OP
OP
WestKentucky
Member
I have never tried to take the door off. It may be easy, but I just never tried it.
How I move my safe
- Thread starter WestKentucky
- Start date
After I bought my safe I found myself moving to a new residence. I panicked, no one wanted to move the huge safe I bought. By luck I found a company near me that built safes and serviced them. The owner told me he would move it for me but he also told me that I should be able to move it fairly easy but I would need someone else to help. I was told to empty the safe of everything, grab the door and lift it off and it would be 100 to 200 lbs lighter. Sure enough I found the door just lifts right off and the safe was quite a bit easier to move. I had one other person help me going up and down stairs but it was not as heavy as I thought it was. I've noticed on any safe I've been around that the doors lift right off reducing the weight of what needs to be moved.
rayatphonix
Member
My wife helped me move my safe, which weighed about 825# if I remember correctly. We used old and replacement broom handles. As I recall we had 3 or 4. I expected the worst. We rolled it across the patio, over the threshold, and into the basement. Two - 90 degree turns and 20’ later it was in place. It took less than 10 minutes. We were shocked, looked at each other, and laughed.
We used wood instead of metal pipes because I was worried about scratching our floors.
We used wood instead of metal pipes because I was worried about scratching our floors.
Anchorite
Member
Refinanced the house a couple of years ago when rates were barely 3%. Told the wife, “welcome to your new storage unit.” I can’t ever see selling as I’ll never see rates this low again. Safe moving issues resolved.
Beach Bum
Member
I agree it's to easy to get hurt , my safe is pushing 1200 pounds and I'm not 30 years old anymore.
I called my buddy who owns the safe company, for 150 bucks he moved it for me , normally he charges 300 .
2 guys can man handle a 500 pound safe , but I'm not getting any body hurt and maybe hurt bad on a safe as heavy as mine , when I can have it done by pro's for 150 or even 300 bucks . If I still had my backhoe's it would be a piece of cake .
I have little mover dollies on wheels , and little pipes I use to move around heavy stuff like this , I really liked the golf ball technique never even thought of that , really slick . ....I agree with old lady new shooter and say big thanks to West Kentucky for starting and everybody else for sharing their thoughts on this very helpful subject ...
I took the door off of mine (safe is about 1200 lbs), and used 1” nylon bars and larger iron pipe rollers. I also put it it the trailer about like you did in your truck, so leverage as well.
I put in in my house years ago, then moved it to its final home a bit over a year ago.
Both times I enlisted the help of nephews. I paid all three in surprise gun gifts this last time, as I wasn’t able to physically help like I could last time, plus they’re great kids and I might as well gift some guns as I age anyway.
I put in in my house years ago, then moved it to its final home a bit over a year ago.
Both times I enlisted the help of nephews. I paid all three in surprise gun gifts this last time, as I wasn’t able to physically help like I could last time, plus they’re great kids and I might as well gift some guns as I age anyway.
hoardingthemanual
Member
I used to move office furniture and good stuff here.
lightman
Member
Nice write-up WestKentucky! Liked the pictures too!
I've been involved in moving several 400 to 600# safes. I've even hauled a few back to Arkansas from the Tulsa Gun Show. I used an appliance dolly and a couple of straps to move them. I also had a collection of steel bars to build bridges over the threshold.
My safe weighs 1800+ pounds and I hired a Lock Smith that deals in safes to move mine. The last time was $400 which included mileage from their shop to my old house and on up to our new house.
I've been involved in moving several 400 to 600# safes. I've even hauled a few back to Arkansas from the Tulsa Gun Show. I used an appliance dolly and a couple of straps to move them. I also had a collection of steel bars to build bridges over the threshold.
My safe weighs 1800+ pounds and I hired a Lock Smith that deals in safes to move mine. The last time was $400 which included mileage from their shop to my old house and on up to our new house.
Kingcreek
Member
Years ago I bought a good 30 gun safe. Hauled it home in my 3/4 ton truck. I called a small local moving outfit and the owner came out with one young guy. They took it out of the truck and moved it up 3 steps and into my house using a heavy duty appliance cart and nylon sliders like cutting boards.
I sold the safe years later and the guy that showed up lifted the door off the hinges (I didn’t know you could!) and moved the door and box separately at about 1/2 the total weight for each piece!
I sold the safe years later and the guy that showed up lifted the door off the hinges (I didn’t know you could!) and moved the door and box separately at about 1/2 the total weight for each piece!
hutch51
Member
Moved safes in the past, old GSA fireproof jobs that weighed 1100 pounds empty. Just moved them across a warehouse floor so no up or down. And I was fifty years younger then 
You folks using rollers of different materials remind me of the machine shop at work. They would use bottle jacks to pick up the machinery and bar stock to roll and position several tons across the shop floor. They kept a few Johnson bars around for the lighter stuff.
You folks using rollers of different materials remind me of the machine shop at work. They would use bottle jacks to pick up the machinery and bar stock to roll and position several tons across the shop floor. They kept a few Johnson bars around for the lighter stuff.
Frulk
Member
- Joined
- Nov 26, 2018
- Messages
- 1,600
Good stuff Kentuck…..
I moved two safes on level ground around the garage 2-3 months back. Used a rolling atv hydraulic jack for both. One was put in its permanent place in the garage bay and the other positioned for eventual pick up by a buddy.
He showed up with a low, drop gate trailer and heavy duty dolly with cam straps. I used wooden dowel rods to position the safe where we wanted it for the approach to the drop gate and then 3 of us man handled the safe with the dolly onto the trailer (about 650 pounds).
With the vault in the basement being finished I don’t see me ever having to move a safe again (thankfully).
