Moving a colossus lava lamp

[T Saviiille]

I need to move a colossus lava map on my own.
You'd be wasting your time to suggest getting help from one or more people.

Which means...loading it into a pickup truck bed, traveling
on...for the most part...open highway to 2-3 hrs...and unloading it.

If anyone has any helpful ideas for a single person move...let me know.

I intend to build a cradle...out of wood....with plenty of sufficient padding.....
loading it into the cradle..and strapping it down with strap clamps......
And then sliding it into the back of my truck...and hopefully putting it on an angle
so that its not laying horizontal. I do not have a truck crane...and won't be getting one.

I have another colossus on site to help in designing and building
all of this.


BACKGROUND:
At one point i had 3(1 used...2 new) colossus lamps...all working....but they took up to much space.
So i gave one to my brothers who collects lava lamps...and let him keep the other one
until i wanted it back.

[Rototype]

One idea that springs to mind - could you syphon off the master fluid and transport that separately? This would have the effect of reducing the weight considerably making it far easier to physically handle (I'm expecting someone to say this isn't a good idea but I would like to hear the reasons). I have seen on the 'Flowlava.com' site some manufacturers instructions for setting up a giant lamp for a show and that involved transporting it 'empty' and filling it slowly when it got to it's final position, the appareatus shown seems to be a funnel and a length of flexible hose to direct the fluid down the side of the glass (presumably so it doesn't hit the wax too hard and upset it).

Other than that I assume you have some sort of mechanical lifting aid such as a sack truck for once it's crated up. I would take the precaution of anticipating the worst and planing contingencies just in case, such as strapping the lamp down in the pickup bed, strapping it to the sack truck (or other conveyance) while it's en-route between it's current location and the pick-up and from the pick-up to the lamp's new home. My reasons for saying this are that a few years ago I needed to shift a metal lathe I'd bought. Didn't say in the listing that it was on the top floor of an old Mill building (4 floors up) that had since been converted into a Gym, and the space the lathe was in was about 4 feet wide and panelled off from the rest of the space (the reason for the sale, the Gym owners wanted the rest of the space), and that the only realistic exit was the fire escape... I didn't manage to get that strapped down properly and at the bottom it rolled off the sled and smashed one of the gearbox levers off - I consider I got off relatively lightly on that occasion, I suspect a Colossus may not be quite so forgiving.

Also, possibly try to cover the metal parts (and the glass) with cling-film (I believe in USA you call it Saran wrap?) - this might stop scratches and cushion the blows to protect it from knocks and dents. Bubble wrap and cardboard over the top for extra protection - you can never be too carefull. The Saran wrap may also aid grip to stop it slipping. (and if it's raining make sure you dry it off thoroughly with paper towells before any heavy lifting). These may sould like simple, "any idiot knows that" steps but you'd be surprised how many people ignore them.

Tim

(Hereford, UK)

[Claude J]

I manhandled mine (@120lbs it is probably why I got a hernia) into the back seat and used packing shrink wrap to secure it to the rear bucket seat