Moving an Albion

two choices, make your base “frame” wide enough, out of hard wood, so the top heavy, doesn’t or can’t come over when lifting or loading. I have put all my presses on a platform, with enough room to work around. I wouldn’t dismantle it. 2nd option, I would put some hard oak runners underneath an move it with pipes and a spud bar. Pry against the wood not the press. That way once you get it on the pipes it rolls easy on cement. Use three pipes. Two under it all the time, always working to get the third one under, as the one pops out back, put that one in front. Very safe this way and the press is only inches off ground & “level”.

My suggestion would be to remove the bed and rails, as the rails, and probably the bed, are installed backwards and will need to be removed anyway, and look around for the forestay as well, as the outer end of the rails must be supported. I would then construct a sturdy pallet under which a pallet jack will just fit (so as low as possible) and use a hydraulic shop crane to lift the press from the top and slide the pallet under it. I would then strap it tightly to the pallet.

You don’t say whether you are moving it from the building it is in some distance away, or just within the building. If the former a fork lift, if the area is accessible, would be easy, or the pallet jack, for moving. A fork lift would be best for loading on a truck or trailer. Once loaded the upright press should be secured additionally with tie-down straps to prevent any tipping. Unloading would be the reverse.

Where are you located? There might be someone nearby who could help or advise about the move.

Bob

Few extra possibilities? as *Theo* implies substantial Hardwood Sub Frame with 2 longitudonal rails/runners, to accept three rollers But with for example 2 X 2” and 1 X 1 3/4” = the reason being that with 3 the same diameter (with good hardwood rails and solid floor) it gets complicated to release the rear roller because all 3 are taking equal contact, with 2 +1 it is perfectly possible to reach a point where the M/c, is on the point of balance @ centre facilitating transfer of rear roller to the front etc.of course with a tiny Pry Bar/Pinch bar.
OR
Utilising the same hardwood Rails/Platform 4 Professional Machinery moving skates.the Chain Tracks run well on decent surface and they (Skates ) are normally equipped with serrated teeth atop, to grip on Machinery but sit very well on/into hardwood rails,
OR
As A.L.P. implies above substantial industrial strength Pallet, but with provision for 2 for/aft & 2 transverse timbers incorporated to carry 4 (at least) industrial capacity machinery ratchet strops. We have seen here, many times where the M/c. is stropped down, the strops are pulled tight against the thinner cross pieces of the pallet, or the very minimum 2 only H/duty strops in *X* configuration, with *Torniquet* around centre points on the M/c.

***We have learned the hard way that single strops (with inertia) do NOT stop the M/c. moving under.!!!
OR
Hope that Jeremy @ The Albion Press looks in, *He Da Man,*

Thanks chaps, the press is in Auckland N.Z and needs to get to Wellington. I’ll have a pallet truck and the 3.5t truck has a tail-lift.

This press can be moved as is. You require 2/3 strong chaps or chapesses and make sure they’re up for it. Scared or worried people do not make good moving buddies.
The easiest way to shift this is simple. Use a ratchet strap to tie the legs onto the staple (main frame). Throw a loop through the legs and tighten the ratchet strap. Now there are two methods you can employ. The first is to jack up the four leg corners and get a pallet truck (pallet jack) between the legs and move it with the truck rolled under the legs. You need people to stabilise the press here but if you dont pump the truck up too far it cannot tip.
The second method with runners and rails off is easiest but can be more unstable. with 2/3 bods its not a problem.
Place 2 beams of hardwood about 4 x 2 inches or bigger between the legs and the curved section so you jack against the frame.
Slide your pallet truck beneath these pieces of wood and pump up. Make sure the legs have been attached with a ratchet strap. Use your 2 buddies to stabilise and again do not pump up too high.
I wouldnt recommend using skates as its a lot of work to get them under the press and then remove them again.
I have moved many many Albions this way. As it is if its only an internal move you dont need to strip right down.
However if its going any distance strip it to the frame, its the only safe way.

I don’t know the weight of this press, but be VERY careful with a lift gate - many will sag or tilt with as little as 1000 lbs and many presses have been dropped off a lift gate and broken. Check the load rating and be sure it can safely lift 2000 lbs or more. Your press probably weighs about 1500 lbs.

Bob

This press doesn’t weigh that much. I can tell from the size but Bob is giving sage advice. I used to move presses and my van had a 750kg tail lift that would lift even the biggest size of frame. (I think thats about 1500lbs in the old money).
The main problem with tail lifts on older trucks is that they tend to sag down. Mine had a leveller built into it so it always lifted parallel. And remember to allow for weight of truck or people riding on the tail lift.