Lever dolly

My mill has been stuck in the entrance of my workshop. Until now I haven't been able to move it into its permanent place. So, I needed a lever dolly (like a pry bar on wheels). Here's my take on building one from scratch.

Since I couldn't see any other videos about making one, I decided to make a video about designing and making it.

Some of the materials are new, but I was able to make about half of this project from recycled steel.

Axle is made from 32mm steel round bar
2 x 6305-2RS bearings
1.5m of 50x25x3mm rectangular steel tube for the handle.
300mm of 50x12.5mm hot rolled flat bar for toe and heel

See the build here:

https://youtu.be/Rv06fEO6O-M

Thanks,
Craig

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Thanks craig9! We've added your Lever Dolly to our Miscellaneous category,
as well as to your builder page: craig9's Homemade Tools. Your receipt:

<div id="blocks"> <div class="block b1 pngfix"> <div class="bimg"> <div> <a href="https://www.homemadetools.net/homemade-lever-dolly"> <img src="/uploads/225039/homemade-lever-dolly.jpeg"/> </a> </div> </div> <div class="head pngfix"></div> <div class="left pngfix"></div> <div class="right pngfix"></div> <div class="blockover b1 pngfix"> <div class="title"> <a href="https://www.homemadetools.net/homemade-lever-dolly">Lever Dolly</a> <span> by <a href="https://www.homemadetools.net/builder/craig9">craig9</a></span> </div> <div class="tags">tags: <a href='https://www.homemadetools.net/tag/dollies'>dollies</a>, <a href='https://www.homemadetools.net/tag/dolly'>dolly</a> </div> </div> </div> </div>
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Quote:

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Originally Posted by Altair

Thanks craig9! We've added your Lever Dolly to our Miscellaneous category,
as well as to your builder page...

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Thanks for the addition, Altair!

Cheers,
Craig

Great work Craig!
Reminds be of moving my (ex) Jonsered 20" thicknesser (800kg) around with a crude lever and the 'Egyptian' pipe method...necessity is the mother of invention... Cheers
Jim in the now equally cold South Coast NSW..

Hey Jim. Yes - levers and wheels and rollers can get a lot done. I know engineers mastered the "simple machines" hundreds (or thousands) of years ago, but to me they are still exciting and fascinating.

Being able to trade distance for force allows us to do nearly anything.

Stay warm!

Cheers,
Craig

This exact same tool is available from Northern Tool for $66 - $79 (depending on sale).

Hi Saltfever, yes very similar - but not available in Tasmania that I could find.

I had found that image and used it (and others) as inspiration for my build.

I deviated from it in the following ways: rectangular tubing replaces the bumper and the round tubing (stronger lever arm and smaller parts count), and simpler to make the end fit around the axle. The toe and heel are also made thicker. 1/2" thick compared to what looks like 3/8". Also, I don't reduce down the toe quite as much. Mine finishes up at just under under 1/4" at the tip, less of a knife edge.

Cheers,
Craig

I find the knife edge is very useful for equipment that is flush to the floor. Usually you can grip just enough and lever up the machine to put a small shim under it to create a better gap and gain a better grip. I plan to attach 2 wheels in back of some heavy equipment and fabricate some kind of attachment on to the lever-bar so I can raise the equipment onto the back wheels and steer equipment around the shop. The product is made in China and most likely importers all over the world have it in their catalog somewhere. Great video quality . . . nice job.

One of the difficulties is finding the right search term for this kind of device. There are a lot of similar tools that exist in roughly overlapping categories: burke bars, lever dollies, pry bars, some have wheels and some don't, and some have a wooden handle and some don't. I settled on naming this one a lever dolly, because it's very similar to the one you posted, and in general, because when I did a google image search of "lever dolly", the results were most like what I wanted. I couldn't find anything all steel with wheels sold locally to me though, and the one I've made weighs at least 10kg or 20lb+, so I didn't want to pay shipping on that weight either. (Plus I try to be frugal and I like making things.)

Thanks for the comments on the video quality - much appreciated.

Cheers,
Craig

Edit: Sorry didn't mean to ignore the good point you made about the knife edge. My mill has three lifting areas where I can get a thicker piece to fit, gaps that are possibly 3/8" or 10mm high. From there I can get it up on blocks or rollers and lift from anywhere. If I change machines though in future and need the thinner edge, it's possible to remove the bearings, put the foot up on the mill table and thin it down if needed. If I go too far it's easy to put metal back on too. Metal is good like that :) Cheers.

A Johnson bar.
https://www.mcmaster.com/johnson-bars/

A great job Craig, and very useful. well done. Where did you get the mill vice from? Perhaps you could text me.
Tony
(sold you the bandsaw)

well done Craig,
Low tech can be really useful, used the pipe roller method to shift a 800Kg horizontal mill over a lawn and down a concrete path when I sold it when relocating.
Still miss that beast.

G'day Tony, I have only just received this message (I realise it is a year late!). I have just texted you too. Thanks, Craig

PS: The mill vise came with the mill. I now believe it is a shaper vise, and so I have picked up a proper mill vise, and will move the shaper vise to the shaper.

Cheers,
Craig

Hi Phred, I somehow did not get this notification, but thanks for your comment. Yes - I find the older and simpler the method, the better, usually. At least for the kind of work that machine moving involves. Cheers, Craig