Fridge-sized cabs, basement stairs, and middle aged me.

[Roxbororob]

Here is my challenge, summed up in two pictures.

After humping these up and down the stairs for a while now with the help of a cheap moving dolly and, occasionally, my wife, a new approach is needed. Here are the three I'm considering.

1. Refrigerator dolly with stair tracks
2. Long sheet of cardboard placed on stairs, cab laid down, and pushed upwards as cardboard is folded up and over.
3. Some sort of pulley/come-along mechanism to pull laid-down cab up the stairs.

Or......?

Anybody with relevant moving or engineering experience is invited to weigh in with constructive suggestions. In particular, how feasible is #1 above for a single person?

NOTE: if your suggestion in any way entails "downsizing," it will not be relevant to this discussion. Thanks.

Wait...I have just the thing for you. Works great promise...got to switch from my wifes phone to my computer. ..

 

[MakoMan]

First of all... that's one hell of a cool collection of vintage Acoustic gear. Nicely done.
Rather than cardboard, I would mount sheets of plywood, cut to the width of the stairs, on hinges against the wall so that they can be just flipped down to turn the stairs into a ramp. That way you can either slide the cabs up up manually (mount slider strips on the cabs), or use a dolly. You could also mount something like a $20 crank boat trailer winch at the top of the stairs and crank them up the plywood stair ramp. I myself would probably use an inexpensive electric winch.

 

[Interceptor]

Check out Harbor Freight for winches.

 

[Roxbororob]

"First of all... that's one hell of a cool collection of vintage Acoustic gear. Nicely done."
Agreed, before I suggest my solution I offer to drive down and take it all off your hands..LOL

OK
So my 301 was a pain just like yours. Especially on the stairs. But I absolutely love it and want to use as much as I can before my arthritus gets worse. Ive got about 5 years.

I added runners like an 810 but with extensions down to the wheels. Works like a charm. Origin lly I thought Id be smart and used nylon strips but they were too slippery. The cab would get away from me when loading. Oak is just right. You will see in the photos that the runners have worn a bit but thats only from cement steps. If they wear too much, no problem, they are sacrificial, they get replaced (haven needed to yet) zippety do da. The tug bar is a major improvement as well. Although I did not make it quite high enough. When I bought the oak I used some as spacers and now I have plenty of room fro my hands. Another handle strategically placed underneath the cab helps lift-in and a couple more slime ones on the sides and top help me keep her under control. I do load i-out by myself and have been taking the iron out to all my gigs ...

Photos:
Oak runners.

Wheels are oversize (but dont have to be). The oak runners extend down to the center line of the wheels and are just above the circumfrence.

Tug bar handle is the ticket. You can just see the vertical strap handle at the leading edge of the cab. One on each side and one on top helps load in and out.

You can see the underside handle and extra casters I added in this next photo (I just posted it in another thread this morning!)

 

[mindwell]

First of all... that's one hell of a cool collection of vintage Acoustic gear. Nicely done.
Rather than cardboard, I would mount sheets of plywood, cut to the width of the stairs, on hinges against the wall so that they can be just flipped down to turn the stairs into a ramp.

WINNER! Yes, the fold-down ramp! I'd previously created 2" x 4" cart tracks that nailed to the stairs, but that's obviously not a permanent solution. Your idea is not only workable, but could actually make the stairs safer to children going down without me worrying about them falling under the open bannister to the floor.

 

[mindwell]

"First of all... that's one hell of a cool collection of vintage Acoustic gear. Nicely done."
Agreed, before I suggest my solution I offer to drive down and take it all off your hands..LOL

OK
So my 301 was a pain just like yours. Especially on the stairs. But I absolutely love it and want to use as much as I can before my arthritus gets worse. Ive got about 5 years.

I added runners like an 810 but with extensions down to the wheels. Works like a charm. Origin lly I thought Id be smart and used nylon strips but they were too slippery. The cab would get away from me when loading. Oak is just right. You will see in the photos that the runners have worn a bit but thats only from cement steps. If they wear too much, no problem, they are sacrificial, they get replaced (haven needed to yet) zippety do da. The tug bar is a major improvement as well. Although I did not make it quite high enough. When I bought the oak I used some as spacers and now I have plenty of room fro my hands. Another handle strategically placed underneath the cab helps lift-in and a couple more slime ones on the sides and top help me keep her under control. I do load i-out by myself and have been taking the iron out to all my gigs ...

