Handling and moving 55-gallon drums presents a unique challenge for material handling equipment. For its size, a loaded drum can be extremely heavy. Depending on its contents, it can weigh up to 1,000 pounds. Their round shape makes drums susceptible to rolling, making them difficult to control and potentially hazardous to workers if the drums are not handled with the proper equipment.
Fortunately, Morse Manufacturing Company has been solving the problems of moving 55-gallon drums for over 90 years. Morse is “The Specialist in Drum Handling Equipment,” and has been designing and manufacturing top-quality drum dollies, drum trucks, mobile drum handlers, forklift attachments and much more in the USA since 1923. Morse stands so firmly behind their drum-handling equipment design and workmanship that they guarantee their product quality with a 2-year warranty against defects.
We here at Douglas Equipment are committed to bringing our customers the best material handling solutions available, which is why we have developed a strong relationship with Morse. We have decades of experience and expertise to help you find the Morse equipment to lift and transport 55-gallon drums efficiently and safely. Let Morse Manufacturing Company and Douglas Equipment be your partners in drum handling solutions.
Morse Drum Trucks
Use a drum truck to easily load and unload your drum or maneuver it through narrow spaces. Four-wheel dollies fully support the drum’s weight, so there’s no need for the user to support or balance the drum. To load the drum on the truck, you tip the drum towards you, and the truck’s forged-steel toes fit under the drum’s curvature to support it from underneath. This provides a much safer experience as there is no need to tip the drum away from you to slide the base plate underneath and possibly injure your hands or feet.
The Model 160 four-wheeler is Morse’s best-selling drum truck. It combines ergonomics with versatility to make this a safe and easy-to-use all-around truck. It moves and turns easily, and makes it a snap to palletize your drum or pour out the contents of the drum or barrel. The U-shaped handle protects your hands as you maneuver the truck through narrow spaces. Its extendable support prop keeps the drum truck stable in dispensing position, and enables it to self-stand in storage. A chime hook engages the upper rim of the drum, which helps you pull an upright drum onto the truck. Four 8-inch MORTUF polyolefin roller bearing wheels can support loads up to 1,000 pounds. The Model 160 is also available with spark-resistant parts for use around potential ignition sources, pneumatic wheels for rough terrain, and stainless steel for environments requiring a high level of sanitation.
Morse also offers 2- and 3-wheel drum trucks for a more trim and economical drum truck with a tough welded construction. Morse can even fabricate custom drum trucks to meet your requirements.
Morse Round and Square Drum Dollies
Rely on Morse drum dollies to smoothly and safely move 30- or 55-gallon drums. Morse manufactures two styles of drum dollies: round dollies and square dollies. The round drum dollies can handle drums with an outside diameter of up to 23 inches, the size of a standard 55-gallon drum. They have four swivel casters 3 inches in diameter and 1.25 inches wide. Morse offers the following round dolly models:
- Model 14, with steel casters and polyolefin wheels
- Model 14F, which is the Model 14 with spark-resistant parts
- Model 14-SS, which is type 304 stainless steel with steel casters for sanitary environments (food processing, laboratory, pharmaceutical, medical)
- Model 14-SSC, type 304 stainless steel used for both dolly frame and casters
- Model 14-30, for 30-gallon drums, with a 20-inch outside diameter, steel casters, and polyolefin wheels
- Model 14-30SS, type 304 stainless steel frame for 30-gallon drums, with steel casters and polyolefin wheels
Square dollies have a flat deck and four turned-up rounded corners to hold the drum in position. This type of dolly is especially useful for drums that have a low spigot to drain from. All models have polyolefin swivel casters with 3-inch by 1.25-inch wheels. As with Morse round dollies, capacity for all models is 1,000 pounds. Square dolly models are:
- Model 34, which has a 24-inch outside diameter for 55-gallon drums. Steel casters with polyolefin wheels.
- Model 34-SS, which is Model 34 but made of type 304 stainless steel
- Model 34-30, with a 19.75-inch diameter for 30-gallon drums
- Model 34-30SS, which is Model 34-30 made of type 304 stainless steel
- Model 34-5, for 5-gallon pails, with a 12.5-inch diameter and 200-pound capacity, with steel casters and polyolefin wheels
- Model 34-5SS, which is Model 34-5 made of type 304 stainless steel
Morse Drum Transporters and Palletizers
These indispensable tools transport drums and barrels and lift rimmed drums on and off pallets up to 19 inches high. The base of these drum movers have a V shape that allows you to raise and place drums at the corners of pallets. The drum mover base can straddle a pallet up to 41 inches wide and 7 inches high. These drum transporters and palletizers grip the top rims of upright steel, fiber, or plastic drums with wide automatic, mechanical jaws. Choose from hand pump, battery power, AC, DC, or air lift options for ergonomic drum raising, palletizing, and depalletizing. These models are also available in stainless steel and with spark-resistant parts. As with its trucks and dollies, we can work with Morse to custom-fabricate a drum transporter or palletizer to your specifications.
You’ll Always Drum Up Excellent Customer Service at Douglas Equipment
Founded in 1955, we here at Douglas Equipment have learned a thing or two about drum handling in all those years, which is why we can recommend Morse equipment without reservation when you need a well-built, reliable, easy-to-use drum handling tool. Contact us online, or if you’re local to South Florida, call us at 305-888-3700. National customers can call us at 800-451-0030. We’ll be more than happy to help you with all of your drum handling needs.
