Primarily Petroliana Shop Talk Forums Shop Talk Petroliana Forums General Petroliana Discussion Moving a Visble Pump

I'm possibly going to pick up a visible pump this week. The glass cylinder is intact. I'm wondering if it might bust or crack with the pump laying on its side in the back of my pickup truck. Its going to be a long drive. Does anyone have any experiences or advice or horror stories for me?

Would you put your wifes crystal wine glasses in the back of your truck? You better take the cylinder off for transport!
Or you will be giving VIC'S PLACE a call............. )

I am preparing to transport a Wayne 515 visible that we restored to a gentleman in Southern California. We wrapped it in blankets and then shrink-wrapped it until not inch of the pump is exposed, even the bottom of the base. We have a cradle that we built for hauling these in a pick-up bed.
It basically consists of two u-shaped structures at the base & cylinder base with 2x4's running down each side of the pump. There is probably no fail-safe way to do this, but this is the way that works for us and we haul these from coast to coast.
Seth/Vic's Place

P.S. if you do break your cylinder, I'll treat you right on a replacement!!

Personally I wouldn't remove the cylinder before hauling it. I have hauled probably 20 visible pumps with the cylinder in tact and never cracked one yet. I lay the pump on an old bed matress or lay an old tire under the casting just below the cylinder and let it float slightly. I strap it down of course to keep it from rolling from side to side but don't strap it down so tight that it wont float up and down. I have friend that hauls all of his pumps this way thousands of miles and has never broken a cylinder.
Good luck.

[This message has been edited by gasguy (edited 07-02-2002).]

I have moved visisble pumps in methods similar to those as posted without any problems. I would say that the chances of
breaking the cylinder are significantly greater during removal. We have all heard the horror stories of that loud cracking sound just when you think the cylinder is ready to come out. Good luck.

IF the cylinder is NOT caulked in the bottom,
take it out. IF it is caulked in, leave it in, and lay on tires.

I agree with Dick... Never remove an old cylinder with lots of litharge at the bottom. Glass gets brittle with age. Removing it releaves the pressure and increases the probablitiy of a crack(usually horizontally in a nice circle just above the bottom lip.
Ron Scobie rscobie@gaspump.com

I have had good luck in the past using the tires-blankets-strapping and a few Hail Mary's method moving visibles too. The cradle idea would be best for long distances. Just be very careful. You can't beat an original glass cylinder in my opinion. Also, I use muriatic acid and a small screwdriver or pick to get the litharge out. Be careful; wear safety glasses and rubber gloves and have a garden hose handy, protect your eyes. I also loosen the hold down nuts on top in an opposite sequence manner to even out the torque release. Enjoy that pump!!

Success! Thanks to all you pump veterans who answered my post. I got the pump home, cylinder intact. Using the tires was an excellent idea. You all gave good advice. This web site is really a great information resource.