of the chain to prevent it from sliding.  This isn't a good solution, but it's better than a free sliding chain.Drilling a hole in the center of the plate is ok, but when you put the eyebolt in how are you going to put the nut on the underside?Can you prefab the legs and frame of the table, and then just slide the plate out of the truck and onto the table frame?  You might have some rise/fall depending on the table and truck heights.  I'd feel ok lifting the plate with chains and the engine hoist if you're only lifting a few inches, and there's always truck or table frame underneath.My table made from a 4x8'x1/2" plate plus some other material.  One guy can kind of scoot the table around one end at a time.  Four guys can pick it up and walk a step or two.  You might invite some friends over and see if you can slide the plate off onto the table frame.Be aware the tailgate on your truck is not going to hold up to this sort of load.  You might want to remove it before unloading.Edit: brucer mentioned tapping the hole for the eyebolt.Last edited by AndyA; 09-08-2011 at 10:46 AM.Dynasty200DX w/coolmate1MM210MM VintageESAB miniarc161ltsLincoln AC225Victor O/A, Smith AW1ACutmaster 81IR 2475N7.5FPRage3Jancy USA1019" SBAEAD-200LE
Reply:Originally Posted by BoostinjdmTake a piece of 2" X 2" or bigger angle, cut an 1 1/2" or 2" sliver off the end, lay it on the plate forming an upside down V and weld it on.  Hook your chain to that.  Pick it up and drive the truck out from under it.  Then lower on to the legs of the picker.  It's now safe to roll around. Make sure the welds are good and you keep your toes clear or you'll end up with a broken foot (or worse) like a mechanic I used to work with.
Reply:Originally Posted by AndyA. . .My table made from a 4x8'x1/2" plate plus some other material.  One guy can kind of scoot the table around one end at a time. . . .
Reply:I'm cheap and lazy, but I've had some good luck moving big stuff.  So here's where my brain goes.Safety principles:Keep it as low as you can, since 650# falling is a lot more dangerous/destructive than 650# rolling on a couple of furniture dollies.  Lifting something up, when you're improvising, is a good recipe for having something surprise you and fall.Even when you're moving stuff 'Egyptian pyramid style,' never put you (or your hands, or limbs) in the path where the load might fall or slide or roll.How to move it:Make a ramp out of long 2x4s or steel stock.  It can be as simple as four 8' or 10' 2x4s kept long-side up by simple cross pieces (or a piece of plywood attached to the top).  Find a way to secure the ramp to the truck in a way that won't come off.Use wood or steel dowels to slide the thing down the ramp and onto a pair of cheap furniture dollies (the small ones at Harbor Freight would be fine).  Use a come-along to move the steel forward and also have a rope looped around something on the truck so you can control its speed as it slides down.Go slow.  Keep checking that your ramp is secure and that your sowels are straight.  You can use a prybar to lift it enough to position the dowels.Get it on the dollies and leave it there until you need to move it again.You can cut the piece with a $30 Freud Diablo blade and a circular saw.  You'll get a cleaner cut than a plasma, but you'll probably be sacrificing the blade.In this picture, I'm moving a 1000# lift table down from a truck that's higher than a pickup.  I had some 2x4x1/8 rectangle tubing to slide it on, but I could have used six pine 2x4s.  You can see the chain I'm using to pull it.  There's also a rope that's controlling the rate it's moving down.  For this, I didn't use dowels at all, since it managed reasonable travel between the aluminum feet and the steel tubing.  The key was to go very slowly.Here I'm moving a 510-lb piece of inch-thick plate on a slight incline (from my Jeep to the bench it's going to top).  I used the same 2x4x1/8" tubing.  But this time, I used steel dowels to reduce the friction as it traveled.Then I learned it needed to be flipped over onto the other side, which was its own adventure.  But it worked, with nothing but levers and rope.Jack OlsenMy garage website
Reply:Bucket forks for my tractor move plate well. Wife let me buy the tractor to take care of her horse padocks....so it worked out well. These forks (made by me) will lift 1600 lbs. I usually buy my plate (up to 5/8" thick) sheared to 4' x 4'....then it goes right on my cnc plasma for cutting.Jim Colt Attached ImagesLast edited by jimcolt; 09-08-2011 at 01:05 PM.
