Tablesaw delivery/crateing method?

[Bob Johnson2]

Going to be ordering a Jet Cabinet saw and a Planer shortly which have to go around the house and down the hatchway to the basement (no garage). Can anyone tell me how these are shipped as far as crates and weights are concerned. Do they come with the basic saw put together and just the wings, and rails packed separate? or is the top separate from the base making it somewhat movable? I take it the planers come preassembled so it's all one peice? Do they come in wooden crates or just cardboard boxes?

Thanks

[John Weber]

Bob,

I think Unisaws come on a skid with a heavy duty cardboard box over the works, cast iron wing is with the saw, but other accessories are seperate. I think imported machines are either in a OSB crate on a "skid", in a wood frame shrink wrapped, or cardboard over a skid (like the Uni). The saws will have top attached, but are easy to move with a hand truck. 2 people should be able get the crates down to your basement where you can assemble everything. I think the crates/boxes are easiler to handle then a loose tool. Congrats on your new toys.

John

[Jim Becker]

My Jet LT Cabinet Saw came bolted to a pallet with a heavy cardboard cover. The fence system was boxed separately. The saw had the motor installed, but pretty much everything else was not attached but inside the crate. (Wings, etc.) The non-attached items can be easily set aside for moving the machine by 2 or 3 people (depending on the people...). Do NOT remove the top if you can help it. They are shimmed at the factory for accurate bevel cuts. Those shims "look" like washers but are very precise in thickness...if they are misplaced or reinstalled in the wrong corner(s)...the saw will never align properly.

[Ted Shrader]

Bob -

My PM66 came on a bolted to a pallet with cardboard tri-wall over that. All the accessory parts (fence, rails, etc.) were in separate boxes. Seven total, but a Brett Guard was also shipped at the same time.

Was fortunate enough to be able to set it down out of the back of the truck onto the concrete of the garage floor. All it cost me was a few beers. (Afterwards, of course.) You can disassemble some of the heavier components to lighten it up. I would start with the motor. As a last resort - If you MUST take the top off - mark the shims that are between the cabinet and the top. Keep them separated and well labeled so you will be able to return them to their correct location.

Good luck,
Ted

[Bob Johnson2]

Thanks guys, good tips about the shims, I'll keep it in mind. Sounds like it's not as big a deal as I had invisioned, all I could think of was trying to gorilla 500 lbs down the cellar stairs. In a snow storm.

[Ed Falis]

What Jim said, as far as how mine was delivered. I had to bring it down through the bulkhead too. So I removed the tabletop and shims, carefully noting which shims went in which corners, then removed the motor. It was a piece of cake getting it down for my wife and me.

Then I spent a fair amount of time realigning the tabletop, but not an inordinate amount.

- Ed