Arcade Cabinet Moving Tips, Tricks?

[djsheep]

I've been largely AFK/away from the forums for a few weeks, going through a massive unexpected house move. I've had years of experience packing and moving vinyl records so while it's a chore, it ain't no thing but a back breaker. Moving consoles and other belongings are easy enough using basic logic.

However, where I REALLY got caught out is with these:

We figured it out in the end (thanks @xb74 for organising the help), but it was a struggle for us all as we haven't done this kinda thing before.

Originally we were planning to lift them onto the tray of a ute, but at the last minute I rented a truck with a hydraulic lifting tray, which was a wise decision in hindsight.

The major issue is that I had to come down a small flight of 4 stairs, and that proved troublesome given the shape of the back of the Astro City 2 and Blast City in particular where we couldn't use a trolley and its wheels to lessen the blow coming down the stairs.

The Naomi cab is an absolutely weird shaped piece of work and was the most difficult of them all to move.

Anyhows, I'm asking you all to post any tips of essential equipment to move cabs, or any advice when moving them down stairs, etc.

I probably shoulda asked before the move, but they're all in their new home now and waiting to be set up properly for play . On the ground level too, I'll never rent another place with stairs as long as I have cabs

 

[Hammy]

I always remove monitors before any big movement, sometimes going further removing transformers / power supplies / control panels to get the weight down.

 

[nem]

I also remove the monitor many times. Most cabs are very top heavy due to it and can make handling it unwieldy.

Handtrucks are great. Just remember to strap it in. I learned that the hard way when I wrecked my first ever candy when it slid off the handtruck midway up a flight of stairs.

 

[twistedsymphony]

If you own more than a few cabs it's worth owning a vending machine dolly to move them.

It might look similar to an "appliance" dolly but it's much larger and more rugged. they can usually support 1200lbs and the handles are tall enough that they poke over the top of a full-sized wood cab when it's strapped down. New these things cost about a grand but you can usually find a used one for a few hundred bucks.

These have a ratchet strap to strap down the cab then some support wheels that you can deploy so you can tilt the machine back on flat ground and push it around easily. it's also got rollers to make sliding up and down ledges smoother.

it still sucks moving over stairs and this thing adds 80lbs to the load, but when you consider a cab strapped to this now has two large metal grab handles on the top for two people to easily grab and pull, it makes a huge difference.

Candy cabs are often easiest strapped on their side, and I usually recommend 2-ply carboard on any surface that touches the dolly or strap to help keep damage away.

I rarely remove monitors but I do try to remove as much easily removable things as possible (doors buckets, marquee plastics, etc.) also make sure NOTHING in the cab is lose and flopping around.

my only other advice is to always have 1 more person than you think you'll need

 

[hsw61256]

Automatic upstairs trolley from China，The maximum load is 250kg.It's still remotely controlled.

 

[gigasturtz]

Took a cab to a local arcade expo over the weekend. Threw in with a couple of friends to rent a truck, we had 7 cabinets in total. Between that experience, soon to be picking multiple cabinets that I’ve been waiting for, and knowing that I’m going to want to take stuff to the expo in the future I’m seriously looking at some of these options.

At the expo I saw a lot of the pinball people using fancier hand trucks that I learned have mechanisms for climbing stairs. They apparently also can be optionally set up with a forklift, which makes loading and unloading potentially easier. I’m curious if anyone has tried using this type for moving candies in the past…

Here’s a specific one I saw a couple people using:
https://www.flipnoutpinball.com/escalera-stairclimbers

They are def pricey but probably worth it if they work well and I’m going to be moving cabs around a bit…

 

[twistedsymphony]

if you're doing a lot of moving, especially if you're making money doing so makes a tool like this is well worth it... $3K for a hand truck is a hard pill to swallow for the occasional move by a hobbyist though.

 

[lastspaceship]

Guess it’s good you could get them all through the doors without strip down. I’ve moved 2 Nac’s now up 3 flights, first solo, defo was better with a friend but had to fully take them apart. The taillift looks like it saved you a lot of pain! You can now ruin your back shifting all the records

 

[jassin000]

I remove the monitor, control panel and coin box (make it as light as possible).
Shrink wrap the cab (to protect against scratches).
Always use a buddy/at least one other person (can lose control of a cab on a dolly easily) even if its just a girlfriend that can't help physically but warn at the first sign of trouble.

This was from my move in December, L-AMI taken before shrink wrapping (Capcom is wrapped next to it, but you can only see the foot in this shot)...

 

[Mrhide]

LOL ! I wouldn't even remove anything from a Vewlix since they are so lightweight. Isn't that why you banned CRT jassin000!?

I have moved downstairs a LOT of machines in the last 2 years ... including the 300kg Route 66 and 410kg Steel talons and the routine is :

• Bring the game from the trailer to the outside shed.
• Remove as many parts as possible but the always remove the CRTs.
• take them down one piece at a time
• Bring down the empty cab with a (best) buddy (now my son can do it!)
• rebuild the whole thing while cleaning each part
• enjoy.

I dreed the day I would have to move fast! There is *no way* it could be done in a day !

 

[jassin000]

Isn't that why you banned CRT jassin000!?

I'd say it was a contributing factor (the weight/size) but what really did it for me was the imperfections of CRTs in general.
I am by nature a perfectionist, when I look at a CRT today all I see is bad geometry/convergence, bad pincushions/focus, tube burn-in...

I couldn't sleep at night obsessing over it! "When can I make time this weekend to pull the tube AGAIN to try and fix X that I just noticed"
It was insanity inducing for me, I wasn't even enjoying playing with my Blast City, I don't know how you guys live with it.

I can't enjoy a game if the screen isn't 100% flawless.

I wouldn't even remove anything from a Vewlix since they are so lightweight

You say that... But I've lugged mine up and down stairs solo before, nothing about it feels light weight.
Even when you have it on a dolly pushing it up, if its just you its a bitch.