Moving 10x15 C&P Press (photos)

I am about to buy a New style C&P 10x15 press and have been reading on Briar Press on all different ways to do it. As of now I am looking at getting a hitch put on my Subaru and renting a trailer. I have also been told to get cast iron pipes to roll the press on. I just dont know what is best. I am really excited about the press and can not wait to get it home! I am going to look at it tomorrow and will post photos. I also need help on where is the best place to buy rollers?
The next trick in all of this is I live on a hill. The press will be going in my garage for the time being until I can put a bigger door put in the basement. There is also no easy way to get to the door in the basement. I would have to lay down wood the whole way from the street to the door. Any ideas on that? I know lots of questions… I just want to do it right!

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Hello Claire,

I saw from a previous post by you that you’re in Suwanee, GA. My wife and I are in Mableton, GA. About two weeks ago we purchased a C&P 10x15 and had it moved from a storage facility in Chamblee to our basement which is only accessible by going down a 40% hill and across a sloped dirt path to our door which is only 32” wide. It wasn’t easy, but we managed to get the press moved and through the door with the help of a guy named Bob Siem, who owns a graphics equipment company. He has a lot of experience and all the equipment to move a large press like you’re getting.

You may not need to have a larger door put in, as there are a few pieces which can be taken off without too much effort.

If you’d like Bob’s contact information, let me know.

-Mike

Mike that is great to hear! So how exactly did you you get it down the hill safely? I would like his contact info. can you email it to me at [email protected]? Just wondering how much did you pay for your press? Did you find it on Briar Press? I have seen where people have split it into two pieces is that what you did?

ceh11 Before you add a hitch check your owners manuel for information about max towing load and max tongue load. I don’t know if your Subaru would be up to the job. The press weight is about 1800 Pounds. Safety first. Howard H.

Follow Howard’s advice, you will need a tow capacity of at least 3,200-3,500lbs (press + trailer) You can purchase the 3/4” pipes from the Home Depot plumbing department. You will need a minimum of 3, but 4 or 5 is better. Here is a link to some pics of a ludlow and vandercook move I made. I highly recommend the trailer I rented from the Depot. It will handle 2,000 lbs and the entire bed drops down to ground level to load and unload. http://letterpressequipment.shutterfly.com/pictures/95
I would also recommend a 36”-51” pinch bar, a come-a-long, a 12’-20’ length of 3/8” or 1/2” chain, and a minimum of 2 heavy duty straps. Mount (bolt) the press to 4” x 6” skids. You will also need an assortment of 2x4’s and 1x4’s six to twelve inches long for blocking and leverage. Go slow, be careful and never put fingers or toes under the rollers, blocks or skids. Handle them from the sides.

Email sent Claire

According to this page:

http://www.cars101.com/subwarr.html

it doesn’t look like any Subaru has the necessary towing capacity to pull a press+trailer.

The Subaru thing I looked at said 2400lbs. But I think we are going to just put it in a Uhaul truck… We just decided it would be safer. So any advice on that?

Went and looked at the press to day and I am going to get it!!!! I am so so excited!!! We are also looking into ways of getting it in the basement and thanks to Mike I may be able to get it at least down the hill and to the door.
The press looks good! It moves great and everything seems to be in order. It is well oiled which is nice. It just needs a little love, some cleaning and rollers, and we are set.(I hope) That is when I get it into the basement… Lots to do before I can start printing but I cant wait. Here are some photos. I plan on documenting the move with photos and how everything goes. I will hopefully be picking it up next week maybe? but it may be after Christmas.

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These presses are heavy, you said you were going to put in the garage for now. If i were you i would make the garage the print shop, it is not easy to put these into basements (not that it can’t be done), the best thing i ever did was set up my shop in my garage. Good Luck Dick G.

ceh11,

take a look at the move of my press at http://nobleimpressions.net/main/Equipment_%26_Events/Pages/C%26P_8x12_D...

Basically a truck towing a “low boy” trailer that can be lowered to ground level, along with a pallet jack worked very well for us, but then we were moving it into a garage shop at ground level.

