Recommendation on getting heavy TS onto mobile base

[Michael Ballent]

Say you are receiving a heavy TS and you need to get onto a mobile base. The saw will arrive on a pallet but you can only get 2 other guys to muscle it around. How would you recommend getting the TS onto the tablesaw. BTW before you put anything on the saw it already weighs 530 lbs. Completion of the gloat will begin after the saw is fully assembled. I know of another Creeker that is in the same situation and getting his saw today as well, so both of us are eagerly waiting on our deliveries

[Dan Oliphant]

Michael,

Most engine hoists are rated at 500 pounds lifting capacity (full extension). If you are only going to lift the saw high enough to place the mobile base under it, with careful hoisting, you should be all right. I had to rent a shop fork lift to move my Bridgewood saw into place because I did the work myself.

[Bill Lewis]

It'd help if we knew what kind of saw.

For instance, I put my Unisaw on the mobil base myself, but that was before I assembled the saw. However, If you're talking about a big combo unit...that's another story.

[Andrew Ault]

I recently purchased a used Delta Unisaw with 52" Beisemeyer fence and mobile base. (I was fortunate to get a great price on the saw I've always wanted!) I was apprehensive about the weight of the thing and whether I could safely move it. I asked for advice here and received some great input that really helped my confidence, etc.

My saw is not as heavy as your saw, but some of the experience we had might be helpful. Since your saw will be on a pallet I think with three men you will be able to slide the saw off the pallet and onto your mobile base.

I had one friend help me get the Unisaw off my pickup and directly onto the mobile base. It was much easier than I thought it might be. I had only removed one of the cast iron wings so it would easily fit in my truck, so the saw was fairly heavy, though not 500 lbs. When I loaded the saw onto my truck I leaned it against a 2' x 4' sheet of 3/8" ply and then slid the ply and saw as a unit into the truck. To unload it my friend and I put the mobile base in place and casefully slid the saw and plywood off the back and tilted it into the base. It was easy to control.

I've been warned not to lift heavy tools by the cast iron wings, so we were careful about that.

Since then I've removed the rust from the saw and cleaned and assembled it. I'm still dinking with minor adjustments to get everything true and flat. Next, I plan to convert the extension table into a router table. I've found a really, really used great router fence for a great price (I feel so lucky lately, where's my bad luck gone???) and will be purchasing a router for this purpose.

I'm sure that you are excited about your great new tool! I hope it brings you great pleasure and does everything that you want it to.

[Doug Shepard]

There are probably better ways, but here's how I did it with a PM66 - your mileage may vary. It was a bit of work but only took 2 people about 10 minutes once we had a plan in place. I set the mobile base to the side of the pallet and locked the wheels down so it wouldn't roll. I took some scrap 2x6's and ripped them so that when placed on the floor they were exactly even with the top of the pallet. I screwed two pieces together to stop any wobble and cut them so that they fit down inside the mobile base - one on each side. Slid the saw off the pallet onto the scrap blocks. Then raised the mobile base up around the saw cabinet from below and wedged it in place with more scrap. Then a piece a pipe about 6' and another scrap block for a pivot was used to lever up one side (the saw and MB together) while the other person pulled out the wood. Once that side was lowered to the floor, the same thing was repeated on the other side.
If you know someone with an engine block hoist you can borrow, you could probably do it without even breaking a sweat.

[Adrian Rogers]

1. How are you getting it off the truck? If it's a lift gate, then nevermind, if it's a forklift or something, then just wrap a strap around the table and pick it up with the forklift.

2. Me and one other guy moved a Grizzly 12" saw onto it's mobile base (from a pallet). According to grizzly, the whole saw weighs 615lbs, but we didn't have the fence or wings assembled, so it was something less than that. It was heavy, but we moved it off the pallet and onto the mobile base which as lower than the pallet. That's the ticket, it we'd had to move the saw from the floor to the mobile base, I don't know if we could have done it. I guess my advice here is to disassemble the fence and wings to lower the weight.

3. Do you have anything overhead that you could hang a come-along from to lift the saw while you roll the mobile base under it?

-Adrian

[Adrian Rogers]

Oh yeah, on the unisaw that I just got, it's light enough for two people to easily sit on a mobile base without the fence & wings. What kind of saw did you buy?

[Rick Lizek]

Easily a one person job. One way I've done it is to have 2 x material on a saw horse under the going under the table of the saw. This way it held up with the base being clear so you can slide the mobile base underneath. I had some sawhorses that were made with hinges to pivot, and chains so I could change the spread of the legs to vary the height. I've used pipe clamps to use it as a lifting device at times. Another way is with a chainfall or engine hoist. Still another way is if the top is off the base is easily mauneuverable. Don't know what kind of saw you are getting but anything up to a Unsiaw or PM 66 is a small saw in my book. There's a bunch of other ways I've used that are pretty low tech with stuff in most shops.

[Lee Schierer]

Just get it to the top of the stairs and push, it will go down no problem at all. Getting it back out will be a completely different problem.

Most refridgerator dollies will handle that kind of weight. I'm not sure how well it will strap to your saw. Other than that can you attach some 2 X 6's to the step and slide it down? You can secure the top with a block and tackle. You should be able to slide it down under control. Just make sure the block and tackle is securely anchored and the weight rating is high enough for the total weight of the saw.

[Ellen Benkin]

I did it myself. The key is leverage and to do it a little at a time. Get the mobile base under one corner and work it in until you can get the other corner on it. Little by little. No hoist or crane required. Don't lift any more than you can without hurting yourself and make a lever out of a couple of 2x4s. It's not easy -- but it is possible.

[Michael Ballent]

It'd help if we knew what kind of saw.

For instance, I put my Unisaw on the mobil base myself, but that was before I assembled the saw. However, If you're talking about a big combo unit...that's another story.

OK if you must insist it's a SawStop Cabinet Saw with 3HP motor. Now will you give me some hints

[Jim DeLaney]

Build the mobile base, to ensure the proper size, then take it apart into tow halves. Tilt the saw up from one side, and slip half the base under it. Then, tilt it up from the other side and slip the other half of the base under it. reconnect the two halves of the base and you're done.

It took me about 20 minutes to put my ShopFox saw onto the mobile base - by myself.

[Glenn McAfee]

I have a 3hp sawstop, took delivery 2 months ago.

Here is how I got the beast in place:

The sawstop footprint isn't square, so I used a heavy duty shop fox base and added two layers of plywood with some 2 inch angle bracket around the sides of the plywood. I like the saw raised anyway, I'm 6'2" and it helps.

The saw slid right on to the base from the pallet, no problems. There is piece of heavy paper under the saw that makes it easy to move.

Enjoy the saw, I can't say enough good things about mine.

glenn

[Scott Loven]

Dont do it like this guy did
http://www.captainscience.com/code/bricklayer.mp3

[Doug Shepard]

OK if you must insist it's a SawStop Cabinet Saw with 3HP motor. Now will you give me some hints

OHH - No Problem. I hear if you start to drop one on your toe, the sides will magically retract to protect you.