Shelagh V Roberts wrote:
wrote in message
ups.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.

{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


when eventually you get the cover up, clean the grooves, wet them a
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!