Moving a 10x15 into a basement is not a highly recommended idea for beginners. Though from many other aspects a basement printshop is ideal. It’s where I have mine (with an 8x12) The garage was either too hot or too cold. Luckily my press was already in pieces and went down easily.

To move a 10x15 into a basement without disassembly you need a really strong anchor point at the top of the stairs and something more robust than a comealong. That and a stairway wide enough for the press. If you’re fortunate enough to have a outside entrance directly into the basement, then maybe a tow truck can winch it down the stairs for you.

I’ll agree with the others about the low trailer. Way better than a U-Haul or other rental truck. The sides of those trucks are way to flimsy to anchor the press down and you don’t want the press able to knock around if you have to do some hard braking or other sudden moves. Lots of anchor points on a trailer. Plus rolling a press up a ramp into a rental truck is hard. Again no anchor points to do it with a comealong.

If you’re going to take it apart anyway (this is a last resort type of thing) then a rental with a ramp may work, but only if you take it apart first. I’d recommend taking it home first in one piece and then if you really do need to take it apart, do it in the comfort of your own garage where time constraints are much fewer. You never know when you’re going to run into a press that just doesn’t want to be in pieces.

Alan_Dye thanks for the photos! They are great.

Arie Koelewyn I do have and door into my basement outside so it would not have to go down steps.
It is going into a room with a standard door, that is the only door to that room and is the only way to get into it the room. But there are french doors into the finished part of the basement which shares a wall with the closed off room that I could cut a door out of to get the press in.

I really really do not want to take the press apart! (unless i really have to…) I wish I could put it into the garage but that space belongs to the cars and I can only use the space while I clean the press and get the room ready. I am hoping to be able to just put the press into the room and skip putting it into the garage.

I have looked into the low trailers and I could do that I just worry about driving with a trailer having never done it before.

I have also been thinking that i need a pallet jack. The guy I am getting the press from has one that he will be able to help us get it over to the trailer/truck so that is good. I think I may need one at home and have found a place to rent one. What do yall think about that?? pallet Jack? or use something else?

An 8x12 will go through a standard door, but not a 10x15 without removing a few bits. If you’re going to cut a doorway through the common wall, make it a double one.with a removable sill.

If you have solid, smooth and level surfaces all the way from the truck to the final position of the press then a pallet jack is ideal.

It must be a Christmas Miracle!! (if you knew my dad and his cars you would understand) My dad is letting me put the press in the garage for up to a year. And one of his cars out side. This is big! No cutting a hole in a wall to get the press in. And when I move it will be easier to take it with me. Now the only thing I have to do is get it up our hill of a driveway…. I think I will be paying someone for that.

In other news. I am hoping to get the press this week! A friend of ours said he could maybe help move the press with his diesel truck and his daughters horse trailer. So we will just see what happens. I don’t think I will now until the day of what car, truck, or trailer we will be using… It all keeps changing.

I will try to post a photo of the driveway soon. Maybe someone would have an idea.

We moved the press today from Rock Hill, SC to Suwanee, Ga. Over all the move was great till the end. Here are some photos and I will explain the whole move. We decided that we could not get it off the trailer safely once the trailer was in the garage. (If I had a flat driveway, no problem….If I had a longer garage, no problem…I have both problems!)We were all tired, our friend with the truck and trailer could not lift anything because of surgery and then that left me, my dad, mom, and boyfriend. The angle was too steep and the press was turned parallel to the back of the truck and trailer. Perfect for the pallet jack but not to use friction to slide it off safely if it was horizontal. The press and trailer are in our friends warehouse for the night but cant stay long. I am going to hire Bob the guy Mike Hall recommended. (Thank you Mike!) He has a hydraulic trailer and looks like it will work much better and safer. That will hopefully be happening Friday. (I will be out of town and so my dad will be handling it…) But here are some photos from today and I also took video and am working on putting it on you tube.

