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Loading rolls by meyself becoming an issue, looking for inexpensive solution

LeiftheLucky

New Member
We have an old HP DesignjetL26500 and a new HP SCitex Fb700 and when loading new rolls I always imagine dropping them and either breaking something on the spindle or myself. This is a legitimate worry as someone that used to work here completely shattered her big toe while loading the the 26500 with a roll of vinyl. Now I don't want to sound like a girly man but those thing are freakin heavy and its just awkward to have to bend down and insert them when you cant see what your looking at. Accident waiting to happen (Again). The FB700 is a whole different ballgame as we now have 96 " rolls which are pretty much physically impossible to load by myself so I am trying to do my research to pitch to the boss a good solution to make my life easier without having to continuously ask for manual labor from coworkers (I can literally feel their eyes roll). I've looked into lifts and they are all upwards of a grand and I think that might be more than we want to spend and more than we need honestly. The best thing Ive found is this thing for $500 (see below) which seems like it might do the trick as we don't have much room to load the FB700 either but its not ideal. Was curious what you guys think, I'm sure I'm not the only one who's had this problem.


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Gino

Premium Subscriber
Either ask the boss for a spotter or someone to assist when putting on and taking off rolls of media.
 

eahicks

Magna Cum Laude - School of Hard Knocks
I hear ya....I am having shoulder and neck issues, probably due to this. But I can't see using any device like this, simply because I have to change rolls out so often. The WORST is the 61" x 150 yard 13 oz banner roll...YIKES. THAT needs 2 people till at least 3/4 through the roll.
 
1500 is an expensive option, i would rig a pulley system of some sort from the ceiling, you may be able to find some kind of bike, ladder rack/pulley system out of the garage tech type stuff to modify to work
 

MikePro

New Member
+1 to "hey, can you help me with this?"

I can load full sheets of up to 1/4" aluminum onto the router table by myself, but when I have the opportunity to ask for help... I do.
 

phototec

New Member
I think the BEST material lift is the Pantoon DIGI CI Easy transporter, but $4k (made in Switzerland) is out of the ballpark, so the Vestil Portable Hand Winch Lifter from Northern Tool at $439 is the best value. It will lift 330lbs and has a raised height of 43-1/2" (plenty for my printer). I don't mind that the front wheels don't swivel, but if that is an issue you could get a pair of swivel caster and have a bracket welded to the front legs and change out the fixed casters.

I also like that it comes with forks and a flat tray, which I would modify adding a stop to keep a roll of banner material from rolling off (like the Easy transporter).

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/to...i_sku=856672&gclid=CLKl55bch8gCFQGqaQoddbkCKg
 

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2B

Active Member
this is a great idea and would add a definite safety aspect to the ordeal.

there are a couple of questions I'm having
  • Access Room - it appears that regardless of the list type you are needed plenty of access room, more so with rear loading machines.
  • Media Storage - how are these media rolls being stored? most of these rolls are being stored on their ends, so you are still having to lift and manually move the rolls of media.
  • Weight - for those that use lifts, how much weight is need to justify the use of a lift versus the lift being cumbersome?
 
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