I'm not putting it down or saying it's bad in any way, just that I feel it's over the top for moving pool table slate. I rather to use the shoulder harness moving straps, most of the weight is on your shoulders and not on your back. Man up has nothing to do with it, working smarter and safer is a lot more important and at 45.00 for the shoulder moving straps it's well worth it not to injury your back or even strain it, as a back injury is usually long-term. And quite frankly how many professionals in the pool table industry is there, it too me some time to find a professional to set up my table, pool and billiard shops are getting harder to find. The professional that I found to setup my table did it as extra income, he said he didn't know anyone else that did moving and setup full-time. A lot of the stores that deal in pool tables and billiards supplies are on a downward trend. Maybe I'm wrong but I'd think that a professional would have to move a lot of pool table slate to offset the price of the OTLVISE.
We do move a lot of slate, including 700 lbs carom slates, one piece 8 ft slates, and many 9 ft three piece slates. The issues for our company are safety first, the OTL-vise is the safest way we've found of moving slate up and down stairs, across long driveways and back yards and even on level floors.
Secondly, is how easy it is to use, at almost 60 years of age I can move a 9 ft slate up and down a flight of stairs, by myself if need be. I've been moving and installing tables for over forty years, full time, and this device is the best and safest way I've ever tried. I've moved many slates with cargo straps, one miss step and the person on the bottom is in harms way as well as possibly pulling the upper person down as well.
Third, This dolly is small and takes up very little room on the shelf in our trucks and vans. It's also very light weight and with the various attachments you can move a lot more that just slate. We use it to move frames, tools, sheet goods such as plywood as well as slate.
We service and install Diamond tables, without the Diamond dolly you would be totally screwed. That dolly, just for moving Diamond tables is $800.00 Our utility dolly with locking straps and fold down back wheels is $400.00 plus modifications another $250.00 These are the tools of our trade. They make our job easier and safer.
The OTL-vise is a tool for professionals, a guy working part time doing a few recoveries on the weekends and an occasional move of an eight ft home table probably can't justify the expenditure. If you are a full time billiard mechanic and installer and want the safest and easiest way to move slate, it's the best tool I've ever used. I only wish it was available forty years ago, I could have saved my back and knees a lot of wear and tear.
Jay
