Making a HEAVY DUTY 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
/ craigsworkshop
craigsworkshop.net

[@amitpunjani1426]

Thank you for the video. I am giving a like to it bcoz you didn't add any music to the video! The natural audio of the process is million times better compared to any music.

[@Rustinox]

This is the kind of tool you think you will never need. But once you have it, you can't live without it anymore. Nice build.

[@CraigsWorkshop]

Thanks Rustinox. You're definitely right. Cheers, Craig

[@paulwomack5866]

I like the way the handle (when welded on) also reinforces the strength of the pivot joint. Very clever!

[@CraigsWorkshop]

Yes - that was one place I departed from the designs I saw online. Those designs I think used a small puck of round bar. That keeps the wheels from pressing against the item you're lifting. I decided to do away with that, and extend the handle downwards. By using rectangular tube (or RHS) on edge, you get maximum beam strength and can do away with the puck/bumper. Also makes for one big hefty seam weld where it counts :) Thanks for commenting Paul. Cheers, Craig

[@adelheidsnel5171]

Exactly what I thought!

[@grafton261]

Looks great , I think I will be copying this as it is an essential tool for moving heavy gear about in the workshop

[@CraigsWorkshop]

Thanks and good luck ! :)

[@EverettsWorkshop]

Nicely done! It's amazing what one person can move with leverage, a bit of time, and some common sense! The tool will be useful for other things, too.

[@CraigsWorkshop]

Cheers Everett! Agreed.

[@azentioced9]

you got nice machines and your good with them

[@CraigsWorkshop]

Thank you Andrew! I appreciate the kind comment.

[@edsmachine93]

Very nice lifting dolly. Great idea. Thanks for sharing. Take care, Ed.

[@CraigsWorkshop]

Thanks Ed. Heavily inspired by one of the commonly available ones that I could see for sale in America (I am in Australia), I just made some changes to suit my materials and to make it simpler and stronger. 👍

[@DudleyToolwright]

I like the build and the production values are really high as well. Nice work.

[@CraigsWorkshop]

Thanks, very kind of you! Cheers, Craig

[@Workshopfriend]

Nice job! Also, good to see it in use. Thanks for sharing.

[@CraigsWorkshop]

Thanks for watching 👍

[@DmitriIvanov]

Nice job, maybe one thing I would add is a little stop block so the thing you're moving cant contact the bearings and block them. Perhaps a little step on the carrying surface?

[@CraigsWorkshop]

It's designed so that the beam that makes up the handle actually protrudes forward of the bearings by about 10mm or so and creates a small bumper. Some of the commercial ones I saw have a separate steel bumper added, but I wanted to try an all in one design.

[@alansawyer1219]

Nic job.

[@eyuptony]

Hi Craig. That's high precision over kill for a lever dolly. Looks too nice to use. Better do as your told, it's getting cold. Love the time lapse.

[@CraigsWorkshop]

Cheers Tony, thanks for the nice comments!

[@johnmarshall4433]

Great idea, Thank you for sharing.

[@CraigsWorkshop]

You are welcome 👍

[@KravchenkoAudioPerth]

Nice job! I recently moved a significantly larger mill with a similar method. It works well if your patient with it and use your head a bit. Looking like you have a useful tool for life. Mark

[@CraigsWorkshop]

Thanks Mark, certainly hope so. I'm just very pleased to be able to put the mill where I want it. :) Just need to give it a protective coat of paint now. Cheers, Craig

[@Machine_NZ]

Nicely made. Certainly makes moving machines a lot easier and can manage on your own. Regards MachineNZ

[@CraigsWorkshop]

Thanks Kevin. Yes - I'll treasure this tool, it'll save my back any time I move anything in future. Since a year or two ago I've taken lifting and handling gear a bit more seriously - I made a really stout 2T gantry crane at the end of 2018, to go with a commercial 2T chain hoist. That's how I unloaded this machine from the trailer. I should make a video on that in the future. Probably demands better weather though, it's a bit crap outdoors in Tassie right now. Cheers, Craig

[@mikefreedom5612]

Nice, good video

[@CraigsWorkshop]

Thanks

[@alansawyer1219]

Nice job

[@EmmaRitson]

often wondered how those green bench mats stand up as a weld table.. awesome build!