WOW!!! That is very impressive! I could totally see doing it for my original Acoustic Control 361. The other two, though, and brand new(ish) Acoustic USA limited production reissues, and since they're relatively pristine, I really want to keep them that way. But for the old gal, again, wow!

 

[Roxbororob]

PS I tried tread plates laid on the stairs. DONT do it..they kill you.!

Last: Nnews.
Ive been running my 301 with an SM400 up till now (glorious). But I just landed a 370 last night. It works great but need a fair bit of TLC before I post NAD.
Heres a sneak peak (sorry cant help myself):

 

[bassinflorida]

Here is my challenge, summed up in two pictures.

After humping these up and down the stairs for a while now with the help of a cheap moving dolly and, occasionally, my wife, a new approach is needed. Here are the three I'm considering.

1. Refrigerator dolly with stair tracks
2. Long sheet of cardboard placed on stairs, cab laid down, and pushed upwards as cardboard is folded up and over.
3. Some sort of pulley/come-along mechanism to pull laid-down cab up the stairs.

Or......?

Anybody with relevant moving or engineering experience is invited to weigh in with constructive suggestions. In particular, how feasible is #1 above for a single person?

NOTE: if your suggestion in any way entails "downsizing," it will not be relevant to this discussion. Thanks.

I think the "squaty potty" would be the answer. Or maybe that is the answer to a different problem. hmmm.

 

[Roxbororob]

WOW!!! That is very impressive! I could totally see doing it for my original Acoustic Control 361. The other two, though, and brand new(ish) Acoustic USA limited production reissues, and since they're relatively pristine, I really want to keep them that way. But for the old gal, again, wow!

You could you an appliance dolly with creeper tracks.

The problem with runners on the stairs is twofold:
1: they work too well..going down the full weight is pulling you down the stairs and the cab can get away from you (hard to get good footing/easy to slip). Going up you have no opportunity to rest.
2: They get in the way of you feet if you have them on either side. Forget about trying to walk up a full tread width at 30/40 degrees.

I love your gear and I hope you find a way to continue using it.
Good karma.

EDIT: Sorry I just realized two of the rigs are new issue George units. Very nice!
2nd Edit...boy do I type bad!

 

[mindwell]

PS I tried tread plates laid on the stairs. DONT do it..they kill you.!

Last: Nnews.
Ive been running my 301 with an SM400 up till now (glorious). But I just landed a 370 last night. It works great but need a fair bit of TLC before I post NAD.
Heres a sneak peak (sorry cant help myself):View attachment 1013604


View attachment 1013605

Between that and your 301, full-on Gary Thain action!

 

[quickervicar]

From my understanding of those cabs you're better off leaving them in the basement and playing the gig from there. The waveform will finally be at peak by the time it hits the audience at the venue. Most gigs can't be more than 20 miles from home, right?

 

[BAG]

"First of all... that's one hell of a cool collection of vintage Acoustic gear. Nicely done."
Agreed, before I suggest my solution I offer to drive down and take it all off your hands..LOL

OK
So my 301 was a pain just like yours. Especially on the stairs. But I absolutely love it and want to use as much as I can before my arthritus gets worse. Ive got about 5 years.

I added runners like an 810 but with extensions down to the wheels. Works like a charm. Origin lly I thought Id be smart and used nylon strips but they were too slippery. The cab would get away from me when loading. Oak is just right. You will see in the photos that the runners have worn a bit but thats only from cement steps. If they wear too much, no problem, they are sacrificial, they get replaced (haven needed to yet) zippety do da. The tug bar is a major improvement as well. Although I did not make it quite high enough. When I bought the oak I used some as spacers and now I have plenty of room fro my hands. Another handle strategically placed underneath the cab helps lift-in and a couple more slime ones on the sides and top help me keep her under control. I do load i-out by myself and have been taking the iron out to all my gigs ...

Photos:
Oak runners.
View attachment 1013590

Wheels are oversize (but dont have to be). The oak runners extend down to the center line of the wheels and are just above the circumfrence.
View attachment 1013591


Tug bar handle is the ticket. You can just see the vertical strap handle at the leading edge of the cab. One on each side and one on top helps load in and out.
View attachment 1013593

You can see the underside handle and extra casters I added in this next photo (I just posted it in another thread this morning!)
View attachment 1013596

Holy crap!! Having to hump gear like that on ice and snow i'd be looking for something modern and light to gig.

