Getting a keg up stairs...

[Fastsc92]

I live on the 3rd floor of a condo unit, and getting a fresh 1/2 barrel keg up the stairs is always a pain in the arse, even with help from a buddy. What is everyone else's method of getting an awkward 170lb container up 3 levels?

I saw this, and it is a mighty neat device, but extremely expensive:

YouTube - Magline LiftKar Stair Climbing Hand truck

[gregariousness]

haha i live on the 3ed floor as well, i just get my roommate to help and it isn't too bad. have you found a price on the link you posted?

[Fastsc92]

haha i live on the 3ed floor as well, i just get my roommate to help and it isn't too bad. have you found a price on the link you posted?

It's around $3k

[bonefish]

A dolly with the biggest tires you can put on it, would be easier than that thing.
SEAN

[panthermark]

Two people and dolly with nice, fat, tires would be your best bet....

[jsbrugg]

A keg might be a little small for it, but that forearm forklift thing is great if you have a buddy.

[atalanta]

You can get a decent handtruck at Harbor Freight for under $30. Add some bungee cords to keep it in place and that should help with getting it up the stairs. With our first keg, that's what BF used (since I wasn't around to help). True, we're only going up about 6 steps instead of 3 flights, but that's an idea.

[daswerve]

I'm glad to see this thread get started, b/c I have to go up 10 to 12 stairs to get my kegs into my townhouse. I'm tired of being at the mercy of needing another person around to help me and I've been kicking around the idea of getting a dolly myself. My question is this: can one person handle a keg on a dolly or is it still a 2 man job?

Also, I'm thinking the route to go may be an appliance dolly, since the they have tracks on the back to go over the stairs without the "clunk" up each step. I've found a couple online for less than $100.

[atalanta]

BF did the few steps himself since I wasn't around to help.

Go with the appliance dolly! They're designed to move refridgerators so it'll definately be sturdy enough for a keg. As long as it's balanced properly and strapped well (and you have a good steady grip) you should be able to do it yourself. I would do the first one, though, with a friend just to be safe - so you can know if you can do it.

[cubby_swans]

a hand truck would make getting a keg up stairs simple. If you can't get a keg up a flight of stairs with a hand truck, then you need to either hit the gym, or sign up for your AARP card. One with straps (or using tie-downs, at least) would be recommended. You do NOT want to drop a 170lb keg down a flight of stairs. You could killd someone.

[daswerve]

LOL! Cubby, since I don't have any Geritol in my medicine cabinet yet, I suppose you're right. Plus, the hand truck is much cheaper...

[mattnad]

What about a trebuchet? You can skip the stairs and even the trip back from the store with the keg.

[Scott Zuhse]

The drivers who deliver kegs to bars and restaurants pull kegs up the stairs all the time. And they hate these stops on their route! There is an aluminum hand truck / wheeler with slide rails on the back behind the tires so that they can go down the stairs as well as pull kegs up stairs.

The trick is to keep your back upright, arms straight and it is all legs from there, one step at a time. You sure do not want to be below a half bbl. on a stairs if your buddy lost control. Or if the stairs collapsed. This happens from time to time when a driver is going down the stairs with two kegs on the hand truck. Bad day!

The electric hand truck is heavy and some beer wholesalers will have one on hand (collecting dust) just to satisfy OSHA. Another issue is their batteries do not last very long.

[atalanta]

What about a trebuchet? You can skip the stairs and even the trip back from the store with the keg.

LOL That would also give you a brand new skylight!

[bkl63]

I saw a device...

Way bigger that was used to bring large office copy machines up and down stairs... amazing piece of equipment... I'm sure way more than 3K as well.