Block paving manhole cover - lifting
Shelagh V Roberts
I need to lift the block paved manhole cover for the first time.
(1) It is nicely bedded in sand, just like the block paving.
(2) It looks remarkably heavy anyway.
Thjere are two plasitc lift up handles, which have circular holes in them
which look as thought you could put a circular bar through both, or attach
some kind of lifter.
I have Googled manhole cover lifters, which seem to be at least £38 a day to
hire.
Is there a simple, cheap, non-backsmashing way to lift these beasts?
TIA
Dave R
[Who would be in deep sh*t if he could just lift the da*n cover]
The3rd Earl Of Derby
Well if the Egyptians can build pyramids raising a manhole cover shouldn't
pose a problem.
As the gay bloke said to his mate whilst driving along the road...
lets stop here.
Why said his friend?
The sign says raised manhole ahead. ;-)
--
Sir Benjamin Middlethwaite
Stuart Noble
I reckon they take about a bag of sand to fill so it probably weighs 25
kgs max. The holes are for your index finger! Anything else is likely to
break the plastic. If it's tight, try washing up liquid down the cracks
and give each handle a tug. IIRC there should be enough clearance in the
fit to lift one end at a time.
daddy...@gmail.com
Shelagh V Roberts wrote:
> Hi,
>
> I need to lift the block paved manhole cover for the first time.
>
> (1) It is nicely bedded in sand, just like the block paving.
>
> (2) It looks remarkably heavy anyway.
>
> Thjere are two plasitc lift up handles, which have circular holes in them
> which look as thought you could put a circular bar through both, or attach
> some kind of lifter.
>
> I have Googled manhole cover lifters, which seem to be at least £38 a day to
> hire.
>
> Is there a simple, cheap, non-backsmashing way to lift these beasts?
>
> TIA
>
> Dave R
I had the same problem. The manhole cover isn't that heavy but the sand
down the gaps holds it in like the blocks, as you say. There was 2 of
us. Got a hacksaw blade and tried to shift as much sand as possible
from the gaps then stuck some thick string on each handle and jigged
each side. Think we even used a rubber mallet to help. Once you've got
a small amount of movement, you're there.
Shelagh V Roberts
<daddy...@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1142262694....@j33g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
{OE isn't putting in the '>' for some reason)
This seems to be in VERY tight.
No jiggle, minute gap - I can just get a thin bladed knife down.
I now have an engine hoist with an iron bar across inside loops (to make
sure the lift is vertical at each key) - it is only a relatively thin iron
bar, about 12mm, but it is bending and there is no sign of the manhole cover
moving.
I am whacking the top around the edges with the but end of a pickaxe to try
and shake it loose but it doesn't seem to want to shift.
I have already managed to break one key on one manhole cover, which I guess
means taking all the blocks out and putting them in a new cover, meanwhile
using something more brutal to remove the original one.
I will try more cleaning around, and the wshing up liquid, but suggestions
of 'thick string and jiggle it' don't at the moment seem to apply to my
situation.
Cheers
Dave R
Owain
> Shelagh V Roberts wrote:
>>I need to lift the block paved manhole cover for the first time.
>>[Who would be in deep sh*t if he could just lift the da*n cover]
> Well if the Egyptians can build pyramids raising a manhole cover shouldn't
> pose a problem.
If Dave (or Shelagh) had a few hundred slaves I daresay raising a
manhole cover wouldn't pose a problem.
I wonder if the OP knows someone in the garage trade who could lift the
cover with an engine hoist.
Owain
Harry Bloomfield
> Hi,
>
> I need to lift the block paved manhole cover for the first time.
>
> (1) It is nicely bedded in sand, just like the block paving.
>
> (2) It looks remarkably heavy anyway.
>
> Thjere are two plasitc lift up handles, which have circular holes in them
> which look as thought you could put a circular bar through both, or attach
> some kind of lifter.
>
> I have Googled manhole cover lifters, which seem to be at least £38 a day to
> hire.
>
> Is there a simple, cheap, non-backsmashing way to lift these beasts?
Not really...
Three scaffold poles fixed at the top to support a pulley?
Two men and the use of a car jack under a pole through the 2x handles?
Two poles using a pile of bricks as a fulcrum?
--
Regards,
Harry (M1BYT) (L)
http://www.ukradioamateur.co.uk
daddy...@gmail.com
Apart from taking out all the blocks and whacking the crap out of it
you really need to get out as much sand as possible even if it is only
a blade thick gap and tedious work. Try WD-40 rather than washing up
liquid down the gap. The lifting tabs on mine were also close to
breaking, they're a shite design.
Good Luck.
Chris Bacon
>>of 'thick string and jiggle it' don't at the moment seem to apply to my
>>situation.
> Apart from taking out all the blocks and whacking the crap out of it
> you really need to get out as much sand as possible even if it is only
> a blade thick gap and tedious work.
Give it a blast with the nozzle of a pressure washer close
to the gap?
Gav
little with water put cover on base and apply a very small bead of
silicone(black or brown, not white!), the water will make it so
itdoesn't stck too fast and the silicone will act as a gasket to stop
crap getting in the groove again, works well on mine!
Stephen Dawson
"Stuart Noble" <stuart_no...@ntlworld.com> wrote in message
news:hGfRf.762$aA6...@newsfe7-win.ntli.net...
You've not lifted many of these havey??
To the OP, try a company caled Mills - www.mills.co.uk
for a pit lifter or hire it. They are heavy and the ones we used to lift
daily were bloody awkward.
Regards
Steve
daddy...@gmail.com
Yeah, a pepper mill should sort it. ;-)
Lobster
> Shelagh V Roberts wrote:
>>
>>
>> (1) It is nicely bedded in sand, just like the block paving.