I know, I know, nothing sounds quite like a big old fridge, but 99.9% of the people listening won't know, and if the gigs big enough to require an 8x10 then surely the PA is big enough to DI.

In saying that, i'd love to see a small video of whatever concept you do come up with.

 

[JimmyM]

One great thing about living in Florida...no basements that the wife can consign your MI collection to!

 

[dave64o]

I'm a class D and "super cab" kind of guy, but you have some really cool old gear. Good to see you're finding ways to help you hang onto it.

 

[DukeLeJeune]

I added runners like an 810 but with extensions down to the wheels. Works like a charm. Origin lly I thought Id be smart and used nylon strips but they were too slippery. The cab would get away from me when loading. Oak is just right. You will see in the photos that the runners have worn a bit but thats only from cement steps. If they wear too much, no problem, they are sacrificial, they get replaced (haven needed to yet) zippety do da. The tug bar is a major improvement as well. Although I did not make it quite high enough. When I bought the oak I used some as spacers and now I have plenty of room fro my hands. Another handle strategically placed underneath the cab helps lift-in and a couple more slime ones on the sides and top help me keep her under control. I do load i-out by myself and have been taking the iron out to all my gigs ...

Photos:
Oak runners.
View attachment 1013590

Wheels are oversize (but dont have to be). The oak runners extend down to the center line of the wheels and are just above the circumfrence.
View attachment 1013591


Tug bar handle is the ticket. You can just see the vertical strap handle at the leading edge of the cab. One on each side and one on top helps load in and out.
View attachment 1013593

You can see the underside handle and extra casters I added in this next photo (I just posted it in another thread this morning!)
View attachment 1013596

VERY IMPRESSIVE ENGINEERING AND EXECUTION. Wow. I'm trying to sell high-priced lightweight cabs, and you're undermining me and my kind with your inexpensive DIY method of keeping heavy old cabs in service for many years, so I guess we're like on different teams, but WOW that is fantastic, I really admire your work.

 

[lpbfender]

Got two acoustic 360's and a 371. I find these are easier to move vs my Eden 2-10 xlt's!

I'd build two 6 inch wide boards and drill two wholes through the top of the boards and install a recessed bolt that can go into respective wholes at the top of the stairs. Then push

 

[BrianVengeance]

Here is my challenge, summed up in two pictures.

After humping these up and down the stairs for a while now with the help of a cheap moving dolly and, occasionally, my wife, a new approach is needed. Here are the three I'm considering.

1. Refrigerator dolly with stair tracks
2. Long sheet of cardboard placed on stairs, cab laid down, and pushed upwards as cardboard is folded up and over.
3. Some sort of pulley/come-along mechanism to pull laid-down cab up the stairs.

Or......?

Anybody with relevant moving or engineering experience is invited to weigh in with constructive suggestions. In particular, how feasible is #1 above for a single person?

NOTE: if your suggestion in any way entails "downsizing," it will not be relevant to this discussion. Thanks.

I guess we live here now. -- cabinets, probably

 

[Roxbororob]

VERY IMPRESSIVE ENGINEERING AND EXECUTION. Wow. I'm trying to sell high-priced lightweight cabs, and you're undermining me and my kind with your inexpensive DIY method of keeping heavy old cabs in service for many years, so I guess we're like on different teams, but WOW that is fantastic, I really admire your work.

Thx Duke.
I hope you dont mind me saying, coming from you thats high praise. Im the one who admires your work and openess. Ive got my lightweight homebuilt BFM,s that get a lot of use too. Someday soon I,ll have a Thunderchild.

 

[tedsalt]

*if* your stairway ceiling was level (unfortunately, most are not), you could install a beam on the ceiling and run a hoist on it ...

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since the stairway ceiling is probably angled (45 degrees?) you could put another lift at the top that attaches to this hoist, and use the other lift to move the hoist up and down the length of the stairs

 

[Munjibunga]

But this one's best, IMHO:

AmeriGlide Stair Lifts - AmeriGlide AC Cargo Lift

... and they're ON SALE!