Reply:Originally Posted by Jack OlsenI'm cheap and lazy, but I've had some good luck moving big stuff.  So here's where my brain goes.Safety principles:Keep it as low as you can, since 650# falling is a lot more dangerous/destructive than 650# rolling on a couple of furniture dollies.  Lifting something up, when you're improvising, is a good recipe for having something surprise you and fall.Even when you're moving stuff 'Egyptian pyramid style,' never put you (or your hands, or limbs) in the path where the load might fall or slide or roll.How to move it:Make a ramp out of long 2x4s or steel stock.  It can be as simple as four 8' or 10' 2x4s kept long-side up by simple cross pieces (or a piece of plywood attached to the top).  Find a way to secure the ramp to the truck in a way that won't come off.Use wood or steel dowels to slide the thing down the ramp and onto a pair of cheap furniture dollies (the small ones at Harbor Freight would be fine).  Use a come-along to move the steel forward and also have a rope looped around something on the truck so you can control its speed as it slides down.Go slow.  Keep checking that your ramp is secure and that your sowels are straight.  You can use a prybar to lift it enough to position the dowels.Get it on the dollies and leave it there until you need to move it again.You can cut the piece with a $30 Freud Diablo blade and a circular saw.  You'll get a cleaner cut than a plasma, but you'll probably be sacrificing the blade.In this picture, I'm moving a 1000# lift table down from a truck that's higher than a pickup.  I had some 2x4x1/8 rectangle tubing to slide it on, but I could have used six pine 2x4s.  You can see the chain I'm using to pull it.  There's also a rope that's controlling the rate it's moving down.  For this, I didn't use dowels at all, since it managed reasonable travel between the aluminum feet and the steel tubing.  The key was to go very slowly.Here I'm moving a 510-lb piece of inch-thick plate on a slight incline (from my Jeep to the bench it's going to top).  I used the same 2x4x1/8" tubing.  But this time, I used steel dowels to reduce the friction as it traveled.Then I learned it needed to be flipped over onto the other side, which was its own adventure.  But it worked, with nothing but levers and rope.
Reply:650lbs is not a whole lot of weight, certainly not light but not unmanageable. I would use the ramps idea and slide it down onto some pipe on the floor.I managed to build mine (4x8x1/2x36H) and get the top from the floor and onto the table on my own using nothing but some pipe, angle iron for ramps and a come-along to drag it up onto the table. 4 guys should be able to lift that plate without too much trouble once its on the ground and blocked up. Dont fall into the analysis paralysis when simply getting it done and paying attention to keep safe will do.Jack- Great idea to get that plate on, Was that first picture a lift table to get the plate into the Jeep?
Reply:Originally Posted by ironmangqJack- Great idea to get that plate on, Was that first picture a lift table to get the plate into the Jeep?
Reply:Weld on a pad eye and use my new toy, I mean truck with crane.Disclaimer; "I am just an a$$hole welder, don't take it personally ."
Reply:Okay change of plans.  I built a table frame this afternoon.  Nothing fancy, but it should work.  I don't have the casters for it, yet, so it just stands on the floor... but it happens to be almost exactly the same height as my truck bed.  I think I can roll the plate right out onto the table, like Jack did above.   Disappointingly, it appears that my Diablo blade is already dead.  I've only had it for a month or two, and not made very many cuts with it.  I tried to cut one of the 2x2 legs with it, and it didn't seem to do anything but make heat.  Luckily I had enough wheels to make all the needed cuts, but I'm not going to try to make an 8' cut in 1/2" plate with 4" cut-off wheels.  Maybe I need to pull the trigger on a plasma.__David Hillman
Reply:Originally Posted by jimcoltBucket forks for my tractor move plate well. Wife let me buy the tractor to take care of her horse padocks....so it worked out well. These forks (made by me) will lift 1600 lbs. I usually buy my plate (up to 5/8" thick) sheared to 4' x 4'....then it goes right on my cnc plasma for cutting.Jim Colt
Reply:^^^ love your screenname, dude.got a cousin named "smart as a fence post"? lmao!Wow, that was a lot easier than I expected it to be.  Took far less time to unload the plate than I spent on this thread, wondering about how to do it.   I just butted the table frame up against the tail gate of my truck, and used a couple tie-down straps to slide the plate out onto the frame.  Easy, and probably didn't even take 20 minutes.  Took longer to get everything out of the way.   Thanks.__David Hillman
Reply:Nice. I use to shine mine once a week with a tiger paw then give it a thin coat of kroil, but have been slacking lately.Is that a speedglas hood?Semper FiJesus may have been a Carpenter, but his dad was a Millwright" A grinder and a can of paint, will make a welder what he aint' "I've done so much, with so little, for so long, that now I can do anything with nothing!
Reply:Looks good.  That's too bad about the 7-1/4" blade.  I know they're only rated for 1/8" material -- more than that and I think the life gets shortened.  A new one might still be the cheapest way through that plate.  Just take it slow and don't let it heat up.  It's rated for higher RPMs, but I think that's still where you run the risk of heat dulling the teeth.Jack OlsenMy garage website
Reply:Yup, that's my beloved 9002x.  The film on the table is Naval Jelly pulling off the thin layer of rust in few spots.  I want to spray it with Eezox once it's clean, but fumes from that are so bad, I'm undecided.   I loved the cuts I got from the Diablo, but it wasn't cheap.  Can't really see buying another at that cuts/dollar point... a plasma would be cheaper, and I already put in the power for it.__David Hillman
Reply:I added swing seats to the corners of mine.Welded a heavy pipe nipple on the upright, bent some extra 3/4 cold roll and made a round seat out of 1/4.I kept the height of the table sort of low, so I could rig parts on it and the seat swings under the table when not in use.Yeah, loved my 9002X also. I regret ever selling it.Semper FiJesus may have been a Carpenter, but his dad was a Millwright" A grinder and a can of paint, will make a welder what he aint' "I've done so much, with so little, for so long, that now I can do anything with nothing!
Reply:Originally Posted by David HillmanCan you be more specific?  What's a safer way to lift than chains?
Reply:Wait till the first time you hit that thing with a 4lb hammer!! you'll think someone was shooting at you. Good way to get the beer spilt when the buddies arent looking.