Moving a cabinet saw

Mike Gabbay

Member
Messages
180
Location
Herndon VA
I'm in the process of looking for a used or new cabinet saw. One of the issues I have is my shop is in the basement and the only access is through the house and down a flight of steps. With my 17" bandsaw, moving in was a challenge using an appliance dolly. I did not pull the motor on it. But is weighed in at around 270 pounds.

Given that most cabinet saws are 450 pounds and heavier, I would have to break it down. Obivously the fence would be off anyway so that takes about 70 pounds based on a B-meyer fence and rails. The wings would probably remove another 25 - 30 pounds each. So together that takes off around 130 pounds leaving 320 pounds to move.

The weight of a 3hp Baldor comes in around 50 pounds so if I remove that I'm down to around 270 pounds.

If I have to I would take off the top. I would guess that would be about 50 - 60 pounds so now I'm down to a managable 210 pounds.

Going into the shop is the easy part since gravity is in my favor. It is still a 2 person job and managable. The hard part is moving out!

So here's my question, if I strip it down to just the cabinet and trunnion that means removing the motor. Since the motor is hung off the trunnion assembly, what is the best way to remove and reinstall it? Lifting 50 pounds in a squat position with the weight out and away from your body seems like a task for the Terminator! :D Any thoughts?
 
Take the fence & wings off strap it to the appliance dolly & with one person helping you move it. Remember they are not as tall as your band-saw & the weight is lower down & a bit better balanced. I'd leave the motor in if not all the weight will be on top. I unloaded my Unisaw from my truck (I hauled it laying on its back on a piece of carpet in my pickup with the bottom toward the back end of the truck) I just took a hold of the carpet & slid it to the back with the tailgate unhooked from the supports it angled down & the saw & carpet slid right down to the ground with me just retarding its speed to a crawl. I then rocked it onto a 4 wheel furniture dolly & ratchet strapped it tight & wheeled it to the shop & assembled it & set it up by myself.

I don't think that with one person helping you you'll have any problem getting the saw down stairs. If nothing else put boards on the stairs & a piece of carpet under the saw wrapped so that it goes around the base & top & down the back side & ratchet strapped on that will slide on the boards & tie a rope so you & your friend can retard the speed of the saw sliding down the boards & just slide it down . If you want it to slide easier wax the boards.:eek::D
 
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For removing / reinstalling the motor, I would make up a rough cradle for it using some 2by lumber. Then I would take a car jack - preferable a bottle jack if you have one. Put the cradle on top of the jack and raise it up so that the cradle supports the motor. Then unbold it, and lower it down using the jack. Then just do the opposite to put it back in.
 
There have been times I lowered something similar using a dolly (I call them two-wheel hand truck. e.g. as is used for appliances) by putting a long rope or strap through the top cross piece and fastening one end to something strong. Often it was the hitch ball on my truck. This acts like a doubling pulley, effectively halving the weight you must wrestle down the stairs. Even then it can be a grunt, get help. Do not allow any helper on the stairs below you. 'Stuff' happens and you don't want someone under several hundred pounds of falling steel. Another option, get a big pulley and reduce (effective) weight even further. Another option, hire a professional mover and let their insurance cover possible "Oops".
 
Sean is right about how to remove the motor. But why when you can use soft material to wrap around & wedge it & just leave it there. You'll also have to unhook the wiring not hard just not a comfortable position to be in while doing it.

I hauled mine about 7 miles with the motor in it propped in place with an old piece of carpet & it did just fine.
 
Mike,
Take off the fence and wings. You then have a box, strap it to an appliance dolly and take it down the steps. you can easily move a tremendous amount of weight with a appliance dolly, much more than you think. You're not dead lifting it, just moving it with leverage and a couple of wheels. This topic comes up regularly, they all turn out the same way. Lots of posts with 100 different opinions. Once the move is over the OP undoubtedly leaves a post and says, "jeez, it wasn't anywhere as bad as I thought it would be". Try a search and you'll see what I mean.

Bottom line - Don't over think it, it's not all that.

Mike
 
Hey guys thanks for the feedback. Going down is the easy part... moving things back out will be the hard part. So maybe I'll just hire a good mover to do the heavy lifting! Definately the appliance dolly is my tool of choice here.
 
I would not worry about the move out, about six months ago helped a friend move his PM 66 (5hp) out of a basement shop. I am 5'7" and 130 lbs, he is no bigger, moving his DJ equipment in and out of events can be a much bigger challenge. In November I picked up a 3hp PM66 and brought it home in the back of my Dakota, husband and I lifted it out of the back of the truck and into a mobile base, no equipment besides a couple of 2x4.

Heather :)
 
It can be moved somehow. Awhile back I picked up a Contractors saw at a dealer that I always use in Kelowna B.C. Stopped in at the local Costco store and 10 mins later when I came out the saw was gone. 10 min inside and they had the saw which was shrinked wrap with all the parts on a pallet lifted out of my truck when the tailgate was LOCKED. Not a mark on the truck. Since then I have realized anything is possible.
 
Rob, that sucks, I'm from Kelowna, and I'm really disappointed that this happened, and that NO saw anything or did anything. :eek:

Insurance covered it Stu, not only that the Tool Place in Kelowna gave me another $100.00 off when I bought the next one. When I came out of Costco and went to my truck I said "this isn't my truck" and actually started looking for my own...lol. Then the wife took note of the licence plate # and said "this is OUR truck". Couldn't believe it!!!! I have nothing but good to say about The Tool Place in Kelowna after what they did for me. Go there often now.
 
By now you probably have the saw in place, but a quick note and a reminder. If you do remove the saw top, be SURE to mark and note the placement of all the shims. In order to have everything nice and "true" again you have to replace the shims exactly in the same place.
 
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