I'm thinking about buying a Harbor Freight 500 lb hydraulic lift table to help move my five machines. ($127 delivered ain't bad!) To get machines in and out of my house, I've discovered that using a hand truck is by far the easiest way to go, as there are a few steps along the way. Of course, using a hand truck requires upending the machine so it sits with the shooter rod pointed straight up.

I'm currently upending the machine by propping up the back with a barstool, removing the legs, and then using all my strength to lower it to the ground. Lowering the back of the machine (and raising it back up during setup) is typically the hardest part of the whole ordeal.

So I'd like to ask the experts: does a lift table provide any assistance in upending a machine?

I can picture how it might work in my head: lift the machine with the lift table, remove all four legs, lower the lift table as low as it'll go, then tip the machine onto the ground and bring it upright. For the reverse process, tip the machine from the upright position onto the lift table at its lowest position.

I can imagine the above scenario not quite working out as I imagine. When tipping the machine, I realize that it might be difficult to keep the lift table under the machine. I'd just like to hear from someone who has actually tried.

Thanks!

Can you provide a link with more info?

Decat, are you referring to the Penguin? Too expensive!!

I gave in and got the Harbor Freight lift table this weekend for about $120.

It's really nice and really heavy. The rubber mat on top does indeed smell horrible, and the handle does indeed need modified to make it fold down. I haven't quite figured out which method I'm going to use, but I'll figure it out soon enough.