Lifting: Back Preservation

Yeah, stone is heavy. Alabaster weighs 160 pounds per cubic foot and marble 170 pounds.  Brute strength lifting is not wise: thought and cleverness rules here.  Think of the ingenuity of the Egyptians or Mayans of erecting tall stone monuments.

1. Never lose gravity.  If your stone is already off the ground, work vertically. That is use a board and rollers to get it to its destination. Do not lower it to the ground and have to pick it up again.

2. A stone can be walked on its corners. A 200 pounder can effectively become 60 pounds. Three steel pipes of 1.5” diameter can roll a very large block: two under and the third to replace the one coming off the back as it rolls. A pebble placed under a stone makes it easy to rotate.

3. An engine hoist is a relatively inexpensive lifting and moving devise. Wood planks might have to be placed under the small wheels to move it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

See this fun video where a guy moves giant stones via primitive methods: