I think you are right, I should just build a ramp, which will still let
me save my back and for sure not put any stress on my trusses. Thanks
for bringing me back to reality.


Harry K wrote:
satellite_chris wrote:
I have to unload four 50L kegs in two weeks in a single session which
is rough on the back. It has nothing to do with being too weak, it is
a matter of being cautious about the situation. I herniated a disc in
my back last year after the same party which I assume was directly
related to the lifting and lowering of four kegs from the pickup bed
and then the lifting up and over the hieght of chest freezer and then
lowering down. One false move with your back or legs and you can open
yourself up to serious injury with even less than 160lbs no matter how
strong you are.

Normally I have one or two kegs to unload at a time with a month or two
inbetween, but once a year I have four and for that day I would rather
make it as pain free as possible. I already have the chain hoist for
something I rigged up in the basement to raise them up above the height
of the kegerator (chest freezer conversion) and then roll the freezer
underneath and lower. I figured I might as well leaverage what I have
to make the operation as painless as possible. I could do something
with a ramp but if the trussess are strong enough to handle the
downward load, then I would like to take an approach that seems to
guarantee no injury to me or the precious nectar inside the keg. Plus
I like fooling with stuff and thought it is just a cool thing to have
if it is safe on the home.



Okay, I can buy that but I still think the chain hoist is way
overboard. I would get a lot more fun out of rigging a few pulleys
than using one of those as heavy and slow as they are. I can see
needing a hoist to raise the kegs -up- but a ramp would be plenty for
bringing them -down-.

No, I wouldn't make a practice of regularly lifting 160 pounds (don't
know if I still could anyhow). I was loading/unloading full 55 gal
fuel drums from farm trucks back when I was young and stupid using
nothing but a ramp. No lifting involved except for uprighting the drum
when it was in place.

Harry K