Best way to load/unload 15" planer into pickup truck?

[Loren Woirhaye]

Wheel the unit to the tailgate. Unbolt the planer from the stand. Slide the planer onto a piece of plywood and slide the plywood into the truck. If the motor is in the stand, it will make the planer lighter. If the motor is mounted on top, it can be removed in a few minutes. I recently unloaded a 15" planer myself (the seller helped me slide it off the stand and into the truck) with the motor on top this way. Moving a machine this way also eliminates time spend fussing with tie downs.

[george newbury]

Only 500lbs?

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That's about what I've picked up with my

Harbor Freight truck crane, look for a 25% off coupon.

I mounted mine on double thickness 3/4 plywood so I can take it out of my truck and bolt it to my trailer or put it on my tractor 3pt.

[Keith Hankins]

I bought a big northfield and had the guy I bought it from skid it, and I had guy with a flatbed wrecker go pick it up and bring it and slid it down the stairs to the basement. I put 3/4" galvanized pipe under it and it rolled down with no issue. I am dreading the day when I have to take it out of the basement. Gravity was my friend going down

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[Dave Cav]

I think given your particular situation the most cost effective and easiest solution would be a low U Haul trailer and an appliance dolly.

[glenn bradley]

Take 2-8ft 2x4's and pull them half way through the planer (short side down). Lift the bed so the 2x4's are snug in the planer. Get three other people and carry that pig around all you want. It worked great for me.

Except he stated "No help from the seller and I'll be alone." I do like your idea. He just has to bribe some friends. I've found beer or food very effective.

[george newbury]

A few important points -
How much would you use new tools (dolly, pallet jack, hoist)? How easy is it to get a small UHaul vs put it in your truck? What's the terrain like? How deep is your wallet?

In my case for the truck hoist I'm frequently struggling to get heavy stuff in the truck bed, it was very useful in loading my 12" Belsaw planer. In my recent tool haul I went for a UHaul 6'x12' utility trailer with ramp for ~$40 and bought a Harbor Freight 2.5 ton pallet jack for ~$200 and also used a high quality come-along I had on hand.. I really needed the pallet jack anyways. I ended up filling the trailer and my F350 truck bed. But that was a lot of tools.

For your 1 tool haul if your just going across concrete you could probably get by with either a 4x4 ramp, a furniture dolly good for 1,000 lbs ($8) and a come-along (or winch).

[Michael Heffernan]

Thanks everyone for all the ideas. As it turned out, it was relatively easy. There were a couple of other guys looking at other tools for sale. I unbolted the planer from the steel base, slid a couple of 2x4s thru the planer bed, lowered the cutter head and the three of us muscled it on to the truck bed on a piece of cardboard. Loaded the base, mobile base and in/outfeed rollers, strapped it all down and I was on my way.
Back at my shop, I backed the pickup into the roll up door, set the base on the mobile base and aligned it at the edge of the tailgate, since my shop floor is raised, it was only a couple of inches lower than the tailgate. Slid the planer onto the base, ever so carefully, bolted it on and rolled it into the shop.
Saved on a lift or trailer, which makes the $360 cost for the planer a really good deal.