This is topic The heaviest thing you ever had to pack up or down to the booth in forum Film Handlers' Forum at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.
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Posted by Ken Layton (Member # 133) on 11-28-1999, 01:00 AM:
The heaviest thing I did (with lots of help) was the cast iron Simplex XL pedestals. You know the ones that are 1 inch thick cast iron.Ever try moving a Cinemeccanica Tower by yourself? Instant Workman's comp!
Posted by Scott Ribbens (Member # 180) on 11-28-1999, 01:18 AM:
Norelco AAII (with both top and bottom motors).
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Scott
Posted by Aaron Sisemore (Member # 145) on 11-28-1999, 03:14 AM:
Do three Strong Highlight consoles (without the switching [read lightweight] power supplies) count? (with help of course hehe 
I have also been involved in the moving of a Norelco AAII down a flight of MARBLE steps (being oh, so careful not to damage either the AA or the marble)
Removing old motor-generators down from a booth can be daunting as well...
Aaron
Posted by Jim Ziegler (Member # 86) on 11-28-1999, 03:39 AM:
Gee... All three of my booths have elevator access... Gotta love new theatres..
Posted by Michael Cunningham (Member # 210) on 11-28-1999, 04:18 AM:
Geeze, you guys all have me beat by a long shot. The heaviest thing I ever had to carry up to the booth was a replacement rectifier(about 70lbs.).-Mike
Posted by Gordon McLeod (Member # 33) on 11-28-1999, 03:23 PM:
Heaviest Items
Motiograph Universal bases,
Irem 7Kw rectifier
Simplex cast base
Altec A4's
Imax reel unit
Posted by George Roher (Member # 91) on 11-28-1999, 10:20 PM:
The heaviest thing for me was a pair of Century pedestals. But they didn't have to go down any stairs as the booth was on ground level, and I had help. So it wound up not being nearly as bad as some large movies I've had to haul around.
Posted by Jason Burroughs (Member # 68) on 11-29-1999, 02:17 AM:
I wasn't involved with moving these but was at the theatre when they had to haul 14 complete consoles and tri-amped soundracks up about 4 flights of stairs. Nothing like seeing big burly professional movers having problems with that one.
Posted by Joe Redifer (Member # 3) on 11-29-1999, 04:17 AM:
How about the screen to the video wall, which was roughly 5 feet wide or so. I didn't have to do that by myself (there would be no way in the world). It was very large and I'm surprised we got it through some doorways and around corners.
Posted by Rob Boynton (Member # 220) on 11-29-1999, 06:44 AM:
When We went to move the projector into the last theatre I was at we found out that they wouldn't fit up the stairs. We cut a big hole in the outside wall and used a forklift. Ok, not heavy but amusing none the less
Posted by Ian Price (Member # 14) on 11-29-1999, 01:03 PM:
Hey Joe!That screen was 8 feet wide. It took four of us to carry it up an auditorium. I have since learned to order the standard frame. It is half the wieght.
The heaviest thing I have helped carry recently was a handycap lift. It weighted at least 600 lbs. UA was pulling it out of a closed Showscan Theatre.
Posted by Randy Stankey (Member # 64) on 11-29-1999, 03:20 PM:
The heaviest THING I've carried is the Simplex Proj, base & lamphouse.... Up to the booth at M.H. College. That's not TOO bad.However, I was working for the construction phase of Tinseltown 17...
I helped unload 2 Semi-trailers full of speakers on my first day of work, then unloaded 4 semis full of auditorium seats (About 3500) on my first week. The second week was all of the popcorn poppers and the third week, we unloaded all of the projectors. At least we had furniture dollies...
I helped build a log cabin style house and it was less work. Lemme' tell ya'... I was in PAIN for a month! But I've never enjoyed working so hard in my life.
Posted by Joe Redifer (Member # 3) on 11-29-1999, 03:40 PM:
Actually we had to move a whole bunch of Christie projector/lamphouse combo's out of the booth at a UA that was closing. We wheeled them out but I think that they each weighed more total than the 8 foot video wall screen.
Posted by Ken Layton (Member # 133) on 11-30-1999, 12:35 AM:
There was a time the boss wanted to remove the 6 foot high candy bar vending machine from the lobby. He told us to take it up to the booth. That thing was fully loaded with candy and we had 5 people trying to get it up the long flight of stairs to the booth from the outside of the building. Needless to say, the strap broke on the hand truck and it came sliding back at us (I was one of 3 guys on the bottom, there were 2 guys pulling at the top). Boy did we move fast! I almost got smashed big time. The candy machine was totaled. Never did make to the booth.
Posted by Ian Price (Member # 14) on 11-30-1999, 01:05 PM:
Joe, don't forget that we moved the Christie projection equipment out in the middle of the night and in secret so the mall wouldn't know. That was a joke, we practicaly had the security guards holding the doors for us. I didn't appriciate going home for two days in the morning rush hour.
Posted by Aaron Mehocic (Member # 15) on 11-30-1999, 03:25 PM:
About six years ago, me and another kid in high school had to get a xetron recifier upstairs. It wasn't too bad. Mostly I complain about long films that come in three or more cans.
Posted by Wallace Logan (Member # 225) on 11-30-1999, 07:07 PM:
The heaviest thing I had to lift was all
ready in the booth, it was a three screen
booth it had vic 8 projectors with a
cinimacanica automation pins, with autoreavers man it was noisy the place was
40 years old.
When I stared the reavers quit working so
we had to rewind by table then lift it back
up to the magazine these reels held 12000 feet.The shaft is a foot over my head. I put a Disney print on one reel man that was heavy. ------------------
Posted by Joe Redifer (Member # 3) on 11-30-1999, 09:17 PM:
Oh yeah, I almost forgot! During a very brief stint at the $1 Theatres, I had to help move the sattelite concession stand up the stairs. They had redecorated the place and didn't ant 2 stands.
Posted by Rick Long (Member # 213) on 12-01-1999, 05:56 PM:
Belleville, Ontario new (at the time) installation - four-plex.
Only entrance to the booth available (during installation) was up an outside steel fire escape with a 90-degree turn at the top. Naturally, it was raining when we delivered the equipment which made for a somewhat slippery trip.
The Cinemeccanica projectors and lamp-houses were separately boxed in parts and weren't too bad, the Kneisley rectifiers caused a few groans, but the real ball-busters were the main post assembies of the O.R.C. CP-302E platters.
Ocassionally when I run into one of the projectionists (now working at another theatre), he reminds me of the time I caused him to get a hernia. It has cost me a few lunches now and then.