[OP]
Member
I am moving from NJ to PA. The biggest items in my shop are the Delta cabinet saw and a Grizzley 8" jointer. Is it difficult taking the cast iron tops off? I think I will need to do that.
Any advice will be appreciated. For you PA guys, I am headed to Boalsburg.
Contributor
Don't remove the cast iron top from the TS - wings OK, but not the top - too much of a PITA to get it aligned again on installation,and it is not that much added weight, considering.
Dismounting the jointer from the base is easy to to - have to monkey with the belt tensioning to get the belt off first, then the bolts. The vast majority of the weight is in the jointer itself, but it at least is less unwieldy in 2 pieces.
When I started woodworking, I didn't know squat. I have progressed in 30 years - now I do know squat.
Contributor
The problem generally is getting the tools into the truck and getting them out. Once they're on a concrete surface you can use appliance rollers to move it around. I recently moved a 5HP Unisaw and an 8" jointer like that. To get them into and out of the truck, I rented a truck with a lift gate. That really makes things easy and safe.
Mike
[Oh, yes, I definitely agree don't take the top off the TS. You might still have to adjust it after the move, however.]
Go into the world and do well. But more importantly, go into the world and do good.
Member
What are you moving them in and who is helping? That will determine what additional help you need. Definitely I would not remove the tops.
Glad its my shop I am responsible for - I only have to make me happy.
Contributor
I bought a Harbor Freight engine lift and straps. I have used it to move tools around and load and unload them.
Member
Are you considering moving them yourself? I have used my tilt bed trailer to move heavy equipment. Just back up to the machine and use a bar and come-along to slide it onto the trailer, strap it so it can't turn over and tarp it if you need to avoid getting it wet. Even easier if you have mobile kits under them. I use the pry bar to get the machine over the edge of the trailer, which is a 2" piece of angle iron. Helps to make a little ramp from a 2x4. My small trailer would haul both machines at the same time, and some other stuff. If you have a car trailer, make a big ramp you can put behind the trailer, and load it up when you have the machines loaded. Could make one from a sheet of ply and some boards to reinforce it.
Member
If you are moving them yourself and have little help, taking them apart is not a big deal, and you will learn lots about them when you reassemble. We moved 18 months ago. Moving company moved us, long story and lots of money. Finally got my 3hp Unisaw, F1000A planer jointer, wood lathe, 14" bandsaw and drill press in the shop. Took each machine apart took them down the stairs on a hand truck and put them back together. The worst was getting jointer bed back on the Hitachi F1000A.
The late is a 12x36 rockwell, that is on a glue lam beam base that has to weigh in excess of 400lbs and each piece is heavy and awkward. The Unisaw is a bit of a bear to get apart and back together, but not horrible. Aligning the saw blade takes a bit of patience, but is not hard, just a bit tedious, and then you know it is correct. Most machinery bases are to wide to go up a moving truck ramp. If you get one with a hydraulic lift, they are wonderful, but can be a bit dicey if the platform tilts a little extra and you have a drill press or bandsaw on it.
To put that in perspective, I have a 1968 Plymouth Barracuda that has the heads off, much worse than taking apart my Unisaw and reassembling because of the headers.
Contributor
Tablesaws are easy in a pickup. Back up to them so the top is just over the tailgate and roll in in the truck with the top down. This is the best way to haul them anyway, with the weight down. When you get where you are going, roll in back out. I used to move a Unisaw to job sites and I could do this by myself when I was younger, but with two guys it is a piece of cake. I never took a saw apart.
Member
My Grizzly G0490 8" jointer is a 500 pound cast iron top mounted to a sheet metal base. I would not load and transport it very far like that. I'm not sure the sheet metal base could take the punishment of the 500 pound top crashing onto every time I hit a pothole. Taking the wings off the tablesaw and flipping it over (never thought of that) would definitely be the way to go there. I would dare to try to flip over the jointer.
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