I moved two safes on level ground around the garage 2-3 months back. Used a rolling atv hydraulic jack for both. One was put in its permanent place in the garage bay and the other positioned for eventual pick up by a buddy.
He showed up with a low, drop gate trailer and heavy duty dolly with cam straps. I used wooden dowel rods to position the safe where we wanted it for the approach to the drop gate and then 3 of us man handled the safe with the dolly onto the trailer (about 650 pounds).
With the vault in the basement being finished I don’t see me ever having to move a safe again (thankfully).
tws3b2
Member
Moved mine about 9 years ago.
There were 7/8 long guns in it. Each wrapped in a thick towel. My hand trucks have 4 wheels so as I can lay it down and still move it around.
With my wife watching. I got to the top of the steps, 8 steps.
The hand trucks go first. One step at a time. I'm holding it back. One step at a time was my plan.
The hand truck had no such plan.
8 steps. All at the same time. Me, On my chest being drug down the steps holding on for dear life.
No firearms were injured in this move.
There were 7/8 long guns in it. Each wrapped in a thick towel. My hand trucks have 4 wheels so as I can lay it down and still move it around.
With my wife watching. I got to the top of the steps, 8 steps.
The hand trucks go first. One step at a time. I'm holding it back. One step at a time was my plan.
The hand truck had no such plan.
8 steps. All at the same time. Me, On my chest being drug down the steps holding on for dear life.
No firearms were injured in this move.
That will work but I invested in an appliance dolly years ago. Sure makes moving other appliances and anything you can strap to it worth it. It takes two people for my safes to make life easy breaking it over. My doors don't come off unless I want to cut plate blocking the removal...
I removed everything and moved them separately. It was a tiny bit nerve wracking until everything was back in.
Good write up and way to go. I’ve moved fridges, freezers, upright pianos, equipment/tool lockers, and wrestle big water softeners around on a daily basis. All in all, the easiest way to get them all in a truck is a Tommy gate. Lol
Great write up.
Great write up.
sparkyv
Member
I feel the bursitis in my shoulder flaring up just by reading this thread. 
Legionnaire
Contributing Member
It's my lower back saying "No way."I feel the bursitis in my shoulder flaring up just by reading this thread.
Nasty Canasta
Member
I worked as rigger for a while & routinely moved heavy machinery, CNC machines, printing presses, clean room equipment. One of the most versatile tools we used was a set of Rol-A-Lifts that can be rented from a lot of places for less than $100 a day & two guys can easily maneuver a safe around with them. https://rolalift.com/
We had motorized stair climber dollies that I used to set movie projectors upstairs in theaters that would be perfect for safe moving where stairs are involved & I'm sure the pros use them. There's no need to risk hurting yourself or damaging your home with the tools that are available out there, there's a time to be thrifty & a time to spend wisely.
We had motorized stair climber dollies that I used to set movie projectors upstairs in theaters that would be perfect for safe moving where stairs are involved & I'm sure the pros use them. There's no need to risk hurting yourself or damaging your home with the tools that are available out there, there's a time to be thrifty & a time to spend wisely.
Freudianfloyd
Member
I had my safe delivered and brought up to the second floor of my house. The guy that did it had a stair climbing dolly. He would pull it up to a step, hit a button and it would use a second set of wheels up to the next step and then pull the safe up, then move to the next step and pull it up again and again. Pretty neat tool.
I’ve seen those in use, excellent tools
lysanderxiii
Member
That's what "RAM Board" is for, just tape in down.
epags
Member
Tommy Gate? Apparently some freight company,s didn't know what one was.
I sold my home in California complete with gun safe. Moved to Connecticut and decided to buy another safe from the same company (based in California). The safe company shipped it and had a no name freight company deliver it. Upon arrival at my home, it was on a truck without a movable tail gate and the deck was a good 4 ft off the ground. They were going to just push it off since they had nothing to act as a 'slide' NO!
I got out my aluminum extension ladder to act as a ramp. They didn't think to take off the door. Part way down the 'ladder ramp' the ladder just folded in half and gently lowered the safe to the ground. They then used a dolly to move it into the garage. No reimbursement...oh well.When we decided to move back to California (out of the snow and humidity),
my loving spouse stated we were going to ship the safe back rather than go through the same drill. Long story short, movers just rolled the safe, doors and all, onto the moving van and when it arrived at my Calif. home I suggested they remove the door, they just ignored me, put a dolly under it and rolled it off the van into the garage, up over a 4 inch high step, over a door jam, swung it aroung and into a 'slot' in the mud room that the previous owner had designed for a recessed freezer. (Must be nice to be young and strong.) The 'freezer slot' even had an electrical outlet so I was able to plug in the safe's golden rod before they positioned the safe. When she who rules, decided to have the mud room tiled, they tiled right up to the front of the safe so now it was in a 1/4 inch depression that the next owner (after I die) will have a hell of a time to have it removed.
CapnMac
Member
The furniture gliders can be of some help, too, particularly if using a dolly and keeping the box upright.
Go "up" a size, though. If the box is 500#, get the 600# or 750# rated ones. The ground pressure wil lbe lower, which lowers the likely hood of scratches in the floor, and for ease of movement.
Keep them handy, as they make moving armoires, entertainment centers, and the like a snap.
Go "up" a size, though. If the box is 500#, get the 600# or 750# rated ones. The ground pressure wil lbe lower, which lowers the likely hood of scratches in the floor, and for ease of movement.
Keep them handy, as they make moving armoires, entertainment centers, and the like a snap.
Valkman
Member
We had my safe delivered and put in place by the seller, then proceeded to move 3 times, each time paying a Pro to move it. This safe is 1250lbs empty and I am just not up to moving it myself, but the local safe company has no trouble with it.