[@CraigsWorkshop]

Thanks! Yeah, good eye! I quickly realised my mistake and put a heatsink under my work. Making things is approximately 4 times harder when you have to video it too. Does it get easier over time? (Love it anyway) :-)

[@SteveSummers]

I didn't know you had a channel Craig. I subscribed and hit the bell. We have a larger version of the same dolly at work. They definitely help. I am just getting started looking at your videos.👍

[@CraigsWorkshop]

Thanks for stopping by Steve! And thanks for the sub. Yes this dolly will save a lot of otherwise backbreaking work. Cheers, Craig

[@silverbullet7434]

A johnson bar well made .

[@CraigsWorkshop]

Thanks 👍

[@RYENZRO]

Good old Johnson bar!

[@CraigsWorkshop]

Yeah - it's a great thing. It has been used many times since I made it.

[@swanvalleymachineshop]

It done the trick well . I might need a bit more than one of those when it comes time to move Olga into position ! Cheers .

[@CraigsWorkshop]

Hey Max. Just make the lever arm longer :) cheers, Craig

[@0brn0]

Now that's a lever :)

[@CraigsWorkshop]

Hey I know you! Yeah, that's a lever! Sing out if you ever need to borrow it to move house (or move your house...) :-)

[@paulwomack5866]

I loved watching you move a big, heavy object, with a simple lever and two metal rollers! Out come out of all proportion to resources used... (have you seen Tom Lipton's video on moving stuff?)

[@CraigsWorkshop]

Oh yes - he's done more than one too. I like his toe jack (bottle jack with a slide and a step so you can pick up from only 1/2" off the ground). He has some good lathe/machinery dollies too which connect with threaded rod underneath the item to be moved. Also the folding jointed pry bar is pretty cool. He has obviously done it all a few times more than me and makes it all look easier than it is :-) I made a 2T gantry crane the year before last, it's able to be bolted together and stood up, then unbolted and put away. A 2T chain hoist hangs from it. Unfortunately this was before I was making videos, so I only have photos. Let me know if you're interested in seeing the pics, and I'll include them in a future video. Cheers, Craig

[@theeddies]

Nice work man. A Burke Bar with wheel pivots. Looks good and looks like it works great. Best!

[@CraigsWorkshop]

Hey the_eddies, Thanks! Yes - the bar works a treat. Northern Tool sells a lever dolly that has the bearings as wheels, so that part isn't a new idea, but the box handle and fitted joint is my own twist on the idea. Cheers, Craig

[@theeddies]

@@CraigsWorkshop What type of steel did you use for the blade?

[@CraigsWorkshop]

It's some recycled hot rolled steel, probably A36 - but really any will do. I milled the edges square because I like the clean edges, but it wouldn't be strictly necessary.

[@theeddies]

@@CraigsWorkshop Cool. The squared edges definitely look cleaner.

[@CraigsWorkshop]

@@theeddies I had to do something to distract from the weld beads :-)

[@johnstrange6799]

Great project. I need to make one myself at some point.

[@CraigsWorkshop]

Thanks John. I had made a really crappy one out of a pallet breaker which worked ok, but this one is great. I can give you some loose dimensions if it's helpful.

[@johnstrange6799]

@@CraigsWorkshop When the time comes I just might ask for those dimensions. (Thanks). You really nailed the fit between the handle and the business end. Turned out perfect. My mill is tiny (until I upgrade at some point.. hopefully), but it still kind of sucked moving it across the room recently with a little 60cm crow bar lol. It would be absolutely nothing to move with a bar like yours.

[@CraigsWorkshop]

@@johnstrange6799 Cheers John - kind words. The welding helps close up some of the gaps! PS: I wouldn't use a holesaw next time, they move around too much on the arbor, squeal a lot, and are hard work for the little mill to turn - I'd probably use a boring bar if I did another one. Cheers.

[@johnstrange6799]

:)

[@johnstrange6799]

@@CraigsWorkshop Craig, I saw that you left a comment on my video, but it's not showing up for some reason, so I can neither read all of it, nor respond. But still, thank you for popping over. I appreciate it :)

[@nhengineer1943]

Some folks call that a 'J' bar.

[@CraigsWorkshop]

Yes. I'd read about J bars, or more fully: Johnson bars. They tend to be made with a wide hardwood plank (e.g. 6" X 1" red oak) as the lever. Otherwise very similar at the business end. Thanks for the comment David. Cheers, CraIg