>>
>> (2) It looks remarkably heavy anyway.
>>
>> Thjere are two plasitc lift up handles, which have circular holes
>> in them which look as thought you could put a circular bar through
>> both, or attach some kind of lifter.
> I reckon they take about a bag of sand to fill so it probably weighs
> 25 kgs max. The holes are for your index finger! Anything else is
> likely to break the plastic.
Not so, we had our drive block-paved a couple of months ago, and the
bloke left us with two plastic T-shaped gadgets (IIRC - I've already
mislaid them!) with which to lift the manhole cover, if and when
required. So maybe worth enquiring at your local manhole stockist as to
whether they have any of these? Would still require the manual lifting
of course, but at least it would present you with two decent handles
(for two people).
Also - in desparation, how about just lifting the blocks out of the
frame prior to lifting it? Laying them again isn't rocket science, and
you could number the blocks with chalk and/or take a digital photo first.
David
David
Phil L
Two tent pegs, the kind that are around 5mm round steel and a foot
long...bend them double half way down the shaft to make a handle, either
stand over it and use both hands or get someone to give you a lift, total
cost 49p.
HTH
Shelagh V Roberts
"Shelagh V Roberts" <nos...@talk21.com> wrote in message
news:V4SdnfOtV8f...@pipex.net...
Well, I have finally discovered how to shift them.
Clear as much sand as possible from inside the groove, then clear some more
from outside the plastic frame so it will flex, then get some hefty
screwdrivers down the edges to lever up. This movement coupled with the
hoist gets everything out eventually.
I even managed to get the cover with one broken lifter out, by putting the
hoist on the other lifter then levering like mad at the end with the broken
lifter so both ends started to rise. Once the cover had come up a bit then
the 'good' end was able to lift clear, and I could hault the whole thing
sideways and slide it along the drive. Managed to break the 'good' lifter
though.
After a mamoth rodding session (with lots of "I don't remember eating that")
the drains are now clear again.
I bought myself some new plastic drain rods which I think was a wise
investment as my old bamboo ones are well past their "use by" date.
I now, however, have a manhole cover with broken lifters.
If I put it straight back, then I will probably never get it out again.
Fortunately the plastic lifters are held in with a couple of hex screws so
it looks like I can unscrew them, lift them out, and replace them without
having to take the blocks out.
[We shall see......]
All I need now is a supplier for replacement lifters.
Something to look forward to tomorrow.
Thanks for all the helpful advice.
Cheers
Dave R
[Using Shelagh's PC as mine is at our other house :-) ]
Shelagh V Roberts
<snip>
> I now, however, have a manhole cover with broken lifters.
> If I put it straight back, then I will probably never get it out again.
> Fortunately the plastic lifters are held in with a couple of hex screws so
> it looks like I can unscrew them, lift them out, and replace them without
> having to take the blocks out.
> [We shall see......]
> All I need now is a supplier for replacement lifters.
> Something to look forward to tomorrow.
"Not held as a stock item"
Talked to the suppliers http://www.clark-drain.com and they do supply
spares.
I now have to wait to see how long they will take to arrive.
Moral - get the drain covers with the steel key holes in the corners.
You may have to pay extra for the key but it is less likely to break if you
have trouble getting the cover out.
Someone suggested that they are light and easy to shift - not unlesss you
are a gorilla.
The old cast iron ones were much easier to handle.
Cheers
Dave R
Stephen Dawson
<daddy...@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1142276203.2...@p10g2000cwp.googlegroups.com...
oops should have been www.millsltd.com
sorry
Owain
> The old cast iron ones were much easier to handle.
But more likely to get stolen for scrap.
Owain
Stuart Noble
> Someone suggested that they are light and easy to shift - not unlesss you
> are a gorilla.
>
I can't see that they weigh more than 25 kgs, otherwise anyone who had
cause to lift it in the course of their job wouldn't be allowed to do so.
Lobster
Well firstly they'd only weigh that much (if they do) when filled with
blocks and sand, so the installer would never actually need to lift it
like that; and secondly, many people in many jobs need to shift things
which weight more than 25 kg! The answer is to have Special Handling
Equipment...
David
Stuart Noble
I don't think lifting 25 kgs is an issue at all. I moved mine umpteen
times after installation because I had making good inside to do and
didn't want the cat down there
Sidpickle
the T bar handles for the full length, sticking out each end by about
100mm. Strap them together with a couple of cable ties Wood must be 20mm
thick for strength. If you can get 20mm box section steel so much the
better. Get garden spade under one end of the two bits, resting it on
another piece of wood to provide a fulcrum and lever the spade so that the
cover rises by about 20mm. Now put a piece of wood under the two strips
that stick out to act as a packing piece. Remove the spade and go to the
other end and do the same. Carry on lifting and packing about 20mm a time
at each end until the cover is clear of the ground. Needless to say the
fulcrum will have to get bigger on each lift. If you are really keen,
also buy some appliance movers that you can put under fridges and washing
machines. These are not too expensive and can be placed under the two
strips of wood/metal supporting the cover once it has been lifted and the
cover lowered onto them so that it can be slid away from the opening.
Some packing will be required between the appliance movers and the strips
supporting the cover. Replacing the cover is the same process of lifting
and lowering at each end by about 20mm increments.
Keep finger clear at all times.
If the cover is stuck before you start, lift one of the T bars and slip a
garden fork underneath. Rest the fork on a fulcrum (bit of wood or brick)
and lever down to break the seal. Do the same the other end. Have a good
clean up around the cover before you start.
--
David
--
Windows 8.1 on PCSpecialist box