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1- the truck and trailer
2- metal ramp down and together
3- wood placed on ramp to pull up pallet jack with press
4- attaching a rope onto pallet jack to attach the come-along.
5- Setting up tow strap to back then attaching a come-along then another come-along
6- On the trailer and making sure we are all lined up over the axle.
7- screwing down wood supports under press the sandwiching the press between them.
8- Screws and press sandwich
9-12 - Straps on press
13- leaving the house with the press!!!!
14- stopping to check the straps and make sure everything is ok about 20-30min into the drive.
15- press on the road.
16- got it in the garage up the big hill no problem.
17- ” how do we get it down off the trailer… not enough room and too steep a driveway….” This is one of my favorite photos of the day that does not have my press in it!
18- Press on trailer in garage…. it is just too unsafe to more the press and we call it a day.

image: 1- the truck and trailer

1- the truck and trailer

image: 2- metal ramp down and together

2- metal ramp down and together

image: 3- wood placed on ramp to pull up pallet jack with press

3- wood placed on ramp to pull up pallet jack with press

image: 4- attaching a rope onto pallet jack to attach the come-along.

4- attaching a rope onto pallet jack to attach the come-along.

image: 5- Setting up tow strap to back then attaching a come-along then another come-along

5- Setting up tow strap to back then attaching a come-along then another come-along

image: 6- On the trailer and making sure we are all lined up over the axle.

6- On the trailer and making sure we are all lined up over the axle.

image: 7- screwing down wood supports under press the sandwiching the press between them.

7- screwing down wood supports under press the sandwiching the press between them.

image: 8- Screws and press sandwich

8- Screws and press sandwich

image: 9- Straps on press

9- Straps on press

image: 10- Straps on press

10- Straps on press

image: 11- Straps on press

11- Straps on press

image: 12- Straps on press

12- Straps on press

image: 13- leaving the house with the press!!!!

13- leaving the house with the press!!!!

image: 14- stopping to check the straps and make sure everything is ok about 20-30min into the drive.

14- stopping to check the straps and make sure everything is ok about 20-30min into the drive.

image: 15- press on the road. It did good!

15- press on the road. It did good!

image: 16- got it in the garage up the big hill no problem.

16- got it in the garage up the big hill no problem.

image: 17- " how do we get it down off the trailer... not enough room and too steep a driveway...." This is one of my favorite photos of the day that does not have my press in it!

17- " how do we get it down off the trailer... not enough room and too steep a driveway...." This is one of my favorite photos of the day that does not have my press in it!

image: 18- Press on trailer in garage.... it is just too unsafe to more the press and we call it a day.

18- Press on trailer in garage.... it is just too unsafe to more the press and we call it a day.

move 2. Final it is in the garage!

With Bobs Permission Here is his information.

Bob Siem of Siem Graphic Equipment.
Give him a call if you need heavy equipment moved.
770-598-5177, email [email protected].

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image: 33-Bob and his Trailer! 
Bob Siem of Siem Graphic Equipment.  
Give him a call if you need heavy equipment moved. 
770-598-5177, email siemgraphic@yahoo.com.

33-Bob and his Trailer! Bob Siem of Siem Graphic Equipment. Give him a call if you need heavy equipment moved. 770-598-5177, email [email protected].

glad to see it went well! :)

It is ‘Mike Hall’. ;-)

Congrats on getting the press home safely! Glad Bob was able to help you out.

Please post a link to where we can see your work once you get the press up and running.

I think it may be time to form an Atlanta area Letterpress Printing Group (there may already be one, but I haven’t found it yet).

Sorry about that Mike! I made the change!
I could not be there for the move but my mom said Bob was great!

I will post my website when it is up. I am designing it right now.

I have been cleaning the press and sandblasting parts and more cleaning. Just waiting for all my things I ordered to come in. (rollers, boxcar base, plate, etc.) I ordered them right before the snow and ice and will they still are not here….. Hopefully soon though.

We should start one!! What a great Idea. I was thinking the same thing. There is Atlanta Printmakers Studio, which we could use to find people. But I think a Group would be great.

I had a similar experience moving a proof press out of a garage that was 12’ lower than the road. There was a well build up around the door using 6x6 timbers to hold back the gravel road. I can only assume the road was build up after the building was built.

I ended up stacking two 6x6 timbers on either side of the press to create a surface that was level with the roadway and used an engine hoist on the timbers to lift the press up and then a comealong attached to afence to drag it out on the driveway with some plywood thrown down. The same hoist got it up into a trailer nad the come along dragged it to the center.