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Suction Cups?

M

Mike S

Spotter offered me a great deal on his 315 gallon tank that I couldn’t pass up. Dance I’m hiring a moving company to get it from his house to my basement in a couple of weeks. The only hang up is the steel stand won’t fit through my doorway. I’m going to have someone shorten the stand for me, but that means the movers won’t be able to place the tank on it. The tank is made of ¾ inch glass and weighs in at about 650 pounds. When the time comes to lift the tank onto the stand, I’m thinking suction cups are going to be a must along with several strong backs. (There will be a plea for help sometime in July accompanied by bribes with beer and pizza :) ). Does anyone own suction cups that I could borrow or know if they are readily available to rent? Anything particular that I should ask/look for? Thanks, Mike
 
MatteZ

MatteZ

If it is on a weekend I may be able to get a few pairs. A friend of mine uses them for his work. I am close by in Riverton. Right down the road
 
Hockeynut

Hockeynut

NJRC Member
Why don't you build a temp (but strong) stand in front of where you will place the permenant stand and have the movers put the tank on that and when your stand is ready just slide the tank over ? You will just need a couple strong arms and a couple cold beers then and no one will be lifting anything more then 12 oz's. :) If I am off when you build it I can help I was a wood worker for years
 
redfishbluefish

redfishbluefish

Officer Emeritus
Officer Emeritus
Interior or exterior door? And how close is the stand from fitting through the door. If it’s close, and especially if it’s an interior door, I wouldn't hesitate carefully pulling the molding and cutting out the door frame (with door still attached). You cut the nails using a reciprocating saw and pull the frame with door out. It will now give you a couple more inches, if that helps.
 
M

Mike S

Thanks for the offers to help guys. I'll definitely need it when the time comes. I can get 4 suction cups through DVRC and I have a Taylor Rental around the corner from me. I'll give them a call. Maybe ill get lucky.

Building a temporary stand isn't something that I had thought about. Its a good idea but the tank is going to sit in a nook. I would end up having to lift the steel stand over it.

It's the interior door that is the issue but it isnt close. Ive got about 29 or 30 inches to work with and the stand is 72 x 36 x 34. Id only gain an inch or two by removing the trim and the stairwell after it isnt much wider. The tank itself is going to be a tight fit and will have to go through face down but that's why I have the movers. :)
 
spotter

spotter

Mike, if I am still in NJ when the time comes I would love to help you get the tank on the stand. Do they make 36" interior doors???? Maybe it would be easier to just rip out that door and the frame, then re-frame it for the bigger door. The movers are amazing and I would try to do whatever you can to get them to put the tank on that stand.
 
M

Mike S

Hmm I just looked back at the measurements that you gave me at its just under 34 inches with the plywood and foam board. Without pulling my molding off I'm guessing I'd get to just over 34 inches in clearance if I took disabled the frame. Any further and I'd be cutting into drywall. From there on I'd be free and clear.

Is it 3/4 inch plywood on top of the stand? Do you remember if the plywood was glued to the stand and the foam board glued to the plywood? I may have to do some exploratory surgery on the door frame while my wife is out. :)
 
spotter

spotter

I will go measure the plywood and foam. I am pretty sure we glued everything down but honestly cant remember for sure.
 
M

Mike S

Thanks Steve, I'm going to pull the molding off and see what I have to work with. I would much easier if I could just have the movers take care of of it and not have to worry about modifying the stand. I'm gonna go back through your build thread to see if you indicated whether it was glued on. :)
 
spotter

spotter

No problem mike. I will call my contractor tomorrow and ask him since he's the one that did it while doing my basement.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 2
 
redfishbluefish

redfishbluefish

Officer Emeritus
Officer Emeritus
The general rule for rough openings is minimum 2 inches more than the door opening; and no more than three inches.....so you should be at 34 to 35 inches for that 32 inch door.
 
M

Mike S

So I pulled of my molding and it appears that I'd have just over 34 inches if I'd pull out out the door and frame. :thumbup: Then I turned around and and realized the passageway to the hall across from the basement stairs looked a little narrow. Pulled out the tape measure and it was only 30 inches. :thumbdown: I just redid that molding and I know I'd be getting into drywall to get 34 inches. There is still room to slide the stand to the top of the stairs through another passageway but the margin for error to tilt the stand and move it down the stairs is small. I'd hate to pull the door frame apart and not have it fit. If it works it will save the trouble of moving the stand to the metal shop, getting it modified, getting it back and getting the tank on the stand. Decisions, decisions....

If the wood top and foam are glued to the stand I might me able to get it off to buy myself some more room. Would I need to glue a piece of plywood and foam back onto the stand or could I just place it on it?
 
spotter

spotter

Mike, maybe it would have been easier if you just bought my house?????? I dont think you need to glue it on but I would check around on RC as I know there are a lot of threads about using plywood and foam under tanks on there.
 
redfishbluefish

redfishbluefish

Officer Emeritus
Officer Emeritus
If a ¾ piece of plywood and a piece of foam is going to mean fitting this beast through the door, that plywood is coming off, come he!! or high water! A sharp chisel at the glue joint is either going to sheer the glue or split the wood. Once the top is off, and if you now have bits and pieces of wood still attached, a quick run of a belt sander will clean off the wood. I would then cut a new piece of ¾ ply and use that. However, I wouldn’t glue it, but I would put small blocks underneath to keep the plywood from sliding around when trying to position the tank. Hope that makes sense.
 
M

Mike S

Does the tank comes with the house Steve lol? I keep joking to my wife that with every move we're getting 30 miles closer to my plan of living on the water.

The more I think about it I should probably just replace the plywood and foam anyway. That foam will probably get beat up during the move. If we can pop it off at Stevens place while the tank is being moved I can clean it up when it gets to my place. Blocks of wood on the underside to keep it tight to the inside of the frame is a good idea. Double stick tape would probably keep the foam from moving. Now I just need a rationale to give to my wife on why I'm tearing the door apart.
 
spotter

spotter

Mike I saw my builder today who helped me with the stand. The foam is glued to the plywood and the plywood is NOT glued to the stand. He said he will try to be here on the 21st to observe. He watched them deliver it and couldn't believe they got it down the stairs....now he wants to see them take it back up the stairs. I think we're going to need a bigger bottle of scotch!


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