How did you move/unload your soapstone stove?

Hey brogsie, I'm betting if you went to Woodstock today you would see basically the same stove. The stone is one of the last things. I think it even goes for EPA testing w/o the stone but not sure about this. I know they are having some problems with some suppliers, like the cast parts.

I'm surprised that I've never seen my method mentioned on this site.
I borrowed a motorcycle lift. The type that rolls under and lifts the frame via a small hydraulic cylinder.
Jack it up, roll it around, set it in place. No lifting off dolly and risk breaking a leg. (stove that is)

http://www.harborfreight.com/1500-lb-capacity-atv-motorcycle-lift-2792.html

My Keystone was loaded on my Nissan 2x4 truck from the loading terminal to which the stove was delivered.

When I got home, I backed my utility trailer to the truck and lowered the tailgate of the trailer to the truck tailgate. With heavy duty dolly, rolled the stove off the truck and onto the trailer. Backed the trailer to my front porch, lowered the tailgate onto it and rolled the stove into my living room.

Other than the door, not much to remove on the Woodstocks to reduce the weight. My new Englander 30 was much easier to handle with firebricks and door removed - and who cares if it gets a scratch - it's a steel stove.

Handle your Woodstock with care.

Good luck,
Bill

I picked up my Dutchwest last year with our minivan, it weighed 436 pounds. The guy who sold me the stove had a small material lift that was like a hadtruck/ hoist. It was small and had two forks in the front that fit under the materials or pallets, perfect for stoves. The forks were cable lifted with a pulley type system and a crank type handle. You probably can't find one of those anymore, he told me recently. Genie, a lift company has a similar hand operated lift, but they cost a small fortune. Anyway, getting back to my point, I moved the Dutchwest with my own handtruck dolly. It is easily done with some straps to hold the stove on it and some ramps or planks to roll the stove off. I recently moved a VC Defiant Encore that weighs 350 pounds by myself the same way. Good luck getting your stove home.

This sounds like the Escallera I was describing. It's a combination hand truck/lift/stair climber. They make models that have forks that are either operated by a hand crank/cable or a motor/cable combination.

Wood Heat Stoves said:

This sounds like the Escallera I was describing. It's a combination hand truck/lift/stair climber. They make models that have forks that are either operated by a hand crank/cable or a motor/cable combination.

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Yes, what a nice piece of equipment to have! I bet it would come in handy for lots of projects! I moved three cast iron stoves into the house in the past three years and I sure could have used it. I'll have to look it up and see how much one goes for. I saw some similar used lifts on Ebay some were almost as expensive to ship as the cost of the lift itself.