Three questions: Moving games into a new Shop!

Steverd

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Hey guys, I haven't posted in a long time. But I am thinking about moving my
arcade out of my basement into my 24'x30' shop. It's insulated and heated and cooled. I stopped collecting because I was out of room in my basement.

Here's my questions:

1.How many normal sizes games can you fit into a 24x30' space with walking room?

2. My shop has rough concrete floors. What are some easy ways to slide arcade machines around on that? Right now my basement has carpet and I use furniture sliders. Pretty sure they won't work good on rough concrete.

3. How much would my back hurt moving about 25 arcade and pinball machines out of my basement?? It is straight up with about 15 steps.. I always just slide them down into the basement. Gravity did most of the work!

I am seriously looking at hiring some professional movers off of CL, But not sure if anyone would be interested in moving that many machines up steps?

Thoughts please!?!
Steve
 
Don't do it all at once unless you are still pretty young. Lanky Kong and I picked up a dozen games at the last auction and moved them all into basements that evening and for the next 3 days I felt like someone had beat me up.

I tend to use a dolly to shuffle my games around instead of sliding them.

I would say you could fit roughly 60 games in there, depending on the location of the doors (2 rows of 15, 2 rows of 14 with 2 extras against the back wall between the rows).
 
Noticed you have a bunch of pins too. That will change the layout a bit since they need more depth.
 
Yes, I have about a dozen pinball machines right now.

Here's a photo from a few years ago, while we were building our shop.
I wish I could find my photo from inside when it was finished, it looked
huge from the inside. Over 700 sq ft. Which was bigger than my first house.

shop1.jpg

steve
 
I wanted to answer this as these were the exact dimensions and description of my old (and sorely missed) shop. How I miss those 4' high outlets.

Here's my questions:

1.How many normal sizes games can you fit into a 24x30' space with walking room? I had 25 or so video games and three pins in that space. Had some space left over for a couch and work bench and dolly room for games.

2. My shop has rough concrete floors. What are some easy ways to slide arcade machines around on that? Right now my basement has carpet and I use furniture sliders. Pretty sure they won't work good on rough concrete. Get a dolly - not the hand truck kind - a furniture dolly (flat, four wheels, carpeted boards) for your heavier games or any shorter games you can leave on the dollies...forget sliders on brushed concrete. You need to move them carefully, never slide them on the metal feet, and get used to their positions in the room because dragging them destroys the feet.

3. How much would my back hurt moving about 25 arcade and pinball machines out of my basement?? It is straight up with about 15 steps.. I always just slide them down into the basement. Gravity did most of the work! Dolly with stair climbers. And pain. Get help from someone your age or younger or your elders will refuse to listen to you and either break your games, injure you, or kill themselves.

I am seriously looking at hiring some professional movers off of CL, But not sure if anyone would be interested in moving that many machines up steps? Pro movers will move anything for a price, but the more work, the more price.

You never mentioned your age? When I had my shop I was in my early 30's and now I am 45. I would have hauled those suckers up the steps myself back then but now, not so much. Might still try but would give in to my wife's admonition after a day or so.
 
Thanks Droler, I forgot to mention I'm getting close to 50.
God that's hard to believe, time FLYssss. In my younger days I would just do it myself.
BUT as I get older, the more I like to hire other/younger people to do the heavy work!!! Arghhhh..

Steve
 
You can use Google sketchup to help figure out a good layout for your shop. And yeah, get some younger help to get those games out. 2 guys on the bottom pushing. I use my aluminum dolly with a long chain around the handles for the top guy(s); that way you're not bending over breaking your back. You can actually stay standing almost straight up and just hang onto the chain and pull while the lower guys push.
 
I wouldn't attempt to move cabs up 15 steps alone, too much that can go wrong. On the other hand, you might be able to rent a stair climbing dolly for a day, which would at least save your back.
 
I use my aluminum dolly with a long chain around the handles for the top guy(s); that way you're not bending over breaking your back. You can actually stay standing almost straight up and just hang onto the chain and pull while the lower guys push.

Where the hell was this tip about 2 and a half weeks ago? I could of used that tip when helping my brother move. Needless to say I am now buying a chain later today. This should save my back in the future.

As far as moving games up and out, I'm 28 and I wouldn't attempt that alone. Not that I'm weak by any means, but you just risk too much, scratching the sides of the games, tearing up the walls. Even losing your grip and having the game go straight back down the stairs. It's just easier for me to buy lunch for my buddies for having them help.

I've never heard of a stair climbing dolly but hell even that sounds better then some furniture dolly.
 
Where the hell was this tip about 2 and a half weeks ago? I could of used that tip when helping my brother move. Needless to say I am now buying a chain later today. This should save my back in the future.

As far as moving games up and out, I'm 28 and I wouldn't attempt that alone. Not that I'm weak by any means, but you just risk too much, scratching the sides of the games, tearing up the walls. Even losing your grip and having the game go straight back down the stairs. It's just easier for me to buy lunch for my buddies for having them help.

I've never heard of a stair climbing dolly but hell even that sounds better then some furniture dolly.

Yeah the first few games I moved around about 15 years ago made me think there has to be an easier safer way to move them and not hurt your back. ALWAYS get help, too. The chain really works; you can stand straight up and get a good grip. I'm old and weak so it works well for me. Never once hurt my back.
 
You can use Google sketchup to help figure out a good layout for your shop. .

Oh Crap... I don't have a clue how to use Sketch Up. I tried it once and then deleted it.... ANYONE bored and good at it: 24x30' 12 pinball, the rest arcade machines and sitting area.

I'll have you over at my next party!!!!
steve
 
I just saw an ad on CL for someone called: All Muscle Moving - No wimps here..
hehehehe, made me laugh, I think I will call them on Monday and just see what kind of muscle they are made off.
See if they have enough muscle to move twent five 300lb games up my basements stairs... I'll let you know what happens.
 
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